28 December 2008
Old Lutheran Quote of the Day
It is well known what is meant by giving birth. Mary’s experience was not different from that of other women, so that of the birth of Christ was a real natural birth, Mary being his natural mother and he being her natural son. Therefore her body performed its functions of giving birth, which naturally belonged to it, except that she brought forth without sin, without shame, without pain, and without injury, just as she had conceived without sin. The curse of Eve did not come on her, where God said, “In pain thou shalt bring forth children;” otherwise it was with her in every particular as with every woman who gives birth to a child. Grace does not interfere with nature and her work, but rather improves and promotes it. -- Blessed Martin Luther, Church Postil, Homily for Christmas Day (Lenker I:140) [HT: Brother Latif Gaba on SSP's Blog]
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3 comments:
No pain, and the other difference in this divine birth is that it in no way impaired the Mother's virginity.
He says that also:
"She was without doubt a pure, chaste virgin before the birth, in the birth, and after the birth.... For her Son did not detract from her virginity but actually strengthened it." House Postils III:256
Oh, and it's also in the Lutheran Symbols:
"He showed His divine majesty also in His mother's womb, because He was born of a virgin *without violating her virginity*. Therefore she is truly the mother of God and yet has remained a virgin." SD VIII:24
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