Dictionary
I'm watching (well not really) the Polar Express with the family on Christmas evening, and I was just looking to find a summary of the birth of Christ in the scriptures. Reading this story together is one tradition we hope to maintain in the Johns household, as my father always read the story in Luke, and my mom even acted out Magnificat (Mary's response to the Angel's message to her). We haven't done it yet tonight, but maybe it'll be a before bedtime thing… I probably need to heed some of my own advice and “man up" to be the Spiritual leader here!!!
Anyway, I found and will likely use this short and simple Biblical account with Isaiah, Matthew, and Luke; but I also stumbled across this as well…
And so I went to the Galatians 4 passage mentioned in that second link and I posted this note on YouVersion:
Just searching for notes on the virgin birth here on You version and I didn't see any. Most address “the Fullness of Time" aspect, which is really awesome in and of itself. My study Bible adds that Jesus' deity is shown by calling Him God's Son, and Jesus' humanity by saying He was born of a woman.
The reason I looked this up was that a website uses Galatians 4:4 to deny the Virgin birth saying Paul never mentioned it, but I guess fail to realize that Paul could have said, “born of human parents" or born from the seed of an earthly Father, maybe they just ignore those logical deductions… It is a very flimsy argument to say someone doesn't believe in something simply because we don't have an explicit statement of it in their 2000 year old letters written to the ancient churches, and yet statements like that still make some Christians doubt…
That linked article also says Mark is the earliest written Gospel and my study Bible has a range of dating for Matthew and Luke which start 20 years prior to the date they cite for Mark: 70 AD. (Matthew's date 50-75 AD, and Luke: 59-75, while Mark was probably 65-70 AD) This just shows how some people use selective references from history to accomplish their objectives. I won't even go into depth on the website's out of context use of Romans 1:3, which omits the second half of the sentence in verse 4… Just remember that without the context, the text is just a con!
There's many other issues with this website and the article in particular. Probably the best defense for why Paul doesn't explicitly state Jesus was born of a virgin was how intimately acquainted Paul was with miracles (Acts 19:11 and 2 Cor 12:2) and if someone believes in resurrection from the dead, it's not too much of a stretch to say they also believe in the immaculate conception!!! (1 Cor 15:4)
So, my friends, if you see stuff like this, and are questioned by doubters inside or outside the church, remember to go to the most reliable source in the world: The Bible itself. And use the help of commentary like Warren W. Wiersbe who says: “Paul was careful to point out the dual nature of Jesus Christ, that He is both God and man. As God, Jesus ‘came forth' (John 16:28); but as man, He was ‘made of a woman.' The ancient promise that the Redeemer would be of ‘the woman's seed' (Gen 3:15); and Jesus fulfilled that promise (Isa. 7:14; Matt 1:18-25)"
So, there's my Christmas blog… I've got many more things to write about, maybe I'll just post 3 blogs tomorrow or something to catch up. Gotta make this a priority or it just wont happen. I really hope everyone had an awesome Christmas, and I'll see you in the New Year, if not just before!!!
Peace,
Adam
PS: I also wanted to comment quickly on the assertion by skeptics that Christmas is seeped in pagan tradition celebrating the Winter Solstice. The truth that 1st and 2nd century Christians in Rome and elsewhere chose to make that celebration about Jesus does not belittle the significance of the Christian Holiday of Christmas. The fact is, we Christians should do this type of thing more and more using the things of the world to reach the world, like Tim Tebow does with football, and David Robinson use to do with Basketball. Those sports celebrate winning, and holidays celebrate events as well. There's absolutely nothing wrong with taking a secular holiday and preaching the Gospel with it – churches do this turning Halloween into a fall fun festival or (as in my teen age years) putting on productions like “heaven's gates and hell's flames."
Lastly, Don't let those skeptics ruin your reason for the season, we can celebrate Christ's birthday on Christmas just like a kid celebrates his birthday on a weekend – the timing of the party isn't what's important, but the fact that you're celebrating and know why you're celebrating IS important!