Early Christian Beliefs About Jesus' Birth

Ignatius, Epistles of Ignatius Direct teaching

... of servants, for we share the same nature with them. Do not despise women, for they have given you birth and raised you. It is right, therefore, to love those who were the authors of our birth (but only in the Lord), as a man cannot have children without a woman. It is right, therefore, that we should honor those who have contributed to our birth. "Neither is the man without the woman, nor the woman without the man," except in the case of those who were first formed. For the body of Adam was made from the four elements, and that of Eve from the side of Adam. And, indeed, the unique birth of the Lord was from a virgin alone. This happened not because the lawful union of husband and wife is abominable, but such a birth was fitting for God. For it was appropriate for the Creator not to use the ordinary method of generation, but one that was unique and extraordinary, as being the Creator.

Ignatius, Epistles of Ignatius Direct teaching

And, indeed, the altogether peculiar birth of the Lord was of a virgin alone.

Ignatius, Epistles of Ignatius Direct teaching

For “the Word became flesh.” For “Wisdom builded for herself a house.” And God the Word was born as man, with a body, of the Virgin, without any intercourse of man.

Tatian, The Diatessaron Direct teaching

1 [Arabic, p. 7] Matthew 1:18 Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah was on this wise: In the time when his mother was given in marriage to Joseph, before they came together, 2 she was found with child of the Holy Spirit.

Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Direct teaching

Let them rest on the festival of His birth, because on it the unexpected favour was granted to men, that Jesus Christ, the Logos of God, should be born of the Virgin Mary, for the salvation of the world.

Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book III Direct teaching

...ve and give birth to a son, and they shall call His name Emmanuel, which means God with us." This clearly signifies that the promise made to the forefathers was fulfilled, that the Son of God was born of a virgin, and that He Himself was the Christ the Savior whom the prophets had foretold. It counters the claims of those who say that Jesus was merely the one born of Mary and that Christ descended from above. Matthew might have said, "Now the birth of Jesus was in this way;" but the Holy Ghost, anticipating and guarding against false interpretations, states through Matthew, "But the birth of Christ was in this way;" and asserts that He is Emmanuel, to prevent us from seeing Him as just a man. For, "not by the will of the flesh nor by the will of man, but by the will of God was the Word made flesh;" and so that we would not separate Jesus from Christ, but understand them to be one and the same.

Matthew 1:18 Background

Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit.

Matthew 1:23 Background

Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

Luke 1:31 Background

And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.

Galatians 4:4 Background

But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law,

Matthew 1:25 Background

but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.

Origen, Against Celsus Direct teaching

...ys, were fanatics and mob leaders, and who claimed that they had come from heaven, unless it were clearly shown that He had been born in Bethlehem, or, as another might say, had come forth from Bethlehem to be the leader of the people. With respect to the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, if anyone desires, after the prophecy of Micah and after the history recorded in the Gospels by the disciples of Jesus, to have additional evidence from other sources, let him know that, in agreement with the narrative in the Gospel regarding His birth, the cave where He was born is shown at Bethlehem, and the manger in the cave where He was wrapped in swaddling-clothes. And this sight is greatly talked of in the surrounding places, even among the enemies of the faith, it being said that in this cave was born that Jesus who is worshipped and reverenced by the Christians. Moreover, I think that before the coming of Christ, the chief priests and scribes of the people, because of the distinctness and clearness of this prophecy, taught that the Christ was to be born in Bethlehem. And this opinion had also become widespread among the Jews. For this reason, it is related that Herod, when inquiring of the

Origen, Against Celsus Supporting witness

With respect to the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, if any one desires, after the prophecy of Micah and after the history recorded in the Gospels by the disciples of Jesus, to have additional evidence from other sources, let him know that, in conformity with the narrative in the Gospel regarding His birth, there is shown at Bethlehem the cave where He was born, and the manger in the cave where He was wrapped in swaddling-clothes.

Methodius, Oration Concerning Simeon and Anna Supporting witness

IV. Therefore the prophet brought the virgin from Nazareth, in order that she might give birth at Bethlehem to her salvation-bestowing child, and brought her back again to Nazareth, in order to make manifest to the world the hope of life.

Matthew 2:1 Background

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem,

Luke 2:4 Background

And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David,

Luke 2:6 Background

And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth.

Matthew 2:4 Background

And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.

Archelaus, Disputation with Manes Direct teaching

... yet would suffer similar things with him, and show similar signs and wonders. For there, after his birth, Moses was placed by his mother in an ark and set out beside the banks of the river. Here, our Lord Jesus Christ, after His birth by Mary His mother, was sent off in flight into Egypt through the service of an angel. There, Moses led his people out from the midst of the Egyptians and saved them. Here, Jesus, leading His people out from the midst of the Pharisees, transferred them to an eternal salvation. There, Moses sought bread by prayer and received it from heaven, so that he might feed the people with it in the wilderness. Here, my Lord Jesus by His own power satisfied five thousand men in the wilderness with five loaves. There, when Moses was tried, he was set upon the mountain and fasted forty days. Here, my Lord Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness when He was tempted by the devil, and in the same way fasted forty days. There, before the sight of Moses, all the firstborn of the Egyptians perished because of the treachery of Pharaoh. Here, at the time of the birth of Jesus, every male among the Jews suddenly perished because of the treachery of Herod. There,

Archelaus, Disputation with Manes Supporting witness

here, our Lord Jesus Christ, after His birth by Mary His mother, was sent off in flight into Egypt through the instrumentality of an angel.

Tertullian, On the Flesh of Christ Supporting witness

... of resurrection has any connection at all to the flesh. So they have a strong reason for attacking Christ's flesh also with doubtful questions, as if it either never existed at all, or had a nature completely different from human flesh. They cannot help fearing that, if it is once decided that Christ's flesh was human, people will immediately draw the conclusion against them that the flesh must certainly rise again, since it has already risen in Christ. Therefore, we must defend our belief in the resurrection by using the same source from which they draw their weapons to destroy it. Let us examine our Lord's bodily substance, because everyone agrees about His spiritual nature. It is His flesh that is being questioned. The dispute is about its reality and its kind. Did it ever exist? From where did it come? And what kind was it? If we succeed in proving this, we will establish the rule for our own resurrection. Marcion, so that he could deny the flesh of Christ, also denied His birth. Or else he denied His flesh so that he could deny His birth. He did this because he was afraid that Christ's birth and His flesh gave mutual proof of each other's reality, since there is no birth w

Ignatius, Epistles of Ignatius Direct teaching

...l things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made." And concerning the incarnation: "The Word," says the Scripture, "became flesh and lived among us." And again: "The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham." And those same apostles, who said "that there is one God," also said that "there is one Mediator between God and men." Nor were they ashamed of the incarnation and the passion. For what does one say? "The man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself" for the life and salvation of the world.

Methodius, Oration Concerning Simeon and Anna Supporting witness

For He who said, "Honor your father and your mother," Exodus 20:12, would certainly have kept untouched that grace, and His own decree toward her who served Him in that birth to which He willingly stooped. And He would have glorified with divine honor her whom He Himself recorded as mother, since He was without a father just as she was without a husband. These things must be so. For the hymns we offer to you, O most holy and wonderful dwelling place of God, are not useless or ornamental words. Nor is your spiritual praise mere worldly trifling, or the outcry of false flattery, O you who are praised by God. You were nursed by God. He who by birth gives mortals their beginning of existence has done this. These things are of plain and evident truth. But time would fail us, and even the ages and the generations that follow, to give you the greeting that is fitting for you as the mother of the Eternal King, 1 Timothy 1:17, just as the glorious prophet says somewhere, teaching us how beyond understanding you are: "How great is the house of God, and how large is the place of His possession! Great, and without end, high and immeasurable." For truly, truly, this prophetic oracle, and this m

Ignatius, Epistles of Ignatius Direct teaching

For [it is written], “A virgin shall conceive in her womb, and bring forth a son.” He was then truly born, truly grew up, truly ate and drank, was truly crucified, and died, and rose again.

Gregory Thaumaturgus, Twelve Topics on the Faith Supporting witness

For He was born in Bethlehem according to the flesh, in a manner meet for Deity, the angels of heaven recognising Him as their Lord, and hymning as their God Him who was then wrapped in swaddling-clothes in a manger, and exclaiming, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good-will among men.

Luke 2:7 Background

And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

Luke 2:16 Background

And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger.

Luke 2:12 Background

And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

Philippians 2:7 Background

but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.

Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book III Supporting witness

...calf, signifying His sacrificial and priestly order; the third had, as it were, the face of a man—clearly describing His coming as a human; the fourth was like a flying eagle, pointing out the gift of the Spirit hovering with His wings over the Church. Therefore, the Gospels align with these things, with Christ Jesus at their center. For the Gospel according to John relates His original, effective, and glorious birth from the Father, declaring, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Also, “all things were made by Him, and nothing was made without Him.” For this reason, this Gospel is full of confidence, for such is His nature. But the Gospel according to Luke, focusing on His priestly role, begins with Zacharias the priest offering sacrifice to God. For now, the fatted calf was prepared, about to be sacrificed for the return of the younger son. Matthew, again, relates His birth as a man, saying, “The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham;” and also, “The birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise.” This is the Gospel of His humanity; for this reason, a humble and gentle character is maintained througho

Novatian, Treatise Concerning the Trinity Supporting witness

...r, the Son is God of all else, because God the Father put before all Him whom He begot. Thus Christ Jesus, the Mediator of God and men, having from His own Father the power over every creature subjected to Him, since He is God, and with every creature subdued to Him, being found at one with God His Father, has, by continuing in that state in which He also was heard, briefly proved God His Father to be the one, only, and true God.

Novatian, Treatise Concerning the Trinity Direct teaching

...rs; and if the same apostle declares that he was ordained an apostle not by men, nor by man, but by Jesus Christ; and if the same argues that he learned the Gospel not from men or by man, but received it from Jesus Christ, then reasonably Christ is God. Therefore, in this respect, one of two things must be established. For since it is clear that all things were made by Christ, He is either before all things, since all things were by Him, and so He is rightly God; or, because He is man, He is after all things, and rightly nothing was made by Him. But we cannot say that nothing was made by Him, when we see it written that all things were made by Him. He is not therefore after all things. That is, He is not man only, who is after all things, but God also, since God is before all things. For He is before all things because all things are by Him, while if He were only man, nothing would be by Him. Or if all things were by Him, He would not be man only, because if He were only man, all things would not be by Him. No, nothing would be by Him. What then do they reply? That nothing is by Him, so that He is man only? How then are all things by Him? Therefore He is not man only, but God al

Novatian, Treatise Concerning the Trinity Direct teaching

...of faith when He said, “And this is eternal life, that they should know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent”? If He had not wanted it to be understood that He also is God, why did He add, “And Jesus Christ, whom You have sent,” unless He wanted to be received as God also? For if He had not wanted to be understood as God, He would have added, “And the man Jesus Christ, whom You have sent.” But in fact, He did not add this. Nor did Christ present Himself to us as only man. Instead, He joined Himself with God, because He wanted to be understood by this joining to be God also, as He is. Therefore, according to the rule He gave, we must believe in the Lord, the one true God, and consequently in Him whom He has sent, Jesus Christ. As we have said, He certainly would not have joined Himself to the Father if He had not wanted to be understood as God also. For He would have separated Himself from Him if He had not wanted to be understood as God. He would have placed Himself among men only if He had known Himself to be only man. Nor would He have joined Himself with God if He had not known Himself to be God also. But in this matter He is silent about His being man

Victorinus, Commentary on the Apocalypse Direct teaching

...his, when He said, “And this is life eternal, that they should know You, the only and true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent?” If He had not wished that He also should be understood to be God, why did He add, “And Jesus Christ, whom You have sent,” except because He wished to be received as God also? For if He had not wished to be understood to be God, He would have added, “And the man Jesus Christ, whom You have sent.” But in fact He neither added this, nor did Christ present Himself to us as man only. Instead, He associated Himself with God, since He wished by this joining to be understood to be God also, as He is. We must therefore believe, according to the rule prescribed, in the Lord, the one true God, and consequently in Him whom He has sent, Jesus Christ. As we have said, He would by no means have linked Himself to the Father if He had not wished to be understood to be God also. For He would have separated Himself from Him if He had not wished to be understood to be God. He would have placed Himself among men only if He had known Himself to be only man. Nor would He have linked Himself with God if He had not known Himself to be God also. But in this case He is sil

Gregory Thaumaturgus, A Sectional Confession of Faith Direct teaching

There is one Son, both before the incarnation and after the incarnation. The same Son is both man and God, both together as one. The God the Word is not one person, and the man Jesus another person. Rather, the same one who existed as Son before was made one with flesh through Mary. In this way, He made Himself a perfect, holy, and sinless man, and used that divine arrangement for the renewal of mankind and the salvation of the whole world. God the Father, being Himself the perfect Person, thus has the perfect Word truly begotten from Him. He is not like a spoken word, nor like a son by adoption, in the sense in which angels and men are called sons of God, but as a Son who is by nature God. And there is also the perfect Holy Spirit, given by God through the Son to the sons of adoption, living and life-giving, holy and giving holiness to those who share in Him. He is not like an unsubstantial breath breathed into them by man, but is the living Breath proceeding from God. Therefore the Trinity is to be adored, glorified, honored, and reverenced. The Father is understood in the Son, just as the Son is of Him. And the Son is glorified in the Father, since He is of the Father, and is ma

Novatian, Treatise Concerning the Trinity Supporting witness

...dge according to the flesh." Both the heretics and the Jews, because they held that Christ's bodily birth was His only birth, believed that Christ was nothing but man. They did not consider this point: just as man could not come from heaven in such a way as to return there, so He who descended from there must be God, since man could not come from there. If Christ is only man, how does He say, "You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world"? But if every man is of this world, and Christ is in this world for that reason, is He only man? God forbid! But consider what He says: "I am not of this world." Does He then speak falsely when He says He is not of this world, if He is only man? Or if He does not speak falsely, then He is not of this world. Therefore He is not man only, because He is not of this world. But so that it should not be hidden who He was, He declared where He was from. "I am from above," He said, that is, from heaven, where man cannot come from, for man was not made in heaven. Therefore He is God who is from above, and therefore He is not of this world; although, in a certain way, He is also of this world. Therefore Christ is not

Tertullian, Against Praxeas Direct teaching

Him we believe to have been sent by the Father into the Virgin, and to have been born of her — being both Man and God, the Son of Man and the Son of God, and to have been called by the name of Jesus Christ;

Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book III Supporting witness

2. That John knew the one and the same Word of God, and that He was the only begotten, and that He became incarnate for our salvation, Jesus Christ our Lord, I have sufficiently proved from the word of John himself.

Hippolytus, Against the Heresy of Noetus Supporting witness

...n name for tender affection among men in being called the Son. For neither was the Word, before the incarnation and when by Himself, yet the perfect Son, although He was the perfect Word, the only begotten. Nor could the flesh subsist by itself apart from the Word, because it has its subsistence in the Word. Thus, then, one perfect Son of God was manifested.

Gregory Thaumaturgus, A Sectional Confession of Faith Direct teaching

Moreover, the chief foundation of our salvation is the incarnation of the Word. Therefore, we believe that the incarnation of the Word took place without any change in His divinity, for the renewal of humanity. For there was no change, no transfer, and no limitation of will in the holy power of God. Instead, while that remained the same in itself, it also accomplished the work of the incarnation for the salvation of the world. And the Word of God, living on earth in human manner, also continued in the full divine presence, fulfilling all things, and being properly and individually united with flesh. And while the feelings proper to the flesh were present, the divine power kept the impassibility proper to itself. Therefore, the man who brings passibility into that power is impious. For the Lord of glory appeared in the form of a man when He undertook the divine arrangement on the earth. He fulfilled the law for men by His deeds, and by His sufferings He removed man's sufferings, and by His death He abolished death, and by His resurrection He brought life to light. And now we look for His appearing from heaven in glory, for the life and judgment of all, when the resurrection of the d

Hippolytus, Against the Heresy of Noetus Supporting witness

16. These, indeed, are testimonies about the incarnation of the Word, and there are also very many others. But let us also look at the matter before us. Namely, the question, brothers, that in reality the Father's power, which is the Word, came down from heaven, and not the Father Himself. For thus He says, "I came forth from the Father, and have come." Now what is meant in this sentence, "I came forth from the Father," except the Word? And what is begotten of Him except the Spirit, that is to say, the Word? But you will say to me, "How is He begotten?" In your own case, you can give no explanation of the way in which you were begotten, although every day you see the cause according to man. Neither can you tell accurately the divine arrangement in His case. For it is not in your power to acquaint yourself with the Maker's practiced and indescribable art, or method, but only to see, and understand, and believe that man is God's work. Moreover, you are asking for an account of the generation of the Word, whom God the Father in His good pleasure begot as He willed. Is it not enough for you to learn that God made the world? Do you also dare to ask from where He made it? Is it not enoug