Jacob's style is totally different from everything else we have read. He writes in poetic form. This took a little getting used to, but I found it wonderful and refreshing. Theology is supposed to lead us to worship. Jacob's theology in its entirety is a hymn of praise to God.
The basic problem I have with adoration and veneration of Mary is that it seems to compromise the exclusive claim of Christ. If Mary was without sin, doesn't that mean she didn't need the cross? If the role of Mary in salvation is emphasized, doesn't that take away from what Christ accomplished? If Mary is honored, doesn't that take away from the honor given to Christ? If we pray to Mary, doesn't that diminish Christ's role as the only intermediary? This is the mindset I had when I began reading Jacob.
I am not comfortable with everything Jacob says about Mary, but I was able to appreciate much more of what he said than I was expecting. When he ponders Mary, it leads him to honor and glorify Jesus. For him, the virgin birth is a subset of the mystery of the incarnation: the one who cannot be contained by the heavens chose to be born in a womb as a baby.
Jacob develops the theme of Mary as the "Second Eve who generated Life among mortals, and paid and rent asunder that bill of Eve her mother." Eve listened to the serpent and so brought the curse on the world; Mary listened to Gabriel and so allowed the curse to be overturned. Eve didn't question what the serpent said; Mary questioned what Gabriel said and only accepted it when she understood. Eve had caused enmity between heaven and earth; through Mary this enmity was ended. However, it was not simply Mary herself but what Christ accomplished through her:
The wall of iniquity which the serpent had built then,What I find most fascinating is how Jacob interprets Mary's visit to Elizabeth (Luke 1:39-56). John the Baptist leaps in the womb when Elizabeth and Mary meet. Jacob compares this to David dancing before the Ark of the covenant. This is strange, yet compelling. Not only that, but through Mary's voice Jesus breathed the Holy Spirit on John for prophecy. This is crazy stuff! I like it, but I don't know what to do with it. It is totally foreign to the way I think about everything. It led me to worship, though.
by his descent the Son of God broke it down that it might
never again be restored.
When He descended He broke down the hedge which was
placed between the sides,
that there might be peace between dwellers on earth and in
heaven.
The fact that Mary is without sin does not preclude the necessity of her need for the redemption of the cross. Her moral sinlessness does not (and never can) reconcile fallen humanity to God. There is a great difference between the juridical stance on sin and death in the western development on original sin and what the fathers teach, but I'm sure you're aware of this. Keep pondering the Theotokos, and learn to love your mother, and she will teach you how to worship her Son. Praise her, and you will know the Incarnation of our God, may he praised forever, amen.
ReplyDeleteformer Protestant now Orthodox catechumen
Hi Dan,thanks for the nice post. I am syrian orthodox and I appreciate what you have to say about St. Jacob. St. Jacob is rich in deed in his writings, and can only ranked second after St. Ephrem (303-373). Your post made me think more about our need today to go back to the early fathers of the church in listen to what they have to offer us about theology.
ReplyDeleteIt is refreshing in deed to read your blog. May God continue blessing you