Was the Miraculous Birth of Christ Known or Believed in Christ’s Day?

Introduction

Someone inquired, “Was the miraculous birth of Christ known or believed in Christ’s day?” Maybe the question arises from the knowledge that many now famous historical figures were not regarded highly until after their deaths or beyond their time. Though many people rejected Jesus of Nazareth as the Christ, which led to His crucifixion, many also acknowledged Him as the anticipated Christ or Messiah.

Era of Expectation

Abundant Old Testament prophecies about the kingdom or the church, as well as numerous passages prophesying the coming of the Messiah or the Christ, brought about an era of expectation that God would send His Anointed One. Commentators commonly state that there are 332 or 333 prophecies about the coming of the Messiah or the Christ, and some would even advance that number to perhaps 400 prophecies about Him.

Some of the prophecies about Christ’s kingdom or the church help to identify the general period of time when He would come. Daniel 2:31–45 predicted that the fourth successive regional kingdom (from the Persian Gulf to the Mediterranean Sea) from and including the Babylonian kingdom would come to power before the Christ came. The Roman Empire was that fourth kingdom, and so there had been for years and was an expectation among the Jews that the time was right for the Messiah to arrive. This is evident from some statements recorded from the first century.

  • “And John, calling two of his disciples to him, sent them to Jesus, saying, ‘Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?’ When the men had come to Him, they said, ‘John the Baptist has sent us to You, saying, “Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?”’” (Luke 7:19–20 NKJV). 
  • “The woman said to Him, ‘I know that Messiah is coming’ (who is called Christ). ‘When He comes, He will tell us all things’” (John 4:25).
  • “Many Jewish revolts against Roman rule, some with messianic dimensions, occurred in the first century, but they all failed” (“Acts 5:36–37” emphasis added). 

Acknowledgments of Jesus of Nazareth
as the Son of God, the Messiah, the Christ

Several first century persons acknowledged that Jesus of Nazareth was [is still] the Christ. To accept Jesus of Nazareth as the Christ, the Messiah or the Son of God was also indirectly an indication of ones’ acknowledgment of His miraculous birth.

  • Joseph, son of David: (Matthew 1:18–25).
  • Mary, mother of Jesus: (Luke 1:26–35).
  • Elizabeth: (Luke 1:39–45).
  • Angels and Shepherds: “Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:8-11).
  • Simeon the Prophet: (Luke 2:25-32).
  • Anna, a Prophetess: (Luke 2:36–38).
  • John the Baptist: “The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, ‘Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!’” (John 1:29).
  • The Holy Spirit and God the Father: “When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, ‘This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased’” (Matthew 3:16–17).
  • Martha: “She said to Him, ‘Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world’” (John 11:27).
  • Andrew: “One of the two who heard John speak, and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, ‘We have found the Messiah’ (which is translated, the Christ)” (John 1:40–41).
  • Philip: “Philip found Nathanael and said to him, ‘We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote — Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph” (John 1:45).
  • Nathaniel: “Nathanael answered and said to Him, ‘Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!’” (John 1:49).
  • Samaritans: “Then they said to the woman, ‘Now we believe, not because of what you said, for we ourselves have heard Him and we know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world” (John 4:42).
  • The Apostle Peter: “Simon Peter answered and said, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16).
  • The Apostles: “Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (John 6:69).
  • 120 Disciples, including the Apostles, the Mother and Brothers of Jesus:  (Acts 1:12–14).
  • 3,000 Jews on Pentecost: (Acts 2:36, 38, 41).
  • 5,000 Jews: (Acts 4:4).
  • Samaritans, including Simon, formerly a sorcerer: (Acts 8:12–13).
  • The Ethiopian Treasurer: “Then Philip said, ‘If you believe with all your heart, you may.’ And he answered and said, ‘I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God’ (Acts 8:37).
  • The Apostle Paul: “Immediately he preached the Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God” (Acts 9:20).
  • Citizens of Lydda: (Acts 9:32–35).
  • Many in Joppa: (Acts 9:42).
  • Cornelius and those gathered with him: (Acts 10:47–48).
  • Many People in Antioch: (Acts 11:22–24).
  • Every Church Planting: (Acts 13 onward).
  • Jews and Greeks: (Acts 14:1).
  • Lydia: (Acts 16:11–15).
  • Jailer: (Acts 17:25–34).
  • A Multitude of Jews and Greeks in Thessalonica: (Acts 17:1–5).
  • Some in Athens: (Acts 17:34).
  • Bereans: (Acts 17:10–12).
  • Many Corinthians, including the Ruler of the Synagogue: (Acts 18:8).
  • Members of Caesar’s Household: “All the saints greet you, but especially those who are of Caesar’s household” (Philippians 4:22).
  • The Apostles and Over 500 Brethren: (1 Corinthians 15:5–8) 
  • The Apostle John: (1 John 5:20).

Conclusion

The citations above are likely not exhaustive. Yet, they are more than sufficient to establish that many thousands of people in the first century – during and immediately following the presence of Jesus the Christ on earth – believed in His miraculous birth (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:23). That was one of multiple prophecies pertaining to the identity of the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of God. Had any of the hundreds of prophecies concerning the Christ remained unfulfilled by Jesus of Nazareth, He could not have been the Christ. However, the miraculous birth was especially paramount and critical to establishing His Deity.

Aside from biblical references, secular history also records the rise of Christianity in the first century. While secular history doesn’t typically attest to the authenticity of the claims of Christianity, nevertheless, it documents the belief of thousands of disciples of Christ or Christians. Christianity revolves around the person of Jesus of Nazareth and the conviction that He was (still is) the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of God. Without Jesus Christ at the center of Christianity, it would not exist. Jesus of Nazareth could not have become the central and first person at the inception of Christianity except that its followers believed He was the Christ, partly resulting from His miraculous birth.

First-Century Christians were willing to endure torture and execution, if necessary, rather than to surrender their firmly held belief in Jesus of Nazareth to be the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of God. That belief rested confidently on the miraculous birth of our Lord, amongst many other fulfilled prophecies about Him. Stephen is such an example (Acts 7:54–60). The apostles are also examples of suffering for the cause of Christ (Acts 4:1–21; 5:17–41). The apostle Paul, likewise, suffered greatly because he, too, would not renounce his faith that Jesus of Nazareth was (is still) the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of God, which also pertains, in part, to His miraculous birth (2 Corinthians 11:23–28). The apostle Peter wrote about the suffering experienced by Christians in the first century (1 Peter 4:16).

To accept Jesus of Nazareth as the Christ, the Messiah or the Son of God was indirectly an indication of ones’ acknowledgment of His miraculous birth. Christians, some of whom became martyrs, then and now, were and are unwilling to abandon their convictions about Jesus of Nazareth to be the Christ, the Messiah and the Son of God, despite suffering, imprisonment, physical abuse or even death. Yes, the miraculous birth of Jesus of Nazareth was the conviction of multiplied thousands in the first century and of many millions of people living now, too.

Works Cited

“Acts 5:36–37.” Apologetics Study Bible. Electronic Database. Nashville: Holman Bible P., 2005.

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