|
|
|
God accomplishes His divine will through human agency. This is readily
apparent in Matthew's account of the virgin birth of Jesus Christ (Matt.
1:18-25). In Jesus Christ, God's eternal purpose has been manifested,
especially in the uniqueness of his birth. If a Christian surrenders the
virgin birth, then Jesus had an earthly father. If He had an earthly father,
He is no more divine than I am. And He is not Emmanuel, God with us. And if He
is not God He cannot be Savior. So my eternal destiny depends on Jesus' virgin
birth. But why was Jesus born in such a unique way? One reason was to fulfill
the word of God, especially prophecy. "For verily I say unto you, Till
heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the
law, till all be fulfilled." (Matt. 5:18). Another reason was to show His
divinity. The virgin birth was a unique, one-time event. It shows that He
existed long before His appearance on earth (Jn. 8:58). It shows His
uniqueness among all founders of religions. All the rest of them have founders
who were born in the usual way. And finally His birth proclaims God's love for
us (Jn. 3:16). God in the flesh came down and dwelt among us. He went
to all that trouble so I might believe that He is the Son of God (Jn.
20:30-31) and gain freedom. One needs only to look at the family of the
King of kings to see the marvelous nature of the virgin birth. All of God's
plans centered on a humble man and his wife (cf. 1 Cor. 1:27). The
woman Mary was well qualified to be Jesus' mother. She was a woman, a
descendent of Eve. As God told the Serpent concerning the Messianic Seed,
"And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and
her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel." (Gen.
3:15).
She was a member of the house from whom the Messiah would descend, the house of David (Matt. 1:6; Isa. 9:7). She was a resident of Galilee where it was prophesied that the Messiah's ministry would begin (Isa. 9:1- 2). Most importantly she was a virgin — parthenos — a young woman who had never known a man. Because she had a chaste and virtuous life she was looked on with favor by God (Lk. 1:28). This was why she was with child of the Holy Spirit (Matt. 1:18). Mary was espoused or betrothed to a carpenter named Joseph (Matt. 1:18). At that time Jewish marriage customs were different from our own. Often at a very young age a couple were engaged by an arrangement between their families. The engagement could be broken at any time. Next was betrothal or contract between the parties, which was much more than an engagement. It was legally binding and could only be broken by a divorce or putting away. During this time there was no sexual intimacy involved. Finally, the marriage came about after a year with a ceremony that united the husband and wife. Joseph was the chosen stepfather of the Son of God. He was also a descendent of David and a resident of Galilee. The Bible calls him a just man (Matt. 1:19) which meant that he not only knew the Law of Moses but also the mercy it allowed. Joseph had learned that Mary was pregnant. He believed she was guilty of adultery. The law required death by stoning for adultery (Deut. 22:23-24). But he also knew that the law allowed for divorce (Deut. 22:23-24). He chose mercy by putting away so as not to disgrace Mary (Deut. 24:1). What would some couples do today? A growing number would opt out of marriage for living together without the legality of a piece of paper and so contribute to the growing rate of illegitimacy in our nation. But God commands marriage for all heterosexual couples. "Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge" (Heb. 13:4). In the midst of Joseph's conundrum came one of God's messengers, the angel of the Lord (Matt. 1:20), appearing to him. Like his namesake, Joseph would receive revelations from God in his dreams. Today God speaks to us through His Son in His word (Heb. 1:1-2). The holy messenger probably confirmed Mary's account of her pregnancy (Luke 1:26-38). She was not an adulteress and he had no reason to divorce her, his wife (Matt. 1:20). Joseph's love had not been cheated. The Holy Spirit had produced the human existence of the second person of the Godhead (Lk. 1:35). A miracle would take place. Mary would produce a child without the aid of a man (Gal. 4:4). Yet the Son of God was as human as His mother Mary was, and as divine as His Father God. "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us (and we behold his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." (Jn. 1:14). This divine being was to be named Jesus or Savior which described His mission. He was to deliver His people from Satan's control (Gen. 3:15). He was destined to be the atoning sacrifice for sin (2 Cor. 5:21). Amazingly, God's eternal purpose depended upon the slender thread of human responsibility and faith. Mary and Joseph were to be those earthen vessels (2 Cor. 4:6-7) which God would use to bring redemption to humanity. The virgin birth was also a divine comment on God's faithfulness in fulfilling prophecy. Matthew showed God's hand at work when he prefaced his account by writing these words: "Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled..." (Matt. 1:22). God always fulfills His word — even that uttered more than 700 years before by Isaiah the prophet: "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" (Matt. 1:23). False doctrines abound concerning the virgin birth of Jesus Christ. One of those is "Mariolatry" or the belief that Mary was "the Mother of God, a sinless woman and a perpetual virgin." There is no evidence of this in the Bible. Though a wonderful person, Mary was in need of a Savior (Lk. 1:47). She and Joseph had other children during their marriage (Matt. 13:55-56; Mk. 6:3). Jesus was Mary's firstborn (Matt. 1:25; Lk. 2:23). There are also religious liberals who totally reject the virgin birth. This is because they reject the verbal plenary inspiration of the Scriptures. "Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?" (Lk. 1:34). Some believe Mary's story was to cover up an adulterous affair with a Roman soldier. For these unbelievers the virgin birth is a myth added centuries later by Christians. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints — Mormonism — holds to an equally erroneous view of the virgin birth. They believe that the person of God took Mary as a physical wife, and from this union Jesus Christ was born (The Encyclopedia Of Mormonism, Vol. 2, "Jesus Christ, His "Birth, by Andrew C. Skinner). This is an insult not only to the Father but the Holy Spirit as well. As Gabriel said to Mary, "The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee... " (Lk. 1:35). Jesus' birth was divine (Jn. 1:13). Matthew's account of Jesus' birth ends with an emphasis on the human element. Joseph did as the angel of the Lord commanded (Matt. 1:24). He believed the word of God and acted upon it. He married his betrothed who was at least three months pregnant. Joseph believed in the virgin birth of this Holy One since he knew her not till she had brought forth (Matt. 1:25). And he named the newborn child "Jesus," as the angel had commanded (Matt. 1:25). Because these two humble people submitted themselves to the will of God, the Christ of God came into the world. They believed in the virgin birth of their Savior and obeyed God. We can learn much from their faith. |