WHAT THINK YE OF THE MESSIAH?
(A Discussion of the Virgin Birth of Our Saviour)
By A. B. Traina
“What think ye of the Messiah, Whose son is He?” (Matt. 22:42) My unqualified answer is this: He is the true Son of the Most High El. He is the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
The foundation for this affirmation is found in the record of His birth, as recorded by Matthew: “Now the nativity of the Messiah Yahshua was thus: Miriam His mother had been pledged to Joseph; before they were united, she was discovered to be pregnant by the Holy Spirit. Then Joseph, her affianced husband, being a just man, and unwilling to expose her, purposed to divorce her privately. But while he was reflecting on these things, behold, an Angel of Yahweh appeared to him in a dream saying, Joseph, son of David, fear not to take Miriam thy affianced wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name YAHSHUA: for He shall save his people from their sins. Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of Yahweh through the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel (Emma-with, Nu-us, El, which signifies, “El with us”). Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of Yahweh had bidden him, and took unto him his wife; and knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name YAHSHUA.” – Matthew 1:18-25.
It was the absolute conviction of the truth of this narrative that broke the shackles of sin from my soul, burst asunder the bands of Catholicism, superstition, and ignorance, and gave me knowledge and hope of eternal life. This was the starting point of my spiritual birth, and the continuing nourishment of my soul on the word of Yahweh through which I have grown in grace and knowledge of Him, Who is my Saviour, my life and my all.
What think ye of the Messiah, Whose Son is He? Was He merely the son of Joseph? Or was He, as He maintained, the Son of El? This question is not a new one. It has been asked throughout the centuries. Carnal men have said, “He is the perfect Son of man,” spiritual men have answered, “He is the son of El.”
Modernists of the present day are straining every effort to prove that He was the natural offspring of Mary and Joseph, but this is not new. Infidels of every age since His birth have contended the same thing. But the orthodox Spirit-born man will repeat the words of Nathanael, “Thou art the Son of El,” “Thou are the King of Israel.” John 1:49.
Some pseudo-believers say He had no pre-existence. The Saviour Himself said, “Before Abraham was I AM.”
The believing Saints (the Prophets) in the Old Testament believed in His pre-existence, and that He was the active Agent of creation. In this connection see Psalm 102:25-27 and Hebrews
1:10. Moses knew Him as the Liaison Agent. See Exodus 23:20-23, Exodus 34:5-6, together with 1 Corinthians 10:4. Job knew He was living in his day, and looked forward to the day of his manifestation in the flesh, when He would walk on this earth. See Job 19:21. The prophets believed, even before His manifestation, that He was the Son of the Most high El, that as such He was to be given to the world, and that he would bear the responsibility of world direction, as recorded in Isaiah 9:6. Likewise, they believed that in this earthly manifestation He would be born of a virgin, as written in Isaiah 7:14. Micah even described the location of His birthplace, Bethlehem of Judah. Micah 5:2. David was convinced of it, so that in the second Psalm he quoted Yahweh’s decree concerning His Son, saying, “Yahweh hath said unto me, Thou art my Son, this day I have begotten thee.” (Psalm 2:7). And again in the last verse of the same Psalm, “Do homage to the Son, lest He be angry and ye be lost on the way, for His wrath is speedily kindled. Happy are all they that put their trust in Him.”
All the prophets looked forward, not to the production of the perfect son of man, but to the manifestation of the Gift of Yahweh, even the Son of the Most High El, as envisioned by Isaiah in chapter 9, verse 6.
What think ye of the Messiah, Whose Son is He? When the question was asked of the Pharisees they answered, “The Son of David,” but their hearts were not open to perceive the Truth. If they had been they would have known that He was what they had been waiting for, and Jewish history might have taken a different course. When the same question was asked of the apostles, the answer from their spokesman was, “Thou art the Messiah, the Son of the Living El” (Matthew 16:16). If we ask John the writer of the fourth evangel, his answer is, “He is the Word made Flesh.” See John 1:14, about the Word that was existing in the beginning with El. Also see John 1:1-2.
If we ask John the Baptist, “What think ye of the Messiah?” his answer is without hesitation, “The Lamb of Yah, Who takes away the sins of the world.” The Roman centurion who witnessed His death on the [stake], saw the Saviour die, not as a human, but as Super-human, in majestic beauty, resigned, and composed, with an expression of love and pity not for Himself but for His enemies. If we ask him the question, “What think ye of the Messiah, Whose Son is He?” he will answer unhesitatingly, “Truly He was the Son of El.” – Mark 15:39.
One may ask, “Is there any evidence in the Old Testament that the Messiah Yahshua was in the beginning with El?” The answer is, Yes. In Genesis 1:1, where we read, “In the beginning Elohim created the heavens and the earth,” the word Elohim is the plural of El (the Mighty One). Therefore in the beginning we have not a singular personality, but a plural, Elohim (Mighty Ones), thus demonstrating a cooperation of multiple personalities which eventually are identified through revelation as being two, the Father and the Son. This uni-plural noun confirms the statement made by our Saviour, when He said, “My Father and I are One.” It also proves the close cooperation in their work, which caused John to remark, “Without Him, was not any thing made that was made.” (John 1:3, also see Col. 1:16). More evidence of this is found is the 26th verse of the first chapter of Genesis, where we read, “Let US make man in OUR IMAGE.” This demonstrates not only plurality, but also similarity of substance, ability, and uniformity of thought. This interpretation is shared by the Spirit-inspired writer of the book of Hebrews; for, he writes about the Messiah Yahshua as follows: “Who, being [the brightness] of His (the Father’s)
glory, and an exact impress of His (the Father’s) substance, sustains all things by the word of His power.” (See Hebrews 1:3, Emphatic Diaglott)
Again, in Colossians, the apostle Paul emphasizes his belief in the pre-existence of the Saviour, when he says, “He is a likeness of the invisible El, the Firstborn of all creation, because in Him were created all things, those in heaven and those on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or governments, or authorities; all things have been created through Him and for Him, and He precedes all things, and in Him all things have been permanently placed” (Colossians 1:15-17. Emphatic Diaglott). Paul also believed in the virgin birth when he said that, “When the completion of the (appointed) time arrived, Yahweh sent His Son having been produced from a woman, in order that He might redeem those under the law, that we might receive the sonship” (Galatians 4:4-5, Emphatic Diaglott). Again, Paul, in bringing the message of Salvation to the Romans, said, “That He was declared to be the Son of Yah with power, as attested by the Spirit of Holiness, and by the resurrection from the dead.” See Romans 1:4.
If we ask the highest authority, the Most High El, to give us His definition of Yahshua, the Messiah, His answer is, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye Him.” – Matt. 17:5.
In the first chapter of John, we are told that the Messiah is the light of the world, “The true light was that which coming into the world, enlightens every man. He was in the world, and the world was made (sustained) through Him, yet the world knew Him not. He came to His own domains, and yet His own people received Him not. But as many as received Him He gave power to become the children of Yahweh, to those believing on the Name of Him Who was born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of Yah. And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, a glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” – See John 1:9-14
Power is the heritage of the children of Yahweh, and this power cannot be realized without belief in the virgin birth. Herein lay the secret of the apostolic power. In the Scriptures quoted above, we are told that as many as “believed in the Name of Him Who was born NOT OF BLOOD nor of the will of the flesh, nor of man but of Yah,” received power. It was to these that believed in the Virgin Birth that the Saviour said, “Ye shall receive power” not only to preach, but to work miracles, to lay hands on the sick “that they may be healed.” Power that they may be able to stand against the evil day, power to be called the “Sons of Yahweh.” Paul tells us that the preaching of this message is foolishness to the Greeks, and a stumbling block to the Jews, but to us who are saved it is the Power of Yah. See 1 Cor. 1:23-24, and Romans 1:16.
It was this power of which the Saviour spoke when He said to His followers, “Ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Spirit is come upon you, and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” Acts 1:8. And, armed with this power, they were to go forth in His Name to do prodigies for Him. They not only preached the evangel against great odds, but wrought miracles, healed the sick, and even raised the dead. It was this same power that caused the martyrs to die for the Faith. It was all based on their faith in the pre-existence and in the virgin birth of Yahshua the Messiah.
The early believers were nourished upon this doctrine of the pre-existence and the virgin birth. In Paul’s letter to the Philippians, he teaches them of Yahshua, the Messiah, “Who, though being in the form (nature) of El, yet did meditate a usurpation to be like El” (Phil. 2:6. Emphatic Diaglott). This is evidence of the pre-existence. Now for the transition: “But divested Himself, taking a bondsman’s form, having been made in the likeness of men” (Phil. 2:7. Emphatic Diaglott). This, as a result of their belief in the virgin birth, gave the Philippians the faith that drew praises from Paul, and stood them in the hour of their trial.
Luke, one of Paul’s converts, had no difficulty in believing the virgin birth, nor in his day was there doubt as to the virgin birth. The evidence for this we have in Luke’s own writings, when he said, “Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us. Even as they delivered them unto us which from the beginning were eye-witnesses, and ministers of the Word. It seems good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus, that thou mayest know the certainty of those things wherein thou hast been instructed” (Lk 1:1-4). He also wrote: “In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from EL unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, to a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the Virgin’s name was Miriam. And the angel came in unto her, and said, “Hail, thou art highly favoured, Yahweh is with thee: blessed art thou among women. And when she saw him she was troubled at this saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Miriam: for thou hast found favor with Elohim. And, behold, thou shall conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a Son, and shall call His Name YAHSHUA. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and Yahweh Elohim shall give unto Him the throne of His Father David. And He shall reign over the House of Jacob for ever; and of His Kingdom there shall be no end. Then Miriam said unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that Holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of Yahweh … for with Elohim nothing shall be impossible.” – Luke 1:26-35, and 37.
All difficulties in the virgin birth disappear when we realize that it is not a matter of generating something out of nothing, but of incarnation, “The Word became Flesh.” The word “incarnate” means in-fleshed. He that was with the Father, made of the same substance as the Father, and Who shared in the power and direction of the worlds with the Father, for the purpose of redeeming a fallen creation, willingly divested Himself of that substance and existence with the Father, left the heavenly abode to descend to this earth and become in-fleshed, or incarnate, taking upon Himself a human body, for the time-being, in order to accomplish the plan of salvation.
In conclusion of the whole matter let the Saviour Himself ask you the question? “Believest thou in the Son of Yahweh?” (John 9:35). If, like the blind men of old, you would know who He is, hear then the words of those who lived with Him, and know Him intimately. “Believe on Yahshua the Messiah, and thou shall be saved.”