I'm not a Bible scholar,

so I don't know if it's tue, but I read that Paul, the 'founder' of Christianity, author of the Gospel of John, and the most prolific writer of the New Testament, never referred to a virgin birth, in ANY of his writings. Neither did Mark, the first of the apostles to write a Gospel. Matthew was the first to add it to the story. Furthermore, they referred to Jesus as being of the lineage of David, to fulfill an Old Testament prophecy, BUT, the lineage is from Joseph, his father(?). Pretty interesting, I think, and doesn't make sense to me, but I'm just a logical, rational person, not a Bible scholar. Am I just 'misinformed'?

Comments

Anonymous said…
Yes. Misinformed is too nice a word. Your ignorance of the Bible is only surpassed by your ignorance of politics.
Anonymous said…
Famguy, don't mess with religion. For some people it's all they have. What you think doesn't matter.
Fam Guy said…
My blog, my thoughts. I used to think religion was harmless, but when I look at wars in the world, and families, I realize it isn't.
Fam Guy said…
The difference between myths and miracles? Myths are about OTHER people's religions....
ladyj said…
FG, Jesus couldn't have been from Joseph's line, since he was of a Virgin conception. ( Jesus is God incarnate). Joseph and Mary were engaged to be married, when Mary became pregnant with Jesus. Other brothers of Jesus, such as James would be of the Joseph line. Jesus came to abolish the old laws; to take the sin of man as his own-to become the sacrifice, once and for all. Now we are saved by grace; by Jesus death. By our acceptance of Jesus as our Savior, we too are Saved. He is the Lamb of God. He was the human sacrifice. When you break it all down it does make sense.
Fam Guy said…
I don't pretend to understand. I am just pointing out obvious inconsistensies. There's LOTS of them.
ladyj said…
So many are letters to congregations written by Paul to far off lands such as Corinth, telling the people there of their weaknesess or problems he has heard about the church there. You must take the New Testament in the context in which it was written and by the author and his style of writing. Each one is different, as is the circumstance.
Fam Guy said…
BUT, it seems kinda strange that the main biograher of Jesus didn't mention a 'virgin birth'. That was added by later authors, but not the first apostle to write about him.
Fam Guy said…
Let's put it in context. This was the beginning of a new religion, and they were competing against Greek and Roman 'Gods' who were 'virgin born'. Mark didn't mention it, Matthew had a bunch of errors in lineage, etc, and Luke tried to tie it all together.
Fam Guy said…
Not even mentioning that the authors couldn't agree where Jesus was born, BUT, they had to put him in Bethlehem, to fulfill prophecy, so they made up a 'census count' which is total fiction. Put your pregnant wife on a donkey for a 120 mile journey? Kinda hard to believe, and totally unsubstantiated by history, BUT, necessary to fit with Old Tesament prophecy.
ladyj said…
Matthew does speak of the virgin birth in the first chapter, verse 18, and Joseph was of the House of David as Matthew states in verse 20. Where do you find the errors in ancestors of Jesus, a descendent of King David and Abraham, in the Book of Matthew? Fourteen of the generations from Abraham to King David; and fourteen from King David's time to the exile; and fourteen from the exile to Christ. There's one message that is loud and clear and that is found in 1st Corinthians 3:18-21. (verse 19 states,)" For the wisdom of this world is foolishness to God. As it says in the book of Job, God uses man's own brilliance to trap him; he stumbles over his own wisdom and falls."
Fam Guy said…
AND, the whole story of Herod killing the first born? Didn't happen. Josepus and Heroditus, the historians of the age, never mentioned one of the most heinous acts of the century? Just part of the myth, to fit the story. Don't shoot the messenger.
Fam Guy said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
Fam Guy said…
Yes, Matthew mentions it, like I said, NOT Paul or Mark. Mat's and Lukes version of lineage vary by 13 generations, and don't agree on Joseph's father name.
Fam Guy said…
Also, Paul, was a friend of James, Jesus brother, didn't mention the 'virgin birth'. Kinda suspicious, for a guy who wrote SO much, and was doing EVERYTHING in his power to convert the masses.
Fam Guy said…
OK, lady, and anyone else, why wouldn't Paul mention a HUGE thing, like a 'virgin birth', if it was real? All else pales, to this question...
ladyj said…
FYI... The Matthew and Luke Ancestry errors are caused because Luke is relating to Mary's geneology and Matthew is relating to Joseph's which will make a miscount. because of the women, especially Gentiles.
The story of Herod's killing of first born is only found in Matthew, no where else.
Fam Guy said…
Agreed, ONLY in Matthew, not in any historical record, which it WOULD have been. As for geneology, women were NEVER counted. And Mary's lineage would not have included Joseph. Joseph was included because he was considered the father of Jesus, until the story changed later....
ladyj said…
Maybe your quest is to find the answers........
ladyj said…
Maybe your quest is to find the answers........
Fam Guy said…
My quest is ALWAYS to find the truth.
ladyj said…
And I hope you do...with an open mind. BTW, what started this research into the Gospels? I know you're a skeptic. Was it your trip back home?
Fam Guy said…
Yup. My family uses religion like a weapon.
ladyj said…
well, looking around, I found that both Luke and Matthew, no doubt used Micah 5:2 to show the birth of the Messiah would be in Bethlehem to complete the prophecy. Jesus probably was born in north Bethlehem of Galilee and not Bethlehem of Nazareth. And there were no taxes in that period of time nor would the wife go with the spouse, if there was a tax. It would be much to disruptive, anyway.
Both Mark and John condradicted Matthew as to where Jesus was born. A large Christian church was found in Bethlehem of Galilee by researchers and residents of that area stated that that was the birthplace of Jesus. Of course the records aren't going to be changed after all this time!! Sometimes, I suppose, the writers fudged to fulfill the Old Testament prophecy. Hard core Christians do wear blinders and bygod everything is literally the absolute word of God, even though it was written by man. Some things you just have to take on faith.

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