The Virgin Birth of Christ.

BIBLE DOCTRINE 3: THE VIRGIN BIRTH OF JESUS

God’s Word teaches:

The virgin birth of Jesus, the only begotten Son of God. The crucifixion, death, burial, and bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ – Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18-25; Romans 1:4; 1 Corinthians 15:3,4.

Virgin Birth 

Isaiah  7:14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

Matthew  1:18 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.  1:19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily.  1:20 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.  1:21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.  1:22 Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,  1:23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.  1:24 Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife:  1:25 And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.

Resurrection of Jesus 

Romans  1:4 And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:

1 Corinthians  15:3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;  15:4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

“The virgin birth” teaches that Jesus, the only begotten Son of God, was miraculously conceived by the virgin Mary. 

Prophetically, this was foretold in the Old Testament and became literally fulfilled later in the New Testament (Genesis 3:15; Isaiah 7:14). The virgin birth is thus an essential doctrinal truth, which must be upheld for its fact and significance. 

Disputing this cardinal doctrine is by implication, denying Christ’s Deity and His distinctive spotlessness, which the natural man lacked that disqualified every other man from satisfying God’s demand at Calvary. 

He, therefore, became the spotless Lamb of God found in fashion as a man.

God was the first to unveil the virgin birth of Christ when He referred to Him as the “seed of the woman” (Genesis 3:15). 

Genesis  3:15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

This was alluding to the fact that Christ would be conceived by a woman who had never known a man. 

The prophet Isaiah in his proclamation said, “Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son….” (Isaiah 7:14). 

The word virgin as used in this reference, has obvious meaning and can be nothing else but a woman that has Not known a man. 

Luke in his Gospel narrative recorded that the angel Gabriel was sent to a virgin, betrothed to a man and that the virgin’s name was Mary (Luke 1:34). 

Luke  1:34 Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?

Matthew in his Gospel narrated that Mary was espoused to Joseph and that before they came together, she was found with a child of the Holy Ghost (Matthew 1:18). 

Matthew  1:18 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.

He further recorded that Joseph knew her not till she had brought forth her first-born son, and he called His name JESUS. 

Jesus sometimes referred to people as His mother, His brothers and sisters, but never referred to any mortal man as His Father, not even Joseph (Matthew 12:49,50; 22:41-46; John 8:54-58). 

Matthew  12:49 And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!  12:50 For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.

He always referred to God as His Father and this is another proof of His virgin birth.

 Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, wrote that in the fullness of time, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman. This was still pointing to the fact that Christ was born of a virgin (Galatians 4:4).

Galatians  4:4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,

 The Bible says that Joseph was a just man (Matthew 1:19). This means he was not a transgressor of God’s law. 

Matthew  1:19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily.

If Mary as an espoused virgin had conceived through a strange man, it would then be right for Joseph to have her out of the way

Deuteronomy  22:23 If a damsel that is a virgin be betrothed unto an husband, and a man find her in the city, and lie with her;  22:24 Then ye shall bring them both out unto the gate of that city, and ye shall stone them with stones that they die; the damsel, because she cried not, being in the city; and the man, because he hath humbled his neighbour’s wife: so thou shalt put away evil from among you.

 (Deuteronomy 22:23,24; 

Deuteronomy  22:23 If a damsel that is a virgin be betrothed unto an husband, and a man find her in the city, and lie with her;  22:24 Then ye shall bring them both out unto the gate of that city, and ye shall stone them with stones that they die; the damsel, because she cried not, being in the city; and the man, because he hath humbled his neighbour’s wife: so thou shalt put away evil from among you.

Matthew 19:9). The penalty was even more grave than merely putting her away. 

The angel could not have prevented Joseph from putting her away; the angel even bore witness that what was conceived in her was of the Holy Ghost (Matthew 1:20).   

Matthew  1:20 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.

On the other hand, if Joseph had known Mary before Christ was conceived, or was responsible for the conception, it would be unlawful for him to put her away (Malachi 2:14-16).

Malachi  2:14 Yet ye say, Wherefore? Because the LORD hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt treacherously: yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant.  2:15 And did not he make one? Yet had he the residue of the spirit. And wherefore one? That he might seek a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth.  2:16 For the LORD, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away: for one covereth violence with his garment, saith the LORD of hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit, that ye deal not treacherously.

 The scriptures would not have qualified him as a just man if he were transgressing the Lord’s commandment. 

Joseph was instructed to take her as his wife. The virgin birth of Christ was a unique sign from God. The prophet Isaiah was very clear and definite about it (Isaiah 7:14). It distinguished Him from any other mortal and marked Him out as the only true Messiah.

Isaiah  7:14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

God bears witness to His approved ministers in various ways. Some of the signs that were recorded concerning Christ and His ministry were also recorded concerning a few other messengers of God.

 The virgin birth, however, is probably the most unique and unprecedented sign. 

A voice from the cloud witnessed to the ministry of Christ but that was not as unique as the virgin birth because we see a similar witness in the ministry of Moses

 (Numbers 12:5-8; Matthew 17:5).

Numbers  12:5 And the LORD came down in the pillar of the cloud, and stood in the door of the tabernacle, and called Aaron and Miriam: and they both came forth.  12:6 And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the LORD will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream.  12:7 My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house.  12:8 With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the LORD shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?

Matthew  17:5 While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.

 An angel announced the conception of Christ but we also know that the births of Samson and John the Baptist were announced by angels too (Judges 13:2-5; Luke 1:11-15,26-33).

Judges  13:2 And there was a certain man of Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name was Manoah; and his wife was barren, and bare not.  13:3 And the angel of the LORD appeared unto the woman, and said unto her, Behold now, thou art barren, and bearest not: but thou shalt conceive, and bear a son.  13:4 Now therefore beware, I pray thee, and drink not wine nor strong drink, and eat not any unclean thing:  13:5 For, lo, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and no razor shall come on his head: for the child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb: and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.

Luke  1:11 And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.  1:12 And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.  1:13 But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.  1:14 And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth.  1:15 For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother’s womb.

 Moses, Samson, and John were all descendants of Adam’s fallen race

. The virgin birth is therefore a unique sign from the Lord, conferred on Christ and Him alone, and no other living soul has ever or will ever be conceived by a virgin.

Let us pray.