-8 Min Read
Introduction
The Virgin Birth is a key doctrine of the Christian faith. It is mentioned in both the Apostles’ Creed and the Nicene Creed. Of course, it is the greatest way to begin the story of the Messiah. It represents that this is all of God’s doing and not by man’s will or efforts. When we think of man’s efforts we are reminded of Abraham. Abraham tells God that he would make Eliezer the heir of his house since God had not given him any children (Gen. 15:2-3) and then later, Sarah gave Abraham Hagar to bear him a child (Gen. 16:1-3). These efforts were done according to the flesh and could not bring about the promise. To all of this God said, “No, but Sarah your wife will bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac; and I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant for his seed after him” (Gen. 17:19).
God is the opener and closer of wombs, that much is clear from the Scriptures. This was certainly a foreshadowing of what was to come with the Lord Jesus. Mary was not only permitted to bear a child but conceived a child without knowing a man. Mary simply received this gift from the Lord (Luke 1:38). This was all of God’s doing.
How Did The Virgin Birth Happen?
And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David, 33 and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and there will be no end of His kingdom.” 34 But Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” 35 The angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God.
– Luke 1:31-35 (LSB)
Luke is clear and precise about how Mary would become pregnant with Jesus. Luke evokes both the words of Mary and the Angel Gabriel to help us understand how this came about. The first thing we observe is what Mary says regarding her state of virginity. Though Mary may be betrothed to a man (Joseph), she has never laid with a man before, therefore she wonders, how can she possibly “conceive in [her] womb a son“?
To which Gabriel explains to her that this is not going to be an issue. For this child that Mary is to “bear” will not be conceived according to the flesh but by the “power of the Most High.” Gabriel further explains that this is the “reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God.” A divine person of the Trinity brings about all of this: the Holy Spirit.
Though the Spirit is the cause of the conception, it does not mean that the Spirit is the “father” of Jesus. The Spirit did not bring about the conception of Jesus in Mary through His substance or by His generation but by His work and power [1]. Basil of Caesarea says; “Christ was conceived not of the substance, but of the power, not by any generation, but by the appointment and benediction of the Holy Ghost” [2].
Scholars of theology offer a formula of sorts to better understand Mary’s conception. They say that the Holy Spirit was the efficient cause of the conception, while Mary was the material cause of the conception [3]. What they mean to say is that Jesus was truly formed naturally in the womb according to Mary’s flesh, while also affirming that the Holy Spirit brought this all about supernaturally.
This is important for us to note. Jesus was truly human and Mary provided for Jesus everything necessary and ordinary as any mother would for her child through gestation and birth. There was nothing supernatural beyond the conception, that alone was the divine work of the Holy Spirit. Mary was biologically a true mother and Jesus was biologically a true child.
Why Did The Virgin Birth Happen?
Then he said, “Listen now, O house of David! Is it too slight a thing for you to try the patience of men, that you will try the patience of my God as well? 14 Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.
– Isaiah 7:13-14 (LSB)
God’s people throughout history had been waiting for a seed to come and bring about reconciliation with God. The seed of the woman foretold in Genesis 3:15 is the same seed of Abraham foretold in Genesis 22:18, and the same seed of David foretold in 2 Samuel 7:12. This heir of David would have an everlasting kingdom (2 Sam. 7:13). He would be both David’s son and David’s Lord (Psalm 110:1-3; Matt. 22:43-45). Therefore, we conclude, that the Messiah that was to come will be both human and divine.
Isaiah foretold that there would be a child born of a “virgin” [4] whose name would be Immanuel, which means “God with us” (Matt. 1:23). As discussed above, Jesus had no biological human father, only a mother. This was to take place to fulfill Isaiah’s prophecy and the Covenant of Redemption. In eternity past God promised a people to the Son and the Son promised human obedience to the Father. This was done to fulfill all righteousness and restore what was lost by Adam to humanity.
For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I may take it again. 18 No one takes it away from Me, but from Myself, I lay it down. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father.”
– John 10:17-18,27-29 (LSB)
27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; 28 and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish—ever; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.
Jesus came to redeem the people who had been promised to Him. It was necessary for Christ to be born of a virgin because it was prophesied, and therefore to fulfill it, but also to show that salvation of the elect is not done by human efforts or works of the flesh but by the power and will of God. The Apostle Paul best articulates this in his letter to the Galatian churches.
But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, 5 so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.
– Galatians 4:4-5 (LSB)
The Virgin Birth also serves well for the hypostatic union, uniting both divinity and humanity in the one person of the Son of God (see previous article on the Incarnation here). It had to be this way for so many reasons. God could not have made Jesus fully human and then lowered Him down to earth, because then He would not have been born of the woman (Gen. 3:15), born of Abraham (Gen. 22:18), born of David (2 Sam. 7:12), born of the virgin (Isa. 7:14), the Prince of Peace given by God (Isa. 9:6), or the shoot from the stem of Jesse (Isa. 11:1).
Conclusion
The Virgin Birth is to be appreciated as a dear doctrine of the Christian faith. It reveals to us how low our Lord stooped in His mission to save us from our sins. It helps us better understand the Incarnation of our Lord and how many prophecies were fulfilled. We observe the infinite wisdom of our God in the saving of sinners and how He ordained to accomplish it. Let us remember this great act of power and mercy by God this time of year.
Christ, by highest heaven adored,
Christ, the everlasting Lord,
late in time behold him come,
offspring of the Virgin’s womb:
veiled in flesh the Godhead see;
hail th’incarnate Deity,
pleased with us in flesh to dwell,
Jesus, our Immanuel.
Hark! the herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King.”
Works Cited
[1] Joel R. Beeke & Paul M. Smalley, Reformed Systematic Theology: Vol. 2, Man and Christ, (Crossway, Wheaton, IL, 2020), 791
[2] William Perkins, An Exposition of the Symbol, in The Works of William Perkins, (Grand Rapids, MI, 2017), 5:126, & Basil of Caesarea, Sermon. de S. nativit.
[3] See Wollebius, Compendium, 1.16.(2).i-ii (89), and also see Joel R. Beeke & Paul M. Smalley, Reformed Systematic Theology: Vol. 2, Man and Christ, (Crossway, Wheaton, IL, 2020), 791
[4] The Hebrew word translated as “virgin” is עַלְמָה (ʿalmâ) could also be translated as “marriageable age, young maiden” or even “newly married, newly betrothed.” Even though Matthew specifically cites Isaiah 7:14 for fulfillment in Matthew 1:23 concerning the actual virgin, Mary, it is more appropriate to not appreciate the word as “virgin” in Isaiah’s day. Most scholars believe the woman who would give birth to a son was either Ahaz’s wife or Isaiah’s wife, though there are certainly problems with these theories as well.