There are those who deny the virgin birth of Jesus. Some have gone so far as to alter their Bibles to refer to Mary as a "young woman" instead of a "virgin." What about it, was Mary a virgin?
1. Isaiah thought so. Long ago, Isaiah prophesied, "...the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel" (Isa. 7:14). Matthew later wrote of Mary’s conception, "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...’" (Mt. 1:22-23). If Mary had simply been a "young woman" what would have been so unusual about the birth? How could it have been a sign?
2. Mary thought so. Remember what Mary said when the angel told her that she was going to bring forth a child? "Then Mary said to the angel, ‘How can this be, since I do not know a man?’" (Lk. 1:34). Mary was confused by the angel’s statement for she had never been intimate with a man. She was a virgin and she for certain knew it. More evidence of this is seen at the cross. Who was standing by? Mary (Jn. 19:26). If Jesus was just the illegitimate child of a Roman solider (as some say) would Mary have kept quiet through the tragic events surrounding her son? Truly, Jesus was born of a virgin!
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