Results 1 - 6 of 6
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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | Is the Virgin Birth of Jesus a myth? | Matt 1:19 | schimc | 107898 | ||
Is the Virgin Birth of Jesus a myth? I have recently been investigating the point of view that Matthew made up the story concerning the virgin birth due to his misunderstanding of Isaiah 7:14 meaning young women instead of a real virgin. This and the investigation of this issue has really shaken my faith. I hold on to my belief because I have no where else to turn. But just the same, this discovery is startling. |
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2 | Is the Virgin Birth of Jesus a myth? | Matt 1:19 | stjones | 107964 | ||
Hi, schimc; I'm not sure what "discovery" you are referring to. There is certainly no reason to believe that Matthew made anything up. Matthew, Mark, and Luke all refer to Isaiah 7. I doubt that all three misunderstood Isaiah's prophecy. I do, however, think that we may misunderstand what it means to fulfill prophecy. If you read Isaiah 7, it is pretty clear that this was not a direct reference to Jesus. The boy named Immanuel was to be a sign to King Ahaz during his lifetime. But that does not mean that Matthew and the others are wrong. A New Testament scholar and seminary professor whom I have the utmost respect for (conservative, evangelical) offered his explanation to a class I was in. In the Hebrew world, the fulfillment of prophecy meant that a prior word or event was brought to perfection. We tend to think of prophecy as a kind God-ordained forecast - the prophet says thus-and-so will happen and when it happens we say that the prophecy has been fulfilled. We can also say that the prophet's words were brought to perfection. For exmaple, if I say the drought will end because it's going to rain tomorrow, that's nice; it may remind someone to take their umbrella, but it won't water the crops. When it does indeed rain, those words are brought to perfection and the crops are in fact saved. The words have been made perfect in physical reality. But an event can also be prophecy. The birth of the boy Immanuel is an example. His name was to be Immanuel ("God with us") because his birth was a sign to King Ahaz that God would be with him in an upcoming battle. But the idea of a boy being born who would embody the promise of "God with us" was brought to perfection in the birth of Jesus. There can be no more perfect example of "God with us" than Jesus, who was God and was (and is) with us. Given the ancient Hebrew understanding of what it means to fulfill prophecy, we can see that it was proper for the three Gospel writers to refer to Isaiah 7, even though the boy named Immanuel had been born and died long before. As others have mentioned, the Hebrew word that Isaiah used to describe Immanuel's mother does not necessarily mean a virgin in the modern sense. Assuming she was just a young, unmarried woman, we can see that Mary, who truly was a virgin in the modern sense, was the perfection of the idea of a pure young woman bearing a son who would fulfill God's promise. Sorry to be so long-winded. Peace and grace, Steve aka Indiana Jones |
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3 | virgin birth | Matt 1:19 | schimc | 108008 | ||
Thank you Steve, I have received some very good information concerning my search for the truth. Of course I already thought I new the truth, but I happened across some material that I usually ignore, and it started making too much since. I am glad I came here for some enlightening answers. by the grace of God Schimc |
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4 | virgin birth | Matt 1:19 | stjones | 108010 | ||
Hi, schimc; Like love, belief is a commitment. Sometimes when the going gets tough, commitment is the only that carries you through. A closed mind isn't necessarily a bad thing; some people's minds are so open that every new breeze blows the contents away. -Indy |
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5 | virgin birth | Matt 1:19 | EdB | 108021 | ||
stjones WELL SAID my brother! EdB |
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6 | virgin birth | Matt 1:19 | stjones | 108044 | ||
Why, thanks. Encouragement is always appreciated. I think we need more of that around here. And I say that knowing that I am among the worst - always ready to disagree but seldom popping in with a word of support or encouragement. Maybe it's a waste of bandwidth, but it might help visitors to know that an answer given by one person is agreed to by others. Just my two one-hundredths of a dollar. Peace and grace, Steve aka Indiana Jones |
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