The idea
Isaiah's virgin bears Immanuel, 'God with us,' which Matthew applies to Jesus. Because her Son is God-with-us, Mary is rightly the 'Mother of God' — a claim about who Jesus is. And honoring the queen mother is not worship. Pitre's criterion is precise (p 88): in ancient Judaism and Christianity the essence of worship was sacrifice; honour, petition and praise can all be given to human beings, but sacrifice is offered to God alone. That is why Epiphanius condemned the Collyridians, who offered the eucharistic bread to Mary, while insisting she be honoured — 'Mary is to be held in honor, but the Lord is to be worshiped!'
Key verses
- Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:23 — 'the virgin shall conceive… Immanuel (God with us).'
- Luke 1:43 — 'the mother of my Lord.'
The connection
| Old Testament root | New Testament fulfilment | |
|---|---|---|
| Immanuel, 'God with us' | → | Mary, Mother of God — honored, not worshiped |
Isaiah's child is 'Immanuel — God with us,' which Matthew applies to Jesus. Since her son is God-with-us, Pitre argues Mary is rightly 'Mother of God' — a title that guards who Jesus is (Athanasius, Gregory Nazianzen, the Council of Ephesus, pp 81–83) — while honouring her stops short of sacrifice, the worship due God alone (CCC 971).
Sources
- Athanasius of Alexandria — Against the Arians 3.29 (p 82) · read
- Gregory of Nazianzus — Letter 101 (p 82) · read
- Council of Ephesus (431) — Theotokos (pp 82–83) · read
- Epiphanius of Salamis — Panarion 78–79 on the Collyridians (pp 87–88) · read
- Catechism of the Catholic Church — CCC 466, 495, 971 (pp 83, 89) · read · read