Introduction
The New Testament begins with a story of something
that is a biological impossibility. To claim that a child was born on this earth
over 2,000 years ago without there being a father sounds like a fairy tale. This
is why the birth of Jesus, through a virgin girl named Mary, is the greatest
miracle of all time. The gospel account of the birth of Jesus Christ is the
greatest story ever told. It is the very epicentre of our salvation, for without
Him we have no Saviour.
The muddied water
Unfortunately the facts have been distorted by
false religion, tradition and paganism. They have muddied the crystal clear
water of the truth surrounding the birth of our Saviour. Though the world
celebrates Christ’s birth on 25th December, it cannot be the
correct date. It is more likely that He was born around September. The pretty
manger scenes, with their shepherds and wise men, distort the story of what
actually happened. The wise men do not play their part until Jesus was a “young
child” of about two years of age, “When
they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the
east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.
When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And when they
were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and
fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they
presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh” … “Then
Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and
sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the
coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had
diligently inquired of the wise men” (Matthew 2:9-11, 16).
The Roman Catholic Church believes that Mary was a
virgin until her death, yet the Bible suggests nothing of the sort. She was only
a virgin “till she had brought forth
her firstborn son” (Matthew 1:25). Also we learn from Matthew 13:55-56
that Jesus had brothers and sisters through Mary and Joseph, “Is
not this the carpenter's son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren,
James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas? And his sisters, are they not all with
us?” The belief in the perpetual virginity of Mary came from the Gnostics
who taught that procreation was sinful.
The virgin birth
The Bible does of course teach us that Mary was a
virgin. “Therefore the Lord himself
shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and
shall call his name Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14, see Matthew 1:23) … “And
in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee,
named Nazareth, To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the
house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary” (Luke 1:26-27). Mary
claimed to be a virgin, “Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be,
seeing I know not a man?” (Luke 1:34).
Scripture makes it abundantly clear that Joseph was
not the biological father of Jesus. “Now
the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused
to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy
Ghost. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a
public example, was minded to put her away privily. But while he thought on
these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream,
saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for
that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a
son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their
sins” (Matthew 1:18-21). The child she was carrying was the Son of God not
the son of a man. “He shall be great,
and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him
the throne of his father David … The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the
power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which
shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God” (Luke 1:32, 35).
Notice how precise Matthew and Luke are when stating the facts concerning the
birth of Christ. “And Jacob begat
Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ”
(Matthew 1:16) … “And Jesus himself
began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of
Joseph” (Luke 3:23).
Conclusion
“For
God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever
believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life”
(John 3:16). The evidence is there in Scripture. To deny it is to reject not
only the truth, but also the One who was born to save us from our sin. To reject
Him is to throw God’s gift back in His face. “He
that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned
already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of
God” (John 3:18). The virgin birth might be a biological impossibility,
but that is what a miracle is. “With men
this is impossible; but with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26).
The same God who created the universe out of nothing, and made the first human
being after His own image, is well
able to create life in the womb of the virgin called Mary.
In our next study we will look at the importance of
the virgin birth.
© 5/11/2008