Jesus, Myths, & Message, Jesus in the Bible and in the Quran.
A book by Lisa Spray.
In the name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
"JESUS" Myths & Message
by Lisa Spray
Chapter Eleven
VIRGIN BIRTH
Upon arriving, the angel said to her: "Rejoice, O highly favored daughter! The Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women." She was deeply troubled by his words, and wondered what his greeting meant. The angel went on to say to her: "Do not fear, Mary. You have found favor with God. You shall conceive and bear a son and give him the name Jesus. Great will be his dignity...." [Luke 1:28-32]
In today's scientific era many, if not most people are skeptical about the virgin birth of Jesus. Such a miraculous conception is more than they can accept. This doubt is strengthened by the fact that in the Bible Joseph is called Jesus' father. Also, it is only through Joseph that Jesus has a legitimate claim to the line of David, the family line from which the Messiah was to come. Mary was from the line of Levi, and only Joseph tied back to David.
Some, like University of Detroit professor Jane Schaberg, have gone so far as to claim that Jesus was illegitimately conceived. (See Schaberg's book, THE ILLEGITIMACY OF JESUS, Harper and Row, 1987.) Of all aspects of Christian doctrine, the virgin birth is perhaps the most difficult for people to accept.
Yet it is confirmed by the Quran's mathematical code.
The story of Jesus' ancestry and birth is prominently narrated in the Quran. It is well established by the scriptures that Jesus was a descendant of Aaron, who was the brother of Moses. Aaron and Moses' father, Amram, head of the Amramite tribe, is given such an important position in the Quran that its third chapter is named `The Amramites.'
MARY
When Mary's mother conceived her, she dedicated the baby in her womb to the service of God. We learn from the Quran that she was rather disappointed when the baby turned out to be a girl. Nevertheless, she prayed that God might accept her newborn daughter:
The Amramite woman said, "My Lord, I dedicate the fruit of my womb to your service. Please accept this offer from me; You are the Hearer, the Omniscient." When she gave birth to her, she said, "My Lord, I have given birth to a girl;" God was fully aware of what she bore. "And the girl is not the same as the boy; I have named her Mary, and I invoke Your protection for her and her seed from Satan, the rejected." Her Lord accepted Mary, a gracious acceptance, and brought her up a gracious upbringing, and Zachariah was her guardian.... [Quran 3:35-37]
A similar account is given in the apocryphal book, The Gospel of the Birth of Mary:
Afterwards the angel appeared to Anna his (Joachim's) wife saying: Fear not, neither think that which you see is a spirit. For I am that angel who hath offered up your prayers and alms before God, and am now sent to you, that I may inform you, that a daughter will be born unto you, who shall be called Mary, and shall be blessed above all women.... being an unparalleled instance without any pollution or defilement, and a virgin not knowing any man, shall bring forth a son, who both by his grace and name and works, shall be the saviour of the world. [Lost Books of the Bible, 1974, p. 19]
As we see above, the Quran and the Apocrypha both hold Mary in the highest esteem, "above all women." In fact, the Quran uses Mary as the prime example of a believer. This esteem in which the scripture holds Mary is illustrated again below:
Then Mary said: "My being proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit finds joy in God my savior, For he has looked upon his servant in her lowliness; all ages to come shall call me blessed. God who is mighty has done great things for me, holy is his name; His mercy is from age to age on those who fear him." [Luke 1:46-50]
Proclaim that the angels said, "O Mary, God has chosen you and blessed you; He has chosen you above all women." [Quran 3:42]
She [Mary] shall be, immediately upon her birth, full of the grace of the Lord.... she shall serve the Lord night and day in fasting and prayer, shall abstain from every unclean thing and never know any man. [Lost Books of the Bible, p. 19]
THE VIRGIN BIRTH ACCORDING TO THE QURAN
The virgin birth is clearly indicated in the Quran, where Mary exclaims: "My Lord, how can I have a son, when no man has touched me?":
Proclaim that the angels said, "O Mary, God sends to you good news; a word from Him to be called the Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary. Great will be his dignity in this world, and, in the Hereafter, he will be among those close to God. He will preach to the people while still in the cradle, as well as when he grows up. He will be righteous." She said, "My Lord, how can I have a son, when no man has touched me?" (The angel) said, "God thus creates whatever He wills. To have anything done, He simply says to it, `Be,' and it is." [Quran 3:45-47]
The details of the virgin birth are mathematically authenticated in the Quran's Chapter 19, which is appropriately entitled `Mary:'
Commemorate in the scripture Mary: She isolated herself from her family to an Eastern location. While alone in the sanctuary, we sent to her our spirit. He materialized before her in human form. She said, "I invoke God's protection from you, if you do observe God.. He said, "I am your Lord's messenger, to grant you an immaculate son." She said, "How can I have a son, when no man has touched me, nor was I ever unchaste?" He said, "Thus says your Lord, `It is easy for Me.' We
will render him a portent for the people and a mercy from us. This is a matter already decreed." When she conceived him, she moved away, bearing him, to a faraway place. [Quran 19:16-22]
The true date of birth for Jesus has always been in question, even among Christians. According to the Gospel of Luke, the angels announced the birth to shepherds who were tending their sheep on the hillsides at night. This indicates that the time of year could not have been bitter winter.
There is evidence in the Quran that Jesus was born late in September or early in October. This time of year is indicated because Mary "shook the palm tree, and it dropped ripe dates for her." Dates ripen in that part of the world during a very specific and narrow period, in late September and early October.
The Quran gives quite a bit of detail about the actual birth:
The birth pangs came to her by the trunk of a palm tree. She said, "(I am so ashamed), I wish I were dead and completely forgotten." (The baby) spoke to her: "Do not worry. Your Lord has provided you with a stream of water next to you, and shake the trunk of this palm tree; it will drop ripe dates for you. Eat and drink and rejoice. When you see anyone say, `I have pledged to God a pledge of silence; today, I shall not speak to anyone." She carried him back to her family. They said, "O Mary, you have committed a horrendous crime! O descendant of Aaron, your father was not an evil man, nor was your mother unchaste." She simply pointed to the baby. They said, "How can we communicate with an infant in the cradle?" The baby spoke and said, "I am a servant of God. God has decreed that I shall receive the scripture; He has appointed me a prophet. He rendered me blessed wherever I might be. He has exhorted me to observe the contact prayers and the giving of alms, for as long as I live, and to honor my mother. He did not make me an evil tyrant. Peace is my lot the day I was born, the day I die, and the day I am resurrected." This is the true story of Jesus, son of Mary, about whom they still conjecture. It never befits God to have a son; be He glorified. To have anything done, He simply says to it, "Be," and it is. Jesus himself preached: "God is my Lord and your Lord; you shall worship Him alone. For this is the right path." [Quran 19:23-36]
It is apparent from this narration that the Bible's account of the virgin birth includes a number of different elements from those in the Quran. Given the Bible's need to explain Jesus' relation to the line of David, and what we have already seen to be indications of human interference in its text, we can be comfortable with the greater reliability of the Quran's account.
It is interesting that the Quranic elements of the date palm and water provided to Mary at the time of her labor are found in the Apocrypha, though when Jesus was an older child. The charges of fornication brought against Mary are also mentioned in the Apocrypha, in the description of Jesus' trial before Pilate. See THE BIBLE OF THE WORLD, edited by Robert O. Ballou, Viking Press, 1939, pp. 1258 & 1261.
The fact that Jesus spoke with wisdom even from the cradle is also in the Apocryphal book of I. Infancy of Jesus Christ. See THE LOST BOOKS OF THE BIBLE, Ibid., p. 38.
OTHER EXTRAORDINARY BIRTHS
The virgin birth of Jesus Christ was not the only extraordinary birth mentioned in the scriptures. Both the Bible and the Quran teach that Adam, Eve, Isaac, John the Baptist, and perhaps others have all come into being through uncommon or miraculous means.
Abraham and Sarah were very old when their son Isaac was conceived. Not only was Sarah old, far beyond menopause, she also had been sterile all of her life. The same was true with John the Baptist; his parents were much too old to have a child, and his mother was sterile. Thus, the creation of Isaac in the womb of Sarah, and the creation of John in the womb of Elizabeth were just as miraculous as the creation of Jesus inside Mary's womb.
But the Lord said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh and say `Shall I really bear a child, old as I am?' Is anything too marvelous for the Lord to do? At the appointed time, about this time next year, I will return to you, and Sarah will have a son." [Genesis 18:13-14] [Quran 11:73]
Zachariah was so impressed by the young girl Mary, for whom he was guardian, that he prayed for an equally pious child:
...Whenever Zachariah entered her sanctuary, he found provisions with her. He would ask, "Mary, where did you get this from?" She would say, "It is from God. God provides for whomever He chooses, without limits." That is when Zachariah implored his Lord: "My Lord, grant me such a good child; You are the Hearer of prayers." [Quran 3:37-38]
(Zachariah and Elizabeth) were childless, for Elizabeth was sterile; moreover, both were advanced in years. ...The angel said to him: "Do not be frightened, Zachariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth shall bear a son whom you shall name John." [Luke 1:7,13]
HOW IS VIRGIN BIRTH POSSIBLE?
How was Jesus born without a father? The Quran draws an analogy between the birth of Jesus and the creation of Adam. If God created Adam without a father, or a mother, why should it be strange that He created a man from a mother and no father? The birth of Jesus without a father completes the picture of extraordinary creations:
1.the creation of a man, Adam, with neither a father nor a mother;
2.the creation of a woman, Eve, from a `father' (Adam) and no mother; and finally,
3.the creation of a man, Jesus, from a mother and no father.
In the mathematically composed account of the Quran, it is significant that the assertion that "the creation of Jesus is equal to the creation of Adam," is backed up by the fact that both Adam and Jesus are mentioned in the Quran exactly twenty-five times each. This reflects the numerical structuring of the Quran. Given all the other mathematical coding, this could not be a coincidence.
The creation of Jesus, as far as God is concerned, is equal to the creation of Adam; God created Adam from clay, then said to him, "Be," and he was. [Quran 3:59]
The key word here is `Be.' Thus, God commanded that Jesus be formed inside the virgin Mary's womb, in much the same manner as He commanded that Adam be created, and Jesus was formed without a father. God simply said the word `Be,' and he was. The divine command `Be' is possibly `The Word' or `The Logos' that both the Bible and the Quran mention in connection with Jesus:
In the beginning was the Word; the Word was in God's presence.... [John 1:1]
The angels said, "O Mary, God sends good news to you; a `Word' from Him, to be named the Messiah, Jesus the son of Mary. Great will be his dignity in this world, as well as in the Hereafter; he shall be one of those who are close to Me." [Quran 3:45]
O followers of the scriptures, do not exceed the limits in practicing your religion, and do not attribute to God other than the truth. The Messiah, Jesus the son of Mary, is a messenger of God and His Word, which He bestowed upon Mary; a divine order from Him. Therefore, you shall believe in God and His messengers, and do not say, "Trinity." You shall refrain (from such an utterance) for your own good. God is only one God; be He glorified; it is not befitting that God should beget a son. To Him belongs everything in the heavens and the earth. God suffices as protector. [Quran 4:171]
The Quran even gives us some details on the immaculate conception. It tells us that Jesus, like Adam, was created with the divine breath:
Your Lord said to the angels, "I am creating a human being from aged mud, like the potter's clay. Once I perfect him, and blow into him from My spirit, you shall fall prostrate before him." [Quran 15:28-29]
And (recall) the one who maintained her virginity, then we blew into her from our spirit. We rendered her and her son a sign for the whole world. [Quran 21:91]
THE QUESTION OF JOSEPH
It is generally accepted by Christians that Mary was married to Joseph prior to the birth of Jesus. This understanding is derived from verses in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke:
Jacob was the father of Joseph the husband of Mary. It was of her that Jesus who is called the Messiah was born. [Matthew 1:16]
Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When his mother Mary was engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with child through the power of the Holy Spirit. Joseph her husband, an upright man unwilling to expose her to the law, decided to divorce her quietly. [Matthew 1:18-19]
And so Joseph went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to David's town of Bethlehem- because he was of the house and lineage of David- to register with Mary, his espoused wife, who was with child. [Luke 2:4-5]
The concept of Mary's marriage to Joseph is peculiar indeed, coming from people who believe in the virgin birth of Christ. It brings into serious doubt the whole idea of virgin birth. In fact, Vincent Taylor theorizes: "It is also possible, and even probable, that the Matthean Genealogy ended originally with the words, `And Joseph begat Jesus, who is called Christ' (Mt. i. 16)." [Ibid., p.10]
Interestingly, the Quran totally supports the idea of Jesus' virgin birth. The mathematically authenticated account in the Quran does not mention anything about Mary's marriage to anyone. There is no mention of Joseph.
The context of the Quranic narration conveys the clear message that Mary was neither married, nor unchaste, nor touched by any man prior to the birth of Jesus. Since Mary's marriage after the birth of Jesus is irrelevant to his birth, as well as to religious doctrine, the Quran does not mention whether Mary was ever married or not.
CONCLUSION
The virgin birth is reported in the Bible, the Apocrypha and the Quran. Though the details are somewhat different, in all cases Mary is held in great esteem, and her virgin pregnancy is recognized as a great honor.
The Quran's mathematical code stamps it as authentic, and the Quran itself gives us new insights into how such a miraculous birth could have taken place.
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