Interpretation of the Bible / Matthew 1:18
In the book of Matthew, the birth of Jesus Christ is described in a very special way. According to this gospel, the conception of Jesus was the work of the Holy Spirit, which emphasizes the divinity of the Son of God.
At the time when Mary and Joseph lived, the engagement or dissolution of the engagement was a commitment before witnesses or even a marriage certificate could be signed. However, the couple did not live together and did not have sexual relations until the marriage was celebrated, which could take up to several years. If infidelity occurred during the engagement, the innocent party could seek a divorce decree.
The virginal conception of Mary is one of the fundamental beliefs of Christianity, but it is also one of the most difficult concepts to understand by human logic and biology. According to Christian theology, the Holy Spirit fertilized Mary without the intervention of a man. Although this may seem impossible, for the Christian faith, the power of the Holy Spirit is limitless thanks to divine omnipotence.
In addition, the virginal birth of Jesus has a deep theological meaning. As theologian Karl Barth wrote: “God did what humanity could not do: go beyond all boundaries and create something completely new.” The virginal conception is a sign of Jesus’ divinity, as the verse from Matthew indicates.
The birth of Jesus, according to Christian tradition, is the fulfillment of a prophecy mentioned in the Old Testament: “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14). For believers, the birth of Jesus is the fulfillment of a divine promise and the beginning of the new era of redemption.
On the other hand, the birth of Jesus is the event that marks the beginning of the ministry of Jesus Christ on Earth. Jesus was sent into the world to save it from perdition and to offer new life to all who believe in Him. His birth, therefore, is the first step in his saving work.
Some critics have argued that conception by the Holy Spirit diminishes Jesus' humanity. However, this is not the case: the fact that Jesus was born of a human woman and grew up as a child and had a life of flesh and blood means that Jesus had a real human nature.
Furthermore, Jesus' virgin birth means that he did not inherit original sin from Adam. Thus, Jesus is considered the second Adam, who came to redeem original sin and restore humanity to divine grace.