The Virgin Birth of Jesus
In Matthew’s Gospel, Chp. 1:18, begins the record by the Holy Spirit, of the “conception” and birth of Jesus. In that record is shown that Mary was “betrothed to Joseph”. In v.21 is shown that she would “bring forth a Son”, and that His name was to be “Jesus”. Remarkably, and Miraculously, v.20 records that Jesus was “conceived by the Holy Ghost”!
His purpose as Jesus, v.21, “to save His people from their sins”!
The angel giving this information and prophecy to Mary, then stated further, vs. 22-23, that the whole event was related to information (prophecy) given in Isaiah starting at Isa. 7:10, but specifically 7:14, approx. 650 years earlier!
The question, and objection, is often made, that first a virgin birth is impossible, and second; what would be the purpose?
The answer to the first is that God is Almighty, a fact that people nowadays forget or dismiss. The fact is that to The Creator of All, and the Sustainer (in Christ) of All, this was not difficult!
The answer to the second is to the point, and Glorious in the eventual outcome, see below.
To begin; the above is the fulfilment of the promise and prophecy, thousands of years earlier, that “the Seed of the woman, shall bruise the head of the serpent” (Gen. 3:14-15).
So, it can be seen, that Mary’s Seed was to fulfil prophecy, and destiny, yet future!
Regarding the prophecy of the virgin conception, Isa. 7:14.
Much is made by those opposed to Jesus the Christ, very often Jewish, (in their present Lo-Ammi condition, see: Hosea 1&2 ) that the prophecy in Isa. 7:14 does not state "a Virgin" (Heb. Bethulah), but damsel (Heb. Almah). The KJV actually omits the definite article and states "a", but the corrected is "the", making the point of the special case, i.e. Mary of the Gospels, who is designated "parthenos" (Virgin), not Gune (wife or woman), when the prophecy was “filled full”.
It is not denied that the “immediate” fulfilling of the comment in Isa. 7:14 is for Ahaz, as a sign, v.11, but the whole prophecy runs from Isa. 7:10, to Isa. 9:7; and is Messianic in relation to Israel, Isa. 8:18, and, as yet is to be fulfilled, which will be in the Millennial Reign of Christ Messiah, and after His return to save Israel from her enemies!
The actual translation of the words in Isa. 7:14, should according to Dr. Ginsburg be, (Heb. ha-almah), which is "The damsel who is a Virgin"!
The convenient confusion is used to support the case made by opponents of Holy Scripture, and those opposed to Jesus as Messiah, attempting to negate the Miraculous Birth of the Lord Jesus Christ, The Saviour of the world's peoples, i.e., those that trust Him, and believe Him!
As is pointed out by Dr. Bullinger and Dr. Ginsburg, "While every Bethulah is indeed an Almah, not every Almah is a Bethulah"!
The point is further reinforced by the recent translation by Victor Alexander of Isa. 7:14, from the P'shittA, which shows "The Virgin"!
There is much dispute, and denial of the Deity of the Lord Christ Jesus. The attacks take many forms, and the most common are to deny that the Bible is authentic by workers of Satan, or in the case of Cults and religious groups, that Jesus was only a man, and not a “manifestation” of God Himself. See; Veracity of the Bible: and; The Triune God; and; Ancient Aramaic Manuscripts, Pshitta O and A:
Some of the opponents of God and Christ, try to imply that the Bible itself is inconsistent in the Inspired Record. This is easily opposed by the study of the Word itself, which produces the following, which is Appendix 99 of the Companion Bible by Dr. E.W. Bullinger: http://www.levendwater.org/companion/append99.html This site clearly tabulates the two lines from Abraham, to Mary and Joseph.
Matthew's account is that of the line of Joseph. In Jewish “lore”, the claim to the Throne and therefore Kingship was/is through the male line, i.e. the father. In the case of “Messiah”, that therefore had to be of King David’s line! It is the so called "Regal" line, and is of David's union with Bathsheba, and derived from the oldest surviving son of that union, Solomon. As Joseph was betrothed to Mary, and in a state of (Grk. "hos enomizeto"), he was de-facto married to her! This in Matt. is from the Grk.”nomizo”, the translation of “The” "supposed father" = "to lay down a thing as law", "to hold as custom”, “to reckon correctly”.
This overcomes some of the Jewish technical arguments that are produced in attempts to negate the veracity of Scripture’s claims as to the Kingship, and Deity of Jesus, as the Christ!
An important point here is that Jehovah God, as Divine Father of Jesus; is showing the ultimate position of Almighty God, as King of all the Earth's peoples eventually on Earth; as well as all Heavenly Domain and Creation! IE; "Thy Kingdom come on Earth, as it is in Heaven"!
An interesting side issue, is that of the feminist movement throughout the world, to change the gender of Almighty God to female, or neutral. This again is shown as an attempt to render the “Order” of God as of no account, as to do so effectively, negates the necessary male requirement of Messiah!
In Luke's account the line is to Mary, also goes back to Abraham, but her line proceeds through Bathsheba's second surviving son, Nathan. This is the so called "Legal" line.
Thus, the "seed of the woman", (Gen. 3:15) (Legal line), and "throne of His father David" (Regal line), are fulfilled in Jesus The Christ, as per prophecy!
This makes the sense of Christ's oft statement, "I come only to the lost sheep of Israel", (at that time), up to the point of Acts 28:28. All the promises were made to His people, Israel and Judah, (north and south Kingdoms), and only when Jesus was rejected finally at Acts 28:28 did the offer of Redemption go out to the Gentiles, as the Prime Object, with Israel becoming Lo-Ammi, (not My People).
Here is the delicate nub of the matter. The Christian Bible states in Luke 1, that Gabriel told Mary she would conceive a child by "The Holy Ghost", that the Father was to be none other than God, v.35. The name, “Jesus” (Heb. Hoshea, Num. 13:16) is correctly translated; “God our Saviour” or “God who is Salvation”.
If you have questions or comments, please click here.
Subjectindex or