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In the name of God the Father, Christ Jesus His Son and the Holy Spirit, One True God. Amen.
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus
It has been a blessed experience to learn and share with you all on various aspects about the blessed Theotokos during our journey to the Feast of the Assumption of Mother Mary. As we continue on this journey, let us explore with each other another Old Testament perspective which we sing in our church during the Intercessory prayers to the blessed Mother.
The translation of the hymn being sung is given below the video.
The mystery which was hidden
Throughout all generations
Was revealed to you, Virgin,
O fountain of purity,
When Gabriel came to you,
And said, “Peace, O full of grace,
The Lord is with you, Mary;
Blessed are you among women”
Peace, O ground down without seed,
Bush set aflame, but not burned;
Peace, O bridge to the highest,
The ladder seen by Jacob;
Peace, O pure vessel wherein
The holy manna was kept;
Peace, O Lady for through you,
The curse of old was lifted,
Peace, O Lady for through you,
Adam was raised from the fall;
Peace, for the Lord is with you. Kurielaison, Kurielaison, KurielaisonBlessed are you, tabernacle
Manitho of Intercession to the Theotokos
And paradise of virtues;
Blessed are you, throne of the Lord,
Most blessed among the saints;
Blessed are you, fount of mysteries
In whom the King of kings dwelt
Blessed are you whose name your Son
Exalted throughout the earth
Blessed are you, Holy Virgin
You are the second heaven
Where the Sun of Justice rose!
Let us embark on the journey to understand the reason why the Blessed Mother is referred as the ladder seen by Jacob.
Divine Ladder of Jacob – Ascending Towards God’s Kingdom:
The story of Jacob’s ladder is found in Genesis 28:10-19. As Jacob runs from his father, Isaac’s house in fear of his brother, Esau. He is running from his own brother because he had stolen the blessings meant for his brother from Isaac. He was running from his father’s house to the household of his mother’s brother, Laban.
While on this journey, on a certain night while he lay down to rest Jacob had a dream. In this dream, Jacob sees a ladder connecting heaven and earth, with angels ascending and descending on it. With this dream, he hears the voice of God promising him to bring him back to this land. Jacob roused from his sleep names the place ‘Bethel’ meaning house of God.
This ladder understood as a spiritual pathway leading humanity towards communion with God, representing the link between God and humanity.
In the Orthodox tradition, the ladder is often interpreted as a prefiguration of Christ, the ultimate bridge between heaven and earth. Christ is the mediator who enables humanity to reconnect with God, and His incarnation is seen as the pivotal moment when the divine and human natures are united. The ladder can thus be seen as a foretelling of Christ’s redemptive work.
Mother Mary: The Bridge between Heaven and Earth:
Within this context, Mother Mary assumes a unique role in Orthodox theology. She is revered as the Theotokos, the one who gave birth to God in the flesh. Just as Jacob’s ladder symbolized the connection between heaven and earth, Mary becomes a living symbol of the Incarnation—a bridge between the divine and human realms.
In Orthodox Patristic teaching, Mary’s consent to become the mother of Christ is seen as a pivotal moment in salvation history. Her “yes” to the angel Gabriel is often contrasted with Eve’s disobedience, highlighting Mary’s role in reversing the consequences of the Fall. Just as the ladder offered a way for angels to traverse between realms, Mary’s willingness to bear the Word of God made it possible for Christ to become incarnate, bringing God’s presence to humanity.
Key Parallels between the Ladder and Mother Mary
The Orthodox Church sees the dream of Jacob as a prefiguration of the Virgin Mary, through whom God descended to earth in the person of Jesus Christ. Just as the ladder in Jacob’s dream connected heaven and earth, so too did the Virgin Mary connect the divine and the human. She was the “ladder” by which God came to us, and she is the “door” through which we may ascend to heaven.
There are several reasons why the Orthodox Church sees the Virgin Mary as a symbol of Jacob’s ladder. First, both the ladder and the Virgin Mary are mediators between heaven and earth. The ladder allowed angels to ascend and descend between the two realms, and the Virgin Mary allowed God to come to earth in the person of her son Jesus Christ.
Second, both the ladder and the Virgin Mary are symbols of hope. The ladder gave Jacob hope that he would one day return to his homeland, and the Virgin Mary gives us hope that we may one day ascend to heaven.
Third, both the ladder and the Virgin Mary are symbols of protection. The ladder protected Jacob from harm, and the Virgin Mary protects us from the evil one.
In addition to these general similarities, there are also some specific parallels between the story of Jacob’s ladder and the life of the Virgin Mary. For example, both Jacob and the Virgin Mary were chosen by God for a special purpose. Jacob was chosen to be the father of the twelve tribes of Israel, and the Virgin Mary was chosen to be the mother of Jesus Christ.
Both Jacob and the Virgin Mary also experienced a miraculous event. Jacob saw a ladder that reached from earth to heaven, and the Virgin Mary was visited by the angel Gabriel and informed that she would conceive and bear the Son of God.
Finally, both Jacob and the Virgin Mary were persecuted. Jacob was forced to flee from his home, and the Virgin Mary was forced to flee from Bethlehem with her son Jesus to escape the wrath of Herod.
The symbolism of Jacob’s ladder is a powerful reminder of the role that the Virgin Mary plays in our salvation. She is the “ladder” by which God came to us, and she is the “door” through which we may ascend to heaven. She is our hope and our protection, and she is the one who intercedes for us before God.
Patristic Writings
The symbolism between the Virgin Mary and the ladder of Jacob is a rich and complex one that has been explored by Orthodox Christian theologians for centuries. The earliest known reference to this symbolism is found in the writings of Saint Ephrem the Syrian (306-373), who wrote:
The ladder of Jacob is the holy Virgin Mary, who brought down the Son of God from heaven to earth.”
Saint Ephrem’s interpretation of the ladder of Jacob as a symbol of the Virgin Mary was echoed by many subsequent Orthodox Christian writers, including Saint John Chrysostom (347-407), Saint Cyril of Alexandria (378-444), and Saint Maximus the Confessor (580-662).
These writers drew on a number of biblical passages to support their interpretation of the ladder of Jacob as a symbol of the Virgin Mary. For example, they pointed to the fact that the ladder in Jacob’s dream was made of wood, which was seen as a symbol of the Virgin Mary’s purity. They also pointed to the fact that the angels who were ascending and descending on the ladder were seen as a symbol of the saints who are constantly praying for us.
In addition to these biblical passages, Orthodox Christian writers also drew on their own theological insights to develop the symbolism between the Virgin Mary and the ladder of Jacob. For example, they saw the ladder as a symbol of the Virgin Mary’s role as the mediator between heaven and earth. They also saw the ladder as a symbol of the Virgin Mary’s role as the door through which we may enter into heaven.
One of the most famous Orthodox Christian writers to explore the symbolism between the Virgin Mary and the ladder of Jacob was Saint Gregory Palamas (1296-1359). In his book, The Life of the Virgin Mary, Saint Gregory wrote:
The ladder of Jacob is the holy Virgin Mary, who is the bridge between heaven and earth. She is the one who brought down the Son of God from heaven to earth, and she is the one who will lead us back to heaven.”
Saint Gregory’s interpretation of the ladder of Jacob as a symbol of the Virgin Mary is particularly significant because it reflects his understanding of theosis, or theosis, the process of deification by which human beings are united with God. Saint Gregory saw the Virgin Mary as the perfect example of theosis, and he believed that she could help us to achieve theosis by her prayers and intercessions.
Message of the ladder for current era
The Church Fathers offer remarkable insights into the significance of the Divine Ladder. They describe it as a representation of the virtues and spiritual milestones that each individual must ascend to attain a higher level of spiritual maturity. Just as Jacob saw angels ascending and descending on the ladder, Orthodox Christians are reminded of the dynamic interplay between heavenly support and earthly struggle in their spiritual journey.
Each rung of the ladder represents a virtue or a spiritual struggle, such as humility, repentance, prayer, forgiveness, and love. Ascending this ladder requires diligent effort, yet the Church Fathers remind us that our ascent is not accomplished solely through personal willpower. Rather, it is through the unmerited grace of God, received through the sacraments and a life of prayer, that we find strength to persevere.
The teachings on the Divine Ladder also emphasize the importance of the Church community. Just as angels ascended and descended together on Jacob’s ladder, Orthodox Christians are called to lift each other up on the ladder of spiritual growth. The spiritual ascent becomes a collective journey towards God’s Kingdom, where mutual encouragement, support, and accountability aid in our ascent.
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus, as we conclude this brief exploration of Orthodox Patristic teaching on Mother Mary and the Divine Ladder of Jacob, let us appreciate the richness and beauty of these concepts. Through their writings, the Church Fathers invite us to embrace Mother Mary as a spiritual mother and intercessor, guiding us towards a deeper relationship with Christ. The Divine Ladder, on the other hand, reminds us that our spiritual growth is an ongoing journey, requiring effort, grace, and the support of our Church communities.
These teachings offer hope and inspiration, reassuring believers that they are not alone on their spiritual journeys. By looking to Mother Mary and aspiring to climb the Divine Ladder, we partake in the timeless wisdom handed down by the Church Fathers, enabling us to draw closer to God’s Kingdom.
Let us cherish these Orthodox Patristic teachings and allow them to illuminate our path, guiding us towards a more profound understanding of faith, a stronger relationship with God, and a deeper communion within the Church.
Here are some additional quotes from Orthodox Christian writers on the symbolism between the Virgin Mary and the ladder of Jacob:
The ladder of Jacob is the holy Virgin Mary, who is the bridge between heaven and earth.”
St. Gregory Palamas
The Virgin Mary is the ladder by which God came down to us, and she is the door through which we may ascend to heaven.”
– Saint John of Damascus
The Virgin Mary is the perfect example of theosis, and she can help us to achieve theosis by her prayers and intercessions.”
– St. Gregory of Nyssa
The Virgin Mary is our hope and our protection, and she is the one who intercedes for us before God.”
– St. Basil the Great
We honor the Virgin Mary with great reverence and love, and we pray to her for her intercession.”
– The Orthodox Church
Your brother in Christ Jesus
Jobin George
