Virgin Birth
Many have spent nights thinking about how this is possible. Some even dilute the Medicine and talk about spontaneous gene development. Some people dismiss it all together. Any medical reason for a virgin Birth is false. The Virgin Birth is a Miracle and none other. This is not to be explained but I am going to take some time and address some issues.
Virgin in the languages of Hebrew and Greek could mean young lady but this could also have to deal with Social context. A teenage girl today would never be automatically thought of as a Virgin. Just go to your local High School and notice the number of pregnancies. (Hopefully your High School will be the exception to the Norm). But young lady would be thought to be a Virgin unless a slave girl or prostitute. Mothers and Fathers would work hard to preserve the authenticity of their daughter's virginity. Celibacy may not have been ritually practiced, but for the young it was watched over.
I may not have done extensive study to sight sources of this practice. But from the little reading and listening I have done, Roman practice may not have been good sexually. Jewish society under the leadership of the Pharisees will hopefully indicate higher standards. Mary was most likely by standard practice a Virgin at her betrothal. Mary is known to be a Virgin by the Holy Scriptures, I require no further evidence. This is what we call faith.
Faith is believing in something without proof. This would be the same as anyone believing in spontaneous gene development. This would not be good Medicine but it is by Faith. We have the sources of Luke and Matthew to indicate here Virgin status. But these are recorded to show the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy.
The Immanuel will be born of a Virgin. At the same time Isaiah records a fulfillment of his own passage from Isaiah's young Bride. Isaiah 7:14, "Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The Virgin will be with Child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel." Then in Isaiah 8 the prophetess conceived and gave birth to a son. This son knew how to say Father and Mother only after the destruction of the Northern Kingdom. Just as recorded in v. 15 about the Immanuel.
These two fulfillments of the prophecy concerning the Virgin Birth indicates a young woman and pure Virgin. I only make note of the fulfillment in both places to help you see the true miracle. This is always a part of God's plan to reveal the Mesiah to all generations not just those who knew Mary.
Finally, The reminder that Mary latter had other children should be known. Joseph is a patient and righteous man but his patients could only last so long. As some comedians like to say No Real Man would stay married to a woman and never sleep with her. But Matthew recounts that Mary and Joseph waited for the Birth of Christ until they joined together. Matthew states, "But [Joseph] had no union with [Mary] until she gave birth to a son." Joseph loved his wife very much. He knew she was a gift from God to him as much as the Child was a gift to the World. Let us thank God for this Miracle and Holy Birth.
Virgin in the languages of Hebrew and Greek could mean young lady but this could also have to deal with Social context. A teenage girl today would never be automatically thought of as a Virgin. Just go to your local High School and notice the number of pregnancies. (Hopefully your High School will be the exception to the Norm). But young lady would be thought to be a Virgin unless a slave girl or prostitute. Mothers and Fathers would work hard to preserve the authenticity of their daughter's virginity. Celibacy may not have been ritually practiced, but for the young it was watched over.
I may not have done extensive study to sight sources of this practice. But from the little reading and listening I have done, Roman practice may not have been good sexually. Jewish society under the leadership of the Pharisees will hopefully indicate higher standards. Mary was most likely by standard practice a Virgin at her betrothal. Mary is known to be a Virgin by the Holy Scriptures, I require no further evidence. This is what we call faith.
Faith is believing in something without proof. This would be the same as anyone believing in spontaneous gene development. This would not be good Medicine but it is by Faith. We have the sources of Luke and Matthew to indicate here Virgin status. But these are recorded to show the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy.
The Immanuel will be born of a Virgin. At the same time Isaiah records a fulfillment of his own passage from Isaiah's young Bride. Isaiah 7:14, "Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The Virgin will be with Child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel." Then in Isaiah 8 the prophetess conceived and gave birth to a son. This son knew how to say Father and Mother only after the destruction of the Northern Kingdom. Just as recorded in v. 15 about the Immanuel.
These two fulfillments of the prophecy concerning the Virgin Birth indicates a young woman and pure Virgin. I only make note of the fulfillment in both places to help you see the true miracle. This is always a part of God's plan to reveal the Mesiah to all generations not just those who knew Mary.
Finally, The reminder that Mary latter had other children should be known. Joseph is a patient and righteous man but his patients could only last so long. As some comedians like to say No Real Man would stay married to a woman and never sleep with her. But Matthew recounts that Mary and Joseph waited for the Birth of Christ until they joined together. Matthew states, "But [Joseph] had no union with [Mary] until she gave birth to a son." Joseph loved his wife very much. He knew she was a gift from God to him as much as the Child was a gift to the World. Let us thank God for this Miracle and Holy Birth.
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