Genesis 3:15 reads, in part, "He will crush your head, and you will strike at his heel". Some believe it says, not he and his, but she and her. But I believe it says he and his for three reasons:
1. Structure. Being a promise of a coming Redeemer, the verse has a descendant structure: Satan and Eve ("enmity between you and the woman"), sin and Mary ("and between your offspring and hers"), Satan and Christ ("he will crush your head...") and the Church ("...and you will strike at his heel"). The structure makes sense in a historical and theological sense in that it goes over the history of salvation and it sums up the doctrines on Jesus and Mary.
2. Gender. The pronouns "he" and "his" in the final part of the verse can refer to Mary for the simple fact that she imitates Christ and signifies His Church. As He crushes and is bitten, so does she crush and is bitten. That is, as He is victorious over Satan and His children and brothers are attacked by Satan, so is Mary victorious over Satan and her children and brothers are attacked by Satan. For as He is our Father and Brother, she is our Mother and Sister.
3. Meaning. The verse was not written during the time of messianic-mother-ology but was written by Moses. As a prophet he could have had a special insight into the mother's role, yet he wished to write down what he immediately knew, given that this is the case throughout the whole written Word: He knew the Messiah would crush the ancient serpent. But God can mean something in His sacred words which the authors did not know and/or intend.
1. Structure. Being a promise of a coming Redeemer, the verse has a descendant structure: Satan and Eve ("enmity between you and the woman"), sin and Mary ("and between your offspring and hers"), Satan and Christ ("he will crush your head...") and the Church ("...and you will strike at his heel"). The structure makes sense in a historical and theological sense in that it goes over the history of salvation and it sums up the doctrines on Jesus and Mary.
2. Gender. The pronouns "he" and "his" in the final part of the verse can refer to Mary for the simple fact that she imitates Christ and signifies His Church. As He crushes and is bitten, so does she crush and is bitten. That is, as He is victorious over Satan and His children and brothers are attacked by Satan, so is Mary victorious over Satan and her children and brothers are attacked by Satan. For as He is our Father and Brother, she is our Mother and Sister.
3. Meaning. The verse was not written during the time of messianic-mother-ology but was written by Moses. As a prophet he could have had a special insight into the mother's role, yet he wished to write down what he immediately knew, given that this is the case throughout the whole written Word: He knew the Messiah would crush the ancient serpent. But God can mean something in His sacred words which the authors did not know and/or intend.
Last edited:
