The miracle of the virgin birth of Jesus is one of the most profound and mysterious events in Christian theology, standing as a testament to God’s power and divine plan for humanity.
A Reasonable Faith
Ultimately, the virgin birth is a miracle that Christians accept by faith.
Glen Scrivener provides wise tension for those who reject the virgin birth of Jesus but find no problem believing creation took place without God. He states, “Christians believe in the virgin birth of Jesus. Atheists believe in the virgin birth of the universe. Choose your miracle.”
Calvin Miller (A Million Little Miracles, Mark Batterson, 2024, p.105) offered a complementary quote on this topic by author Madeleine L’Engle (1918-2007). She stated, “The virgin birth…is far less mind-boggling than the Power of all Creation stooping so low as to become one of us.” Miller paraphrased it this way: “The virgin birth is nothing compared to incarnation.” The latter is truly a far greater miracle. (The Book of Jesus, Calvin Miller, 1996, p.136)
The Wonder of the Virgin Birth: A Miracle of Faith
The virgin birth is a central to my faith and inspires awe and wonder. Of all the characters in the Christmas story, none shines so brightly as Mary.
A teenage, unwed, Jewish refugee, gave birth to the Son of God in a cave located in a Roman-occupied, Judean village. That bears all the markers of make believe but will make you believe as you think on it.
Biblical Foundations
The accounts of the virgin birth appear most clearly in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. Both evangelists emphasize the miraculous nature of Jesus’ conception, yet they present their accounts from different perspectives.
In the Gospel of Matthew, the virgin birth is introduced in the context of Joseph’s dilemma. Mary, engaged to Joseph, was found to be pregnant, and Joseph, being a righteous man, considered quietly breaking off the engagement to avoid bringing shame upon Mary. However, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, reassuring him:
“Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:20-21, NIV)
Matthew and Luke and You
This divine message assures Joseph of Mary’s purity and the supernatural nature of the pregnancy. The angel’s words also connect Jesus’ birth with the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy:
“The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”). (Isaiah 7:14, NIV)
Here, Matthew highlights that Jesus’ birth was not just a miraculous event but also the fulfillment of God’s long-anticipated plan of salvation. By referencing Isaiah, he links Jesus to the prophetic tradition, emphasizing that Jesus’ birth was both a sign of God’s presence and a fulfillment of God’s promises.
In the Gospel of Luke, the angel Gabriel visits Mary directly, announcing that she will conceive a child through the Holy Spirit. Mary, understandably perplexed by the message, asks the angel how this will happen since she is a virgin. Gabriel responds:
“The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.” (Luke 1:35, NIV)
Mary’s acceptance of this divine calling, despite her initial confusion, speaks to her faith and obedience to God’s will. Her response—“I am the Lord’s servant. May your word to me be fulfilled.” (Luke 1:38)—exemplifies the humble submission that is at the heart of the Christian faith.
Theological Significance
The virgin birth is not merely a theological curiosity; it serves as a crucial component of Christian doctrine. It affirms the divinity of Jesus Christ—He is not merely a human being but the incarnate Son of God. As the angel tells Joseph, the child born to Mary will be called “Immanuel,” meaning “God with us.” This underscores the Christian belief in the Incarnation: God taking on human flesh in the person of Jesus Christ.
The virgin birth also highlights the purity and sinlessness of Jesus. By being conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin, Jesus was not subject to original sin, the fallen nature inherited by all human beings. As the Apostle Paul later writes:
“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.” (Hebrews 4:15, NIV)
In this way, the virgin birth points to Jesus as the perfect and sinless Savior, uniquely qualified to redeem humanity.
A Mystery of Faith
This Christmas season, sit by your tree and mull over the truth that God’s ways are higher than human understanding and that He can do what seems impossible.
Reflect on the immense love and grace that God demonstrated in sending His Son into the world by the supernatural intervention of the Holy Spirit.
What are you praying for this Christmas? Have faith, in humble submission, to God’s miracle.
Please join the conversation and post a comment below. Thank you.
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In 2017, I had an attack that I believe was of spiritual origin. I don’t remember how I got the image of Jesus painted by Akiane Kramarik on my cell phone, but I remember that I looked at the image of Jesus until one morning the rooster crowed and in the sound of the rooster’s crowing I heard myself saying: idiot, every time the rooster crowed and then a scream started in my head that said: Is it over Anderson?, and it kept repeating and repeating until dawn and I was left looking at the image of Jesus. In 2022, I saw on a website about the story of Cody Bates who said that in 2017, when he was trying to kill himself, he felt the love of Jesus and a voice saying: It’s over. Your suffering has come to an end. I was impressed by Cody’s story since I saw the same image that Cody saw and, in addition to being in the same year, I heard almost the same thing that Cody heard. I am Brazilian and I live in Amazonas.