Can a Virgin Give Birth?

On this first Sunday of December, we turn our eyes and hearts toward Christmas.  There may be any better place to begin that journey than Luke 1.  Today, we begin a verse by verse study that most likely will include all of 2024 and even part of 2025.

 

In this study, we will look at the life and ministry of Jesus Christ.  In the process, we will ask and answer, from the Bible, many questions.  Our first is, “Can a Virgin Give Birth?”

 

 

1. The Administration of Luke, 1:1-4

1 Inasmuch as many have taken in hand to set in order a narrative of those things which have been fulfilled among us, 2 just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word delivered them to us, 3 it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account, most excellent Theophilus, 4 that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed.

 

In the first four verses, we were introduced to Luke.  He is the author.  He was also a doctor, the personal physician of the Apostle Paul.  He not only wrote the gospel bearing his name, but he also wrote the book of Acts.  They should be viewed together as two volumes documenting the historical reality of Jesus Christ and the birth of the New Testament Church.

 

His aim in this writing was to give a historical account of the life and ministry of Jesus.  In other words, he recorded history, and this third book of the New Testament is in narrative form. 

 

Also, because Luke was a Gentile, this gospel is very unique.  He is the only Gentile author of the 66 books of the Bible.  Another purpose of his was to demonstrate that gospel is for every single individual and every single type of person…even though they might be the outcasts of society including Gentiles, women, the poor, and the sick.

 

Notice his audience.  It was an audience of one.  What do we know about Theophilus?  It seems that he may have been a new believer.  This record of Jesus’ life would serve as the foundation of Theophilus’ new found faith. 

 

 

2. A Declaration to Zacharias, 1:5-25

5 There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah. His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. 7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years.  8 So it was, that while he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division, 9 according to the custom of the priesthood, his lot fell to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. 10 And the whole multitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of incense. 11 Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 12 And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.  13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. 14 And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. 15 For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. 16 And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. 17 He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,’ and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”  18 And Zacharias said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years.”  19 And the angel answered and said to him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and was sent to speak to you and bring you these glad tidings. 20 But behold, you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their own time.”  21 And the people waited for Zacharias, and marveled that he lingered so long in the temple. 22 But when he came out, he could not speak to them; and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple, for he beckoned to them and remained speechless.  23 So it was, as soon as the days of his service were completed, that he departed to his own house. 24 Now after those days his wife Elizabeth conceived; and she hid herself five months, saying, 25 “Thus the Lord has dealt with me, in the days when He looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.”

 

In short, an angel, Gabriel, in verse 13, said that Zacharias and his wife would have a son.  That son would be John the Baptist, cousin of Jesus Christ.  John’s purpose would be to prepare the way for the Lord.

 

 

3. The Salutation from Gabriel, Luke 1:26-29

26 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!”  29 But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was.

 

Verse twenty-six begins with a time reference of six months.  It refers to the announcement of John’s birth.  Therefore, John the Baptist was six months older than his cousin, Jesus Christ. 

 

In the same way that Gabriel went to Zachariah in announcing John’s birth, we see Gabriel in verse twenty-six being sent by God to Nazareth to a virgin that was married to Joseph.  Verse twenty-seven tells us that this virgin’s name was Mary.

 

I need to remind you about the two significant parts of a first-century Jewish marriage agreement.  Our translation says betrothed.  Yours may say engaged.  This meant the betrothal period.  It was the first part of the marriage arrangement.

 

The husband’s family would offer a payment to the wife’s family initiating this arranged marriage.  Joseph and Mary would then be considered married even though they would not live together and would not consummate the marriage sexually until after the ceremony almost one year later. 

 

For at least a year, Joseph and Mary were considered husband and wife, and if their relationship ended, it would have to be by divorce.  Therefore, you can see their engagement was much more binding than what we know as engagement.

 

After one year, there would be a wedding ceremony and marriage feast that would last about one week.  Joseph would send for Mary.  The ceremony would take place.  The feast or reception or party or celebration would last a week.  Then Joseph and Mary would sexually consummate the marriage and hopefully live happily ever after.

 

However, as you know, these plans would be radically altered.  Verse twenty-eight records Gabriel’s salutation or greeting to Mary as he calls her “highly favored one” and tells her that the Lord is with her. 

 

According to verse twenty-nine, she was troubled or confused.  I can understand because I have never had an angel speak with me.  Nonetheless, the angel called her “favored one.”  What did that mean?  Why was she favored?  We’ll find out more in just a moment. 

 

My last comment regarding these four verses is to point out the repetition of “virgin.”  You see it twice in verse twenty-seven.  Keep in mind that Mary was mostly likely a young teenager.  Let that sink in.  She was probably younger than my youngest daughter.    

 

Undoubtedly, she was sexually pure.  By the way, just as that was good at this time, it is good today young ladies and young men.  Remaining sexually pure until marriage is God’s undeniable desire for your life, and you will never regret it. 

 

Mary was a virgin.  She was sexually pure, and she had been 100% completely faithful to Joseph and their marriage. 

 

 

4. The Proclamation about Jesus, Luke 1:30-35

30 Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. 32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. 33 And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”  34 Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?”  35 And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.  

 

This next section is about the proclamation or announcement of Jesus’ birth.  Obviously from verse thirty, Mary was afraid as would I be. 

 

Again, Gabriel told her that she had found favor with God.  We will soon see that this favor is because she will give birth to the Son of God.  Mary didn’t do anything to deserve this honor.  God graciously chose this first-century, undeserving, anonymous before now, peasant girl, to conceive and give birth to Jesus the Christ. 

 

Verse thirty-one is the formal proclamation.  Mary will conceive and give birth to a son.  His name will be Jesus, which means Yahweh saves. 

 

In verses thirty-two and thirty-three, Gabriel predicted five things about Jesus.  First, He will be great.  Second, He will be called Son of the Most High or Son of God.  Third, He will be given the throne of David as coming through that line or heritage.  Fourth, He will reign over the house of Jacob forever.  Five, His kingdom will have no end.  These last three will be realized in the one-thousand-year earthly reign of Christ after the rapture of the Church and the seven-year earthly tribulation period chronicled in John’s Revelation.

 

As you can imagine, Mary was not only troubled and confused and afraid because of this angelic encounter in and of itself, but the fact that she would conceive and birth this baby was extremely confusing. 

 

Why?  She was a virgin.  In her words, “How can this be?”  Please note this is now the third use of the word “virgin.” 

 

In verses thirty-five and thirty-six, Gabriel informed Mary how this would happen.  The Holy Spirit would come upon her and the Most High or God would overshadow her.  By the way, there is not one hint of any type of gross sexual immorality here between God and a human being even though that is what our Mormon friends believe. 

 

This act is mysterious.  It is not fully-understandable. It is the miraculous conception.  It is supernatural.  It never happened before and has never happened since. 

 

 

5. The Veneration of Mary, Luke 1:38

38 Then Mary said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

 

When I say the “veneration of Mary,” I mean something different than what our Catholic friends mean.  They mean the veneration or honoring or worship of Mary.  Mary is the object of their veneration and honoring and worship.

 

I mean Mary is the source of the honoring.  Mary is the one doing the honoring.  Look at verse thirty-eight and how Mary responded to Gabriel’s announcement of her pregnancy and Jesus’ birth.

 

She calls herself the Lord’s “maidservant” or slave.  That communicates submission.  She would be submissive to God. 

 

She then said, “Let it be to me according to your word.”  She was willing to do what Gabriel said. 

 

Third, she believed.  She believed God’s plan would happen as described by the angel.  Mary couldn’t have responded better, and is an example to us in that regard.

 

 

Conclusion

36 Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. 37 For with God nothing will be impossible.”

 

What is the point of this text and my message to you this morning?  The point is Luke 1:37.

 

Read it with me.  Read it again.  Read it a third time.  Memorize it.  Write it down and put it on your bathroom mirror and refrigerator and the dashboard of your car.  For nothing will be impossible with God.

 

Gabriel illustrated this truth with Elizabeth and Zacharias, but this miracle is much more.  This isn’t the elderly giving birth even though it was hard to believe. 

 

This is a virgin conceiving birth, and we’re not talking about artificial insemination or in vitro fertilization.  We’re talking about a virgin conceiving and giving birth to the Son of God, Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world.

 

This statement made to Mary is similar to the question that was a statement made to Sarah in Genesis 18:14, “Is anything too difficult for the LORD?”

 

The virgin birth was prophesied about in Isaiah 7:14 and is affirmed in Matthew’s gospel 1:23.  For nothing will be impossible with God.

 

Now, what about you?  Do you believe it?  Do you believe Luke 1:37 and its application to your life? 

 

Can God save you and forgive all your sin?  Can God fix your marriage in spite of falling out of love or infidelity?  Can God heal your disease even if its cancer or the doctor has said there is no hope?  Can God break your addiction even if its alcohol or pornography? 

 

For nothing is impossible with God.  If God can cause a virgin to give birth, I think He can handle your greatest concern!