February 17, 2011Genesis 3:15 and the “Virgin Birth” Page 1 of 8 The “Seed of A Woman”: A Kernel of Deception A Counter-Missionary Education Lesson by Uri Yosef, Ph.D., Director of Education Virtual Yeshiva of the Messiah Truth Project, Inc. [The article on this topic is located here - Copyright © Uri Yosef 2011 for the Messiah Truth Project, Inc. All rights reserved Counter-Missionary Education

February 17, 2011Genesis 3:15 and the “Virgin Birth” Page 2 of 8 Introduction The doctrine of the "Virgin Birth" is a foundational "building block" of Christian theology since it "touches" the other important doctrinal elements of Christianity by virtue of the fact that, for Christians, it establishes the deity of Jesus and confirms his identity as the divine “Son of God”, i.e., "God manifest in the flesh". According to Christian missionaries, the Christian messianic vision starts at Genesis 3:15, even though, and unlike Isaiah 7:14, this verse is not referred to as a messianic prophecy in the New Testament. This passage is one of several so-called "proof texts" that foreshadows the "Virgin Birth" of Jesus and a Christian messianic scenario that includes a Messiah who is sinless and divine, and who will defeat Satan and toss him into a place of eternal torment and suffering (see Revelation 20:10), thereby purging all evil from the world. In this lesson we will show that Genesis 3:15 is not a messianic prophecy, and that the claims made by the missionaries are false.

February 17, 2011Genesis 3:15 and the “Virgin Birth” Page 3 of 8 The Verse 3:15

February 17, 2011Genesis 3:15 and the “Virgin Birth” Page 4 of 8 Comparison of Christian and Jewish Perspectives Christianity (  )Judaism (  ) A messianic prophecyNot a messianic prophecy The “seed of a woman” is unique Eve is the female progenitor of - A future “spiritual” child all mankind - Male not involved in procreation Natural mankind & snake enmity - Points to the “Virgin Birth” - Mankind’s perspective: snakes - Can only be about Jesus are dangerous pests The “seed of a woman” slays the - Snake’s perspective: it acts on “seed of the serpent” natural instincts to survive - Points to the “end of days” Seed ( זֶרַע ) means offspring: - Jesus slays Satan, purging sin mankind relative to Eve; the family and saving mankind of snakes relative to the serpent

February 17, 2011Genesis 3:15 and the “Virgin Birth” Page 5 of 8 A Hebrew Primer Applications of the noun זֶרַע ( ZE ra) in the Hebrew Bible Inflected forms of זֶרַע relevant to Genesis 3:15

February 17, 2011Genesis 3:15 and the “Virgin Birth” Page 6 of 8 Two Distinct Categories of Passages Category I - Passages that demonstrate the generic application of זֶרַע to women 1.Genesis 16:10 - And the angel of the Lord said to her [Hagar], “I will greatly increase your seed [ זַרְעֵךְ ] and they will not be counted for abundance.” Context: Hagar receives this blessing. Reference is to a multitude of people, not a specific person. 2.Genesis 24:60 - And they blessed Rebecca and said to her, “May you come to be thousands of myriads, and may your seed [ זַרְעֵךְ ] inherit the gate of his foes.” Context: Rebecca receives this blessing. Reference is to a multitude of people, not a specific person. 3.Leviticus 22:13 - But if the priest’s daughter is a widow, or divorced, and has no offspring [ זֶרַע ] and has returned to her father’s house, as in her youth, she shall eat of her father’s bread; but no stranger shall eat of it. Context: Reference is to the absence of offspring without specifying a number. 4.1Samuel 2:20-21 – (20) And Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife, and said: "The Lord give you seed [ זֶרַע ] of this woman for the loan which is lent to the Lord." And they went to their own home. (21) So the Lord visited Hannah, so that she conceived, and bore three sons and two daughters. And the child Samuel grew before the Lord. Context: Elkanah & Hannah receive this blessing. Reference is to several future children to be born. 5.Isaiah 54:3 - For you [Zion] will burst out to the right and to the left; and your seed [ זַרְעֵךְ ] will inherit nations, and they will settle desolate cities. Context: A metaphorical reference to the entire nation – clearly a plurality.

February 17, 2011Genesis 3:15 and the “Virgin Birth” Page 7 of 8 Two Distinct Categories of Passages (Continued) Category II - Passages that demonstrate the specific application of זֶרַע to women 1.Genesis 4:25 - And Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son and named him Seth, for “God has provided me [Eve] another seed [ זֶרַע ] in place of Abel, for Cain had killed him.” Context: Eve gives birth to Seth following the loss of Abel. Reference is specifically to Seth. 2.1Samuel 1:11,20 – (11) She [Hannah] made a vow and said, “Lord, Master of Legions, if You take note of the suffering of Your maidservant, and You remember me, and do not forget Your maidservant, and give Your maidservant male offspring [ זֶרַע אֲנָשִׁים, ZE ra ana SHIM ], then I shall give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and a razor shall not come upon his head.” (20) And in due course, Hannah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Samuel, "For I have asked him of the Lord". Context: Hannah prays for a son. Reference is specifically to Samuel. In which category does Genesis 3:15 belong? Genesis 3:15 And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed [ זַרְעֲךָ ] and her seed [ זַרְעָהּ ]; they [literally he] will strike your head, and you will strike their [literally his] heel. Context: The serpent is told of the enmity between mankind and snakes, going forward in time. The immediate references are to the serpent and to Eve. The respective applications of the Hebrew noun זֶרַע to the woman (Eve) and to the serpent are references to their generic Offspring, respectively, and do not point to any specific person or entity. Conclusion: Genesis 3:15 belongs in Category I.

February 17, 2011Genesis 3:15 and the “Virgin Birth” Page 8 of 8 A Christian Apologetic Claim and its Refutation (  ) Missionary Argument(  ) Jewish Response The text indicates that the verse speaks of an individual in each case The pronouns הוּא ( HU ) & אַתָּה (a TAH ) are ubiquitous in the Hebrew Bible - the singular “he” (“it” in the KJV) refers to Jesus, the Messiah - הוּא (meaning he) is used both for singular and plural 3 rd -person (the singular mode is most common; two examples of plural application: Exodus 1:10, Numbers 22:3) - the singular “you” refers to Satan - אַתָּה (meaning you) is used both for singular and plural 2 nd -person (the singular mode is more common; two examples of plural application: Exodus 33:3, Deuteronomy 7:6) Claim: The singular pronoun “he” [ הוּא ] applies to Eve's seed, and the singular pronoun “you” [ אַתָּה ] applies to the serpent's seed. Conclusion: Genesis 3:15 is not a messianic prophecy.