In Honor of Our Lady

I meant to post part of my research paper for New Testament for the Feast of Our Lady's Assumption, but just didn't get to it in time. In honor of Our Lady's Queenship 22nd of August the following is an excerpt from my New Testament paper.

Part I
...It is written that the glory days of Israel were surely to end shortly after the reign of Solomon the son of David (1Kings 11:11-13). In Jesus, the true Son of David, all of Israel is restored (Gentiles included). Can parallels be drawn relating Mary “the woman” in Revelation to Mary as the Mother of Christ who is the true Son of David? Michael Barber offers some insight by pointing out that in scripture the a son of David was the King of Israel.24 He further relates that Solomon was a son of David, and he was a King of Israel. Barber’s question of the day was: If Solomon was King, who was the Queen?Barber points out the complications of selecting a queen from among Solomon’s 700 wives. The answer, to the question of the day, is none other than his mother. According to Barber:

…[T]he queen was always the mother of the king.And her role was very important.She symbolized the unity of the Davidic line.In fact, when the Chronicler mentions each new Davidic king, he almost always identifies the Queen Mother.25

Therefore, even before Israel became a kingdom, “the office of queen mother was well established among the gentiles.”26 This was a common practice in the ancient times. So the King’s queen was not his wife, but his mother. Jesus is the last Davidic King; therefore, as tradition details, Mary – his mother – must be queen. However, to further understand Mary’s queen ship “as the woman” one would have to –once again – turn to her son. In Queen Mother, Edward Sri points out, the messianic theme in Psalm 2 is comparable to the child described in Revelation; the child being “the one who is to rule all nations with a rod of iron, caught up to God and his throne…” (12:5).27 He further notes, that the appearance of “the woman” in such splendor bearing a crown signifies royalty, and that “in the Book of Revelation, the symbol of the crown is never a superfluous decoration, but connotes a real reign.”28 Sri also comments on the woman “with the moon under her feet”(12:1), and how this “may point to her royal authority.”29 Moreover, “under-the-feet imagery often was used to denote royal dominion and subjugation of enemies, especially within a Davidic kingdom context.” 30 Furthermore, the Old Testament provides an example of the importance of the role of queen mother. The account notes Bathsheba, interceding to her son on behalf of Adonijah, Solomon’s brother. The text records, that as Bathsheba approached King Solomon, the king “rose to meet her, and bowed down to her; then he sat on his throne, and had a seat brought for the king’s mother; and she sat at his right”(1Kings 2: 19). Likewise, a parallel can be drawn regarding the role of the Blessed Virgin Mary as Queen Mother of our Lord who constantly intercedes on behalf of her other children. At the very beginning of his Gospel, John presents Mary as intercessor at the wedding feast in Cana. More so, he also records the last words spoken by Mary in scripture when she says to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you” (Jn. 2: 1-5).

Do whatever he tells you. Pretty good advice. Remember our Lady's advice today and especially remember to beckon upon her help most on the day that honors her Queenship.