One of the many supernatural aspects to the incarnation of the Son of God, in the person of Jesus Christ, is surely the Virgin Birth.
The specific statement of belief in the Virgin Birth of Christ, as being part of orthodox Bible religion, is found as far back as the compilation of the Apostles Creed in the 3rd or 4th centuries. The creed reads:
I believe in God the Father Almighty; Maker of heaven and earth. And in Jesus Christ His only Son our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary…. This is no latter day addition!
There is no explanation given in the Scriptures as to how this will come, or came, to pass. When the annunciation was made to Mary, in Luke 1:31-33, her immediate reaction was not to question what she was told; but rather to seek an explanation as to how this would come to pass: Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? Luke 1:34.
The explanation given by the angel to Mary is recorded in v35. To paraphrase this answer of the angel to Mary: The Holy Ghost shall make it so. There is no explanation given by the angel. Rather there is a veil drawn over this wondrous and supernatural event.
We have no business prying into the 'how' of the virgin birth but we will seek to understand the 'why' of the Virgin birth. Why was this necessity? |
