Men and women of the Bible

Mary was a virgin only at the time of conception, not at Jesus’ birth

Victor Paul Wierwille denied the virgin birth of Jesus, ‘If it is said a virgin shall bring forth a son your Bible would fall to pieces. It says plainly that Mary was a virgin only at the time of conception, not at Jesus' birth; the theory of virgin birth has been a theological assumption and erroneous teaching. The Bible said in verse 20 that God told Joseph, 'Take unto thee thy wife' when Joseph took her unto himself he lived with her as a husband lives with a wife. She was a virgin when she conceived by God, but when Joseph took her unto himself she was no longer a virgin. The divine conception made Mary no longer a virgin’ (The Way Magazine, Dec. 1970, p. 6).

Confutation

The Scripture says: “Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. But while he thought about these things, behold, and angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.’ So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: ‘Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,’ which is translated, ‘God with us.’ Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name Jesus” (Matthew 1:18-25 - NKJV).

Note that the prophet (Isaiah) foretold that the mother of Jesus would be a virgin both at the time of conception and at the time of the birth of Jesus, for he said: “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son …..” (Matthew 1:23). Therefore, since we know that when the fullness of the time had come the words of the prophet were fulfilled, Mary remained a virgin till she had given birth to Jesus. That Mary was a virgin when she gave birth to Jesus is evident from the following words written by Matthew: “Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son” (Matthew 1:24-25).

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