quote:
Hebrew has a word "bethulah" which usually does mean "virgin".
Indeed. It is a legal term which is defined in at least three places: "never been laid."
Some biblical authors seem to use it as a term of respect on occasion. This seems appropriate. If one knows nothing of a woman's sexual history, he might just as well assume that she is honorable.
"Virgin Birth" in the sense of sexless reproduction goes way back in pagan religion, probably to a time before people understood the connection between sex and reproduction. That Matthew makes a big deal of it may be because he read Isaiah from the Septuagint and the Greek
parthenos (virgin) may be taken either way. John, on the other hand, could read Isaiah in the Hebrew, and he makes no mention at all of the "virgin" birth.
In Latin, (and in English),
virgin may be taken either way. In fact, some Latin texts use it in the sense of: "young married woman." Some New Testament writer use
parthenos in the sense of "girl" or "daughter."
There is no compelling reason to accept the superstitious opinion of a few disciples, especially when you weigh it against the evidence they cite in support of their claim (Isaiah 7:14). If one reads the verse in context (several chapters worth) it becomes clear that the prediction wasn't about the virgin or the child. It was about the king of Assyria and how soon he would come to kick butt. "by the time the child knows right from wrong" "6 or 5 years" (Jerusalem Bible).
The doctrine is just one more example of shameless charlatans leading ignorant dupes, through partial truth, based on poor scholarship.
db
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B.A. Biology&Religion - Loma Linda University
Anatomy and Physiology - LLU School of Medicine
Embryology - La Sierra University
Biblical languages - Pacific Union College
Bible doctrines - Walla Walla College
[This message has been edited by doctrbill, 07-02-2003]