A. 3 - Who Was Conceived by the Holy Spirit, Born of the Virgin Mary

Who Was Conceived by the Holy Spirit, Born of the Virgin Mary

The Christian must not only believe in the Son of God, as we have seen, but also in his Incarnation. (Parallel texts: ST III.2.1–6; 4.1–3; 5.1–4; In III Sent. 2.1.3, qa. 1, 2; In IV Sent. 3.3, qa. 2, ad 2; SCG IV.29, 30, 32, 33; Compendium theologiae, cc. 204, 205, 207, 208.) St. John, after having written of things subtle and difficult to understand, points out the Incarnation to us when he says: and the Word was made flesh (John 1:14). Now, in order that we may understand something of this, I will give two illustrations at the outset.

It is clear that there is nothing more like the Word of God than the word which is conceived in our mind but not spoken. Now, no one knows this interior word in our mind except the one who conceives it, and it is known to others only when it is pronounced. So also as long as the Word of God was in the heart of the Father, it was not known except by the Father himself; but when the Word assumed flesh, as when a word becomes audible, then was it first made manifest and known. Afterwards he was seen upon earth and conversed with men (Bar 3:38).

Another example is that, although the spoken word is known through hearing, yet it is neither seen nor touched unless it is written on paper. Then it is seen and touched. So also the Word of God was made both visible and tangible when he became flesh, as though it was written down. And as the paper upon which the word of a king is written is called the word of the king, so also man to whom the Word of God is conjoined in one hypostasis is called the Son of God. Take a great book and write in it with a man’s pen (Isa 7:1). And, therefore, the holy apostles affirmed: who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary.

On this point there arose many errors. For this reason, the holy fathers at the Council of Nicaea added in that other Creed a number of things which suppress all these errors.

For Origen said that Christ was born and came into the world to save even the devils, and, therefore, at the end of the world all the demons will be saved. But this is contrary to the Holy Scripture: depart from me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire, which was prepared for the devil and his angels (Matt 25:41). Consequently, to remove this error they added in the Creed: who for us men (not for the devils) and for our salvation. In this the love of God for us is made more apparent.

Photinus would have Christ born of the blessed Virgin, but added that he was a mere man who by a good life in doing the will of God merited to become the son of God even as other holy men. Against this it is said: I came down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me (John 6:38). Now if Christ were not in heaven, he would not have descended from heaven, and were he a mere man, he would not have been in heaven. Hence, it is said in the Nicene Creed: he came down from heaven.

Manichaeus, however, said that Christ was always the Son of God and he descended from heaven, but he was not actually but only in appearance clothed in true flesh. But this is false, because it is not worthy of the teacher of truth to have anything to do with what is false, and just as he showed his physical body, so it was really his: handle, and see; for a spirit does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have (Luke 24:39). To remove this error, therefore, they added: and he was incarnate.

Ebion, who was a Jew, said that Christ was born of the blessed Virgin in the ordinary human way. But this is false, for the angel said of Mary: that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit (Matt 1:20). And to destroy this error the holy fathers added: by the Holy Spirit.

Valentinus believed that Christ was conceived by the Holy Spirit, but would have the Holy Spirit bring a heavenly body, and deposit this in the Blessed Virgin, and this was the body of Christ. Thus, the Blessed Virgin contributed nothing to Christ’s birth except to furnish a place for him. Thus, he said, this body appeared by means of the blessed Virgin, as though she were a channel. This is an error, for the angel said: and therefore also the holy one which shall be born of you shall be called the Son of God (Luke 1:35). And the Apostle adds: but when the fullness of time was come, God sent his Son, made of a woman (Gal 4:4). Hence, the Creed says: born of the Virgin Mary.

Arius and Apollinarius held that, although Christ was the Word of God and was born of the Virgin Mary, nevertheless he did not have a soul, but in place of the soul was his divinity. This is contrary to Scripture, for Christ says: now is my soul troubled (John 12:27). And again: my soul is sorrowful even unto death (Matt 26:38). To remove this error, the fathers added: and was made man. Now, man is made up of body and soul. Christ had all that a true man has except sin. All the above-mentioned errors and all others that can be offered are destroyed by this, that he was made man.

The error of Eutyches is particularly destroyed by this. He held that, by a commixture of the divine nature of Christ with the human, he was neither purely divine nor purely human. This is not true, because by it Christ would not be a man. And against this it is said: he was made man.

This also destroys the error of Nestorius, who said that the Son of God was united to man only by an indwelling. This, too, is false, because by this Christ would not be man but only in a man. That he became man is clear from these words: he was in habit found as man (Phil 2:7). But now you seek to kill me, a man who has spoken the truth to you, which I have heard of God (John 8:40).

From all this we can take something for our instruction.

First, our faith is strengthened. If, for instance, someone should tell us about a certain foreign land which he himself had never seen, we would not believe him to the extent we would if he had been there. Now, before Christ came into the world, the patriarchs and prophets and John the Baptist told something of God; but men did not believe them as they believed Christ, who was with God, nay more, who was one with God. Hence, far more firm is our faith in what is given us by Christ himself: no one has ever seen God; the only-begotten Son who is in the bosom of the Father, he has declared him (John 1:18). Thus, many mysteries of our faith which before the coming of Christ were hidden from us, are now made clear.

Second, our hope is raised up. It is certain that the Son of man did not come to us, assuming our flesh, for any trivial cause, but for our exceeding great advantage. For he made as it were a trade with us, assuming a living body and deigning to be born of the Virgin, in order to grant us his divinity. And thus, he became man that he might make man divine. By whom also we have access through faith into this grace, wherein we stand, and glory in the hope of the glory of the sons of God (Rom 5:2).

Third, our charity is enkindled. There is no proof of divine charity so clear as that God, the Creator of all things, is made a creature, that our Lord is become our brother, and that the Son of God is made the Son of man: for God so loved the world as to give his only-begotten Son (John 3:16). Therefore, upon consideration of this our love for God ought to be re-ignited and burst into flame.

Fourth, this induces us to keep our souls pure. Our nature was exalted and ennobled by its union with God to the extent of being assumed into union with a divine person. Indeed, after the Incarnation the angel would not permit St. John to worship him (Rev 22:9), although he allowed this to be done before by even the greatest patriarchs (Gen 18:2). Therefore, one who reflects on this exaltation of his nature and is ever conscious of it, should scorn to cheapen and lower himself and his nature by sin. Thus, St. Peter says: by these he has given us most great and precious promises; that by them you may be made partakers of the divine nature, flying the corruption of that concupiscence which is in the world (2 Pet 1:4).

Fifth, by consideration of all this, our desire to come to Christ is intensified. If a king had a brother who was away from him a long distance, that brother would desire to come to the king to see him, to be with him and to abide with him. So also Christ is our brother, and we should desire to be with him and to be united to him: wherever the body shall be, there shall the eagles also be gathered together (Matt 24:28). The Apostle desired to be dissolved and be with Christ (Phil 1:23). And it is this desire which grows in us as we meditate upon the Incarnation of Christ.