Was Stephen Sinless (Full of Grace) like Mary?

The Fullness of Grace: A Catholic Exegesis of “Kecharitomene” (Luke 1:28) in Contrast to “Plērēs Charitos” (Acts 6:8) and Its Bearing on the Dogma of the Immaculate Conception

I. Introduction

One of the most common Protestant objections to the Catholic dogma of the Immaculate Conception is the claim that the angel’s greeting to Mary, traditionally translated “full of grace” (Latin: gratia plena; Greek: kecharitōmenē), does not teach a unique sinlessness because the same expression is allegedly used of Stephen and others in the New Testament. The argument usually runs: “If Mary is ‘full of grace,’ so is Stephen (Acts 6:8), yet no one claims Stephen was immaculately conceived. Therefore the Catholic interpretation is special pleading.”

This essay will demonstrate that the objection rests on a serious conflation of distinct Greek expressions that are never identical in the New Testament. The angel does not call Mary plērēs charitos (the phrase used of Stephen and of the believers in Acts 6:5); he uses the perfect passive participle kecharitōmenē—a term that appears nowhere else in Scripture and carries unique theological weight. After examining the lexical, grammatical, and contextual differences between kecharitōmenē (Luke 1:28) and plērēs charitos (Acts 6:8; 6:5), we will show why the angelic greeting is legitimately understood as signifying a singular, ontological fullness of grace that preserves Mary from original sin from the first moment of her existence.

II. The Greek Text of the Angelic Greeting (Luke 1:28)

The Greek of Luke 1:28 in the critical text reads:

καὶ εἰσελθὼν πρὸς αὐτὴν εἶπεν· Χαῖρε, κεχαριτωμένη, ὁ κύριος μετὰ σοῦ.

The word kecharitōmenē is the feminine singular perfect passive participle of the verb charitoō (χαριτόω), “to endow with grace,” “to highly favor.” The root is charis (χάρις), grace.

Key grammatical observations:

1. It is a perfect participle: the action of gracing/favoring is completed in the past with ongoing effect into the present.
2. It is passive: Mary is the recipient of this action; the gracing is done to her by another (ultimately God).
3. It is used vocatively as a title or proper form of address, effectively replacing her personal name: “Hail, Kecharitomene!”
4. The verb charitoō is extremely rare in Greek literature and appears only twice in the entire New Testament: here in Luke 1:28 and in Ephesians 1:6.

Jerome’s Vulgate rendered kecharitōmenē as gratia plena (“full of grace”), a translation that captures both the perfect tense (completed fullness) and the passive voice (wholly graced by God).

III. The Description of Stephen and Others: Πλήρης Χάριτος (Acts 6:5, 6:8)

In contrast, the expression used for Stephen and the first deacons is plērēs charitos (πλήρης χάριτος):

• Acts 6:5: Στέφανον, ἄνδρα πλήρης πίστεως καὶ πνεύματος ἁγίου …
• Acts 6:8: Στέφανος δὲ πλήρης χάριτος καὶ δυνάμεως ἐποίει τέρατα καὶ σημεῖα μεγάλα ἐν τῷ λαῷ.

The adjective plērēs (πλήρης) means “full,” “filled,” or “abounding.” It is commonly used in the New Testament with a genitive of content (e.g., Jesus “full of the Holy Spirit,” Luke 4:1; Stephen “full of the Holy Spirit,” Acts 7:55). The expression plērēs charitos therefore means “full of grace” in the sense of “abounding in grace” or “filled with grace” at a particular moment or in a particular ministry.

IV. Lexical and Grammatical Contrasts Summarized

Feature	Mary (Luke 1:28)	Stephen (Acts 6:8) / Others
Greek term	κεχαριτωμένη (kecharitōmenē)	πλήρης χάριτος (plērēs charitos)
Part of speech	Perfect passive participle (verbal)	Adjective + genitive
Tense	Perfect (completed action, permanent state)	Present / timeless
Voice	Passive	No voice implied
Syntactic function	Vocative title replacing proper name	Descriptive attribute
Verb root	χαριτόω (rare)	No verb
Occurrence in NT	Only here (and Eph 1:6, different form)	Multiple times

V. Patristic Testimony to the Uniqueness of Kecharitomene

• Origen (c. 233): “Mary is called by a new name which is not applied to any other virgin: Kecharitomene.”
• St. Proclus of Constantinople (d. 446): “He did not say ‘Hail, Mary,’ but ‘Hail, Full-of-Grace’ (Kecharitomene), indicating the manner of her holiness.”
• St. Sophronius of Jerusalem (d. 638): “No one has been so highly favored (kecharitōtai) as this Virgin, who alone has been called Full-of-Grace (Kecharitomene) by Gabriel.”

VI. Theological Implications: Why Kecharitomene Supports the Immaculate Conception

1. The Perfect Tense – denotes a completed state with ongoing effects.
2. Replacement of the Proper Name – the angel addresses her by her new identity in grace.
3. The Source of the Gracing – God is the implied agent (theological passive).
4. Context of Luke 1 – reinforced by “you have found grace with God” (1:30) and Elizabeth’s Spirit-inspired exclamation (1:42–43).
5. Relation to Original Sin – original sin is the privation of sanctifying grace; perfect fullness excludes that privation from the beginning.

VII. Common Objections and Responses

Objection 1: Ephesians 1:6 uses the same verb echaritōsen.
Response: It is the aorist indicative active, not the perfect participle used as a proper title.

Objection 2: Some manuscripts have a different reading.
Response: Kecharitōmenē is the reading of 𝔓⁷⁵, Sinaiticus, Vaticanus, Alexandrinus, and the entire Greek tradition.

Objection 3: “Full of grace” only means “highly favored.”
Response: Even “highly favored” in the perfect tense and used as a title still implies a unique, permanent, and prevenient divine action.

VIII. Conclusion

The Protestant “gotcha” that equates Mary’s kecharitōmenē with Stephen’s plērēs charitos collapses upon even cursory examination of the Greek text. Only Mary is greeted with a perfect passive participle that effectively becomes her new name, signifying that God has already perfectly and permanently filled her with grace. This scriptural datum, read in the light of the universal tradition of the Church, provides solid biblical warrant for the dogma of the Immaculate Conception.

References

• Blass, F., A. Debrunner, and F. W. Gingrich. A Greek Grammar of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1961.
• Fitzmyer, Joseph A. The Gospel According to Luke I–IX. Anchor Bible 28. New York: Doubleday, 1981.
• Liddell, H. G., and R. Scott. A Greek-English Lexicon. 9th ed. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1996.
• Zerwick, Maximilian. Biblical Greek. Rome: Pontifical Biblical Institute, 1963.
• Catechism of the Catholic Church, §§ 490–493.
• Pius IX. Ineffabilis Deus (1854).

The Chair of Peter

Today, February 22nd is the Feast of the Chair of Peter.  We are not literally celebrating a piece of furniture.  The chair in this case means the office or authority of Peter the first Pope.  The feast was originally on January 18 to commemorate when Peter celebrated liturgy with the people of the see of Rome for the first time (Martyrologium Hieronymianum).

The photo on the left is the actual chair which Peter used to preside over liturgies and from which he exercised his teaching authority.   Alexander VII had it encased in bronze in order to preserve it.  It is supported by statues of four great doctors of the Church: Ambrose, Augustine, Athanasius, Chrysostom.

This chair can be traced to Peter and its authenticity can be confirmed by documentation and other evidence.  The chair had gone through minor changes in order to maintain it and ornate it a bit.

This is how the chair looks without the bronze encasement.

This feast day is important in the Church because it is a reminder of the authority and primacy Peter had and which has been passed on via apostolic succession in the Papacy.  The chair is a symbol of the Petrine ministry.  While Popes no longer use it in order to preserve it as an artifact of history and as a relic, the chair is displayed in great glory in the Basilica of St. Peter as a reminder of the authority of the Papacy.  

Papacy

Protestants and Eastern Orthodox Christians often have issue with the Papacy.  The Orthodox Christians feel that the Pope is a regular bishop and does not have any unique authority over the entire Church.  Protestants feel the Pope is unnecessary and some even go as far as claiming that he is the anti-Christ.  These charges are far from the truth.  The Papacy is not something the Catholic Church invented.  It was Jesus' idea.  

Jesus in Matthew 16:17-19 says:

"Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will beloosed in heaven.”

The town of Bania where Jesus told Peter that he is the Rock

The Rock - No not the WWE Wrestler!

Here Jesus changes Simon's name to 'Peter,' or "rock."  This is significant because in Scripture the rock image is always used to represent the Lord (Psalm 18:31)  

The changing of one's name shows a promotion of status.  For example Abram becomes Abraham (Genesis 17:5). Jesus did this to show that Peter was to be His representative or vicar on Earth.  This is why the Pope is the "Vicar of Christ."  

He does not replace Jesus as if Jesus resigned or was a failure, rather, he stands in for Jesus as the visible head of the Church and chief shepherd.  In Matt. 17:24-25 tax collectors approach Peter asking him if Jesus pays taxes.  Peter here is demonstrated as the representative of Christ, or the Vicar of Christ.  

Some claim that the Greek word "petra" means pebble and not rock; however, the New Testament was written in Koine Greek and the word "petra" and "petros" means simply 'rock.'  All scholars agree with this.  Had Jesus wanted to call Simon "small rock or pebble," the appropriate word would have been "lithos."  To further give more evidence to what Jesus actually meant, we must remember that Jesus did not speak Greek.  He spoke Aramaic.  The word Jesus actually used in his native tongue was, "Kepha" which means 'rock.'   Peter is the rock upon which Christ built His Holy Catholic Church.  To my knoweldge, there exists no Bible - with the exception of the Watchtower that alters texts - that states, "You are Peter and on this small stone/pebble I will build my Church."  This is a clear indication that the use of the word "rock" was intentional.   

The Keys

Keys are an important tool in human society. They can lock and unlock things.  Keys are also a sign of possession or ownership.  If I have the keys to a house, car, motorcycle or bank vault; I control them - I own them.  As long as I hold the keys and no one else does, I have absolute authority.  Jesus gives Peter the keys of the kingdom of Heaven, what does this mean?  Is Jesus going on vacation and is giving the keys to his place to a mortal?  No, not at all.  

Jesus as a descendant of King David is imitating the gesture of King Hezekiah in Isaiah 22:20-22.  Hezekiah gives the keys to the kingdom of the House of David to his servant Eliakim.  In the Jewish biblical tradition, this gesture grants royal dynastic authority and shows succession as the leader or prime minister of the House of David.  By giving Peter the keys to His kingdom, Christ is giving Peter the authority to represent Him and the authority to change things or leave them as is.  The key is also referred to in Revelations 3:7.  This is further evidence that Jesus was in fact doing the same as Hezekiah.  

The Primacy of Peter

While Peter was indeed an Apostles just like the other 11, he still had a unique role.  In the New Testament, Peter is mentioned by himself 155 times as opposed to the other Apostles who are mentioned together 130 times.  Peter is mentioned first in the New Testament (Matt. 10:2; Mark 1:36; 3:16; Luke 6:14-16; Acts 2:37; 5:29).  Coincidence?  Not at all.  It is human custom to name the most important person in a group first.  This custom is still used today in the 21st century.  We will always announce a President, Queen or King, Principal, or University President first before others.  

Peter was the only Apostle invited by Jesus to "walk on water," literally (Matt. 14:28-29)  This shows that Jesus had a particular plan for Him in mind and was preparing him by giving him a lesson on what it means to be faithful even when one is surrounded by turbulent waters and wind.  

As the leader of the Church, Peter and his successors must be strong in faith even if it means contradicting the world.  The world would say not to walk on water because you will sink and drown; however, if God says to do it, even if it makes no sense, we have to do it!  

In John 21:15-17, Jesus specifically commands Peter to feed his sheep and lambs.  He asks Peter if he loves Him three times and then commands three times to feed his sheep and lambs.  This was a foreshadowing of the three times Peter would deny Him (John 18:15-18)  This also shows that no matter how weak Peter was, this did not take away from his authority or validity as Pope.  Despite being called "Holy Father," the Pope is still a sinner and subject to personal failings.  Nevertheless, his office remains firm and valid despite the failings of the man holding it.  

Peter was also a direct target of Satan.  In Luke 22:31-32  Jesus tells Peter that Satan wanted to sift him up like wheat.  This shows that Satan was aware of the importance of Peter and wanted to strike at him directly.  The evidence from Scripture alone is overwhelming in regards to the primacy of St. Peter.  

The Early Christians had this to say:

"The blessed Peter, the chosen, the preeminent, the first among the disciples, for whom alone with himself the Savior paid the tribute, quickly gasped and understood their meaning. And what does he say? ‘Behold, we have left all and have followed you’. - Clement of Alexandria 

"For though you think that heaven is still shut up, remember that the Lord left the keys of it to Peter here, and through him to the Church, which keys everyone will carry with him if he has been questioned and made a confession of faith" - Tertullian

"Be it known to you, my lord, that Simon [Peter], who, for the sake of the true faith, and the most sure foundation of his doctrine, was set apart to be the foundation of the Church, and for this end was by Jesus himself, with his truthful mouth, named Peter, the first fruits of our Lord, the first of the apostles; to whom first the Father revealed the Son; whom the Christ, with good reason, blessed; the called, and elect" - The Letter of Clement to James

"Be it known to you, my lord, that Simon Peter, who, for the sake of the true faith, and the most sure foundation of his doctrine, was set apart to be the foundation of the Church, and for this end was by Jesus himself, with his truthful mouth, named Peter" - The Letter of Clement to James

It is obvious that Peter had a significant role as Pope in the first century up to his death whereupon St. Linus took over the Papacy.  No academic or historian denies this historical truth.  Recently on Facebook I had an interesting discussion regarding the Papacy.  The rhetoric posted on the group obviously stems from the Anti-Catholicism during the post-Reformation era.  This rhetoric is frowned upon by academia and is just based on prejudice and Protestant eisegesis.

The Eastern Orthodox Church has issue with the Papacy mainly because of authority. This is sad indeed because we are not in the Church to obtain status or power.  Yes the Pope is a bishop just like the bishop of New York, Boston, Puerto Rico, Madrid or Los Angeles; however, he has a unique role as the successor of Peter.  The Pope is the leader of the Church and keeps the Church united.  

There is no valid reason based on Scripture, Tradition and History for anyone to not accept the authority of the Papacy as it is defined or the primacy of St. Peter.

Let us pray for the Pope always:

O God, the Shepherd and Ruler of all Your faithful people, mercifully look upon Your servant [name of Pope], whom You have chosen as the chief Shepherd to preside over Your Church. We beg You to help him edify, both by word and example, those over whom he has charge, that he may reach everlasting life together with the flock entrusted to him. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.