The Virginal Conception: Nativity or Naiveté

Dr. Craig Blomberg

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Lesson

Can we believe that Jesus was born of a virgin? If not, then this part of the gospel story is not reliable. Blomberg covers general issues and specific problems, and then positive support for the virginal conception.

Outline

I. GENERAL ISSUES

A. The comparative religions question

1. Alexander

2. Caesar

3. Myths

B. The illegitimacy of Jesus

C. Is Matthew a midrash?

D. Commonalities between Matthew and Luke

II. SPECIFIC PROBLEMS

A. The specific supernatural phenomena in the narratives besides the conception

B. The flight to Egypt

C. Nazareth vs. Bethlehem

D. Herod’s pogrom

E. Quirinius’ census

III. POSITIVE SUPPORT

A. Historical verisimilitude

B. Luke 1:1-4 vs. the rest of chapters 1–2

C. The restrained nature of the predictions

D. Lack of later theological use in NT

E. Anti-Christian polemic in 2nd—5th centuries