Theotokos - "Mother of God"

          If Jesus is God and Mary is the Mother of Jesus, is Mary therefor the Mother of God? Sounds weird to say but it does somewhat logically follow.  Originating at the Council of Ephesus in 431 AD, the word Theotokos comes from the Greek word meaning "God-Bearer." The term, "Mother of God" is not found in Scripture but the phrase, "Mother of our Lord" (Luke 1:43). 

Problems with Theotokos

• By saying Mary is the Mother of God, it implies that she was before Christ, and/or superior to Jesus because that is what is implied with motherhood
• There is an emotional inference of being "the mother of someone"
  • • Implies authority over
    • Implies maturity beyond
    • Implies superiority over
• Saying "Mother of God" suggests that Mary is somehow divine

Conclusion to Theotokos

1. One of the main problems with trying to refute the concepts of Mary being the Mother of God is the fact that Jesus is in fact God incarnate and Mary is the Mother of Jesus

2. The concept of Theotokos was in correlation with and an expression of the incarnation

3. If you try to argue that Mary only gave birth to Jesus' humanity, you will be committing the heresy of Nestorianism which separates Jesus' Divinity from His humanity

4. It is true that the Catholic church will use the Title as a way to venerate Mary and in some cases worship her and give her other titles like "Queen of Heaven"

5. A better Translation for Theotokos is "God-bearer" because "within her body the divine person of God the Son took on human nature in addition to His pre-existing divine nature"