Mary, the Ark of the New Covenant

Summary

The speaker explores the concept of Mary as the new Ark of the Covenant, drawing parallels between the Old Testament Ark and the role of Mary in the New Testament. Just as the Ark housed the manna, the Ten Commandments, and Aaron’s staff, Mary carried Jesus, the Word made flesh, in her womb. The speaker also touches on Mary's holiness, perpetual virginity, and bodily assumption into heaven, tying these themes to her role as the Ark of the New Covenant, the dwelling place of God on earth.

Takeaways

• 📜 Jesus is depicted as the new manna from heaven in the New Testament (John 6), which parallels the Old Testament manna stored in the Ark of the Covenant.
• 📦 The Ark of the Covenant was a sacred container that held the manna, the Ten Commandments, and Aaron's staff, making it a symbol of God's dwelling among His people.
• 🏺 Mary is portrayed as the new Ark of the Covenant in the New Testament, becoming the dwelling place of God by carrying Jesus in her womb.
• ☁️ In Luke 1:35, the Holy Spirit ‘overshadows’ Mary, using the same Greek word that describes the overshadowing of the Ark by God's glory cloud in the Old Testament.
• 📖 The Ark's holiness was symbolized by its incorruptible wood, gold covering, and its role in housing God's presence. Mary, similarly, is considered holy as the new Ark.
• ⏳ The Ark was lost during the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem. According to 2 Maccabees 2, the Prophet Jeremiah hid it, and it will remain hidden until God's glory returns.
• 🌟 In Revelation 11:19, the Ark of the Covenant is seen in heaven, followed by the vision of a woman clothed with the sun, symbolizing Mary as the Ark of the New Covenant.
• 🤰 Mary's perpetual virginity and her body's sanctity as the new Ark reflect her unique role in salvation history, akin to the Old Testament Ark that could not be touched by mere men.
• 🌈 The parallels between Mary visiting Elizabeth and David bringing the Ark to Jerusalem emphasize her role as the new Ark, carrying Jesus, the Word made flesh, the Bread of Life, and the eternal Priest.
• 👑 Mary's bodily assumption into heaven is fitting because, like the incorruptible Ark, her body was also incorruptible as the dwelling place of God.

Q & A

What connection is made between Jesus and the manna in John chapter 6?

In John chapter 6, Jesus describes himself as the bread that has come down from heaven, drawing a parallel to the manna that sustained the Israelites in the desert. This positions Jesus as the 'new manna' from heaven, signifying spiritual sustenance.

Why is the Ark of the Covenant important in understanding the role of Mary in the New Testament?

The Ark of the Covenant was considered the dwelling place of God on earth, containing sacred objects like manna, the Ten Commandments, and Aaron's staff. In the New Testament, Mary is depicted as the new Ark of the Covenant because her body became the dwelling place of Jesus, the Word made flesh.

What were the three objects placed inside the original Ark of the Covenant?

The three objects inside the original Ark of the Covenant were the manna from heaven, the two tablets of the Ten Commandments, and Aaron's staff, which had miraculously budded to signify his priestly role.

How does the Gospel of Luke depict Mary as the new Ark of the Covenant?

In Luke 1:35, the angel Gabriel tells Mary that the Holy Spirit will overshadow her, similar to how the glory cloud (Shekinah) overshadowed the Ark of the Covenant in Exodus. This highlights Mary as the new dwelling place of God, paralleling the role of the Ark in the Old Testament.

What is the significance of the materials used to construct the Ark of the Covenant in the Old Testament?

The Ark was made of acacia wood, known for its incorruptibility, and covered in gold. These materials symbolized holiness and divinity, emphasizing the Ark as a sacred and untouchable object. The incorruptibility of the wood also foreshadows Mary's purity and her body being free from decay.

How does the movie 'Raiders of the Lost Ark' tie into the understanding of the Ark's power?

The movie 'Raiders of the Lost Ark' highlights the Ark's immense power, showing it as a weapon that made the Israelites victorious in battle. This pop culture reference helps modern audiences understand the reverence and significance the Ark held in both historical and spiritual contexts.

What does the Second Book of Maccabees say about the fate of the Ark of the Covenant?

According to the Second Book of Maccabees, the prophet Jeremiah hid the Ark of the Covenant in a cave on Mount Nebo before the Babylonian destruction of the Temple. It is said that the Ark's location would remain unknown until God's glory returns.

What does the overshadowing of the Holy Spirit signify in both the Old and New Testaments?

In the Old Testament, the glory cloud (Shekinah) overshadowed the Ark of the Covenant, symbolizing God's presence. In the New Testament, the Holy Spirit's overshadowing of Mary during the Annunciation parallels this event, indicating that she would bear the presence of God in the person of Jesus.

How does the story of David and the Ark relate to the Visitation of Mary to Elizabeth?

Both stories involve a journey to the hill country—David bringing the Ark to Jerusalem, and Mary visiting Elizabeth. David asks, 'How can the Ark of the Lord come to me?' Similarly, Elizabeth says, 'How is it that the mother of my Lord should come to me?' These parallels reinforce Mary as the new Ark.

Why is the bodily Assumption of Mary into heaven significant in relation to the Ark of the Covenant?

If Mary is the new Ark of the Covenant, which was incorruptible and held sacred objects, it is fitting that her body would not experience corruption either. This belief supports the doctrine of her Assumption, as her body, like the Ark, is taken into the heavenly Holy of Holies to dwell with God.

Outlines

00:00

🕊️ Jesus, the New Adam, and the New Ark

This paragraph explains how Jesus is depicted as the new manna from heaven, and Mary as the new Ark of the Covenant. It draws on Jewish customs where manna was placed in the original Ark, making Mary a fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies. The comparison is supported by biblical references such as John 6 and the Ark's significance in ancient Jewish culture. The narrative also includes a humorous reference to the movie *Raiders of the Lost Ark*, linking pop culture to biblical themes.

05:02

🏆 The Power of the Ark in Ancient Israel

The Ark of the Covenant is described as a powerful and sacred object that led the Israelites to victory in battles, as illustrated in the Bible and pop culture references like *Indiana Jones*. The Ark is powerful because it houses the presence of God on earth. The paragraph discusses the Ark's construction, containing sacred items like manna, the Ten Commandments, and Aaron's staff. It also emphasizes the Ark’s incorruptibility and holiness, comparing it to God's divine nature and underscoring the importance of purity in sacred objects.

10:05

💎 The Sacredness of the Ark and Its Significance

The paragraph highlights how the Ark was covered in blue and gold cloth, symbolizing its sacredness. It refers to the Ark as the dwelling place of God, with the Shekinah glory filling the tabernacle when the Ark was completed. The connection between the Ark leading Israel to the Promised Land and its movements throughout the desert, eventually finding a home in Solomon’s temple, is traced. The narrative transitions to the Ark's disappearance following the Babylonian conquest and the mystery surrounding its fate, including popular theories and speculations.

15:06

📜 Jeremiah Hides the Ark and the Prophecy of Its Return

This paragraph delves into the Catholic tradition and Second Maccabees' account of Jeremiah hiding the Ark on Mount Nebo before the temple's destruction. It explains that the Ark’s location will remain unknown until the return of the glory cloud, a reference to the Shekinah from the Old Testament. The text makes a connection between this prophecy and the coming of Jesus in the New Testament, suggesting that Mary is the fulfillment of this mystery as the new Ark of the Covenant, paralleling the overshadowing of Mary by the Holy Spirit with the overshadowing of the Ark.

20:09

👼 Mary as the New Ark of the Covenant

The paragraph presents the Annunciation of Mary as a key moment where she becomes the new Ark of the Covenant. The angel Gabriel’s message to Mary is linked to the Old Testament account of God’s glory overshadowing the Ark. It draws parallels between Mary's visitation to Elizabeth and the Ark’s journey to Jerusalem in 2 Samuel, underscoring her role as the dwelling place of God. Protestant and Catholic scholars are cited in recognizing Mary as the new Ark, fulfilling her role as the bearer of God’s presence in the New Covenant.

🌟 Revelation’s Vision of the Ark and Mary

This paragraph explores the vision in Revelation 11:19, where the Ark of the Covenant reappears in heaven. The vision connects the Ark to the image of a woman clothed with the sun in Revelation 12, symbolizing Mary. This identification of Mary as the new Ark is further emphasized through John’s description, which parallels the imagery of the Ark and the woman. The narrative reinforces Mary’s significance as the dwelling place of God, elevating her to a sacred status within Christian theology.

✨ The Holiness of Mary and the Perpetual Virginity

The paragraph discusses the implications of Mary being the new Ark, particularly highlighting her holiness. It explains why Catholics refer to her as 'Holy Mary, Mother of God,' since her body was the dwelling place of Christ. The narrative touches upon the Catholic belief in Mary’s perpetual virginity, explaining that St. Joseph would have understood her unique sanctity, much like how the Ark was untouchable in the Old Testament. This belief is central to understanding Mary’s consecrated role as the Mother of God.

🍞 Jesus, the New Contents of the Ark

This paragraph draws a parallel between the Old Testament Ark, which contained the Ten Commandments, manna, and Aaron’s staff, and Mary, who carried Jesus. Jesus is depicted as the fulfillment of these symbols: the Word made flesh (Ten Commandments), the bread of life (manna), and the eternal priest (Aaron’s staff). Mary’s role as the new Ark is crucial for understanding her bodily assumption into heaven, linking it to the incorruptibility of the original Ark and the Catholic doctrine of the Assumption.

🌿 Mary’s Assumption and Her Incorruptible Body

The final paragraph ties together the symbolism of the Ark and Mary’s Assumption. It argues that just as the Ark was made of incorruptible wood, Mary’s body, as the new Ark, was taken up into heaven without experiencing corruption. Pope Benedict XVI’s homily is referenced to support this belief, explaining that Mary's bodily assumption is a natural consequence of her role as the dwelling place of God. The paragraph concludes with a reiteration of Mary’s holiness and the significance of her role in salvation history.

Keywords

💡New Adam

The term 'New Adam' refers to Jesus Christ, who is seen as the fulfillment and correction of the role of Adam from the Old Testament. In the video, the speaker describes Jesus as the New Adam, drawing a parallel between Jesus and Adam in terms of redemption, as Jesus comes to undo the disobedience caused by Adam's original sin.

💡Ark of the Covenant

The Ark of the Covenant is a sacred container in the Old Testament that held the Ten Commandments, manna, and Aaron's staff. It is described as the dwelling place of God among His people. The video emphasizes that the Ark of the Covenant foreshadows Mary's role in the New Testament as the 'New Ark' by carrying Jesus, the Word of God, within her.

💡Manna from Heaven

Manna is the miraculous food that God provided the Israelites during their journey in the desert, as described in the Old Testament. In the New Testament, Jesus identifies Himself as the 'new manna' or 'bread from heaven,' symbolizing the Eucharist and His role as the spiritual nourishment for believers. This connection is explained in the context of Jesus being the new fulfillment of Old Testament symbols.

💡Shekinah Glory

The Shekinah Glory refers to the visible manifestation of God's presence, often depicted as a cloud or fire in the Old Testament. In the video, the speaker describes how the Shekinah Glory filled the Ark of the Covenant, symbolizing God's dwelling among His people. This concept is used to draw a parallel to Mary, whose body, as the New Ark, becomes the dwelling place of God in the Incarnation.

💡Overshadowing

The term 'overshadowing' is used to describe the Holy Spirit coming upon Mary during the Annunciation, as the power of the Most High 'overshadows' her. This term is directly linked to the Old Testament where the same word is used to describe how God's glory cloud overshadowed the Ark of the Covenant, thus signifying Mary as the New Ark of the Covenant in the New Testament.

💡Visitation

The Visitation refers to the event in the New Testament where Mary visits her cousin Elizabeth. The video points out significant parallels between this event and the Old Testament account of David bringing the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem. Both involve a journey to the hill country, a period of three months, and a recognition of holiness, further supporting the view of Mary as the New Ark.

💡Holy of Holies

The Holy of Holies was the innermost and most sacred area of the ancient Temple in Jerusalem, where the Ark of the Covenant was kept. In the video, this concept is linked to Mary, whose body is described as a sacred dwelling place for God, similar to how the Holy of Holies was the dwelling place for the Ark in the Old Testament.

💡Perpetual Virginity

Perpetual Virginity is the belief that Mary remained a virgin throughout her life, even after the birth of Jesus. The video touches on this doctrine, arguing that Mary's body, being the New Ark of the Covenant, was consecrated and set apart for God, thus explaining why she remained a virgin.

💡Bodily Assumption

Bodily Assumption refers to the Catholic belief that Mary was taken up into heaven, body and soul, at the end of her earthly life. The video explains that since Mary is the New Ark of the Covenant, it is fitting that her body, like the Ark, would not experience corruption and would be assumed into heaven, paralleling the Ark’s place in the heavenly temple.

💡Revelation 12

Revelation 12 describes a woman clothed with the sun, which many Catholics interpret as a reference to Mary. The video draws attention to the parallel between the appearance of the Ark of the Covenant in heaven (Revelation 11:19) and the description of the woman in Revelation 12, further emphasizing Mary’s role as the New Ark of the Covenant.

Highlights

Jesus is depicted as the new manna from heaven, as described in John chapter 6.

If Jesus is the new manna, Mary is considered the new Ark of the Covenant, which carried the original manna.

The Ark of the Covenant in the Old Testament was the dwelling place of God, paralleling how Mary is the new dwelling place for God in the New Testament.

The Ark contained three sacred objects: the manna from heaven, the Ten Commandments, and Aaron’s staff, which parallels Mary carrying Jesus, the Word made flesh, the bread of life, and the true high priest.

The Ark was made of incorruptible wood, symbolizing its sacredness and purity. Mary’s body is considered incorruptible in Catholic theology, as reflected in her bodily assumption.

The Ark was covered in gold, symbolizing divinity, which parallels the holiness of Mary, who is often referred to as Holy Mary, Mother of God.

Mary’s identity as the new Ark is supported by Luke 1:35, where the Holy Spirit 'overshadows' Mary, just as the glory cloud overshadowed the Ark in Exodus.

The connection between the Ark and Mary is reinforced by the visitation scene, which mirrors David's encounter with the Ark in the Old Testament.

Elizabeth’s cry during the visitation parallels David’s exclamation in front of the Ark, emphasizing Mary’s role as the new Ark.

Mary’s three-month stay with Elizabeth mirrors the Ark’s three-month stay with Obed-edom in 2 Samuel 6.

Revelation 11:19 describes the Ark in heaven, followed by the vision of the woman clothed with the sun, symbolizing Mary.

The early church fathers and various scholars have drawn parallels between Mary and the Ark, highlighting her role in salvation history.

Mary’s perpetual virginity is linked to her role as the new Ark, as her body is considered a sacred vessel, set apart for God.

The loss of the Ark during the Babylonian conquest and its mysterious disappearance is contrasted with Mary’s assumption into heaven, where her body is preserved.

Pope Benedict XVI emphasized that if Mary is the new Ark, it is fitting that her body would be assumed into heaven, as the Ark was made of incorruptible wood.

Transcripts

[Music]

[Music]

all right so Jesus the new Adam marries

the new Eve what about the Ark of the

Covenant well you look at the New

Testament very clearly depicts Jesus as

the new manna from heaven that's John

chapter six I deal with that in my book

Jesus and the Jewish roots of the

Eucharist right Jesus describes himself

as the bread that has come down from

heaven now if your first entry do and

you know that about Christ then the

question that follows is well if Jesus

is the new manna then where is the new

Ark because every Jew would have known

that when the manna came down they put

it in a golden jar and then they put it

in the Ark of the Covenant right so in

order to see how Mary fulfills that

prophecy of the new Ark we got to go

back to the Old Testament and look at

the Ark of the Covenant there now when

it comes to the Ark it's helpful that

there was a movie about the ark Raiders

of the Lost Ark so if even if you

haven't read the book you've seen the

movie know that joke getting too old

okay I'll do it again all right

all right is the Lost Ark no actually

this one's really important for me

because when I was a kid I was too young

to see right as a lost art when it came

out in the theater but I did get a

read-along record book I don't know

little records that would come along and

then all these pictures of Professor

Indiana Jones and the Bible and I

remember this one picture from the

record book which I still own of Indiana

Jones pointing out a picture of the Old

Testament into the image of the

Israelites carrying the Ark of the

Covenant into battle because whenever

they brought the ark into battle they

would defeat their enemies they were

unstoppable and whatever they didn't

bring it they would be defeated and of

course in the movie that's why the Nazis

want the ark because so powerful right I

can't help but wonder if that had any

influence on me becoming a Bible

professor you know because any i owns is

a professor I'm just throwing that out

there

okay he's a professor

all right anyway so in the ark in the

Old Testament the Ark of the coming is

this powerful object and it's powerful

because it is the dwelling place of God

on earth the Lord comes down to Wells in

the ark with his people and then moves

with them throughout the desert in the

book of Exodus so when you look at

Exodus 25 to 40 you're going to see some

elements of the Ark of the Covenant that

are really important for understanding

Mary's identity in the New Testament

here are a few of them first I've

already mentioned it's the dwelling

place of God on earth second it's a

sacred container ok so it was a it was a

box made of acacia wood that was covered

in gold and with two golden statues of

angels on top of it and the israelites

put certain things in it they put three

things in particular first the manna

from heaven already mentioned that

second they put the two tablets of the

Ten Commandments in the Ark and then

third they put the staff of Aaron that

miraculously butted to show his tribe

was the priests priestly tribe chosen by

God they put the staff of Aaron in the

ark and they carried it about with those

three sacred objects most people know

that but there's some other elements

that are a little interesting that are

easy to miss number three the ark was

also described as holy and as having

been made of incorruptible wood really

interesting it was made of this special

wood already mentioned it's called

acacia wood which is very hard very

durable and just does not rot okay and

so when you want it to make something

sacred you use acacia wood because it

was really hard and it didn't corrupt

okay you don't use like cheap pine okay

just rots like that since I made few

years back pay big money for two years

rotting okay I need an acacia wood fence

that would only cost like 100k all right

okay no incorruptible what forth the Ark

is covered in gold why is it covered in

gold why don't they just give the gold

to the poor Israelites you know people

complain why do all these gold in your

churches because that's how God likes it

evidently right he commands them to

cover the ark with gold because gold is

a symbol of divinity and it's a sign

that in the ark God is with us on earth

we're like entering into heaven on earth

whenever you see gold it's a symbol of

heaven on earth it's a symbol of purity

it's a symbol of holiness the absolute

holiness of the ark which if you look in

the book of Kings was so holy that if

any mere man would touch it right he

could be struck dead holiness is it's

good but it's dangerous it's like Aslan

and the Chronicles of Narnia no it's

true right he's a good line but he's not

tame and that's how God is in the Old

Testament he's good but he's dangerous

he's not tame he's powerful he's

mysterious one other element of the ark

that is really interesting that I just

discovered and working on this book is

that whenever they took the ark out it

wasn't just gold they would cover it in

a cloth and the cloth was look so if you

think Ark of the Covenant you think blue

and gold

isn't that interesting

Oh into the University of Notre Dame

what the colors alright so numbers

chapter 4 verse 7 the Ark is blue and

gold and then finally the most

importantly the reason the Ark was the

dwelling place of God is because when

they completed it God comes down from

heaven in the book of Exodus in chapter

40 and his glory cloud the Shekinah of

his glory the pillar fire and pillar of

cloud comes down upon the ark so that

the Lord might dwell there Exodus 40

verse 17 and 18 actually says this I've

given you a quote Moses brought the ark

into the tabernacle and then the cloud

covered the tent of meeting and the

glory

of the Lord filled the tabernacle that's

why the ark special because God dwells

in the ark with his people and so after

this happens what do they do they head

on over to the promised land they

crossed the river Jordan they bring the

ark the ark is the first thing to go

across the river Jordan with 12 priests

they carry it across waters part bring

the ark into the promised land and then

it moves around for a bit during the

period of Joshua and the judges until

David takes the Ark of the Covenant and

brings it up to Jerusalem so that he can

give a permanent sanctuary a permanent

place of worship for God's people to

encounter him eventually in the Temple

of Solomon and second Kings chapter

second Samuel Chapter six and first

Kings chapter a so that's about a

thousand years before Christ

unfortunately though if you fast-forward

to the sixth century BC something

devastating happens to the people of

Israel and to the Ark of the Covenant

the Babylonians come in to the Land of

Israel they conquer the Judeans that

conquer the Southerners they burn the

city Jerusalem to the ground they

destroy the temple and in the process of

all that what happens the ark is lost

right now

and in fact Josephus tells us this he

was the first entry Jewish historian by

the time Jesus was alive in the first

century AD everybody knew that if you

went into the Holy of Holies guess what

was in it nothing no no nothing

no it's empty it's just a pitch-black

room right the priest was supposed to go

in the holy Holies once a year and pour

the blood of atonement on the ark on the

mercy seat cover the ark but I can't do

that when Jesus alive because there is

no heart it's gone right now of course

this led to all kinds of theories about

what happened to the ark this is why the

title the movie was Raiders of the Lost

Ark right because it's lost right and so

you have all kinds of speculation about

what happened to the ark you know some

people think that the Babylonians took

it although the Book of Kings does not

listed among the implements that they

took from

when they destroyed it other people

suggest that it's been found and that

it's in this monastery in Ethiopia you

you you watch these documentaries I know

you've seen this stuff on Discovery

Channel History Channel right they make

you sit through two hours of where is

the Ark and then you get to the end

they're like oh it's it's in the

sanctuary that's protected by these

monks and we can't get in sorry no one

can verify or falsify as if it's the Ark

and then there all kinds of other

theories as well what's interesting

about this is as Catholics we don't need

to actually wonder we actually know what

happened to the ark because our Bible

tells us right in the Catholic Old

Testament in the second book of

Maccabees we have the most ancient

account of what happened to the Ark of

the Covenant in second Maccabees chapter

2 now most Protestant Christians aren't

familiar with this ancient tradition

because it's only in the Catholic Old

Testament and most Catholics are

familiar with this ancient Jewish

tradition because it's in the Catholic

Old Testament but it's very important

okay so second Maccabees chapter two it

tells us this it tells us that Jeremiah

the Prophet who was alive during the

destruction of Temple took the ark he

was a priest and he hid it in Mount Nebo

which is east of the Jordan River where

Moses went up and saw the promised land

before he died now Mount Sinai Mount

Nebo okay so this is what it says quote

Jeremiah ordered that the tent and the

Ark should follow with him and he went

out to the mountain where Moses had gone

up and seeing the inheritance of God and

Jeremiah came and he found a cave and he

brought there the Ark and he sealed up

the entrance now some of those who

followed him came up to mark the way but

they could not find it now when Jeremiah

learned about he declared the place

meaning the location of the ark shall

remain unknown until the glory of the

Lord and the cloud appear second back

mieze chapter 2 verse 4 to 8 what does

that mean the cloud he's not talking

about a thunderstorm here he's talking

about the glory cloud from the Old

Testament because in the Book of Ezekiel

it tells us that before the temple was

destroyed the glory cloud departed from

the ark and departed from the temple and

they heard a voice we we shall depart

hints like in other words we're leaving

ok meaning that the angelic presence

that was there with the ark and the

divine presence took off and then the

temple was destroyed so Jeremiah's

saying is you're not gonna know where

the Ark is until the cloud that

overshadowed the ark comes back down

again from heaven all right now with all

that in mind now that you got your

Jewish CCD writing and catechism all got

it down now go to the New Testament and

read the account of the Annunciation to

Mary and you can see something very very

important and it's this that in the

Gospel of Luke Mary is depicted as

fulfilling the role of the Ark of the

Covenant in the New Testament she is the

ark so to speak of the New Covenant and

you can see this whenever the angel says

to her this is in Luke chapter 1 verse

35 the angel Gabriel comes to her and

says the Holy Spirit will come upon you

and the power of the most high will

overshadow you therefore the child to be

born will be called holy the Son of God

Luke chapter 1 verse 35 now if you look

at that little chart that I've given you

there Luke uses a very distinctive Greek

verb to describe the Holy Spirit and the

power of God overshadowing Mary the

Greek word there is epi Scott so it's

just just a couple times in the Old

Testament and it's used with reference

to the glory cloud overshadowing the ark

so in Exodus 40 verse 35 the glory cloud

epi Scott saying it overshadows the

tabernacle with the ark in it and the

same thing happens in Luke chapter 1

verse 35 the Holy Spirit epi skia say

overshadows the Virgin Mary and even

Protestant commentators on Luke who know

the Old Testament well who looked at

this it said it appears here that Mary

is being depicted as the new Ark of the

Covenant in other words her body is the

new dwelling place of God on earth now

it doesn't stop there if I had more time

I could actually show you how it isn't

just the Annunciation it's also the

visitation to Elisabeth so in the book

Jewish roots of Mayer on page 58 I take

you through more parallels this is just

one there are about five parallels

between Mary and the art in the Old

Testament and New Testament in the

visitation to Mary so in the Old

Testament

second Samuel 6 David arose and went to

the hill country of Judah just like Mary

arose and went to the hill country of

Elizabeth when living in Judah and David

says in 2nd Samuel 6 how can the Ark of

the Lord come to me and in the New

Testament Elizabeth says how is it that

the mother my lord should come to me

right in the Old Testament David bleeps

before they are and he shouts with a

loud voice and although we missed this

in Luke chapter 1 it says that not only

does John the Baptist sleep in

Elizabeth's womb but Elizabeth cries out

with a loud shout blessed are you among

women and blessed is the fruit of your

womb she doesn't just quietly say it she

shouts she explains it she's filled with

the Holy Spirit and then finally the Ark

remains in the house of obed-edom for

three months and then Luke says

something weird

he doesn't say Mary stayed with

Elizabeth told John was born he says

Mary stayed in the house of Elizabeth

for three months

why does he do that well again Catholic

and non-catholic scholars have

recognized it's because he's drawing out

the parallels between the art coming up

to Jerusalem and Mary coming up to the

house of Elizabeth because she is the

new part of the color now if you have

any thoughts about that you can just

fast-forward to the book of Revelation

and there's one more connection between

Mary and the Ark it's in Revelation 12

again the image of the woman clothed

with the Sun but it's in the immediate

preceding verse

in revelation 11 19 most of us missed

this because the chapter is divided but

there aren't any chapter divisions in

the original Greek in fact there aren't

even even periods and sentence divisions

it's just letters running in a line

right so in the original vision scholars

recognize there's a parallel being drawn

here look what it says revelation 11 19

John says then God's temple in heaven

was opened and the Ark of his covenant

was seen within his temple now pause

right there here first century Jew

you've been waiting for the arm to show

up right for almost six centuries right

since the time of Jeremiah everybody's

waiting when is the art going to come

back where is it going to be so when

John has this vision this is a big deal

and far from being in Mount Nebo across

the Jordan where is the ark it is in

heaven

and no sooner does that does the temple

in heaven open because the Ark's in the

Holy of Holies right doors open John

sees into it then he also sees another

sign in heaven what a woman clothed with

the Sun and the two verbs that John used

here parallel one another and scholars

have pointed out that he appears to be

describing and he does this elsewhere in

the book like overlapping symbols two

ways of looking at the same thing the

ark

and the woman right the place where God

dwells Mary the mother of the Messiah

all right so so what so Mary's the new

Ark big deal she's just an ordinary

woman right well not really yeah there's

a little more to it than that right what

are the implications of Mary being the

new Ark well first of all it should just

tell us about the holiness of Mary

sometimes people get bothered because we

call her Holy Mary Mother of God well

she's the new Ark of the Covenant I'm

sorry

she's whole like by definition okay her

body is consecrated it's set apart to be

the dwelling place of God now I don't

have trying to get into this tonight I

have a whole chapter

in the book on the perpetual virginity

of Mary right this is something that not

just Protestant Christians but lots of

Catholics I've met really struggle with

the Catholic doctrine that Mary remained

a virgin her entire life that she didn't

have any other children and the her a

st. Joe's have never had marital

relations and people will ask you know

what's the big deal I mean if they were

married why would she remain a virgin

within marriage you know isn't that up

that's a good is there something wrong

with sex I mean doesn't God say be

fruitful multiply is the first words out

of his mouth

in Genesis so obviously marital

relations are good something wrong with

them so why does Mary remain a virgin I

have a whole chapter that deals with

that and the Brothers of Jesus and all

that stuff but for now I just want to

throw one little point in st. Joseph

even had the slightest clue that the

Holy Spirit in the Incarnation

overshadowed Mary like the glory cloud

overshadowed the Ark and he also would

have had a very lively awareness of the

sanctity and the holiness of Mary as

well right remember in the Old Testament

if you're not a consecrated priest you

can't even touch the ark right because

it's so powerful it's so holy it's set

apart for God any way we can maybe talk

about that in a question in the answer

session if you want a little bit more

but I just want you to think about that

so holiness and Mary second it's her

body that's holy because her body is the

dwelling place of God so in the Old

Testament what was in the ark it was the

10 commandments it was the manna it was

a cellphone and no that was not in the

Old Testament and they won't be in

heaven either right no cellphones good

reason to try to get to heaven no

cellphones aren't you okay where was I

I was in the arc thank you okay so

what's in New York ten commandments the

manna from heaven and then the staff of

Aaron so if Mary's the Nuart what is it

that's in her body the Word made flesh

the bread of life and the eternal

priests of God the true priest Jesus

Christ that's who she is that's the role

she plays and then finally Mary's enemy

is the Newark is crucial for

understanding her bodily assumption into

heaven because if Jesus is the new Moses

who's inaugurated a new Exodus and who

brings us into the heavenly promised

land right the heavenly temple like

Hebrew says then where does the new Ark

belong where does it go it goes in the

heavenly Holy of Holies and not just

Mary soul because it wasn't very soul

that's the Ark

it's her what it's her body right so

it's fitting that if she's the Ark that

at the end of her life her body would be

taken up into the heavenly temple to be

with God and Pope Benedict the 16th

actually said this in his homily on the

Assumption of Mary August 15 2011

you know if the listen to me the Holy

Father said quote if Mary is the new Ark

and it makes sense that her body would

not experience corruption but would be

brought up into the heavenly Holy of

Hope remember the Ark was made of

incorruptible wood and so was the body

of our label

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