EBS

Eyewitness Bible Series in Luke’s time there were 3 crucial reasons for young Jewish woman to remain a Virgin until marriage. 1st if she wasn’t a Virgin she was suspected of fornication and was subject to harsh punishments including death by stoning from the community and her family. (If she escaped that,) It was highly unlikely she would ever marry an honorable man. 2 and third reasons are related to inheritance laws or based on the rule that the first-born legitimate son inherited much more than the other sons or daughters. sometimes the first-born legitimate son inherited everything. also, some of the Jewish religious rites required an identification of the first-born legitimate son. It was absolutely crucial that Jewish parents could identify their first-born legitimate son without a shadow of a doubt. the only way for a father to know beyond a reasonable doubt that his son was first born and legitimate was for his bride to be a Virgin...that's why so many wedding customs and community rituals were centered on the bride proving she was a Virgin on her wedding night... To us the pregnant Virgin is an impossibility. to Jews who believe the Prophet Isaiah a pregnant Virgin was a certain sign “therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign the Virgin will conceive and give birth to a son” Isa. 7:14 everyone knew that Mary was of the House of David (Joseph, his adopting father was as well) Luke listed the genealogy of Jesus. the descendants of David learned their genealogy at an early age. Jesus was a descendant of David which meant that he was a legitimate candidate to be the Messiah. Luke has set the stage and introduced the main character of his story, Jesus. At his birth, he was the first-born legitimate son of God and qualified to be the Messiah. I believe you will also be convinced that Jesus was Christ the Messiah

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