In Chapter 2 of Jesus and the Jewish Roots of Mary, Brant Pitre explores how Mary is understood as the “New Eve” within Christian theology. Drawing from the New Testament, Old Testament, and ancient Jewish traditions, Pitre highlights the deep theological parallels between Mary and Eve, showing how Mary fulfills the role of the woman prophesied in Genesis 3:15.
The Gospel and the Fall of Adam and Eve
Pitre begins by redefining the Gospel’s scope beyond personal forgiveness of sins. The “good news” is about reversing the effects of Adam and Eve’s Fall, restoring humanity’s lost original righteousness, and defeating sin and death. Jesus is presented as the “New Adam,” whose obedience undoes Adam’s disobedience. Paul’s writings, especially in Romans 5 and 1 Corinthians 15, explicitly frame Jesus as the “Last Adam,” who brings life where the first Adam brought death. Pitre argues that if Jesus is the New Adam, Mary naturally emerges as the New Eve, given Eve’s pivotal role in the Fall.
Eve in Jewish Scripture and Tradition
To understand Mary, Pitre revisits the biblical and Jewish traditions surrounding Eve:
- Adam and Eve’s Original State:
Eve, like Adam, was created in a state of moral goodness and immortality (Genesis 1:31). They were “very good,” meaning sinless and in harmony with God.
Before the Fall, Eve is referred to simply as “woman” and is only named “Eve” after sin enters the world (Genesis 3:20).
- Eve’s Role in the Fall:
Eve cooperates with Adam in disobedience by eating the forbidden fruit and inviting Adam to join her. This joint act brings sin, suffering, and death into the world (Genesis 3:6).
- The Battle Between the Woman and the Serpent:
Genesis 3:15 introduces the concept of “enmity” between the serpent (Satan) and the woman, and between their respective offspring. This verse, often called the Protoevangelium or “First Gospel,” foreshadows the ultimate defeat of Satan through the woman’s offspring, the Messiah.
Ancient Jewish traditions, including the Targum Neofiti and the Book of Enoch, interpret this as a Messianic prophecy, with the Messiah as the offspring of the woman who crushes the serpent’s head.
- Eve in Jewish Tradition:
Jewish writings outside the Bible, such as Sirach and Wisdom, identify the serpent as Satan and emphasise the consequences of Adam and Eve’s sin for humanity. These texts form the foundation for the Christian doctrine of original sin.
Mary as the New Eve in the New Testament
Pitre connects these Old Testament and Jewish insights to the New Testament portrayal of Mary, focusing on the Gospel of John and Revelation:
- Mary in John’s Gospel:
At the wedding at Cana (John 2), Jesus calls Mary “Woman,” echoing Eve’s title in Genesis. Far from being disrespectful, this identifies Mary with the “woman” of Genesis 3:15, whose offspring will defeat Satan. Mary’s intercession at Cana parallels Eve’s influence on Adam, but this time, her actions lead to a redemptive act by Christ.
At the Crucifixion (John 19:25-27), Jesus again addresses Mary as “Woman.” This moment, coinciding with Jesus’ defeat of Satan, fulfills the prophecy of Genesis 3:15, where the offspring of the woman crushes the serpent’s head.
- Mary in Revelation 12:
The “woman clothed with the sun” in Revelation 12 is depicted as both an individual (Mary, the mother of the Messiah) and a collective symbol (the Church). This dual identity aligns Mary with the people of God while emphasising her unique role as the mother of the Messiah.
Theological Implications of Mary as the New Eve
- Parallels Between Eve and Mary:
Eve: Created sinless, cooperates in humanity’s Fall, becomes the mother of all living.
Mary: Preserved sinless, cooperates in redemption through her fiat (Luke 1:38), becomes the spiritual mother of all believers.
- Mary’s Sinlessness and the Immaculate Conception:
As the New Eve, Mary’s sinlessness surpasses Eve’s. Eve was created sinless but fell; Mary was not only conceived without original sin (Immaculate Conception) but also remained sinless throughout her life.
Ancient Christian writers like Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, and Augustine recognised Mary as the New Eve, whose obedience undoes Eve’s disobedience. This widespread belief highlights Mary’s pivotal role in salvation history.
Mary as the Beginning of the New Creation
Pitre concludes by emphasising that Mary’s identity as the New Eve reveals her as the supreme example of God’s grace. Just as Eve was created sinless, Mary’s immaculate conception is a reflection of her unique role in salvation history. Mary prefigures the new creation that Jesus inaugurated through His life, death, and resurrection, where all believers will ultimately be made righteous and free from sin.
By understanding Mary as the New Eve, Christians gain a deeper appreciation of her role in God’s plan and the Gospel’s transformative power to restore humanity to its original righteousness. Mary’s sinlessness, like Christ’s, underscores the radical nature of the new creation ushered in by Christ, fulfilling the promise of Genesis 3:15: the defeat of Satan and the restoration of humanity.
