Tag: ave maria

If you’re like me, then you love the Christmas time of year for many reasons. I especially love Christmas decorations, meals, and music. It’s marvelous to hear “Joy to the world, the Lord has come… Let earth receive her king!” being announced as a proclamation everywhere, even if most listeners don’t notice the strong Messianic themes of such a song.

However, not all Christmas songs are so glorious. Some are just silly, like Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer or Frosty the Snowman (both of which I like to sing with my youngest son), and yet others are insidious. Now, I don’t mean to be an alarmist, nor do I intend to nit-pick all theologically inaccurate Christmas music, but I want to toss out a friendly reminder that Christians ought to be choosy about what they embrace as Christ-honoring carols.

Listen to whatever music you like, and enjoy the jingling bells of Christmas, but don’t assume that every Christmas song is a tribute to the Christ, who ought to be the central focus of Christmas.

Take ‘Ave Maria,’ for example. I’m not sure how it ever became a Christmas song, since it doesn’t focus on Jesus or His birth (or incarnation). It only mentions “Jesus” as the “fruit” of Mary’s “womb” in passing, which basically amounts to a vague acknowledgement, not a joyful and profound announcement. Nevertheless, it has a beautiful musical arrangement. Who isn’t amazed by the range and pitch of this incredible music? I am especially impressed with Andrea Bocelli’s rendition… What a voice!

But, Christians should be interested in the content (the lyrics and substance) of any song to which they give their ears. Christianity is a religion of content, substance, and truth. Christianity rises or falls on the basis of historical and theological propositions.

Christians believe that Jesus really was born of a virgin named Mary, that this God-man lived to die, and that Jesus conquered death forevermore for all those who would believe and follow Him. Christians believe (as the Scriptures teach) that Jesus is the one and only mediator between God and sinful people, and Christians seek grace from God through Christ alone for forgiveness, life, and salvation.

However, the song Ave Maria speaks of a different mediator and hope-giver in the hour of one’s death. See the lyrics below, the Latin on the left and English on the right.

This song of prayer and admiration for Mary is a mixture of Scriptural truth (blessings upon Mary and her role in giving birth to Jesus) and terrible falsehood (Mary as one’s intercessor and hope in the hour of death).

Mary cannot save or rescue anyone. She can’t even intercede for you. We can know she can’t do these for you because she can’t do them for herself.

Mary, like all other decendants of Adam (our first human parent), is a guilty sinner before God. Apart from the person and work of Christ on her behalf, Mary would be hopeless and helpless.

Don’t sing to Mary. Don’t pray to Mary. And certainly, don’t place your hope for grace in Mary.

If you are a sinner in need of grace (like me), then the Christmas story has much hope to offer you. God has sent Jesus Christ into the world to live and die and conquer death for guilty sinners.

This message of the gospel is what Christmas is all about, and I recommend that you give every moment you are able to the investigation of the singularly spectacular hero of Christmas – Jesus Christ.

Marc Minter is the senior pastor of First Baptist Church of Diana, TX. He and his wife, Cassie, have two sons, Micah and Malachi.

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