Maria as anti-tipe van die verbondsark in Lukas 1:39–56: ’n Uitdaging tot Protestantse herbesinning van die Marialogie

Abstract

Mary as anti-type of the ark of the Covenant in Luke 1:39–56: A challenge to Protestant reconsideration of Mariology. In this article, an attempt is made to indicate, that a typological reading of Luke 1:39–56 suggests that Mary should be understood as an anti-type of the Ark of the Covenant by the reader. It accordingly forces Protestants to reconsider the Mariology. After considering the historical and theological significance of the Ark of the Covenant in the Old Testament canon, the phenomenon of typology and the role of the reader, as well as text interpretation in Judaism and early Christianity, came under scrutiny. A look at the Protoevangelium of James followed and confirmed the possibility of a different reading of Mary in Luke. Luke 1:39–56 was then examined. By way of this examination, it is indicated that when Luke 1:39–56 is read in conjunction with 2 Samuel 6:1–13, 1 Chronicles 15:28, 16:4 and 2 Chronicles 5:13, Mary clearly emerges from the paint as an anti-type of the Ark of the Covenant. This conclusion, which is also visible in some fathers of the church, is then tested against the eschatology found in the New Testament. Finally, the implications of this insight and the challenge it poses to the relationship between Protestantism and Roman Catholicism are highlighted.