VIRGIN BIRTH

WAS MARY A VIRGIN WHEN JESUS WAS BORN?

AND WAS THIS PROPHESIED BEFORE IN THE OLD TESTAMENT?

My prompt to ChatGPT 3.5:

What are the Old Testament prophecies in the Old Testament that Christians claim talk of the mother of Jesus being a virgin before his birth?

ChatGPT 3.5 response:

The Old Testament prophecies that Christians often claim as references to the virgin birth of Jesus, and specifically the virginity of Mary, include:

1. Isaiah 7:14 (Isaiah's Prophecy): This verse is perhaps the most well-known prophecy cited in relation to the virgin birth of Jesus. It states, "Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel." In the Gospel of Matthew (Matthew 1:22-23), this verse is quoted as evidence of the fulfillment of the prophecy in the birth of Jesus, who is referred to as Immanuel, which means "God with us."

2. Genesis 3:15 (Protoevangelium): Although it doesn't explicitly mention a virgin birth, this verse is often seen as a foreshadowing of the coming Messiah. It says, "And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel." Christians interpret the reference to "the woman" as a potential allusion to Mary, and the "offspring" of the woman is seen as Jesus.

3. Micah 5:2 (Micah's Prophecy): Micah 5:2 predicts the birthplace of the Messiah: "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times." In the New Testament, this verse is associated with the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem.

4. Jeremiah 31:22 (Jeremiah's Prophecy): While this verse does not explicitly mention a virgin birth, it speaks of a "virgin daughter of Zion." Some Christians interpret this verse symbolically, suggesting that it points to Mary, who is often associated with Zion or Jerusalem, as the mother of the Messiah.

It's important to note that the interpretation of these Old Testament verses as prophecies of the virgin birth of Jesus is specific to Christian theology and is not universally accepted by all religious traditions or scholars. Different religious groups and scholars may have varying interpretations of these verses. Additionally, some critics argue that the original Hebrew text of Isaiah 7:14 may not necessarily refer to a virgin but rather to a young woman. The idea of a virgin birth became a central element of Christian doctrine, especially through the Gospel accounts in the New Testament.

My prompt to ChatGPT 3.5:

You are an expert in ancient Hebrew language, like that used in the Old Testament. What is the proper Hebrew word for a girl that is a virgin?

ChatGPT 3.5 response:

In ancient Hebrew, the term used to refer to a girl or woman who is a virgin is "בְּתוּלָה" (betulah). This term is commonly used in the Old Testament (Tanakh) to describe young women who have not engaged in sexual relations. It is important to note that Hebrew, like many languages, has evolved over time, and the way words are used and understood may vary in different historical and cultural contexts.

My prompt to ChatGPT 3.5:

You are an expert in ancient Hebrew language, like those used in the Old Testament. What are the Hebrew word or words in Isaiah 7:14 that describe the woman that will give birth to a son?

ChatGPT 3.5 response:

In Isaiah 7:14, the Hebrew word used to describe the woman who will give birth to a son is "עַלְמָ֗ה" (almah). The verse in Hebrew reads as follows:

לָכֵ֨ן יִתֵּ֤ן אֲדֹנָי֙ ה֛וּא לָכֶ֥ם אֹ֖ות הִנֵּ֣ה הָעַלְמָ֗ה הָרָה֙ וְיֹלֶ֣דֶת בֵּ֔ן וְקָרָ֥את שְׁמֹ֖ו עִמָּ֥נוּ אֵֽל׃

Transliteration: "Lakhēn yittēn Adonai hū laḵem ’ōṯ, hinnēh hā‘almāh hārāh wəyōlēḏeṯ bēn wəqārāṯ šəmwō ’immānū ’ēl."

The Hebrew word "almah" typically refers to a young woman of marriageable age and does not inherently denote virginity. The term "bethulah" (בְּתוּלָה) is the word used in the Hebrew Bible to specifically denote a virgin. The choice of "almah" in Isaiah 7:14 has been a subject of debate and interpretation, as some Jewish and Christian scholars interpret it as a young woman who is presumed to be a virgin, while others see it as a more general reference to a young woman. The interpretation of this word plays a role in the broader theological discussion surrounding the prophecy in Isaiah 7:14 and its connection to the virgin birth of Jesus in Christian theology.

-Shawn Jipp & ChatGpt 3.5

September, 2023