The Lodestar

The virgin birth of Jesus, undoubtedly one of the greatest miracles in human history, has been recounted countless times during Christmas seasons and in gospel proclamations. Yet, beyond the familiar accounts, what deeper significance lies behind this extraordinary event? We commonly hear answers like it attests that Jesus is the Son of God (as in Luke 1:32), it proves that Jesus is God, or, most significantly, it shows Jesus’ sinlessness. While all these answers hold some truth, is there something more to it? Indeed, there is.

Matthew and Luke are most interested in Jesus’ birth and infancy narratives of the four canonical Gospel writers. Luke provides a detailed and dramatic account of the annunciation, including the dialogue between the angel Gabriel and the Virgin Mary. In contrast, Matthew’s Gospel mentions Mary’s conception through the Holy Spirit but offers a sparse narrative. However, Matthew includes the angel’s appearance to Joseph, Mary’s betrothed husband, assuring him that Mary’s conception was an act of God’s Spirit. A characteristic pattern follows this in Matthew’s storytelling:

“All this took place to fulfil what the Lord had said through the prophet: ‘The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel’ (which means ‘God with us’)” (Matt 1:22—23)

Matthew, the First Evangelist, favoured the pesher method for interpreting Hebrew Scriptures. This method, prevalent in Jewish rabbinical interpretations, especially in sectarian communities like Qumran, saw prophecies fulfilled in contemporary events. Matthew used pesher to connect Jesus’ life and work to ancient prophecies, deliberately quoting Isaiah to link Jesus’ virginal conception to the prophet’s words.

What is so unique and significant about this? The prophecy of “Immanuel’s birth” occurred in the context of King Ahaz’s anxiety over the news that Aram and Ephraim allied to wage war against Jerusalem (Isa 7:1—2). Ahaz felt helpless to prevent the coming tragedy. The prophet Isaiah visits Ahaz and assures him of Yahweh’s security. When asked, King Ahaz, out of disbelief, denies that he needs any sign from Yahweh. However, God Himself takes the initiative in giving the sign through the birth of “Immanuel,” who will stand as evidence for Yahweh’s continuing faithfulness in protecting His covenantal people. It was fulfilled in the time of Ahaz.

In the Hebrew Scriptures, a sign from Yahweh is usually an assurance of His faithfulness in keeping His covenantal promise and evidence of His continuing presence in protecting and caring for the people (Gen 9:12—13; Exod 4:1—9; Judg 6:36—40; 2 Kgs 19:29, etc).

If “Immanuel’s birth” is the sign of Yahweh’s faithfulness in Isaiah 7, surely, the virgin birth of Jesus is more than a miracle. It is the ultimate evidence of God’s faithfulness in keeping His covenantal promises. In the Gospel of John, Jesus performs “signs” that point to the Father’s works in and through the Son. But, in Matthew’s narration, Jesus himself is the sign of the covenant-keeping faithful God. Notably, Matthew narrates the life and work of Jesus as the end of exile and the initiation of a new “exodus.” Thus, the virgin birth of Jesus becomes the profound sign of the tangible evidence of God’s continuing faithfulness and the visible sign of “God with us!”

The virgin birth is not just a Christmas miracle but the dawn of hope for humanity! It is a sign that God is always with us, even in the darkest times, and will never give up on us.

(Naveen Alapati from Gangavathi, Karnataka, is currently a student at India Bible College and Seminary. He has a passion for teaching and writing. He has also published some books, including Encountering the Beast and the Lamb: An Introduction to the Book of Revelation from an Indian Perspective (2022).