Prior Book | Prior Chapter | Prior Verse | Next Verse | Next Chapter | Next Book | Viewing NASB and Amplified 2015 | |
NASB | Matthew 1:25 but kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a Son; and he called His name Jesus. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Matthew 1:25 but he kept her a virgin until she had given birth to a Son [her firstborn child]; and he named Him Jesus (The LORD is salvation). |
Subject: Was Mary a virgin her whole life |
Bible Note: I would rather be treated by someone who had been a practising physician all his life than someone who was extrememly knowledgeable but had never practised. The Early Christian Fathers lived and breathed the Greek language and had been taught many more things that had been passed on by the Apostles. We have only the Gospels and a few letters written in a language we no longer speak. If Paul hadn't been locked up so much we probably wouldn't even have his letters. The Apostles taught orally in person, it was only when circumstances did not permit that they wrote letters, but they also sent others to confirm 'orally' what was written. The bible is a small but important part of that tradition that was passed on by the Apostles but it is by no means all that was passed on. The early Christians knew that Mary remained a virgin, it was never disputed until Helvidius in the 4th century and when the dispute was answered by Jerome, it was with reluctance for fear that his reply might make Helvidius appear worth defeating. Every branch of the Orthodox church throughout the world (and of course the Roman Catholics) know without a doubt that Mary remained a virgin, because that is what the Apostles taught and was in turn passed on by their successors and so on within the church. You do not see a "cult of the ever-virginity of Mary" spring up from Jerome and his successors. Likewise, their is no way that Jerome could have influenced and changed the doctrines held by so many churches over such a wide geographic dispersion. |