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Some contend that the Bible never predicted a virgin would bear a son. They argue that the Hebrew word for virgin (In Isaiah 7) could also be translated “young woman” (which is true.) However young women in those days were also virgins. The Greek translation of the Old Testament (the translation used by most of the people in the time of Jesus, which was translated around 250 B.C.) the word used was parthenos which unambiguously means “virgin”. In other words the Jewish people understood the prophecy to refer to a virginal conception.

Most people who dismiss the virgin conception start with a bias. They believe there is no such thing as the supernatural. They say miracles are contrary to science. Miracles are not contrary at all to science; they are beyond the scope of science! Science studies natural and repeatable occurrences and draws conclusions based on observation. A one time event such as the virgin conception cannot be studied by science. A supernatural event cannot be verified or discounted by science because it falls outside the parameters of science.

James Montgomery Boice has written,

The doctrine of the virgin birth is not neglected today because it has been disproved. Quite the opposite is the case. It is disregarded out of simple unbelief. . .When people do not want to believe something they often simply do not answer the arguments. They say, “We have progressed beyond that, “ or “We’ve come to see things differently today.” That is dishonest. No one has the right to say, “We have gone beyond that,” until he has answered the arguments the man before him has raised. If we fail to do that, our new beliefs are mere arrogance.

There are good reasons to affirm the supernatural birth of Jesus.

1. Luke testified at the beginning of his gospel that he “carefully investigated everything from the beginning” and set out to write an “orderly account”. Luke was a careful historian. Most scholars believe Luke interviewed Mary herself as to what took place. Luke did not invent the idea of the virgin birth, he learned about the virgin birth.

2. The virgin conception is the most natural understanding of the words of Scripture. Regardless of how the Hebrew word in Isaiah should be translated, the text clearly states that this conception was a unique work of God that did not involve the seed of man. (Matthew 1:18, 25)

3. The angel appealed to the miraculous birth of Elizabeth. This would have been unnecessary if this was going to be a normal birth.

4. Luke was a physician and would have been very much aware of how babies were conceived.

5. Only the virginal conception explains the reluctance of Joseph to get married to Mary. In Matthew 1 Joseph considered actually divorcing (or ending his engagement) to Mary. This was a binding promise that could not simply be canceled. Joseph had concluded that Mary had been unfaithful. Why? Because he knew he could not possibly be the father! Joseph went on with the marriage because the angel assured him that Mary had not been unfaithful but the child was conceived by the Holy Spirit. It appears from Scripture (Mark 6:3) that after the birth of Jesus Mary and Joseph had a normal marriage relationship.