Mark – Interpreter for Peter

Posted on by K.B. Vogelman

Oxyrhynchus Papyrus LXXXIII 5345 circa 1st-2nd century.

Mark’s Gospel seems like the fairy tale stepchild of the Gospel accounts of Jesus of Nazareth. Shortest of the four and probably the least quoted, that does not mean the Gospel is less than credible or authentic.

Assessing the merit and authenticity of Mark can be approached in two ways – historical timeline and uniqueness. How far back in history can the source of Mark’s Gospel be traced? What information is exclusive to Mark, not appearing in any other Gospel?

Experts date the writing of Mark to around 60 AD possibly making it the oldest Gospel although there is debate that Matthew preceded it.^[1] Evidence to the dating timeframe are two historical reference points.

Jerusalem’s destruction, which occurred in 70 AD, is not mentioned the Gospel.^[2] Add to this, Mark 13:2 refers to the destruction of the Temple in future tense suggesting it had not yet happened.^[3]

Origins of the Gospel’s author can be traced outside the Bible back to some of the original Disciples. Papias, an astute man born in 70 AD, made a direct reference in his writings to books “already written” which would had to have been just a few years after the crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth.^[4] His personal mission, instead, was to seek out the actual elders of the early church to ascertain the truth from them directly:

“If, then, any one who had attended on the elders came, I asked minutely after their sayings,-what Andrew or Peter said, or what was said by Philip, or by Thomas, or by James, or by John, or by Matthew, or by any other of the Lord’s disciples: which things Aristion and the presbyter John, the disciples of the Lord, say.” – Papias

Identified by name as sources by Papias are Aristion and the presbyter John, both of whom personally knew seven of the Disciples.^[5] At the conclusion of his investigation, Papias provided a matter-of-fact report, saying in part:^[6]

“And the presbyter said this. Mark having become the interpreter of Peter, wrote down accurately whatsoever he remembered. It was not, however, in exact order that he related the sayings or deeds of Christ. For he neither heard the Lord nor accompanied Him. But afterwards, as I said, he accompanied Peter, who accommodated his instructions to the necessities [of his hearers], but with no intention of giving a regular narrative of the Lord’s sayings. Wherefore Mark made no mistake in thus writing some things as he remembered them. For of one thing he took especial care, not to omit anything he had heard, and not to put anything fictitious into the statements.”

Irenaeus was a student of Polycarp who himself was personally mentored by the Disciple John.^[7] Like Papias, Irenaeus identified Mark as the author of the Gospel, the traveling interpreter for the Disciple Peter:^[8]

“…Mark, the disciple and interpreter of Peter, did also hand down to us in writing what had been preached by Peter.”

“…Mark, the interpreter and follower of Peter, does thus commence his Gospel narrative…”

Not just casual acquaintances, Mark and Luke were both part of the Apostle Paul’s ministry.^[9] The Book of Acts, written by the author of Luke, mentions Mark’s name three times identifying him as “John Mark.”

In the Book of Philemon written by Paul, Mark and Luke are both called out by name.^[10] Other times, Peter referred to Mark as “my son” and the Paul referred to Mark as the cousin of Barnabas.^[11]

Mark’s Gospel reflects the knowledge gained during his years spent traveling with Peter and Paul; his interactions with the other Disciples; and listening to eyewitness account. If Mark referenced Matthew or vice versa, in their era it was common and acceptable writing protocol to copy information from other sources without any formal references.^[12]

In the world of investigators, identical or nearly identical statements can be a clear indication of collusive deception as alleged by some Gospel critics.^[13] Several differences between Mark and the other Gospels are readily apparent through simple literary analysis.

Nearly 8% of Mark, 51 verses in all, are unique content. Matthew has 28 chapters and Luke 24 whereas Mark has only 16 chapters. Writing analysis also strongly suggests Mark had the special ability to interpret both Aramaic and Greek.^[14]

Unlike Matthew and Luke, Mark did not provide any genealogical details of Jesus. To begin the Gospel account, in the very first verse Jesus is declared to be the Son of God. The next two verses link an Isaiah prophecy to his introduction of John the Baptist.^[15]

Miracles by Jesus solely reported in Mark are two: the healing of the deaf mute and healing the blind man at Bethsaida.^[16] One parable is exclusive to Mark, the seed growing in secret, as well as possibly a second (or was it an analogy?) – the slaves in charge of a house.^[17]

Activity the night before the Resurrection event is exclusively found in Mark. Named are three women, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome, who purchased and prepared aromatic spices and anointing oils to be used the following morning at the tomb of Jesus.^[18]

Both Mark and Luke pick up the Resurrection story at the tomb after the stone had been rolled away. Mark reveals a very specific detail not described in the other Gospels: “Entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting at the right.” Further, he reports the witnessing women trembled, were amazed and afraid – details not reported in the other three Gospels.^[19]

Does Mark’s Gospel about Jesus of Nazareth bear the marks of credibility and authenticity?

Updated September 3, 2023.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

REFERENCES:

[1] Ryrie. Charles C., ed. Ryrie Study Bible. New American Standard Trans. 1978. “Introduction to the Book of Matthew;” “Introduction to the Book of Mark; “Introduction to the Book of Luke.” “New Testament – Historical Books.” “New Testament.” Jewish Encyclopedia. 2011. <http://jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/11498-new-testament> “The Four Gospels.” ReligionFacts.com. 2019. <http://www.religionfacts.com/christianity/texts/gospels.htm>
Gloag, Paton J. Introduction to the Synoptic Gospels. 1895. pp 45, 204. <https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=yale.39002051125079&view=1up&seq=9>
[2] “Mark, the Gospel According to.” Easton’s 1897 Bible Dictionary. 3^rd Edition. n.d. <http://www.ccel.org/e/easton/ebd/ebd/T0002400.html#T0002421> Ryrie. Ryrie Study Bible. “Introduction to the Book of Mark.”
[3] “New Testament.” Jewish Encyclopedia. “The Four Gospels.” ReligionFacts.com. Gloag. Introduction to the Synoptic Gospels. pp 45, 204.
[4] Papias. “Papias.” Fragment I. “From the exposition of the oracles of the Lord.” 2005. <http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/anf01.vii.ii.i.html>
[5] Schaff. Ante-Nicene Fathers. “Introductory Note to the Fragments of Papias.” <http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/anf01.vii.ii.i.html> Papias. Fragment I, footnote #1739. Papias. Fragment VI, footnote #1755. <http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/anf01.vii.ii.vi.html>
[6] Papias. Fragments I & VI. Swete, Henry Barclay. The Gospel According to St. Mark, The Greek Text with Notes and Indices. 1902. pp LX – LXI. <https://books.google.com/books?id=WcYUAAAAQAAJ&lpg=PA127&ots=f_TER300kY&dq=Seneca%20centurio%20supplicio%20pr%C3%A6positus&pg=PP1#v=onepage&q&f=false> Papias. “Papias.” Fragment I. “From the exposition of the oracles of the Lord.” 2005. <http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/anf01.vii.ii.i.html>
[7] Schaff, Philip. “Introduction – The General Character of His Work.” Ante-Nicene Fathers. Volume I. <http://www.ccel.org/ccel/richardson/fathers.xi.i.i.html> Schaff, Philip. “Introductory Note to the Epistle of Polycarp to the Philippians.” Ante-Nicene Fathers. Volume I. n.d. Christian Classics Ethereal Library. 13 July 2005. http://m.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/anf01.iv.i.html> Gloag, The Synoptic Gospels. p11.
[8] Irenaeus. Against Heresies. Book III, Chapters I.1, X.5, XIV.1. <http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/anf01.ix.iv.html> CR Acts 12:12.
[9] Swete. The Gospel According to St. Mark, The Greek Text with Notes and Indices. pp XV – XXI. Irenaeus, Against Heresies. Book III, Chapter XV.3. Papias. “Papias.” Fragment I. “From the exposition of the oracles of the Lord.”
[10] Acts 15:37; 12:12, 35; Philemon 1:24.
[11] 1 Peter 5:13; Colossians 4:10.
[12] Reed, Annette Yoshiko. Pseudepigraphy, Authorship, and ‘The Bible’ in Late Antiquity. pp 478 & 489. 2008. Academia.edu. <> Chase, Jeffrey S. “The Gutenberg Printing Press.” Duke University|Department of Computer Science. n.d. <http://www.cs.duke.edu/~chase/cps49s/press-summary.html> Fausset, Andrew R. “New Testament.” Fausset Bible Dictionary. 1878. <http://classic.studylight.org/dic/fbd> “Custom Cheating and Plagiarism essay paper writing service.” ExclusivePapers.com. 2019. <http://exclusivepapers.com/essays/Informative/cheating-and-plagiarism.php> Cummings, Michael J. “Did Shakespeare Plagiarize?” Cummings Study Guides. 2003 <http://cummingsstudyguides.net/xPlagiarism.html> Pearse, Roger, ed. “Tacitus and his manuscripts.” The Tertullian Project. 2008. <http://www.tertullian.org/rpearse/tacitus>
[13] Vick, Tristan D. “Dating the Gospels: Looking at the Historical Framework.” Advocatus Atheist. 2010. <http://advocatusatheist.blogspot.com/2010/01/dating-gospels-looking-at-historical.html> “New Testament.” Jewish Encyclopedia. 2011. Etinger, Judah. Foolish Faith. Chapter 6. 2019. FoolishFaith.com. <http://www.foolishfaith.com/book_chap6_history.asp> Shamoun, Sam. “The New Testament Documents and the Historicity of the Resurrection.” Answering-Islam.org. 2013. <http://www.answering-islam.org/Shamoun/documents.htm> Sapir Avinoam. LSI Laboratory for Scientific Interrogation. Language analysis courses. <http://www.lsiscan.com/id37.htm>
[14] “Mark, the Gospel According to.” Easton’s Bible Dictionary. 3rd Edition. Swete. The Gospel According to St. Mark, The Greek Text with Notes and Indices. pp XIX, LXXIV. MacRory, Joseph. “Gospel of Saint Mark.” The Catholic Encyclopedia. 1910. <http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09674b.htm> “Miscellaneous Notes and Queries.” 1895. History, Folk-Lore, Mathematics, Mysticism, Art, Science, Etc. Volume 13. p21. <https://books.google.com/books?id=diwAAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA21&lpg=PA21&dq=what+language+did+Mark+interpret+for+Peter?&source=bl&ots=AnNyDYHoXC&sig=ACfU3U1nG49JG00-xpncw9xnrUbYIAs6ng&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwipo6-qwdjjAhUInawKHRHOA8U4ChDoATADegQICBAB#v=onepage&q=what%20language%20did%20Mark%20interpret%20for%20Peter%3F&f=false>
[15] Mark 1:1-4. NLT, NASB.
[16] Mark 7:31-37; 8:22-26. Aune, Eilif Osten. “Synoptic Gospels.” Bible Basics. 2013. <https://web.archive.org/web/20171214110423/http://www.bible-basics-layers-of-understanding.com/Synoptic-Gospels.html> “Luke, the Gospel According to.” Easton’s Bible Dictionary. 3rd Edition. n.d. <http://www.ccel.org/e/easton/ebd/ebd/T0002300.html#T0002331> Ryrie. “The Miracles of Jesus.”
[17] Mark 4:26. Sween, Don and Nancy. “Parable.” BibleReferenceGuide.com. n.d. <http://www.biblereferenceguide.com/keywords/parable.html> Ryrie. “The Parables of Jesus.” Aune. “Synoptic Gospels.”
[18] Mark 16:1.
[19] Mark 16:5 (NKJV), 8.

An Undisputed Messiah Requirement

Posted on by K.B. Vogelman

An Undisputed Messiah Requirement

One Messiah requirement is common to both Judaism and Christianity in Matthew and Luke. The foundations begin in Genesis with a prophetic blessing by Jacob, then the Law handed down to Moses followed by many prophecies thereafter until the appearance of Jesus of Nazareth.

First, prophetic blessings were given by Jacob, aka Israel, to each of his sons. One son, Judah, received the blessing that his family-tribe lineage would be like a lion that would possess the “scepter”:

^{Gen 49:8-10} “Judah, [as for] you, your brothers will acknowledge you. Your hand will be at the nape of your enemies, [and] your father’s sons will prostrate themselves to you. A cub [and] a grown lion is Judah. From the prey, my son, you withdrew. He crouched, rested like a lion, and like a lion, who will rouse him? The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the student of the law from between his feet, until Shiloh comes, and to him will be a gathering of peoples.”_{(Complete Jewish Bible)}^[1]

Rabbi Rashi, one of most revered Rabbi sages, identified Shiloh as the “King Messiah, to whom the kingdom belongs.” According to Rashi, the“scepter” refers to the royal lineage of “David and thereafter.”^[2]

Centuries later, at Mt. Sinai Moses received the Law from God defined in the books of the Torah – Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Deuteronomy and Numbers. Much more than just the 10 Commandments, the Law of God also included promises and prophecies. One was the promise of a future kingdom in an unnamed place God would choose.^[3]

Leaving Mt. Sinai on their quest to reach the promised land of Abraham, the tribes of Israel were defeating one enemy after another creating dread by those kings and nations lying in their path. One enemy king, Balak, thought he could cleverly use God to prevent his Moab nation’s defeat.

Persistently, Balak asked the prophet Balaam to place a curse from God on the Hebrews, but the prophet refused. In response, Balaam instead issued a momentous Messiah prophesy saying:

^{Nm 24:17}“I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near; A star shall come forth from Jacob, A scepter shall rise from Israel, And shall crush through the forehead of Moab, And tear down all the sons of Sheth.”_{(New American Standard Bible)}

“Scepter” or “staff” is translated from the same Hebrew word shebet appearing in Jacob’s blessing of Judah.^[4] Again, Rashi said shebet represents “a king who rules dominantly” pointing to King David. A star, the Rabbi describes, “shoots out like an arrow” and uproots the sons of Sheth or Seth, the son of Adam; in other words, symbolically all of mankind.^[5]

Rabbi Maimonides authored the 13 Principles of Faith defining the fundamentals of the Jewish faith. In it, the Rabbi interpreted Balaam’s prophecy to be referring to the future King David and the Messiah who will be a King from the “House of David.”^[6] Later, building on Balaam’s prophecy, the prophet Nathan promised Israel’s King David:

^{2 Sam 7:16}“Your house and your kingdom shall endure before me forever; your throne shall be established forever.”_{(New American Standard Version)}

Multiple prophecies of the Branch of David were issued by prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah and Zechariah.^[7] Isaiah, regarded by Judaism and Christianity to be the greatest of all the prophets, alone issued multiple Messiah prophecies.^[8] One Isaiah prophecy viewed by Christians as pointing to the Messiah is often seen during Christmas season: ^[9]

^{Is 9:5-6 (vs. 6-7)} “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever.”_{(Jewish Publication Society)}^[10]

Rabbi Jose the Galilean, in the Babylonian Talmud tractate, “The Chapter on Peace,” identified one of the names of the Messiah as the “Prince of Peace.” In the second verse (6/7), the prophecy says he will rule from the throne of David.^[11]

Rabbi Tanhun in a Talmud Gemara interpreted two of the six blessings of Ruth 3:17 as referring to David and the Messiah.^[12] The Rabbi associated the Messiah with “peace” in Isaiah 9:5 clarifying the blessing of David by identifying the Messiah as the son of the “Bethlechemite” Jesse with the Messiah’s blessing appearing in Isaiah 11:2:

“The name of the Messiah is also “peace” (Shalom), as it is written [Is. ix. 5]: “The prince of peace.” … “Messiah — as it reads [Is. xi. 2]: “And there shall rest upon him the spirit of the Lord, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.”^[12]

Isaiah chapter 11 contains a second prophecy referencing the “root of Jesse.” The Jewish Encyclopedia recognizes Jesse as the father of King David saying of Isaiah’s 11:10 prophecy, it is “one of his sublimest Messianic prophecies.”^[13]

^{Is 11:1-2 “}And a shoot shall spring forth from the stem of Jesse, and a twig shall sprout from his roots.And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, a spirit of wisdom and understanding, a spirit of counsel and heroism, a spirit of knowledge and fear of the Lord.” _{(Complete Jewish Bible}₎

^{Is 11:10 “}And it shall come to pass on that day, that the root of Jesse, which stands as a banner for peoples, to him shall the nations inquire, and his peace shall be [with] honor.”_{(Complete Jewish Bible}₎

Judaism interprets the prophecies of the scepter, the Prince of Peace, the “root of Jesse” and the Branch as referring to the Messiah. These prophecies establish the one single prophetic Messiah requirement recognized by both Judaism and Christianity – the Messiah must born in the family lineage of King David. What then are the odds that Jesus of Nazareth is the fulfillment of this Messiah requirement?

Updated October 19, 2022.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

REFERENCES:

[1] The Compete Jewish Bible – with Rashi Commentary. 2019. <https://www.chabad.org/library/bible_cdo/aid/63255/jewish/The-Bible-with-Rashi.htm>

[2] Rashi. The Compete Jewish Bible – with Rashi Commentary. Commentary on Genesis 49:10. “The Throne of David Trailer.” Vimeo. Image. 2014. <https://vimeo.com/113429903>

[3] Dueteronomy17:14-15.

[4] Net.bible.org. Numbers 24:17. Hebrew text shebet <07626>. 2019. <http://classic.net.bible.org/strong.php?id=07626>

[5] Rashi. The Complete Jewish Bible with Rashi Commentary. Numbers 24:17 commentary.

[6] Maimonides. “The Law Concerning Moshiach.” Ed. Yechezkal Shimon Gutfreund, Chapters 11 & 12. <http://www.kesser.org/moshiach/rambam.html#SIE>

[7] Rich, Tracey R. “Mashiach: The Messiah.” Judaism101. 2011. <http://www.jewfaq.org/mashiach.htm>

[8] “Isaiah.” Jewish Encyclopedia. 2011. <http://jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/8235-isaiah> “Isaiah.” Biblica | The International Bible Society. 2019. <https://www.biblica.com/resources/scholar-notes/niv-study-bible/intro-to-isaiah>

[9] Rashi. The Complete Jewish Bible with Rashi Commentary. Isaiah 9:6 commentary.

[10] “The Book of Yeshayahu (Isaiah): Chapter 9.” Jewish Virtual Library. 2019. <https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/yeshayahu-isaiah-chapter-9>

[11]The Babylonian Talmud. Trans. Michael L. Rodkinson. 1918. Book 5: Tractate Derech Eretz-Zuta, “The Chapter on Peace.” p 32. <http://www.sacred-texts.com/jud/t05/ere18.htm> “Minor Tractate Zuta Rabbah: Chapter on Peace.” Jewish Virtual Library. 2019. <https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/minor-tractate-zuta-rabbah-chapter-on-peace> “Jewish Concepts: Peace.” Virtual Library. 2019. <https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/peace> “Jose the Galilean.” Jewish Encyclopedia. <http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/8788-jose-the-galilean>

[12] “Tractate Sanhedrin: Chapter 11.” Virtual Library. 2019. <https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/tractate-sanhedrin-chapter-11; CR Soncino Babylonian Talmud. Ed. Isidore Epstein. “Sanhedrin 93b.” 1935-1948. <https://israelect.com/Come-and-Hear/sanhedrin/sanhedrin_93.html#93b_12

[13] “Jesse.” JewishEncyclopedia.com. 2011. <https://jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/8613-jesse> “The Book of Yeshayahu (Isaiah): Chapter 11. Jewish Virtual Library. 2019. <https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/yeshayahu-isaiah-chapter-11>

The Greatest Offer in History – Turned Down

Posted on by K.B. Vogelman

The Greatest Offer in History – Turned Down

King Ahaz knew the reputation of Isaiah who had prophesied to two previous kings, his father King Jotham and grandfather King Uzziah.^[1] When the prophet spoke, Ahaz was fully aware that Isaiah was speaking directly for God, yet the King turned down the greatest offer ever made by God to a man.

Ten generations earlier, the House of David was split by God as a punishment for worshiping pagan gods Sidonian goddess Astarte, Moabite god Chemosh and Ammonite god Milcom.^[2] God retained the city, Jerusalem, and split off 10 tribes of Israel whom He promised to bless if they followed God like David had done.^[3]

King Rehoboam, son of Solomon, ruled the nation of Judah from Jerusalem while 10 tribes followed Jeroboam, son of Nebat from the tribe of Ephraim, who became their King of the nation Israel.^[4] Themselves becoming enemies, the two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim, split off from Israel warring with each other.^[5]

During the reign of Ahaz, King Pekah of Ephraim allied with King Rezin of Syria (Aram or the Arameans) to attack Judah and besieged Jerusalem. Inside the city, Ahaz and the people were greatly distressed.^[6]

In an effort to calm their fears, God sent Isaiah promising protection to Jerusalem and King Ahaz. God even foretold Ephraim as a nation would be eliminated within 65 years.^[7]

Assuring the shaken King of God’s promise of protection, Ahaz was given the unprecedented opportunity to ask for a miraculous sign with boundless limitations – any sign between Heaven and Hell to prove His promise was indisputable:

^{Is 7:11} “Ask a sign for yourself from the LORD your God; make it deep as Sheol or high as heaven.”_(NASB)

Unbelievably, King Ahaz refused to take the offer! He said to Isaiah, “I will not ask, nor will I test the LORD!”^[8]

Knowing the true reason for Ahaz’ response and not taking kindly to this attitude, Isaiah’s response from God certainly didn’t ease the King’s anxieties: “Is it too slight a thing for you to try the patience of men, that you will try the patience of my God as well?”^[9]

No longer speaking just to the King, Isaiah’s response addressed a much broader audience, “Listen now, O house of David!”^[10] Isaiah’s response to Ahaz’ attitude was, in effect, “now let me tell the whole kingdom of David about God’s marvelous sign!”

Unequivocal parameters of the sign had already been established with God’s offer by raising the bar to the highest possible level offered to the King. Now, the sign had to be even greater than between Heaven and Hell, one so fantastic, so exceptional, it would be impossibly miraculous:

^{Is 7:14:} “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.” _(NKJV)

Three explicit details make the Isaiah 7:14 prophecy precise. The prophesied female would be a specific virgin, “the virgin,” terminology only used this one time since the Law was given to Moses.

Only twice previously, before the Law, was a virgin specifically identified – Rebekah, the virgin bride of Isaac, and Miriam, the virgin sister of Moses.^[11] Isaiah also foretold the gender of the virgin’s child to be a boy and he was named by God, a Biblical rarity.

Various rationalizations are asserted claiming Isaiah 7:14 is not a Messiah prophecy. Some argue the prediction was really about an unidentified young female who was present with King Ahaz and Isaiah, even going so far as to say the female was already pregnant.^[12]

Jewish sage Rabbi Rashi espoused the prophecy was about Manoah’s wife, mother of Sampson, the Biblical strongman.^[13] Various contend the Christian Bible is a mistranslation, a misinterpretation, or an error.^[14] A few go so far as to accuse Christians of a conspiracy to intentionally change the text as a false means to support beliefs of Christianity.

Science discoveries and technology advancements debunk some of these charges, especially the Christianity accusations. Qumran discovery of the complete Great Isaiah Scroll, written in ancient Hebrew in 125 BC a century before Jesus of Nazareth was born, contains the Isaiah 7:14 Hebrew words ha-almah, “the virgin.”^[15]

King Ahaz declined the opportunity to choose any sign between Heaven and Hell. God responded with an even greater prophetic sign, one that was seemingly impossible – a virgin birth.

A straightforward test of truth is based on the parameters of God’s own definition – would this promised virgin female’s conception of a baby boy rise to the level of an unparalleled, matchless sign of God; a Messiah prophecy?

Updated January 6, 2024.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

REFERENCES:

[1] 2 Chronicles 26.22-23; 27:1-2; 2 Kings 15:32-34, 38; Isaiah 1:1; 7:1.
[2] I Kings 11:4-8, 33; I Chronicles 3:10-13.
[3] I Kings 11:26-49.
[4] I Kings 12:16-20, 26.
[5] I Kings 14:30. Isaiah 9:21.
[6] Isaiah 7:2.
[7] Isaiah 7:2, 8. “Special Offer|Exclusive.” FreePNGimg.com. photo. 2022. <https://freepngimg.com/download/special_offer/12-2-special-offer-picture.png>
[8] Isaiah 7:12. NASB, NKJV.
[9] Isaiah 7:13.
[10] NKJV.
[11] Isaiah 7:14. Bible Hub. Hebrew text. <https://biblehub.com/text/isaiah/7-14.htm> Genesis 24:43. Bible Hub. Hebrew text. <https://biblehub.com/text/genesis/24-43.htm> Exodus 2:8. Hebrew text. BibleHub. <https://biblehub.com/text/exodus/2-8.htm>
[12] Nahigian, Kenneth E. “A Virgin-Birth Prophesy?” Skeptic Tank Files. n.d. <http://www.skeptictank.org/files/sr/2virgi93.htm> Cramer, Robert Nguyen. “The Book of Isaiah.” The BibleTexts.com.. 1998 <http://www.bibletexts.com/verses/v-isa.htm> Cline, Austin. “Who Was Virgin Mary, Mother of Jesus? Was She Really a Virgin?” About.com|Agnosticism/Atheism. n.d. <http://atheism.about.com/od/biblepeoplenewtestament/p/MaryVirgin.htm> Yosef, Uri. “Isaiah 7:14 – Part 1: An Accurate Grammatical Analysis.” The Jewish Home. 2011. <http://thejewishhome.org/counter/Isa714_1.pdf> Bratcher, Dennis. “Isaiah 7:14: Translation Issues.” The Voice. 10 Feb. 2014. <http://www.crivoice.org/isa7-14.html> The Complete Jewish Bible with Rashi Commentary. Yeshayahu- Isaiah 7:14. <https://www.chabad.org/library/bible_cdo/aid/15938/showrashi/true> “Who is the Almah’s son?” Teshuvas HaMinim. 2011. <http://web.archive.org/web/20120425022737/http://www.teshuvashaminim.com/isaiah714.html>
Robinson, B.A. “Isaiah 7:14 “Behold, a virgin shall conceive…”” Religious Tolerance. 2007 <http://www.religioustolerance.org/chr_proi.htm> Gill. John Gill’s Exposition of the Whole Bible. Isaiah 7:14 commentary. <https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/geb/isaiah-7.html>
[13] The Compete Jewish Bible- with Rashi Commentary. Isaiah 7:14, CR Judges Chapter 13.
[14] Nahigian. “A Virgin-Birth Prophesy?” Cramer. “The Book of Isaiah.” Cline, Austin. “Who Was Virgin Mary, Mother of Jesus? Was She Really a Virgin?” Yosef, Uri. “Isaiah 7:14 – Part 1: An Accurate Grammatical Analysis.” Bratcher, Dennis. “Isaiah 7:14: Translation Issues.”
[15] “Isaiah 7:14-Deception In The Name Of Jesus.” Agnostic Review of Christianity. n.d. <http://agnosticreview.com/isaiah7.htm> Miller. Fred P. “The Translation of the Great Isaiah Scroll.” Book of Isaiah. Column VI Isa 6:7 to 7:15. 2001. <http://www.moellerhaus.com/qa-tran.htm> Miller. Fred P. “Commentary on Isaiah – In-depth verse-by-verse study of Isaiah.” Moellerhaus Publisher. 1999. <http://moellerhaus.com/7-8.htm> Isaiah 7:14. Bible Hub. Hebrew text. <https://biblehub.com/text/isaiah/7-14.htm> Isaiah 7:14 BibleHub.com. Interlinear Bible Hebrew text “5959 [e] hā·‘al·māh”. <http://biblehub.com/interlinear/isaiah/7-14.htm> Orthodox Jewish Bible (OJB) translation for Isaiah 7:14. <https://biblehub.com/ojb/isaiah/7.htm>