elists believed in the
Divine origin of Jesus, for they would not have used such language
regarding one who in their opinion was a mere man, the son of Joseph the
carpenter and of Mary his espoused wife. Matthew, who wrote for Jewish
converts, shows how fully the Old Testament prophecy was accomplished
that Christ should be born, not at Nazareth but at Bethlehem, and
especially that Isaiah's prophecy, "Behold, a virgin shall be with
child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name
Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, GOD with us,"[073] was fulfilled
in the birth of Jesus Christ. Luke, who is termed by Paul "the beloved
physician," gives the fullest account of the Nativity. His writings are
characterised by minuteness of detail and historical accuracy. Recent
investigations have shown that, even in regard to matters about which he
was long thought to have been mistaken, Luke's statements are strictly
correct.[074]

The story of the miraculous conception would not, without the strongest
corroborative evidence, have commended itself to a man of his acumen
and his calling. A physician by profession, the companion of Apostles,
and possessing singular penetration and sagacity, he tells us that he
had received the facts he narrates from eye witnesses and competent
authorities. For information as to the events connected with the birth
of her Son, Luke would naturally have recourse to Mary. There is
evidence in his Gospel that he had intimate knowledge of her private
thoughts and actions.[075] Lange, in his _Life of Jesus_, finds in the
specialties of the narrative evidence of a woman's diction.[076] Be this
as it may, the minuteness of detail, the message of the angel Gabriel,
the preservation of the sacred songs, and of the thoughts and words of
the Virgin, justify the belief that Luke received his information from
herself. When we find him assuring his friend Theophilus that he himself
had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, the
inference is natural that his information was obtained from the most
trustworthy sources. There is no reason to doubt that Mary was
associated with the Apostles of her Son, and had opportunities of
imparting information regarding Him which no other could supply Luke's
account corresponds with that of John, to whose care Jesus from the
Cross committed His mother, and who from that time "took her unto his
own home."[077]

It does not necessarily follow, even if th