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The only known record of the life of Jesus is in the gospels, so we need to look at the provenance of the gospels. In spite of the gospels being named after the apostles Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, they were actually written anonymously long after the death of Jesus and only assigned to the apostles whose names they now bear, later in the second century. We also know that the Gospels of Matthew and Luke were substantially based on the Gospel of Mark, as evidenced in part by the use of the same words in the Greek language. Matthew, for example, has some 600 of the 666 verses in Mark. From this, we can say that the authors of Matthew and Luke learnt everything they knew about the life and mission of Jesus from Mark's Gospel.
The Gospels of Matthew and Luke both tell us of the virgin birth of Jesus, but they did not find this in Mark's Gospel, nor in the 'Q' document which they also used as a source of sayings attributed to Jesus. Moreover, the two nativity accounts are so entirely contradictory that they could not really be historically true. The consensus of biblical scholars is that the two authors created the accounts of a virgin birth because this was needed if Christianity was to compete in a pagan world.
As for other virgin births, there were many recorded in the pagan world. By the first century CE, gods and god-men were almost expected to be born from virgin mothers. The question becomes not how many there were, but would the reader believe in any of them. And then, should the reader believe in the virgin birth of Jesus.
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What did Mary the Blessed Virgin do?
gave birth to Jesus Christ
Though embarrassing to Christians were virgin births besides Jesus Christ recorded?
I understand that the ancient Romans and Greeks bestowed great honor on any woman giving birth and remaining a virgin.
Does the Greek orthodox church believe in the virgin birth?
The Eastern Orthodox Church believes in the Immaculate Conception of Jesus Christ's birth by the Blessed Virgin Mary, but it does not accept the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary's birth.
How would you describe the Virgin Mary's life?
The Virgin Mary's life was very blessed. She was the mother of Jesus Christ. She gave birth to him in a manger in Jerusalem.
What was the fall of the Greek gods?
the birth of Jesus Christ. the birth of Jesus Christ.
Did Jesus have a birth certificate?
It is not likely that Mary and Joseph were issued with a birth certificate of Christ's birth. That it was recorded is more than likely a certainty. But as no records exist of Christ birth apart from scripture we must take it that all live births were recorded by someone.
What is the reason for the virgin birth of Jesus Christ from a Christian standpoint?
The earliest gospel, that attributed to Mark, did not mention the birth of Jesus, and portrayed Jesus as the Son of God from the time of his baptism. The authors of the Gospels of Matthewand Luke each added material that provided an explanation of the birth and infancy of Jesus. They found that if the birth of Jesus was to be narrated and for Jesus to be the Son of God in any literal sense, then his mother Mary had to be a virgin.
Was Joseph the father of all the children the Virgin Mary had?
Mary had only one child - Jesus. Joseph was the foster father of Jesus. After the birth of Christ, Mary remained a perpetual virgin and had no other children by Joseph.
Why is Harry Emerson Fosdick a christian if he does not believe in the virgin birth of Jesus?
Well, anyone may claim Christianity; this does not mean that Christ will acknowledge them.
What was a highlight of Saint Anne's life?
One highlight of Saint Anne's life was giving birth to the Virgin Mary, who would later become the mother of Jesus Christ according to Christian tradition. Saint Anne is often revered for her role as the grandmother of Jesus and her unwavering faith.
Why was Christmas named Christmas?
Christmas means Christ's mass celebrating the birth of Christ.
Do Mormons believe in the virgin birth?
Yes, they do. Several sources from the Church, both historically and modern, refer to the Virgin Birth of Jesus Christ. For example: Elder Bruce R. McConkie, Apostle from 1972 to 1985, stated, "Our Lord is the only mortal person ever born to a virgin... Modernistic teachings denying the virgin birth are utterly and completely apostate and false." (Mormon Doctrine, 2nd ed pp. 822) Elder James E. Talmage, Apostle from 1911 to 1933, wrote much about the virgin birth in his exhaustive volume, Jesus the Christ, including this phrase, "Mary the Virgin gave birth to her firstborn, the Son of the Highest, the Only Begotten of the Eternal Father, Jesus the Christ." (pp. 92) Alexander B. Morrison, a Seventy from 1987 to 2000, said, "He, the literal Son of God, the offspring of a virgin mother and the Mighty Father, preached his wondrous gospel of love... Scholars make a mockery of Christ by denying his virgin birth and resurrection." (Liahona, April 1995, pp. 11) President Ezra Taft Benson said that the virgin birth of Jesus Christ was the first of the five marks of His divinity. He warns against trying to give "natural explanations to those things which are divine" and that the "paternity of Jesus is one of the 'mysteries of godliness', which may only be comprehended by the spiritually minded." (New Era, Dec. 1980, pp. 44) To deny the virgin birth of Jesus Christ is to deny the prophesies of the Old Testament and the Book of Mormon, as well as the Gospels of the New Testament, especially the Gosepl of Luke, which goes quite in depth as to how Jesus Christ was concived of a virgin mother and a divine Father. Mormons believe that the conception of Jesus Christ happened just as Luke 1:35 and Alma 7:10 describe, she was overshadowed by the power of God the Father. Because God the Father is perfectly divine and immortal, Mary remained a virgin (meaning that she 'knew no man' in the Biblical definition) until after the birth of Jesus Christ, when she and Joseph consummated their marriage.
