The Holy Spirit and Jesus’ Birth

KEY VERSE: “The angel answered and said unto her, the Holy Spirit shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.” —Luke 1:35

SELECTED SCRIPTURE: Luke 1:35-42; 2:25-32

JUST as it was the holy power of God which brought forth life in the first man, Adam, stated in Genesis as breathing into his nostrils the breath of life, so also was the second perfect man, Jesus, brought forth directly through the power of the Holy Spirit of God. While the method used was that common to mankind through childbirth, yet the scriptures are very clear in stating that Jesus, born of Mary, was not conceived by Joseph, but rather in a miraculous way through the power of the Heavenly Father.

Jesus was the Son of God, the one who, in his prehuman state, was known as the Logos, or Word of God. (John 1:1) The transfer of the life of the Logos to the womb of Mary in order that he might be made flesh was quite within the power of the Creator to accomplish. We cannot understand it, but neither can we understand how human beings—or even the lower animals, for that matter—are developed and born in what we call the normal way. The life principle and how it operates is a divine secret, and from our standpoint, is always miraculous.

The Prophet Isaiah wrote, “Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” (Isa. 7:14) It was by this arrangement that the Word, or Logos, became flesh and dwelt on the earth, suffering and dying for the sins of the world. (John 1:14) Mary did not become the mother of God, as some suppose. At the time of the angel’s announcement she did not fully understand all that was involved, but she did rejoice in God’s providences, and she recognized the God of Israel was acting to bring deliverance, and so she refers to him as a Savior.

God is the great Author of the plan of salvation. Through Jesus he has provided salvation for Adam and the entire human race fathered by Adam. (I Cor. 15:21,22) But God himself did not come to earth and die on the cross. It was his Son, Jesus, who was made flesh for the suffering of death. And it was by the grace of God that Jesus tasted death for every man. He was God’s representative on the earth, and it was therefore appropriate that the name Immanuel, meaning ‘God With Us’, should be given to him.—Heb. 2:9

When, as a man, many years later Jesus asked the question, “Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?” he received a variety of answers. These reported opinions of the general public as to the identity of Jesus were all good. They indicated the people as a whole believed that Jesus was a prophet sent of God, even one of the ancient prophets raised from the dead. They had been impressed with his miracles, and with the gracious words which he spoke.

The same has been true of Jesus throughout all the centuries since. Few, if any, have ever criticized his personality, nor have very many found fault with his moral and ethical teachings, except that they seemed unattainable. Even in the unbelieving world of today most people are willing to acknowledge that the impact of Jesus’ life upon mankind has been powerful and good; and many will agree that in some way he was a special prophet sent of God. Millions have claimed Jesus was a third part of a trinity of gods, and as such was coequal with God—in fact was God. But all of these viewpoints come far short of the real truth.

Jesus, not satisfied with the general idea of the people concerning him, then asked the disciples what they thought. It was in reply to this that Peter said, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (Matt. 16:16) “Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona,” was the Master’s prompt reply to this true identification, and then added, “Flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.”

With God’s help, Peter recognized in Jesus the one whom the prophets had foretold would be sent by Jehovah to redeem and restore Israel, and to bless all the families of the earth. He was the Messiah, the sent of God, the one who would fulfill all the wonderful promises of blessing to the people which had been made dependent upon his coming to earth as a man, equal in nature and perfection with Adam before he fell: a ransom price.

This was accomplished when the great power of God overshadowed the life of Mary, and miraculously brought forth Jesus.

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