Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child of the Holy Spirit;
Matthew 1:18 RSV
The Virgin Birth
Christ was born of Mary without the aid of the natural processes of generation.
The Virgin Birth is a prominent and essential teaching of the Christian religion.
To give up the doctrine of virgin birth is to sacrifice the integrity of the gospel authors, the convictions of the apostolic church, and the entire premise of supernatural religion as revealed in the Holy Bible.
Apart from Jesus Christ, the virgin birth seems difficult to believe; however, considering his blessed Person, the miracle of his birth appears less as a marvel and more as a necessity.
The great miracle of the New Testament is not the virgin birth, walking on the water, or the resurrection of Christ, but JESUS CHRIST HIMSELF!
The phenomenon of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, not only admits but demands just such an entry into this world of human life as that revealed in the virgin birth.
“The Word” (John 1:1) has existed from all eternity, but the marvel is that he should consent to become a man at all, not that he should pass through the processes of conception and birth as well.
Furthermore, in normal procreation, the union of a man and a woman always produces a NEW LIFE.
Christ’s life was not new but had existed from before the beginning of creation.
In truth, it can hardly be imagined just HOW God could enter the world of human life in any other way than that depicted in the virgin birth of Jesus Christ.
Jesus’ conception in the womb of the virgin Mary is not more wonderful, really than any other conception; it is merely different.
It is unique, but it was not more difficult on the part of God for this to happen than for any other baby to be born.
Wonderful benefits accrue to mankind as a result of the virgin birth.
The Birth of Jesus Accomplished The Following:
- It honored and elevated womanhood to a place of dignity, honor, and respect, hitherto unknown on earth.
- It virtually destroyed infanticide by revealing the sanctity of embryonic life.
- It has emphasized absolute chastity as one of the highest virtues in both men and women.
- It has glorified motherhood as a state of purity and honor every whit as righteous and desirable as virginity.
Concerning The Infancy Of Jesus Christ:
Is he not rightly called Wonderful?
Infinite and an infant! Eternal, yet born of a woman! Almighty, and yet hanging on a woman’s breast!
Supporting the universe, yet needing to be carried on a mother’s arm! King of Angels, and yet the reputed son of Joseph!
Heir of all things, and yet the carpenter’s despised son! Wonderful art thou, O Jesus! And that shall be thy name forever?
In those times, betrothal was legally equivalent to marriage, and adultery during the period of waiting was punishable by death by stoning (Deuteronomy 22:23,24).
That this law was still practiced in the day of Christ is shown by John 8:5.
Matthew leaves no room for misunderstanding of this important point.
Mary’s conception was the work of the Holy Spirit of God and must therefore be understood as the most holy and sacred occurrence that can possibly be imagined!
and her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly.
Matthew 1:19 RSV
As Joseph thought on these things, his desire was to show mercy to one who appeared, in his eyes, to be guilty of sin.
The noble character of Joseph who desired to shield Mary under those circumstances is most commendable.
He was of a different kind from those in the present day who delight to expose what they fancy to be the sins of others.
In Joseph was fulfilled the word of the Lord which declares that “He that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter” (Proverbs 11:13).
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God; all things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
John 1:1-5 RSV
Appropriately the Gospel of John begins with the words, “In the beginning,” for a number of important beginnings appear in it, such as:
- The beginning of all things, John 1:3.
- The beginning of the recognition of Jesus as the Son of God, John 1:34.
- The beginning of Jesus’ disciples, John 1:41.
- The beginning of the apostleship, John 1:41f.
- The beginning of the use of the title, Son of Man, John 1:51.
- The beginning of Jesus’ public ministry.
See related blog posts:
In the Beginning was the Word
Regarding Creation
The earth was without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep; and the Spirit of God was moving over the face of the waters.
Then God said, “Let US make man in OUR image, after OUR likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.”
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him;
MALE AND FEMALE HE CREATED THEM.
And God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.”
Genesis 1:1-2, 26-28 RSV
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