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Virgin birth: Difference between revisions
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The doctrine of the '''virgin birth''' (also known as perpetual virginity) has been accepted as a dogma of the Catholic Church since the Council of Chalcedon in 451. This doctrine includes the beliefs in the virginal conception of Jesus by Mary without any human father, the virginal birth of the child from the womb of his mother without injury to the bodily integrity of Mary, and Mary’s observance of virginity afterward throughout her earthly life. | The doctrine of the '''virgin birth''' (also known as perpetual virginity) has been accepted as a dogma of the Catholic Church since the Council of Chalcedon in 451. This doctrine includes the beliefs in the virginal conception of [[Jesus]] by [[Mary, the Mother of Jesus|Mary]] without any human father, the virginal birth of the child from the womb of his mother without injury to the bodily integrity of Mary, and Mary’s observance of virginity afterward throughout her earthly life. | ||
A lot of scholarly material has been written on this subject, pro and con, but the basic effect of this doctrine—which was never preached by Jesus himself—is to first put Jesus and then his Mother on a pedestal and therefore to deny us the opportunity of realizing that we, too, can sponsor avatars, souls of light through diligent preparation in the holiness of the marriage union. | A lot of scholarly material has been written on this subject, pro and con, but the basic effect of this doctrine—which was never preached by Jesus himself—is to first put Jesus and then his Mother on a pedestal and therefore to deny us the opportunity of realizing that we, too, can sponsor avatars, souls of light through diligent preparation in the holiness of the marriage union. | ||
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The Biblical foundation for the doctrine of the virginal conception rests on a few key passages. The most significant of these is a few verses in the first chapter of Matthew: “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,”<ref>Matt. 1:18.</ref> which occurred in fulfillment of that “which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, 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.”<ref>Matt. 1:22, 23.</ref> | The Biblical foundation for the doctrine of the virginal conception rests on a few key passages. The most significant of these is a few verses in the first chapter of Matthew: “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,”<ref>Matt. 1:18.</ref> which occurred in fulfillment of that “which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, 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.”<ref>Matt. 1:22, 23.</ref> | ||
One purpose of this passage is to show that Jesus was incorporated by divine command into the house of David, which occurred when Joseph named his son—an exercise that would have been unnecessary if Joseph had been Jesus’ natural father. Joseph’s act of naming the child, which is the prerogative of the father, is also an act of adoption and thus inclusion into the Davidic line. | One purpose of this passage is to show that Jesus was incorporated by divine command into the house of David, which occurred when [[Saint Joseph|Joseph]] named his son—an exercise that would have been unnecessary if Joseph had been Jesus’ natural father. Joseph’s act of naming the child, which is the prerogative of the father, is also an act of adoption and thus inclusion into the Davidic line. | ||
It is likely that the author of this part of Matthew had a “Messianic proof text”—that is, a list of passages lifted from the Old Testament to demonstrate that Jesus was the Messiah, used as a preaching aid by early Christians—and took from it a mistranslated version of Isaiah 7:14 and incorporated it into the infancy narrative (Matt. 1:22, 23). | It is likely that the author of this part of Matthew had a “Messianic proof text”—that is, a list of passages lifted from the Old Testament to demonstrate that Jesus was the Messiah, used as a preaching aid by early Christians—and took from it a mistranslated version of Isaiah 7:14 and incorporated it into the infancy narrative (Matt. 1:22, 23). | ||
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Examination of Isaiah 7:14 (and whether it prophesied the birth of the Messiah) and of the use and meaning of the word “virgin”—especially as it forecast the virginal conception as a Messianic sign—has given rise to some of the most famous debates in theological history. | Examination of Isaiah 7:14 (and whether it prophesied the birth of the Messiah) and of the use and meaning of the word “virgin”—especially as it forecast the virginal conception as a Messianic sign—has given rise to some of the most famous debates in theological history. | ||
Some versions of the Old Testament use the words “a young woman” (RSV) or “maiden” (JB) rather than “virgin.” The text of the Isaiah scroll found at Qumran library has made it clear that the original Hebrew word used to describe the woman was ''almâ'', which means “young woman.” Since the verse in the original says “''the'' young woman,” it is likely the young girl was someone known to Isaiah and King Ahaz. The ''almâ'' is certainly a young girl who has reached puberty and is thus marriageable if not already married and, given the context, may be referring to the wife of the king or the wife of Isaiah. But it is not clear whether she is a virgin and, if not, if she was already pregnant. | Some versions of the Old Testament use the words “a young woman” (RSV) or “maiden” (JB) rather than “virgin.” The text of the Isaiah scroll found at [[Dead Sea Scrolls|Qumran library]] has made it clear that the original Hebrew word used to describe the woman was ''almâ'', which means “young woman.” Since the verse in the original says “''the'' young woman,” it is likely the young girl was someone known to Isaiah and King Ahaz. The ''almâ'' is certainly a young girl who has reached puberty and is thus marriageable if not already married and, given the context, may be referring to the wife of the king or the wife of Isaiah. But it is not clear whether she is a virgin and, if not, if she was already pregnant. | ||
When the Hebrew Masoretic text of the Old Testament was translated into Greek in the Septuagint, the word ''almâ'' was translated (for reasons that are not clear) into the word ''parthenos'', which means “virgin,” rather than ''neanis'', literally “a young woman.” Some scholars believe this was done in the last century before the birth of Jesus. But there is no existing Greek manuscript that was taken from the Hebrew prior to Christian times to show that. | When the Hebrew Masoretic text of the Old Testament was translated into Greek in the Septuagint, the word ''almâ'' was translated (for reasons that are not clear) into the word ''parthenos'', which means “virgin,” rather than ''neanis'', literally “a young woman.” Some scholars believe this was done in the last century before the birth of Jesus. But there is no existing Greek manuscript that was taken from the Hebrew prior to Christian times to show that. | ||