You’ve heard the Biblical accounts of the Virgin Birth, but I’m willing to bet that (like most people) you misunderstand them. For example, were Mary and Joseph married at the time of the Annunciation? Why does Matthew refer to Joseph as Mary’s “husband,” and yet common translations of Luke have Mary saying to the angel, “I have no husband” (Matt. 1:19; Luke 1:34)? What does it mean that Joseph “took his wife,” or that Joseph “knew her not until she had borne a son” (Matt. 1:24-25)? And finally, why did Joseph consider divorcing Mary, and why does the angel respond by telling him not to be afraid?
Tag: Christmas
Why was Jesus Born of a Virgin? (Four Wrong Answers, and the Right One)
As Christmas day approaches, we’re also confronted with a part of the faith that has caused great difficulty for Catholic and Protestant believers alike: the Virgin Birth. About a quarter of Americans deny the Virgin Birth (along with about a quarter of Anglican clergy in England). What should we say to these doubters? Why should we believe in the Virgin Birth, and why does it matter? Why was Jesus born of a Virgin? And why did the early Christians think this doctrine so important that they included it in both the Apostle’s Creed and Nicene Creed as a core part of what it is to hold the Christian faith?
The O Antiphons
Back in 2011, I wrote a series of reflections for the last seven evenings of Advent (tonight through the evening of December 23rd), focused upon the traditional “O Antiphons” tied to each night. Each one addresses Christ by a different title, based upon the Messianic prophesies in the Book of Isaiah. Most people are familiar with these titles… Continue reading The O Antiphons
Making Sense of One of the Most Shocking Verses in Scripture
James Tissot, Jesus Found in the Temple (1890) Yesterday’s Gospel has one of the most shocking verses in the New Testament, Luke 2:51, “And he [Jesus] went down with them [Mary and Joseph] and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them; and his mother kept all these things in her heart.” Is there any… Continue reading Making Sense of One of the Most Shocking Verses in Scripture
Merry Christmas!
Guido Reni, The Adoration of the Shepherds (17th c.) And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, every one into his… Continue reading Merry Christmas!
The Massacre of the Innocents and the Historicity of the Gospels
The first few days after Christmas Day are a surprisingly bloody affair. On December 26, we celebrated the Feast Day of St. Stephen, sometimes called “the protomartyr,” since he is the first Christian after the Resurrection to be martyred for the faith. Today, we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Innocents, which commemorates Herod’s massacre… Continue reading The Massacre of the Innocents and the Historicity of the Gospels
Why Celebrate Christ’s Birth, Instead of His Conception?
Since life begins at conception, why do we focus on celebrating the Birth of Christ, rather than His Conception? After all, from a Catholic perspective, the Incarnation really occurs about nine months prior to Christmas. Indeed, pro-life movements around the world have begun using March 25 as a day celebrating the life of the unborn, during… Continue reading Why Celebrate Christ’s Birth, Instead of His Conception?
Is This the End of the Christmas Season, or the Beginning?
Terry Mattingly of GetReligion has a great column about the “two Christmases.” As he notes, for the Church, the Christmas season runs from Christmas Day (December 25) to Epiphany (January 6). These are the famous Twelve Days of Christmas. But in secular society, the Christmas season runs from around Thanksgiving until December 25. So… Continue reading Is This the End of the Christmas Season, or the Beginning?
The Passion of Christ in the Joyful Mysteries
For those of you who might not be familiar, the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary focus on five specific events related to the birth and childhood of Christ, drawn primarily from the first two chapters of Luke’s Gospel: The Annunciation (Luke 1:26-38) The Visitation (Luke 1:39-56) The Nativity (Luke 2:1-20) The Presentation in the Temple… Continue reading The Passion of Christ in the Joyful Mysteries
John MacArthur on Lent, Easter, and Christmas
John MacArthur has given a lot of pretty great Christian sermons, and he really does edify the Body of Christ at times. But when it comes to Catholicism, he’s embarrassingly ignorant, and gets a lot of even basic things wrong. I wish this was a minor thing, but it’s got pretty far-reaching implications. For example, he’s… Continue reading John MacArthur on Lent, Easter, and Christmas