What It Means to Be Protestant: The Case for an Always-Reforming Church

by Gavin Ortlund

For what this sect has to say is complete nonsense and, as it were, an old wives’ tale. Which scripture has spoken of it? Which prophet permitted the worship of a man, let alone a woman? The vessel is choice but a woman, and by nature no different [from others]. Like the bodies of the saints, however, she has been held in honor for her character and understanding. And if I should say anything more in her praise, [she is] like Elijah, who was virgin from his mother’s womb, always remained so, and was taken up and has not seen death. She is like John who leaned on the Lord’s breast, “the disciple whom Jesus loved.” She is like St. Thecla; and Mary is still more honored than she, because of the providence vouchsafed her.27 But here Epiphanius is simply comparing Mary to Elijah, John, and Thecla on account of their being honored for character and understanding. The reference to Elijah’s bodily assumption is illustrative of these qualities; it does not apply to Mary any more than the comparable facts mentioned about Thecla or John. In other words, we can no more insist that Mary was “taken up” like Elijah than that she “leaned on the Lord’s breast” like John. In each case, the relative clause is simply illustrating the superlative godliness of each figure. Such a reading makes sense since an assumption is not the common thread between the three figures (Thecla, for example, was not assumed); instead, the common thread is honor and godliness.

Any comparison to Elijah refers to miracles or being taken alive to heaven. Bad take from Ortlund.