ORIGINS 37 



ascetic tendency appeared in the Christian Church 

 at a later period than the narratives of the birth 

 of Jesus. If it had had any connection with the 

 origin of these narratives it would have been at 

 pains so to tell the story as to put Mary's per- 

 petual virginity beyond doubt or question, 

 whereas the impression conveyed in the Gospels 

 is that after the birth of Jesus, Mary lived with 

 Joseph in wedlock. It is now generally agreed 

 that the stories of the infancy are of undoubtedly 

 Jewish origin, and in Judaism marriage was not 

 depreciated, but regarded as honorable.'* 



It is evident from the reasoning of certain 

 authors that this matter of the virgin birth has 

 something to do with the sinlessness of Jesus. It 

 may be that that is its real if not entire signifi- 

 cance in their minds. To quote again from Gar- 

 vie, who may stand for many others who thus 

 reason. He says (op. cit. 98) : "It is also certain 

 that there is no other human personality, except 

 Jesus, in which a hereditary tendency to sin and 

 distrust has not appeared. It is a fact beyond 

 question that all children are born members of 

 a sinful race, and have been tainted from their 

 source (italics ours). A sinless and godly devel- 

 opment appears impossible for all who are com- 

 pletely, by natural generation, incorporated in the 

 human race. . . . While it would be rash and 

 bold- dogmatism to affirm that, had Jesus been 

 born naturally, He must have displayed the in- 

 herited defects of the race, as we can conjecture 



