A Virgin Birth? Is That Even Possible?

Do You Believe in Miracles?

Years ago I interviewed an ordained church minister and was startled when he allowed that he "didn't believe in the virgin birth and all that miracle stuff." That kicked off a crisis of faith for me. If the ordained ministry didn't believe in "all that stuff," what was I doing there?

I reached out to God in despair, as if to say, "Are you really there?" And I actually received an answer in the form of a vision. A few weeks later I was confirmed in the Episcopal (Anglican) church and was pleased to meet a bishop who very much believed in the Bible and "all that miracle stuff."

More recently I listened to a sermon by an Anglican priest, who declared that the Christian faith depended on miracles. In order to be a Christian, one must believe in miracles. Without miracles, the Christian faith becomes not just improbable, but thoroughly impossible. It would make no sense.

But What About the Truth of the Laws of Science?

Hold on to your seat: you may be amazed. Science does not teach truth (least of all, "Truth" with a capital "T").  The scientific method does not deal in truth, but theorems, such as the "law" of gravity. We had (past tense) this "law" due to the great mind of Sir Isaac Newton. From the observable facts, such as the movement of the planets (can an apple be a planet?), he deduced that substances which have "mass," i.e. weight, attract one another. The moon circles the earth because it is continually falling toward the earth in its orbit. Its speed keeps it in its orbit. He further theorized that, due to this "gravity," the earth would not be a sphere but rather an oblate spheroid--fancy words meaning the earth bulges at the equator due to the speed of its rotation. Long after his death, this was found to be an observable fact.

This "law" worked quite well for the next 300 years. But then enters Einstein and "relativity." Einstein theorized that mass distorts the space-time continuum, and that what Newton thought was bodies attracting one another was instead an object falling into the "gravity well" in space-time created by a massive body. Within a few decades, with more precise measurements, it was found that Einstein's theory was a better fit to the observable fact than Newton's theory.

New "law," right? Nope. Along comes astronomer Vera Rubin, who just died this Christmas Day. She discovered the "galaxy rotation problem" which, from the facts that she observed in the 1980's proved that the "law" of gravity did not work. Basically, there were not enough stars in the galaxies with enough mass to explain the rapid orbital speeds of the outermost stars. At their observed speeds, they would simply fly apart. Gravity didn't work.

Other scientists are trying to put the Humpty-Dumpty-Gravity-Law back together again by using Dutch astronomer Jacobus Kapteyn's 1922 theory for "dark matter." If you inject enough massive "dark matter" into a galaxy (perhaps ten times as much mass as the observable stars) then you can get the Newton/Einstein view of gravity to work again. Vera Rubin was disappointed. She would rather have seen Newton's Laws modified to fit the observable facts. Dark Matter may be the correct answer, but it has not yet been demonstrates that it actually exists.

Such are the "laws" of science. They are theories that can never by proven, although the buildup of observable facts may give us high confidence in them. But if a single fact should contradict the theorem, it must be tossed out the window and another theorem proposed which explains the new fact(s).

But What About a Virgin Birth?

The technical term for a virgin birth, that is, conception without a male, is parthenogenesis. Many lower life-forms use asexual propagation of life. Some lizards and snakes are known to reproduce using females only. An then there are snakes, Komodo dragons, and some sharks that normally reproduce sexually, but have exceptions known as accidental parthenogenesis. This is what we would be looking for scientifically, but instances of this accidental process in mammals and especially humans is unknown to modern science.

According to the Population Reference Bureau, there are about 107 billion people who were ever born. If the birth of Jesus were accepted as parthenogenetic by modern science, that would give the statistical chance of a virgin birth as one in a hundred billion. I said modern science. There are a number of cases known to doctors of the middle ages in which a nun who supposedly had no access to a male gave birth to a child. In the best-documented of these cases (less than a handful) the child was a female who grew up to look exactly like her mother. This is what we would expect, for the mother lacks the male Y-chromosome.

But some women (one out of 80,000) do have a Y-chromosome, and to outwards appearance are completely normal women. However, these women lack ovaries, and generally lack a uterus. (A handful of these women have given birth from a donated egg.) No women with a Y-chromosome plus ovaries are known to science--but of course, without the genetic tools of modern science, if there were one and she gave birth to a male, no one would notice anything unusual. With all these required conditions, the odds against a virgin birth for a male child are multiplied--to perhaps one in a hundred trillion?

But wait--there's more required conditions. Biblical scholars who have studied the leap of Christianity from its Semitic-society infancy to its Greek-society exponential growth maintain that Jesus could have come at no other time than he did. Ten years earlier, or ten years later, and the societal conditions that enabled a handoff of Christianity from a Semitic monotheistic religion to a pagan-dominated society would have been impossible.

My rough guess for the odds are that such an event should occur about once per life-time of the universe. In other words, a miracle. That's my input for the sixth day of Christmas, 2016.

(This was an easy one. Try figuring the odds against turning water into wine.)

Madonna and Child

Jesus, the Fugitive King

Fugitive, Triumphant King, then Fugitive Again

The last 8 days of Jesus' status as a fugitive are among the most documented times in his life, on a par with his trial and passion. We pick him up at the end of a 20-mile journey from Ephraim in Samaria, east to the Jordan River, then south along the river road into the province of Judea and on up to Jericho. It is almost time for the great feast--the Passover--and he has been joined on his trek by many other pilgrims on their way to Jerusalem.

Day 1: Friday March 31, AD 30, The Tax Collector's House.

Jesus Calls Zacchaeus from the Tree

As Jesus passes through Old Town Jericho, he is met by two blind men crying out to be healed. One of them is especially highlighted by Mark's gospel: Bar-Timaeus, whose father Timaeus may have been known to some of Mark's readers. Matthew's gospel, as usual, expands the story to include both blind men. Healed by Jesus, the two blind men fall into the train of people behind Jesus. (Mt 20:29-34, Mk10:46-52, Lk 18:35-43)

Then as Jesus begins to enter the nearby New City of Jericho--built by Herod the Great--he spies a man who has climbed up a tree in order to see him. He calls out to him, "Zacchaeus, hurry down, for today I must stay at your house." Jesus needs a place to stay because it is still another fifteen miles to his destination in Bethany.

"Must stay"? Could that be for Jesus' safety? Zacchaeus is the chief tax collector for the district of Jericho, a rich and powerful man who reports directly to Pilate's Chief Financial Officer in Jerusalem. It would require some persuasion and not a little political capital for the Chief Priests in Jerusalem to convince Pilate to over-rule Zacchaeus, arrest Jesus, and deliver him into their hands. Jesus and his disciples will sleep well tonight.

No, Jesus gives the reason for his 'must'. Zacchaeus says, "Lord, I give half my fortune to the poor, and will repay anyone I have  cheated." Jesus says, "Today salvation has come to this house, for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost." As the house-gate closes behind them, the crowd complains, "He's gone to be the guest of a sinner." (Lk 19:1-10)

Jesus ends the day with a parable about how a servant should manage money entrusted to him. Judas Iscariot, whose management of the money purse for the disciples had come into question, is sure to have been an attentive listener. (Lk 19:11-27)

Day 2: Saturday April 1, Simon the Leper's House

Mary Anoints Jesus with Nard

Lazarus--the man whom Jesus called out of his tomb--normally resides at the Bethany house of his sisters Martha and Mary. But he is hiding out instead at the home of Jesus' disciple Simon the Leper, whom Jesus had healed from his skin disease. The problem? The chief priests would dearly like to kill Lazarus, who is a walking, talking symbol of the great power of Jesus--yes, that same Jesus who is a threat to their power in Jerusalem. (John 11:55-12:1, 12:9-11)

So here we find Jesus and his disciples joining them in their Bethany hideout, with Martha and Mary in their traditional roles: Martha is serving the evening meal, and Mary is paying attention to Jesus. Mary produces 12 ounces of pure nard--a gift so expensive that it must have been intended for her dowry. She begins to anoint Jesus with it, starting at his head and ending at his feet. Only Matthew's Gospel mentions the head, for Matthew is always on the lookout for Old Testament fulfillment: David's head was anointed by Samuel the prophet to proclaim his kingship, and Mary will do the same for Jesus, the Son of David.

Judas objects to this, backed up by some of the other disciples: He says, "Why was this perfume not sold  and the money given to the poor?" (This from the disciple who had the reputation of pilfering from the money purse.) Jesus allowed Mary to keep the nard to anoint his body after his funeral, saying, "You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me." Here we learn that  it was their custom to give generously to the poor from their donated funds. (Mt 26:6-13, Mk 14:3-9, Jn 12:2-8)

A note on the timing here: Matthew and Mark place the story of the anointing several days later, after Jesus' first visit to the Mount of Olives. But we must remember that the Gospels were not written to be a biography of Jesus but rather to proclaim the message of the Gospel. Matthew, Mark, and Luke condense Jesus' 3-year ministry as if all the events took place over the course of a single year. If we were to use those as a guide, the anointing would seem to have occurred two days before Passover. 

John's Gospel, on the other hand, frequently gives us information that allows us to ascertain date and location more accurately. In this case, John specifies that the Simon Leper dinner and the Jesus-anointing events take place six days before Passover.

Day 3: Sunday April 2, the Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem.

Jesus Enters Jerusalem as the Messiah King

Today is the big day. Sabbath is long over, Passover is near, and great crowds abound in Jerusalem. Halfway between Bethany and Jerusalem is the village of Bethpage, where Jesus sends in two disciples to pick up a donkey colt for him to ride on. As usual, Matthew doubles down with two of them, a donkey and its colt. But Jesus  must ride the colt, to fulfill the prophesy (Zechariah 9:9).

The crowds were delighted, and the chief priests were horrified, hearing the words from the crowds that terrified them the most: "Behold, your King is coming to you!" "Blessed is the coming kingdom of our  father David!" "Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!" The chief priests could do nothing, and the temple police could do nothing. The crowds would have overwhelmed them.

Jesus spent some time looking around the temple, then he and his disciples returned to Bethany. Perhaps the temple police could have followed them and arrested Jesus later, but it is more likely that they would have been beaten by the crowds and humiliated.

Day 4: Monday April 3,  Jesus Hides Out in Bethany.

Historic Photograph of Bethany (highly retouched)

Jesus returns on Monday to Jerusalem. (Remember, other than Sabbath, the Israelites had no names for days of the week, just numbers.) But Jesus is perhaps short on patience, for he behaves oddly. He curses a fig tree which had come into leaf for springtime, but as yet had no figs: "May no one ever eat fruit from you again!" The disciples listened curiously.

Then Jesus repeated what he had done three years previously: He overturned the tables of the moneychangers, and drove out the buyers and sellers of animals. He said, "My house shall be a house of prayer, but you have made it a robber's den." More startling, he began healing the blind and the lame: those disabled persons who were banned from the temple, and would normally hang out at the pools of Bethesda outside the temple's Sheep Gate.

The priests and Pharisees were shocked and afraid of him, while visiting Greek-speakers sought him out. But when he prophesied his death, he began to hear opposition from the crowds. Who wants a king  that says he's going to be soon dead? John's Gospel (at John 12:36) notes that Jesus hid himself from these antagonists. Matthew notes that they spent the night in Bethany. (Mt 21:10-19, Mk 11;12-19; Lk 19:45-48, Jn 12:20-50)

Day 5: Tuesday April 4: The Mount of Olives.

Jerusalem As Seen from the Mount of Olives.

The olive trees were cut down by the Romans in their war with the Jews.

In the  morning we find Jesus returning from Bethany, and the disciples amazed by the withered fig tree. Jesus turns it into a lesson on the power of faith, implying that his disciples could do the same thing.

Although it was still too dangerous to attempt to arrest Jesus publicly, the priests, scribes, Pharisees, and Sadducees of the Sanhedrin (the high council of the Jews) began to challenge Jesus on the temple grounds. The priests and elders challenged his source of authority. The Pharisees and Herodians sought to catch him up on paying taxes to Caesar. The Sadducees challenged him on the resurrection. A scribe questioned him on the greatest commandment. Jesus answered them all and they despaired of gaining any headway by this tactic.

Jesus sat for a time in the treasury room of the temple, where the people would bring their cash offerings. There he commended a widow who brought two pennies, "all she had to live on." Leaving the temple, he taught his  disciples on the coming destruction of Jerusalem and the future return of the Savior. Leading his disciples to the Mount of Olives, he continued his teaching into the night and revealed his coming death two days hence.

This day in the Bible features a phenomenal amount of Jesus' teaching, possibly including some that should spill over into Wednesday. The scripture is vast: Matthew 21:20 thru 26:5, Mark 11:20 thru 14:2, Luke 20:1 thru 22:2, but nothing from John.

Day 6: Wednesday April 4: Judas Makes a Contract.

Judas Makes an Agreement with the Chief Priests

No activities of Jesus are known for certain on Wednesday of Holy Week; perhaps Jesus rested this day. The day off may have given Judas his opportunity to strike a deal with the high priests to betray Jesus. Judas was soon to be unemployed--that is, deprived of  his Master--and a cushion of money would grant him some security as he figured out what to do with the rest of his life. Thirty pieces of silver--an ancient price for a man's life--would suffice quite well.

On the other hand, Judas had seen Jesus do many powerful things. Perhaps his betrayal would force Jesus' hand and he would strike down his foes with just a word from his mouth. As far as the foretold death of Jesus, Judas was probably just as confused as the rest of the disciples: what is this, some kind of parable?
(Mt 26:14-16, Mk 14:10-11, Lk 22:3-6)

Day 7: Thursday April 6: The Upper Room in Jerusalem.

Passover Meal in the Upper Room

It is time for Jesus' disciples to prepare for his Passover  feast come evening, but this is arranged with some considerable stealth and subterfuge. The disciples don't know where the feast will take place, and Jesus doesn't tell them. Instead he sends them looking for a man with a water jar who they are supposed to follow into a house, there to meet the owner of the house. The name of the home owner remains unknown even up to this day, but it may well have been Joseph of Arimathea, a wealthy but secret follower of Jesus. (Mt 26:17-19, Mk 14:12-16, Lk 22:7-13)

Jesus the Fugitive has been hanging tight with the Twelve, his closest disciples, making them fugitives along with himself. But there are plenty of indications that more of his disciples are in town, with presumably more freedom of motion. This would apply especially to his many women followers, who may well have assisted in serving the Passover Meal. But as the meal begins, with servers bustling around bringing the food and drink, Jesus surprises  them with a fast one: He dresses himself as if he were a servant and begins to wash the feet of the Twelve, prompting an initial objection from Peter. (John 13:1-20)

As the meal itself gets under way, a dispute arose among his feckless followers as to which one among them was the greatest. Were they jockeying for who would be in the lead after Jesus died? Jesus, of course, called them to task for this and brings them back into line. (Mt 26:20, Mk 14:17, Lk 22:14-16, 24-30)

As they began eating, Jesus was troubled, and said, "Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me." The disciples were shocked, looking around and saying "Is it me?" But Jesus was not responsive. John, who was Jesus' personal assistant, was always closest to him. Somehow Peter got John to ask Jesus which one was the betrayer. Jesus showed him by passing a morsel of bread to Judas, then telling Judas, "What you are to do, do quickly." Judas got up and left, but the disciples assumed he was being sent on some errand because he was in charge of the money. (Mt 26:21-25, Mk 14:18-21, Lk 22:21-23, Jn 13:21-30)

As the door closed behind Judas, Jesus warned the rest of the disciples that they would also betray and desert him,  eliciting cries of denial, especially from Peter, who would "go with him even to death!" Jesus responded saying, "Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times." (Mt 26:31-35, Mk 14:27-31, Lk 22:31-38, Jn 13:31-38)

Then Jesus instituted the parable of his death, sharing with the disciples the bread which symbolized his body, and the wine which symbolized his blood, all shed for the redemption of the world (Mt 26:26-29, Mk 14:22-25, Lk 22:17-20).  As the meal comes to a close, John's gospel details four chapters of final teachings and prayers by Jesus (John 14, 15, 16, and 17).

After singing a closing hymn, Jesus and the Eleven left the upper room into the darkness of the night, going to their favorite spot on the Mount of Olives. Did they not have permission to sleep in the upper room? Was the Mount of Olives a better hiding place? We don't know. From what is revealed in the Gospels, the reason for the location move seems to be that Jesus had an intense need to pray--and his usual and best praying spots were alone, outside, and atop some mountain or hill.
(Mt 26:30, 36-46, Mk 14:26, 32-42, Lk 22:39-46, Jn 18:1)

Day 8: Friday Morning April 7, The Garden of Gethsemane on the Mount of Olives.

Waking the Apostles in the Garden of Gethsemane

Jesus wanted his disciples to pray with him, but after an eventful day and a full meal, they were unable to stay awake. As Jesus wakes the disciples, torchlights appear in the distance. It was the  arresting party, led by Judas, who of course knew the location of Jesus' sweet spot.

The arresting force is described as a "large crowd," which means, of  course, that they outnumbered the disciples on the Mount. They're carrying swords and also clubs, which indicates that not all of them are law enforcement professionals. They included some of the high priests themselves along with their trusted officers, probably the entire temple police force, and--surprise--a cohort of Roman soldiers.

Who knows how much political capital the high priests may have used up to convince Governor Pilate to allow them to use his rent-a-cops? In any case, the soldiers seemed to be there as backup, for when Peter swung his sword at the servant of the High Priest, there was none to stop him.

Jesus shut down that action, and said, "Who are you looking for?" They replied, "Jesus the Nazarene." Then Jesus replies, "I AM," using one of the names of Almighty God. The  force of Jesus' word knocked the whole arresting party away from him and onto the ground.

Judas had already identified Jesus with a kiss, but if he was expecting Jesus to take charge by speaking a powerful word, this was all he would get. Jesus told Peter to put away his sword and allowed the soldiers and police to bind him and lead him away. The  disciples were confused by all this, and knew of nothing better to do than run away.

Their long-time fugitive leader was now a prisoner, and things were about to get worse.

(Mt 26:47-56, Mk 14:43-52, Lk 22:47-53, Jn 18:2-12)

This is the final post of an 8-episode blog series on Jesus the fugitive.