.
Subsections
Date of Christ’s Birth
Virgin Birth
When Soul is Joined to Body in Womb & on the Formation of Christ’s Human Nature in the Womb
.
.
Order of Contents
.
Articles
See also ‘Commentaries on the Apostles’ Creed’ on ‘Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary’.
.
.1500’s
Beza, Theodore – A Brief & Pithy Sum of the Christian Faith made in Form of a Confession (London, 1562), ch. 3
21. How the mystery of our salvation was fulfilled in Jesus Christ
22. The two natures were united and knit in one Person from the first instant of the conception
Viret, Pierre – A Christian Instruction… (d. 1571; London: Veale, 1573), A Familiar Exposition of the Principal Points of the Catechism, 7th Dialogue
Of the Conception of Jesus Christ, and of the nature of his flesh
Whereunto the Genealogy of Iesus Christ, according to the flesh, does serve us
Of the Works of the Holy Ghost in the conception of Jesus Christ
Olevian, Caspar – An Exposition of the Apostle’s Creed (London, 1581), pt. 2
‘Conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary’
Testimonies out of the prophets and apostles
That the Son of God must take the nature of man of the stock of Abraham
That the stock was restrained to the tribe of Judah, and here somewhat concerning the time that the Messiah should be given
Of the place of his birth touching the flesh; and also of his coming forth from the days of eternity in respect of his divine nature
Of the holiness of his conception
Of the Virgin’s bringing forth a child
The meaning of the words, ‘which was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the virgin Mary’
The consolation which a faithful man conceives by this pure conception
The drift and purpose of this article and how necessary the true understanding thereof is
Olevian (1536–1587) was a significant German reformed theologian, and has been said to be a co-author of the Heidelberg Catechism along with Zacharias Ursinus (though this has been questioned).
Ursinus, Zachary – Which was Conceived by the Holy Ghost, Born of the Virgin Mary in The Sum of Christian Religion: Delivered… in his Lectures upon the Catechism… tr. Henrie Parrie (d. 1583; Oxford, 1587)
Beza, Theodore, Anthony Faius & Students – Propositions & Principles of Divinity Propounded & Disputed in the University of Geneva by Certain Students of Divinity there, under Mr. Theodore Beza & Mr. Anthony Faius… (Edinburgh: Waldegrave, 1591)
41. ‘Of the Conception of Jesus Christ’ 104-8
42. ‘Of the Nativity, Circumcision & Baptism of Christ’ 108-11
.
1600’s
Perkins, William – 18. Of Christ’s Nativity & Office in A Golden Chain (Cambridge: Legat, 1600)
Leiden Synopsis – Disputation 25, ‘On the Incarnation of the Son of God’, sections 15-23 in Synopsis of a Purer Theology… (Brill, 2016), vol. 2, pp. 75-79
Turretin, Francis – Question 11, ‘How was Christ conceived from the Holy Spirit and born of the blessed Virgin’ in Institutes of Elenctic Theology, 3 vols. ed. James Dennison Jr. (1679–1685; P&R, 1992), vol. 2, Locus 13, The Person & State of Christ, The Conception & Nativity of Christ, pp. 340-47
Heidegger, Johann H. – Locus 17, ‘On the Person of Jesus Christ’, sections 4-6 in The Concise Marrow of Theology trans. Casey Carmichael (RHB, 2019), pp. 118-9
Heppe, Heinrich – ch. 17, ‘Person of Christ’, sections 10-13, ‘On the Conception’ in Reformed Dogmatics, pp. 421-27 Heppe does not have a section on the birth of Christ.
.
Quote
That Christ’s ‘Conception’ was Analogous, but Not Precisely the Same as Normal Human Conception
Bartholomaus Keckermann
as quoted in Heinrich Heppe, Reformed Dogmatics, Person of Christ, section 12, p. 425
“(2) Of the seed and blood of the V. Mary was formed Christ’s flesh, the H. Spirit adding quickening force to this material. Of course the seed and blood of the virgin Mary also possessed their own vital and animal spirits, as other men’s seed usually has. But these were by no means sufficient for the plastic or formative force of the foetus in question. And so the H. Spirit’s extraordinary shadowing and quickening were addded: whence also it is said to have been conceived of the H. Spirit, a phrase and manner of speaking which is human and metaphorical, not strictly appropriate.
(3) Thus Christ’s incarnation was at once ordinary and extraordinary: ordinary as regards the material supplied by the V. Mary, extraordinary as regards the formative force added to this material.”
.
Latin Articles
1500’s
Ramus, Petrus – ch. 10, ‘Of the Conception & Nativity of Christ’ in Commentary on the Christian Religion (Frankfurt, 1576; 1594), bk. 1, pp. 41-43
Ramus (1515-1572)
.
1600’s
Martin, Matthew – Chs. 11-12 & Notes on chs. 11-12, ‘Of the Conception & Nativity of Christ’ in Summary Heads of Christian Doctrine, which Contains a Brief, Clear, Popular & Precise Explication of the Apostles’ Creed, the Decalogue, the Lord’s Prayer, the Institution of Ecclesiastical Discipline, the Sacraments of Baptism and the Supper, even a Method of Systematic Theology (Heborne, 1603), pp. 86-88 & 477-97
Mylius, Conrad – Lord’s Day 15, Questions 35-36, ‘His Conception & Nativity’ in Catechetical Essays, or Homilies on the Heidelberg Catechism (Hanau, 1618), pp. 275-301
Mylius (fl.1616-1618)
Voet, Gisbert – Syllabus of Theological Problems (Utrecht, 1643), pt. 1, section 2, tract 2 Abbr.
Conception & Bearing
Birth & Nativity
Circumstances of the Nativity of Christ
Concomitants, Antecedents & Especially of the Magi
Of the Star of the Magi
Wendelin, Marcus Friedrich – ch. 14, ‘Of the Formation of Christ in the Maternal Womb, & of his Nativity’ in Christian Theology (Hanau, 1634; 2nd ed., Amsterdam, 1657), bk. 1, pp. 240-48
Wendelin (1584-1652)
Hoornbeek, Johannes – ch. 5. ‘Of the Nativity of Christ’ in Practical Theology (Utrecht, 1663; 1689), vol. 1, bk. 5, pp. 487-92
Burman, Francis – Bk. 5, Locus 33, ch. 9, ‘Of the Incarnation, Conception & Nativity of Christ’ in A Synopsis of Theology, & especially of the Economy of the Covenant of God… (Utrecht, 1671), vol. 2, pp. 37-44
Heidegger, Johann H. – The Marrow of Christian Theology: an Introductory Epitome of the Body of Theology (Zurich, 1713), Locus 17, ‘Of the Person of Jesus Christ’
Theses 8-17, ‘Of the Conception of Jesus Christ & his Acts’
Theses 30-31, ‘Of the Nativity of Jesus Christ’
.
1700’s
Vitringa, Campegius – The Doctrine of the Christian Religion, Summarily Described through Aphorisms (d. 1722), vol. 5, Of the Twofold State of the Messiah, Of the Messiah’s State of Humiliation
‘Of the Conception of Jesus Christ’, pp. 472-508
‘Of the Nativity of Jesus Christ’, pp. 509-23
.
.
.
Related Pages