The Real Jesus Stands Up, Part 2 – Luke 1:26-31

The most important and central subject of the Bible is the Lord Jesus Christ. A person may understand many different doctrines in the Bible but if their Christology is wrong, then they cannot be saved. Many false religions use the Scriptures and have genuine faith, but they do misunderstand Christ and stand condemned, for example the Jehovah’s Witness or the Pharisees from Jesus’ time. Only knowing the real Jesus will produce real faith with a real salvation. Additionally, we can only know God through Jesus. The Bible from beginning to end is a continual progressive revelation of Jesus, perfectly finished in the New Testament.

Previously, we learned Jesus is the Messiah, the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecy. One of the ways Jesus is the Messiah is because He was miraculously born of the virgin Mary. The virgin birth is God’s supernatural act proving Jesus is the Messiah and the starting point of Gospel’s saving message.

Was Mary really a virgin?

The prophecy in Isaiah 7:14 uses the word ‘alma’ in Hebrew which can mean young women. Many intellectuals and scholars use this translation as evidence against Mary’s virginity. This coupled with Joseph and Mary being engaged doesn’t require Mary to be a virgin.

Alma when used in other places in the Bible (Gen 24:16) shows that the word must be taken in context. The Septuagint use the word pure virgin when translating 1 Kings 1:1-2. In the New Testament, both Mary and Joseph were righteous (Matthew 1:1-20). Even though engaged, they had not known each other yet.

There are claims the virgin birth is a myth borrowed from pagan stories. When looking closely, these myths are not similar but in fact opposing in purpose and means (no actual intercourse). Why would Peter, a staunch Jew, who even refused to eat pork, spend his life spreading a revised pagan myth?

The more significant evidence for the virgin birth lies in the Gospel. Jesus is the Savior who saves people from their sins (Matthew 1:21).

1. A mere man cannot be the Messiah for everyone born of Adam is a sinner himself in need of salvation. (Rom 5:12)

2. A sinful man has no power over death yet Jesus died and rose again on the third day (1 Cor 15:3-4, Acts 5:35-29, John 10:18, Luke 1:2-4)

The manner of Jesus’ saving work, his death and resurrection are not possible without the miracle of virgin birth. Only the virgin born Jesus can be the true Messiah, the Son of God and Savior of the world.

To deny the virgin birth of the Lord Jesus is to deny the truthfulness and authority of the Bible. If the Bible is wrong about the birth of Jesus, then it is no longer trustworthy and the gospel is not good news but fake news. The gospel is the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. A true and biblical faith believes fully in Jesus Christ.