The Virgin Birth of Christ

by J Gresham Machen

Overview

"This volume sustains, and more than sustains, Dr. Machen's reputation as not only one of the world's foremost New Testament scholars but as one of the ablest defenders of historic Christianity. His former books, 'The Origin of Paul's Religion' (1921), 'Christianity and Liberalism' (1923) and 'What is Faith?' (1925), have so whetted the appetites of their thousands of readers that the announcement of a new book by Dr. Machen fills them with eager expectancy---whatever may be their theological position. It will be recalled that Mr. Walter Lippmann, whose theological position is about as far removed as possible from that of Dr. Machen's, in his widely read book, 'A Preface to Morals', not only speaks of Dr. Machen as 'both a scholar and a gentleman' but says of his book, 'Christianity and Liberalism': 'It is an admirable book. For its acumen, for its saliency, and for its wit, this cool and stringent defense of orthodox Protestantism is, I think, the best popular argument produced by either side in the current controversy. We shall do well to listen to Dr. Machen.' Dr. Machen's latest book, it is true, like 'The Origin of Paul's Religion', moves throughout in the field of exact scholarship. It would be difficult to point to a book anywhere that is more thorough-going in its recital and examination of all that bears upon the subject with which it deals. But while this is the case, Dr. Machen writes so simply and lucidly that men and women of intelligence everywhere, whatever their standing as technical scholars, will be able to read it with understanding and profit. Certainly no minister or Bible teacher of adults can afford to ignore this book. To the reviewer at least it is a source of much satisfaction to know that what is confessedly the most exhaustive and most scholarly book on the problem of the Virgin Birth of Christ ever published, at least in English, has been written by a man who after having acquainted himself with everything of importance that has been written on the subject since the first century, no matter in what language, holds to the historic belief of the Christian Church that its founder was born without human father, being conceived by the Holy Ghost and born of the Virgin Mary." -Samuel Craig

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781599252650
Publisher:	Solid Ground Christian Books
Publication date:	10/04/2011
Pages:	432
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.96(d)

About the Author

John Gresham Machen (1881-1937) was an American Presbyterian New Testament scholar and educator. Born in Maryland, Machen gained his undergraduate degree from John Hopkins University. He studied theology at Princeton Seminary whilst simultaneously achieving a Master's degree in Philosophy from Princeton University. In 1906 he became Professor of New Testament at Princeton Seminary and founded the Westminster Theological Seminary in 1929. Machen is often considered one of the last pioneers of 'Princeton' theology, a distinctive Calvinist tradition within Evangelical Christianity.

Table of Contents

Preface to the First Edition Preface to the Second Edition Introduction 1. The Virgin Birth in the Second Century 2. The Birth Narrative an Original Part of the Third Gospel 3. Characteristics of the Lucan Narrative 4. The Hymns of the First Chapter of Luke 5. The Origin and Transmission of the Lucan Narrative 6. The Integrity of the Lucan Narrative 7. The Narrative in Matthew 8. The Relation between the Narratives 9. The Inherent Credibility of the Narratives 10. The Birth Narratives and Secular History 11. The Birth Narratives and the Rest of the New Testament 12. Alternative Th eories: Preliminary Considerations 13. The Theory of Jewish Derivation 14. The Theory of Pagan Derivation 15. Conclusion and Consequences Index

Editorial Reviews

"This volume sustains, and more than sustains, Dr. Machen's reputation as not only one of the world's foremost New Testament scholars but as one of the ablest defenders of historic Christianity." Samuel Craig, in Christianity Today, May 1930 "Professor Machen has written a book on the Virgin Birth which is certain to gain the attention of all, friends or foes, who have an interest in this perplexing subject. His work is genuinely learned; it displays a thorough mastery of relevant literature, even when rather out of the way, and is surrounded by a wider zone of scholarship than discussion of this special subject might seem to require, but one which testifies the more to the writer's extreme carefulness." Professor H.R. Mackintosh, in British Weekly "Professor Machen's work is elaborate, learned and full. The writer possesses an acute mind and a competent knowledge of modern critical literature." The Times "It is no doubt the most extensive book on the subject that has hitherto appeared, an impressive volume. But it is also so earnest, so circumspect, so intelligent in its discussions, that it must be recognized unqualifiedly as an important achievement." Theologische Studien und Kritiken "Dr Machen's learning is so great and his reading exceedingly wide, so that his book will long be a repertory of information as to all angles of its subject." The Churchman (USA)

From the Publisher