Read the Bible

Myra Kahn Adams writes a column designed for “those who don We do not mWe do not mean to be gratuitously unkind, but the truth is that she does not know the Bible very well herself, as seen in many of her columns. Today, we want to point out some flaws in her Mother’s Day message from May 12, 2024. The theme of her article was to claim that Mary, the mother of Jesus, did not speak in cliches—but rather spoke meaningful and inspiring words, with which we can agree. In the third paragraph, however, she speaks of Mary as the Queen of Heaven. Who?

What some people apparently do not know is that the Bible never refers to Mary by that terminology. Go ahead. Look up “Queen of Heaven” in a concordance; it occurs five times in the Scriptures—all in the Old Testament—and all used of pagan religion (Jeremiah 7:18; 44:17, 18, 19, and 25). People made cakes to her (Jer. 7) and burned incense to her (Jer. 44). Mary is never called the Queen of Heaven. When she is erroneously designated that way today, it is just as idolatrous as it was in the days of Jeremiah the prophet. The New Testament does not say she was miraculously conceived, nor does it teach that she ascended into heaven. These are doctrines of the Roman Catholic Church, and it is odd that someone who grew up in a Jewish household (even if it was not a religious family) would use such language in referring to Mary.

Later in the article, Adams says that “Mary prayed the Magnificat.” Those who do not know the Bible may not be surprised by this terminology, but those who are will be. Luke does not refer to her prayer by this name. Besides, to say she prayed the Magnificat sounds as though it were something written down that she recited, which it was not. What she said was heartfelt. Myra and her husband enjoy the words so much, recorded in Luke 1:46-55, that she they recite them daily. Why? This is not the model prayer Jesus gave His disciples (Matt. 6:9-13), and even it should not be recited. Your congenial editor likes the prayer of Ezra in Ezra 9:6-15, but he does not recite it every day.

Are we saying that Mary is somehow not a worthy person? Of course not. Of all the young women on the face of the earth from the tribe of Judah, God selected her to bring Jesus into the world. That God chose her for this honor speaks well of her, and no one should desire to minimize that privilege. Our complaint is the exaltation of Mary beyond what she merits. She is not the Queen of Heaven (no one is), and she is not a mediator between God and man. Jesus is the only one who possesses that ability (2 Tim. 2:5). Everyone who listens to God is (in one sense) equal to her. Jesus did not denigrate her when He said, “For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother” (Matt 12:50).