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Justification for Virgin Birth
| Old Testament (Prophecy) |
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New Testament (Fulfillment ?) |
"Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Im-man-u-el.
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"Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Em-man-u-el, which being interpreted is, God with us." Matt. 1:23
Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet. Matt. 1:22
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Noteworthy: These are the two verses that are applied to validate the dogma of immaculate conception and the theory of virgin birth. But neither of the verses convey any definite statement of certitude upon the basis of which faith can be entrusted whereby the belief that Mary gave birth to Jesus fatherless can be relied upon and be justified. Let the facts expose the fiction.
(Read Isaiah 7 and 8 carefully and look for the characteristics of this Imanuel and Mahershalalhashbaz. )
Old Testament Poignancy on Virgin Birth:
The Old Testament in its entirety is devoid of a solid prophetic statement evidencing that Jesus would be of virgin birth by a miraculous act f God. "Behold a virgin shall conceive and bear a son". What is there in this statement that stands out can be considered "that's it." How much ever they solicit, manipulate, re-robe and legalize it, this statement is adamantly 'backing down' from the given meaning of virgin birth. There is no mention anywhere that virgins shall give birth. It is squealing as if to say, "I warned you do not hold on to me, look for another." And true enough it is a "let down" by apostolic exposure as we will later see.
New Testament Poignancy on Virgin Birth:
Contrasted with the New Testament "behold a virgin shall be with child and shall bring forth a son." This is how at best Matthew can re-language Isaiah 7:14 whereas Mark, Luke (1:21) and John evaded interpretation of the issue by silence. Still, the virgin birth is not given a purified, transparent, and perfect expression. For forgery, the surprise exposure is yet to come.
Look carefully at Matthews 1:18:
18. 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.
Note that the child is of the the Holy Ghost (Greek: Pneumatos Hagiou). See Luke 1:15. where it was John that was the one filled with the Holy Ghost.
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Under the Law of Flesh and Promise:
Now let us review the testimony of three scriptural texts and then look at the sermon of Peter.
" But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman , made under the law."
" Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law? For it is written that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise."
"Concerning His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh."
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PETER'S INSPIRED SERMON:
"Ye men of Israel, hear these words, Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and words and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves know ; men and brethren let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulcher is with us unto this day. Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on His throne."
A POINT: By flesh or by promise neither child was of virgin birth inasmuch as the mother of the child of promise, Sarah, was old and considered 'beyond parenthood'. Here is a list of the sentences under scrutiny taken from the Old and New Testaments in our search for a clue that can validate immaculate conception.
EXPLANATION 1:
The verses, plainly spoken are that Jesus will be made:
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(1)
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By a woman |
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(2)
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Under the law |
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(3)
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Of the seed of David |
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(4)
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Of the fruit of David's loin
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(5)
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According to the flesh |
EXPLANATION 2:
In Galatians 4:21-23, Paul in explaining "under the law" cited the case of Abraham's two sons. One being born by the flesh and the other by promise. Take your pick. Flesh or Promise? Ishmael and Isaac were made of women, the one of Hagar and the other by Sarah. Both of them by the seed of Abraham and they were of the fruit of his loins.
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MANIPULATION OF WORDS:
The words of prophet Isaiah in his prophecy is clear that "a virgin shall conceive and bear a child." that is, as is commonly believed, that Mary shall biologically conceive and bodily reproduce Jesus. Not that conception would be miraculous. Matthew tried to play with words by altering them to read "a virgin shall be with child and shall bring forth a son." He cleverly evaded the words "conceive" and "bear" totally. This cleared, the statements of Peter and Paul, Isaiah and Luke are in agreement with the Qur'an that Mary conceived Jesus in the same way, by the very principle, under the said law of nature as were the cases of Hagar , Sarah and Elizabeth. Let us prove this true.
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| ISAIAH 7:14 |
versus
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MATTHEW 1:23 |
| A virgin shall conceive and bear a son. |
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A virgin shall be with child and bring forth a son. |
"Behold thou shall conceive in thy womb." 1:31
"...before he was conceived in the womb..." 2:21
"Elizabeth, she hath also conceive a son." 1:36
"So she conceived him ..." 19:22
"She came to her people with him, bearing him." 19:27 (large with child)
"Allah knows what every female bears and that of which the wombs fall short of completion and that which they grow." 13: 8
A closer look at the word translated to be 'Virgin':
Here is the Hebrew version of Isaiah 7:14:
Isaiah 7:14 Laakeen,yiteen 'Adonaay huw' laakem 'owt: Hineeh, haa`almaah haaraahwyoledet been. Wqaaraa' {*} shmow `Imaanuw-'eel.
Note the Hebrew word haa`almaah. This word is translated differently by many translations of the Bible. Below is a comparison of several verses in the Holy Bible in which the word is interpreted:
| Verse |
King James |
American Standard |
Living Bible |
Revised Standard |
New Jerusalem |
Young's Bible |
Darby's Bible |
Webster's Bible |
| Isaiah 7:14 |
a virgin |
a virgin |
a virgin |
young woman |
young woman |
the virgin |
the virgin |
a virgin |
| Genesis 24:43 |
virgin |
maiden |
girl |
young woman |
girl |
virgin |
damsel |
virgin |
| Exodus 2:8 |
maid |
maiden |
little girl |
girl |
girl |
virgin |
damsel |
maid |
| Proverbs 30:19 |
maid |
maiden |
girl |
maiden |
girl |
youth |
maid |
maid |
-- King James
Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
-- American Standard
Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
-- Living Bible
Isaiah 7:14 All right then, the Lord himself will choose the sign--a child shall be born to a virgin! And she shall call him Immanuel (meaning, ``God is with us'').
-- Revised Standard
Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, a young woman shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanu-el.
-- Transliterated, Pronounceable
Isaiah 7:14 Laakeen,yiteen 'Adonaay huw' laakem 'owt: Hineeh, haa`almaah haaraahwyoledet been. Wqaaraa' {*} shmow `Imaanuw-'eel.
-- New Jerusalem
Isaiah 7:14 The Lord will give you a sign in any case: It is this: the young woman is with child and will give birth to a son whom she will call Immanuel.
-- Young's Bible
Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord Himself giveth to you a sign, Lo, the Virgin is conceiving, And is bringing forth a son, And hath called his name Immanuel,
-- Darby's Bible
Isaiah 7:14 Therefore will the Lord himself give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and shall bring forth a son, and call his name Immanuel.
-- Webster's Bible
Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
Hebrew usage of the words for virgin
If ever the definition of the word VIRGIN is needed, then Genesis 24:16 has a clear use of the word. The Hebrew word used for virgin is btuwlaah or habtuwlot . (Ref. Gen 24:16; Lev 21:3; Eccles 21:13,14; Deut 22:14,23; ) Invariably, the word used for a maiden or young girl or damsel is hana'raah (Deut 22:15,19,23;).
-- King James
Genesis 24:16 And the damsel was very fair to look upon, a virgin, neither had any man known her: and she went down to the well, and filled her pitcher, and came up.
-- American Standard
Genesis 24:16 And the damsel was very fair to look upon, a virgin, neither had any man known her. And she went down to the fountain, and filled her pitcher, and came up.
-- Revised Standard
Genesis 24:16 The maiden was very fair to look upon, a virgin, whom no man had known. She went down to the spring, and filled her jar, and came up.
-- Transliterated, Pronounceable
Genesis 24:16 Whana`raa Tobatmar'eh m'od btuwlaah w'iysh lo' ydaa`aah wateered haa`aynaahwatmalee' kadaah wataa`al.
-- Transliterated, Unaccented
Genesis 24:16 Whana`ra Tobatmar'eh m'od btuwlah w'iysh lo' yda`ah watered ha`aynahwatmale' kadah wata`al.
-- New Jerusalem with Apocrypha
Genesis 24:16 The girl was very beautiful, and a virgin; no man had touched her. She went down to the spring, filled her pitcher and came up again.
-- Young's Bible
Genesis 24:16 and the young person [is] of very good appearance, a virgin, and a man hath not known her; and she goeth down to the fountain, and filleth her pitcher, and cometh up.
-- Darby's Bible
Genesis 24:16 And the maiden was very fair in countenance; a virgin, and no man had known her. And she went down to the well, and filled her pitcher, and came up.
-- Webster's Bible
Genesis 24:16 And the damsel [was] very fair to look upon, a virgin, neither had any man known her: and she went down to the well, and filled her pitcher, and came up.
It is clear that the word for virgin is not haa'almaah. Yet, many Christians uses Isaiah 7:14 to establish Prophecy of a virgin birth.
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HOW MARY'S CONCEIVED AND BY WHOM:
REVIEW OF BIBLICAL QUOTATIONS: "The angel Gabriel was sent from God...then said Mary unto the angel, 'how shall this be, seeing that I know not a man?' The angel answered and said unto her, 'the Holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee.'" Luke1:26, 34, 35.
Vital words: (1) power of the Highest (2) overshadow. Power of the Highest: Luke is clear that this being was not God, nor angel Gabriel, nor the Holy Ghost. Who then? Whoever overshadowed Mary resulting in her conception had to be a 'he' of the seed of David and of the fruit of his loins. That masculine gender was not Divine. He was spiritual but a mortal being. The only mortal who had the spiritual rank of 'Highest' was John. (Luke 1: 76)
A virgin shall conceive and bear a child: If a divine miracle was performed on Mary then she could not have been part and parcel of the conception. That 'she conceived him' she was a joint participant in the dual partnership of the reproductive process. It is evident that she was the feminine gender of the mortal deed that was twainly enacted. Jesus was made by a woman, under the law, accordingly to the flesh. Why would Jesus have said: 'But from the beginning of creation God made them male and female. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife; and they twain shall be one flesh ... what therefore God hath joined together, let no man put asunder.' (Mark 10: 7)
Pains of child-birth: The Qur'an gives a pathetic account of the pains Mary endured . Her exact words were: 'And the pangs of childbirth drove her unto the trunk of the palm tree. She said: Oh, would that I had died ere this and had become a thing of naught, forgotten!' (Qur'an 19:23) Why the Bible omit this is a suspicious mystery.
To the Jews: Deut. 23:2 states: 'A bastard shall not enter into the congregation of the Lord; even to his tenth.' If Jesus was an illegitimate why was he admitted, preached in Solomon's Temple, and listened to by Jewish Clergy in verbal exchanges?
To Muslims: The Qur'an states: 'Allah created Jesus from turab (dust)' 3: 59, and 'Mary conceived him'. Life begins with a father; there is where creation takes place. (86:6-7) There is not a single statement by Muhammad that Jesus was born without a father!
To Christians: Jesus never said he was of 'virgin birth'. And Mary never said Jesus was of an 'immaculate conception'!
The Holy Qur'an says: "Originator of the heavens and the earth, how can He (Allah) have a Son when He has no consort." 6:101
The argument arises that God can do whatever he pleases. That may be so. Muslims will quote that Allah says "Be and it is" (Kun Fa Yakoon). The question is how do the process occur. Mary conceived and was pregnant as any woman carrying through her term until giving birth to a child, what is the miracle in this? God facilitates his dictates through an existing process. That is why he said in Qur'an 6:101: "Originator of the heavens and the earth, how can He (Allah) have a Son when He has no consort." Indicating he conditions for accomplishing something must be within his Laws. A child born illegitimately is outside His spiritual Laws, as apposed to the physical laws, is not acceptable, as in indicated in Deut 23:2.
CONCLUSION THEREFORE: If Mary conceived Jesus without a consort then it is to be concluded that she (Mary) is greater than Allah (God), the originator of the heavens and the earth.
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