Blessed Virgin Mary in the Holy Scriptures – Old and New Testament

“The Old Testament is the New Testament concealed. The New Testament is the Old Testament revealed.” ~ St Augustine. The first part of the Bible sets up foundations, promises, typology, & symbols and events that prefigure Jesus Christ, is the Old Testament Concealed. The second part of the Bible shows the fulfillment of those promises, symbols in the life, death, and Resurrection of Jesus is the New Testament Revealed.

The Old Testament points forward to the coming of the promised Redeemer. The New Testament Gospels reveal the promised Messiah, the Christ. So, Old Testament lays the foundation for the teachings and events found in the New Testament. The New Testament is only completely understood in the light of the events, and promises of the Old Testament. The promises contained in the Old Testament are revealed in the New Testament. Both Old & New Testament are intertwined. Old Testament provides foundation and context and New Testament provides culmination and completion.

“After Jesus had risen from the dead, He appeared to the disciples and told them: “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.” ~ Luke 24: 44. This grace hid itself under a veil in the Old Testament, but it has been revealed in the New Testament. The phrase “the New Testament lies hidden in the Old and the Old Testament is unveiled in the New” is a famous summary of biblical unity.

Understanding the Relationship Typology: The Church uses typology to show how people, events, and symbols in the Old Testament prefigure and point toward Jesus Christ in the New Testament. The Old and New Testaments share fundamental similarities as interconnected parts of the Christian Bible, reveal the same unchanging God & His continuous plan of salvation. In the Bible there exists continuity between the two Testaments, through the Intertestamental books. Old Testament anticipates, announces, and points to the New Testament as the Promise and its Fulfillment.

Blessed Virgin Mary – Mother of God
The Orthodox Church honors, values and venerates Ever Blessed Virgin St. Mary as ‘more honourable than the Cherubim, more glorious beyond comparison than the Seraphim……….’. Why? Mary gave birth to God, her role essential to the incarnation and salvation. Her body acting as a throne of God–We magnify thee, We glorify thee, Full of Grace. Blessed Virgin Mary is placed first among the saints, ‘Theotokos’ (Greek – Birth-giver-of-God). Her name is commemorated in every service, and her intercession sought before the throne of God, is frequently requested, in hymns and prayers and at every important moment of our lives. Almost every prayer has mention of Veneration of her. Mary’s role, rank, identity, and status as ‘Mother of God’ is indispensable, since the One Who was born from Her was and always will be the true God. She has a definite role in Orthodox Christianity and can in no way be considered, an instrument which, once used, was laid aside and forgotten.

The Church calendar sets apart several days to celebrate in the life of the Mother of God. Furthermore, Wednesdays are dedicated to her. Also, the sixth hour (noon) of prayer. Therefore, without a doubt one can come to the conclusion that the Theotokos ‘the God bearer’ is an important part of the life of any Orthodox Christian. Virgin Birth is not about biology, but theology. God entered the world in a way that broke the normal rules because the Incarnation itself broke every rule.

Blessed Virgin Mary – Old Testament Prototypes
The Church has always considered the many precursor symbols, by which BVM prefigures in the Old Testament & of the role of Theotokos in the Divine plan of the Incarnation of God, foretold in the Old Testament. Through her personal sinlessness, she fulfilled all the hopes and prophecies of Israel. Mary figured greatly in the prophecies, the most important of which is: “Behold, a virgin shall conceive, bear a son, shall call his name Emmanuel (Is. 7: 14).
~ Woman, whose seed would crush the head of the serpent (Gen 3: 15).
~ Noah’s Ark is a prototype of Blessed Virgin Mary & Holy Church (Gen 6-8)
~ Jacob’s Ladder pre-figures Blessed Virgin Mary. (Gen. 28: 12)
~ The Burning Bush, on Mount of Horeb bore God in its flame (Ex. 3: 1-11)
~ The Golden Pot of Manna typifies Blessed Virgin Mary. (Ex. 16: 33)
~ The Ark of Covenant typified, Blessed Virgin Mary, (Ex. 25: 10-22).
~ Mother of God Who contained Christ and His Church.
~ The Glory of God dwelt in the Theotokos the Living Tabernacle.
~ Aaron’s Golden Censor (Num. 16: 46) is a Symbol of Blessed Virgin Mary.
~ Aaron’s rod signifies Blessed Virgin Mary, (Num. 9: 16-24).
~ The Closed Gate in the East likened to Mary the ‘Ever-Virgin’ (Ez. 44: 1-3)
~ Fleece of Gideon” (Judg. 6: 36-40).
~ The “Enclosed Garden, Sealed Fountain” (Song of Solomon 4: 12).

St. Mary in the New Testament.

1. Prophecy about Mary: Is. 7: 14
2. Annunciation accounts, Angel announces divine conception, and Mary seeks clarification and submits to God’s will, Luke 1:26-26.
3. Mary betrothed to Joseph, Mt 1:18-25.
4. Mary visits Elizabeth, her kinswoman and mother of John the Baptist who is filled with Holy Ghost, Magnificat, etc Luke 1:39-56.
5. Journey to Bethlehem, rejection in the inn, Jesus’ birth, the manger, shepherds worship and heavenly hosts worship, etc, Luke 2:1-20.
6. Jesus brought in the temple for purification, circumcision (Mayaltho), Simon’s prophesy, the prophetess Hanna etc, Luke 2: 22-39.
7. Wise men’s visit from the East, Mat 2:11.
8. Flight to Egypt, Mt 2: 14.
9. Return from Egypt, at Galilee, Mat 2: 21-24.
10. Jesus at the temple, Lk 2: 41-52.
11. Mary thought about what she heard of infant Jesus, Lk 2: 19, 51.
12. People of Galilee identified her as mother of Jesus and alleged that James, Joses, Simon, Judas were brothers and sisters of Jesus, Mat 13:55-56, Mk 6:3, Jn 6:42.
13. Reached Jesus while He spoke to multitude, Mt 12: 47, Mk 3:31-35, Lk 8:19-24.
14. The first miracle performed at the marriage feast at Cana at the request of Mary, Jn 2:1-5.
15. Goes to Capernaum with Jesus, Jn 2:12.
16. Present at Jesus’ death, Jn 19:25-27.
17. Seen with disciples, in the Upper Room. Acts 1:14.