Galatians 4:4 and the Immaculate Conception

[Hananiah]

I was reading through the Douay-Rheims translation of St. Paul's epistle to the Galatians tonight, and something struck me when I came accross verse 4:4:

"But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent his Son, made of a woman, made under the law"

Most English translations say "born of a woman, born under the law," which places less emphasis on Mary's role in the Incarnation than the Douay's rendering. Well, I am delighted to discover that the Douay rendering is more faithful to the original Greek. "Made" is the Greek word [i]genomenon[/i], a form of [i]ginomai[/i], a verb meaning [url="http://www.biblestudytools.net/Lexicons/Greek/grk.cgi?number=1096&version=kjv"]to become, i.e. to come into existence, begin to be, receive being[/url]. It is coupled with the preposition [i]ek[/i], [url="http://www.biblestudytools.net/Lexicons/Greek/grk.cgi?number=1537&version=kjv"]a primary preposition denoting origin (the point whence action or motion proceeds), from, out (of place, time, or cause)[/url]. Thus, the sense of the text is that Jesus recieved His being from Mary. He drew His human nature from her. It follows that her human nature had to be sinless, at least at the time Jesus was concieved in her womb.

[Donna]

Yes.

Real food.

(Velcum baak)

[Hananiah]

Save your blood drinking for the Mass, woman!

[Donna]

ROTFL

[Laudate_Dominum]

That's very cool.

[photosynthesis]

What does St. Paul mean by "the law?"

[frozencell]

Another good source for this topic is a book called "Saint Worship and the Worship of Mary". The second part explains very nicely the reasons we venerate Mary so highly. The first part about saints is also very well written. GREAT book to study closely...

[CatholicforChrist]

Good observation, Hananiah. Do you know Latin as well? Do you read the Vulgate?

[Donna]

FYI: Hananiah will not be able to answer your questions as he has been banned.
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But, I (a mad woman ) will venture to answer photosynthesis' query.

First, the chapter (4) is headed: [i]Christ hath freed us from the servitude of the law: we are the free-born sons of Abraham[/i].

The notes for verse one are:

By the child, in this place, the apostle understands
all the Jewish people, who, as long as they were under
the childhood of the law [of Moses], were subjected to
numerous restrictions, although they were the favorite
children of God. But when the fulness of time came, they
received the adoption of children, and were put in possession
of the liberty of the law of grace. [b]They were no longer obliged
to observe the legal rites...[/b]

For vs 4, the note simply reads: [i]Under the law[/i], as he [Christ] was man, because he was pleased to make himself so.

I'm a bit fuzzy on this myself; for some parts of the law of Moses we do keep (the decalogue or Ten Comandments), but circumcision, clean and unclean animals, etc; we need not for religious obligations.