Misquoting Jesus with Bart Ehrman The Real Story Behind the Virgin Birth in Christianity
Dec 16, 2025
Bart Ehrman, a prominent New Testament scholar and author, dives into the complex origins of the virgin birth narrative in Christianity. He discusses how this concept is absent in Mark, Paul, and John, emphasizing its earliest appearance in Matthew. Ehrman contrasts this with Greco-Roman myths and explores the theological implications of the virgin birth for understanding Jesus' humanity and divinity. He also analyzes the differing perspectives on divinity found across the Gospels, revealing the rich tapestry of early Christian thought.
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Ehrman's Personal Shift On Jesus' Divinity
- Bart Ehrman recounts revising his view that Matthew, Mark, Luke portrayed Jesus as non-divine after researching ancient texts.
- He realized they did present Jesus as divine in certain senses, prompting a major shift in his scholarship.
How Translation Shaped The Virgin Birth Claim
- Matthew and Luke used the Greek Isaiah translation which reads parthenos, enabling a virgin-birth reading of Isaiah 7:14.
- The Hebrew text uses alma (young woman), so the prophecy originally described a contemporary sign, not a future messiah virgin birth.
Mark's Mary Suggests No Virgin-Birth Tradition
- Mark's narrative implies Mary did not view Jesus as a supernatural virgin-born being during his ministry.
- Mark 3 shows Mary's concern and misunderstanding, suggesting Mark lacked a virgin-birth tradition.
