Tim Maas Supporter Retired Quality Assurance Specialist with the U.S. Army

I assume that the "question behind the question" is how Jesus could have avoided original sin if Mary made a genetic contribution (through her ovum) to His birth.

First of all, I believe that Mary, although uniquely favored by God, was a sinner, as indicated by multiple scriptural references, most notably Luke 1:47, in which she indicated her need of a Savior. I do not subscribe to the Catholic dogma of Mary's immaculate conception, nor do I believe that Mary was without actual sin during her life, nor that such teachings are needed to explain Jesus' lack of a sin nature.

I also believe that Mary contributed her own genetic material to Jesus -- that is, that He was miraculously conceived of her ovum, rather than resulting from an already-fertilized ovum being implanted by God in her womb. To me, the contribution of Mary's ovum and DNA is necessary for Jesus to have been truly and fully human, as well as truly and fully God. 

I personally reconcile this conflict by a belief that the "sin nature" that we all inherit is passed on through the male line, rather than from the female or from both parents. I believe that this is supported by passages such as Romans 5:12 and 1 Corinthians 15:21-22, where Paul specifically mentions Adam as the originator of sin, and the one through whom "all die", even though Eve was the one who initially committed actual sin by eating the forbidden fruit.

Also, the descendants of a man are consistently referred to throughout the Bible as being the man's seed (as in Genesis 12:7 (KJV)), even though women were also obviously a part of the process. 

I also do not believe that this position is contradicted by passages such as Psalm 51:5, since the conception of which David speaks was not brought about by his mother alone, but through the act of his father.

January 28 2017 • 4 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

S Milliman Supporter

Our tainted “first Adam” blood/DNA/code via the fall culminated inside of Mary’s egg that contributed to Jesus’ earthly body. Our tainted blood was redeemed and re-purposed, via the death of this sinless second Adam, Jesus. He fulfilled within his body, for ALL, God’s decree of the penalty of death for disobedience:

Gen. 2:17-
But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. 

Jesus perfectly fulfilled for us that death requirement.

Mary’s contribution on all of humanity’s behalf was her egg. It contained the DNA signature of every person who’s ever lived beginning with Adam all the way through to the last human that will ever be born in the future. 

Why? Because that is the pattern. In the first Adam, in the garden where we were ALL present. Therefore, for the sake of continuity of the truth of redemption for ALL, we had to be “present” inside the body of the second and last redeeming Adam, Jesus. 

Heb 10:5: Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: 

This concept powerfully links what we call the Old Testament and the New Testament, together. Truly they are not two, but ONE Testament.

The Testament of one's sinless innocent blood becoming sinful blood, then returning to the state of its original sinlessness again was through the work on the tree of the last Adam, Jesus Christ.

1Co 15:45:  And so it is written, the first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. 

If you’ve ever wondered why there was so much death and destruction of humanity recorded in what we call the old testament, there is a reason. God was working on the bloodline of his son, preparing him a body as scripture says. God was ferreting DNA combinations “in and out” of that bloodline. You see, he wiped the world clean of certain DNA codes through the flood. Then began again with Noah, whom he said was a righteous man in his time. Of course, the enemy began again to infiltrate mankind, even after the flood. 

Thereafter, you see the righteous judgment of God, wiping out entire nations of peoples. And sometimes carefully crafting a plan to include an individual in the lineage of his son, such as Rahab, the harlot and Ruth, the Moabitess. This illustrates the point I was making. That he indeed, was bio-engineering the bloodline and body of his son that would contain the DNA combinations and codes of every human being ever created. That is why the Bible truthfully says he died for all. All do not recognize or receive him, nevertheless, he died for all. And in doing so he completed that pattern that first began in Adam and Eve. 

We were all present in code in the garden within their bodies. And we were all present in the body of Jesus Christ, as he paid OUR price on the cross- He, in the most painful way-- us, in the most merciful way. What a mighty God He is!

January 08 2024 • 1 response • Vote Up • Share • Report

Janet Austin Supporter Lover of God. Right to the Soul, author

I do not believe Mary's egg became part of Jesus; she was simply the conduit for the birth. The fact that her body/blood fed Him is what makes Jesus able to say He is human (in part). The translation of “her (Mary’s) seed” in Genesis 3:15 means her offspring (not her egg). We find the term seed in other places in Scripture also, yet as far as I’ve studied (using as my main resource “THE INTERLINEAR NIV HEBREW-ENGLISH OLD TESTAMENT by John R. Kohlenberger III) "seed" means offspring or children and or the man’s seed. Hope that helps.

February 02 2017 • 2 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Charles Hogge Supporter

I place much greater importance on John's account of the Second Person of the Trinity having existed from the beginning than efforts to prove that Jesus was from the lineage of David. I believe that Mother Mary was the Surrogate mother - that God the Father or God the Holy Spirit transformed God the Son into an embryo and implanted it in her womb. He became fully human through the nine months in her womb and was born sinless and both fully human and fully divine.

November 15 2020 • 1 response • Vote Up • Share • Report