The Virgin Birth

Weekly Update – September 5th, 2024

Last week, in our series through the gospel of Luke, we came to Luke 1:26-38 with the announcement of Jesus.  With the way being prepared for the Messiah, through the miraculous birth of John being announced (Luke 1:5-25), it only then follows that the birth of Jesus would be announced next.  There are many unique factors that go into this announcement, such as who God chose to deliver his Son into the world (Mary), where she was from (Nazareth) and the fact that she was unmarried.  One factor that should not be overlooked though is that she was a virgin (1:27, 34).  It might be easy to gloss over some of these details, but this week, I want to highlight for you the necessity of believing in the virgin birth of Jesus. 

Throughout the last few centuries, the virgin birth has been debated.  Some secular scholars will say that Christianity took the virgin birth account from Greek mythology and created their own story from it.  The Greek god Zeus, impregnating Danae, leading to the birth of Perseus is one prime example.  Another legend says that Alexander the Great’s mother became pregnant when she swallowed a pomegranate.  In fact, there are numerous myths from paganism that have a miraculous birth story in them.  The major difference with these stories and the birth of Jesus is that the pagan stories are often highly sexualized, and they explain the fame and power of the one who was born.  This is not the story of Christianity, which was not only prophesied hundreds of years before many of these pagan legends, but is filled with purity (Luke 1:34), holiness (Luke 1:35) and exalts the traits of humility (Luke 1:48, 52).  Still, the question that remains is, why is the virgin birth necessary?  Let me give you three reasons:

First, the virgin birth is necessary to fulfill scripture.  In Isaiah 7:14, Isaiah gives the sign of a savior to come, Immanuel, which means God with us.  The question is, how will Israel know when the Messiah has come.  Isaiah 7:14, “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign.  Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son.”  This was over 700 years before the angel Gabriel came to Mary, a virgin, who would conceive by the power of the Holy Spirit (1:35).  If the virgin birth is a myth, then Isaiah is either not telling the truth or his prophecy is still unfulfilled.  The logical progression from here then continues.  If Isaiah is not telling the truth, then he cannot be trusted, leaving the trustworthiness of Scripture in question.  On the other hand, if Isaiah 7:14 is unfulfilled, then Jesus isn’t the prophesied savior, and we are still waiting for Immanuel to come.

Second, through the virgin birth, God is coming down to become man.  If the virgin birth were not so, then Jesus is a man, who as some false religions claim (Mormons), becomes God.  The problem with Jesus being a man with an earthly father is that he is then unable to pay the penalty of our sins, because he is sinful himself.  As Romans 5:12 says that sin comes into the world through one man, that being Adam.  By virtue of Adam, we all are then born as sinners.  Therefore, the virgin birth is necessary to affirm that Jesus is sinless, being God in the flesh, come down to become man to live a perfect life, die a sacrificial death and rise again victorious over the curse of sin.  Only God become man can achieve this. 

Third, the virgin birth confirms the preexistence of the Son of God.  This one is a bit technical, but necessary to affirm.  Not only does Scripture speak to the coming of a savior, and not only is this savior sinless, but he is the divine Son, the second member of the trinity, who has always existed with God the Father.  “For by him all things were created…and he is before all things…” (Col. 1:16-17).  Jesus Christ is God with us, coming down to dwell with us, just as he promised in the Old Testament (Lev. 26:12).  He then was in the beginning with God, the word made flesh, the only Son of the Father who has made God known to us (John 1:1-18).  This is not possible unless he is virgin born, through the power of the Holy Spirit. 

Through the virgin birth, Luke is setting up the rest of his Gospel.  If you take this truth by faith, then the miracles that follow, the teachings, the claims, Jesus’ death and resurrection all make sense.  Jesus is the sinless savior come to earth, the Son of God, just as Scripture foretold.  But if the virgin birth is not true, then Jesus is perhaps a lunatic, or worse, a liar, and he ought not to be trusted.  Let us move forward with Luke, in our search for the truth, affirming the power of God shown through the virgin birth of his Son. 

Serving Him with You,
Pastor Michael Nelson