Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site umcp-cs.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!bonnie!akgua!whuxlm!harpo!decvax!genrad!panda!talcott!harvard!seismo!umcp-cs!mangoe
From: mangoe@umcp-cs.UUCP (Charley Wingate)
Newsgroups: net.religion
Subject: Re: the Virgin and Israel
Message-ID: <5269@umcp-cs.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 27-Apr-85 19:59:16 EDT
Article-I.D.: umcp-cs.5269
Posted: Sat Apr 27 19:59:16 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 29-Apr-85 04:35:17 EDT
References: <353@cvl.UUCP>
Distribution: net
Organization: U of Maryland, Computer Science Dept., College Park, MD
Lines: 26

In article <353@cvl.UUCP> david@cvl.UUCP (David Harwood) writes:
>	The NT citations, as of Isaiah above, of the OT are
>known to be citations of the Greek Septuagint (LXX) translation
>by Jewish scholars before the time of Christ. They themselves
>translated the Hebrew 'almah', occuring in Isaiah, as 'parthenos' 
>(virgin) despite the fact that it may mean 'young maiden'. Since
>this was their translation, not the Christians', it suggests they
>attached a 'theological' significance to the passage in Isaiah,
>but not the usual 'Christian' one, although these may have been
>related in the minds of the Jewish community of Matthew. It is
>quite natural for the LXX, as well as Jews of Jesus time, to have
>intended 'virgin' to represent the undefiled, beloved Israel of God,
>from who would come the Messiah, through the spirit of God.

All this may be true, but it represents an argument FOR Matthew citing that
LXX text, not evidence about the Virgin Birth itself.  If you removed the
reference to that birth from the NT, there is still considerable NT text
which directly states this doctrine.  For example, elsewhere in the same
passage, it states that Joseph wanted to end the engagement, because his
bride-to-be was pregnant.  The appearance of the angel mentioned in verse 24
was in fact to tell Joseph that everything was OK, by DIRECTLY STATING the
doctrine.  The facts of the engagement are corroborated in the Lukan version.

Charley Wingate   umcp-cs!mangoe

   For the mouse is a creature of great personal valor.   --C. Swift