Virgin birth – Myth or Historical Truth?

Virgin birth – Myth or Historical Truth?

This question falls over from the start if the virgin birth story doesn’t appear in the New Testament. And it doesn’t.

With the missionary activities of Paul and others, the passing of the original followers of Jesus and the destruction of Jerusalem, the NT soon fell into the hands of the Greeks and Latins.

They interpreted the Hebrew Scriptures through the prism of their own culture, and gave meanings to words and phrases never intended by the NT authors.

For example the Holy Spirit coming “upon” Mary is read as a virginal conception. However there are dozens of instances in the Bible where the Holy Spirit came “upon” individuals, usually men, but only in Mary’s case is it read as God impregnating someone.

Also a ridiculous interpretation was given to Mary’s question to the angel, "How can this be, since I do not know a man?" It interprets these words as Mary saying that she does not know how she could get pregnant in the future because currently she is a virgin!

I could go on, but to cut a long story short, the NT says nothing about a virgin birth. What it does say is that Joseph was not Jesus’ father. Luke 3:23, when properly translated, names Heli as the father of Jesus.

The few passages about the birth of Jesus in the NT are analysed comprehensively on — http://www.wallsofjericho.info/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=14&Itemid=26

Read more: http://newsfeed.time.com/2012/11/22/pope-benedict-disputes-jesus-date-of-birth/#ixzz2DUhmoQSd

2 Peter 3:13Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.

Read more: http://newsfeed.time.com/2012/11/22/pope-benedict-disputes-jesus-date-of-birth/#ixzz2DUiAHtsc

On virgin birth: Mary as embodiment of the Church (Holy Mother Church) gives birth, through the action of the Holy Spirit, to all Christians. This of course is a spiritual procees that in time and with effort yields a mature and rounded pearl of great price as it were, within the bossom of Christ's followers. It follows then that her own virgin birth throws a spotlight on this process. On a more prosaic level, years of arduous study gives birth to physicists, lawyers, doctors, and so on. This is real and verifiable change in what constitues an individual human being. Even reading an article that implants a new and marvelous idea within the mind is a small example of a much broader spiritual principle.