The conception of Jesus calls attention to the glory that surrounds his birth. The virgin birth is not explained in detail by the New Testament. We are told simply that the Holy Spirit would come upon Mary and "overshadow" her. This overshadowing is not elucidated in terms of biology. It is reminiscent, however, of the divine power and method of creation itself. The act of divine creation demonstrates the power to bring something out of nothing. The conception of a baby in the womb of Mary is a divine act of creation ex nihilo, out of nothing. It is a work that only God can perform. The normal process of union of sperms and ovum is bypassed. This child is conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit.
We are reminded here of the Genesis account of creation. We read in the biblical narrative this description of the original creation: "The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters" (Gen. 1:2). The hovering of the Spirit over the deep was the pulsating beginning of the universe. As the Holy Spirit overshadowed the deep and brought forth a created universe, so the same Spirit overshadowed a peasant virgin to conceive the Son of God.
- R.C. Sproul, Embarking on a Course of Redemption in Nancy Guthrie (ed.), Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus
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