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Luke's Description of the Virginal Conception

Two years ago in my article on the virginal conception I invited scholars to discuss in a positive way the problems left by the evidence surveyed in my treatment. I am delighted that this invitation has been accepted as regards the biblical evidence by J. A. Fitzmyer—indeed, especially delighted since his detailed study confirms my briefer remarks on almost every scriptural point. In a brief note let me comment on one of the rare points on which we disagree, a disagreement that in no way detracts from my appreciation of his contribution. I expressed my view of the Lucan infancy account thus: "It is lucidly clear that Matthew believed in Mary's bodily virginity before the birth of Jesus (1:25). It is harder to prove the case for Luke; but 3:23 indicates that Luke did not think that Joseph begot Jesus after the angel's annunciation to Mary." 3 Fitzmyer is less certain than I that the Lucan account "really rules out human intercourse." He states: "When this account is read in and for itself—without the overtones of the Matthean annunciation to Joseph—every detail of it could be understood of a child to be born to Mary in the usual human way... ." He discussed four points in the Lucan account that seem to point toward virginal concep­ tion but finds a certain ambiguity in all of them. I would like to mention a fifth argument that persuades me that Luke did intend to describe a virginal conception. It is common in the exegesis of chapter 1 of Luke to point out the .close parallels that exist between the annunciation to Zechanach of the birth of John the Baptist (henceforth JBap) and the annunciation to Mary of the birth of Jesus. One annunciation is clearly patterned on the other. Moreover, it is generally