This Isaiah Prophecy About Mary Shatters Protestant Arguments

From Totus Catholica

This Jewish Prophecy About Mary Proves Catholics Right TLDR: When a 2nd-century Jewish teacher told Justin Martyr that Isaiah 7:14 meant "young woman," not "virgin," Justin asked a devastating question: "If it's just an ordinary birth, why does Isaiah call it a sign?" Signs are meant to be extraordinary—otherwise they're not signs at all . Critics say Matthew ripped Isaiah 7:14 from context and invented a virgin birth prophecy. But the Church Fathers faced this exact objection 1,900 years ago—and buried it by asking whether you understand how God authors Scripture across centuries, and whether the Church, not private judgment, has authority to interpret it . 📌 The Point: Isaiah's prophecy isn't about one Hebrew word—it's about God writing history toward Christ, and whether the Church under the Spirit has authority to discern the fuller meaning God always intended . 📺 VIDEO CHAPTERS 0:00 – The Objection: Matthew "Mistranslated" Isaiah 7:14 1:05 – The Sharpest Form: Alma Means "Young Woman," Not Virgin 2:34 – Justin Martyr's Devastating Question (c. 150 AD) 3:33 – Irenaeus: Mary's Virginity Reverses the Fall 4:30 – Council of Ephesus: Theotokos Protects Christ's Identity 5:12 – Catholic Hermeneutics: Literal + Spiritual Sense 6:59 – Objections Answered: "Mistranslation" & "Ignoring Context" 8:38 – Conclusion: The Virgin Birth Is the Hinge of Salvation 📖 Key Teaching & Scripture The Objection: – Isaiah 7:14 uses alma (young woman/maiden), not betulah (virgin)—critics say Isaiah meant a young woman in King Ahaz's time would bear a child as a sign of deliverance, not a Messiah 700 years later – Matthew 1:22-23 quotes Isaiah 7:14 and applies it to Mary—skeptics cry "mistranslation" and "ripped from context" The Church Fathers' Reply: – Justin Martyr (c. 150 AD, Dialogue with Trypho) – Asked the Jewish teacher Trypho: "If this prophecy is only about an ordinary birth in Ahaz's time, why does Isaiah call it a sign? Signs are extraordinary—otherwise they're not signs at all" – Irenaeus of Lyons (Against Heresies) – Mary's virginity is the hinge on which God reverses the Fall: "As Eve became the cause of death, so Mary by yielding obedience became the cause of salvation" – Tertullian (c. 200 AD, On the Flesh of Christ) – Virgin birth is essential to the reality of the Incarnation: "The Word truly became flesh from Mary's substance" – Council of Ephesus (431 AD) – Title Theotokos (Godbearer) wasn't Marian hype—it was Christological precision protecting Jesus' identity as one divine person, truly God and truly man Catholic Hermeneutics (How to Read Scripture): – CCC 105-107 – God is the author of Scripture; He inspired its human authors and acts through them, giving assurance their writings teach the truth God wanted for our salvation – CCC on Literal + Spiritual Senses – Scripture has both a literal sense (what the human author/original audience understood) and spiritual senses (what God the ultimate author intended, discerned by the Church under the Spirit) – Vatican II, Dei Verbum 14-16 – "God inspired the OT books that they might remain permanently in the Church and point forward to the Messiah"; the OT is read in the Church in light of its fulfillment in Christ – Sensus Plenior (Fuller Sense) – Isaiah's oracle to Ahaz can be historically real and carry a fuller Christ-centered meaning disclosed later; Matthew isn't inventing, he's unveiling the fuller sense God always intended The Virgin Birth Is Non-Negotiable: – CCC 497 – "The Gospel accounts understand the virginal conception of Jesus as a divine work that surpasses all human understanding and possibility" – Vatican II, Lumen Gentium 55 – Explicitly cites Isaiah 7:14 in the context of Mary's role in salvation history, showing the Church's official magisterial reading The Real Question: – Not "young woman" vs. "virgin"—but who has authority to interpret Scripture: private judgment, or the Church under the Spirit? 🌐 Stay Connected 📿 Daily Holy Hour – https://totuscatholica.org/rosary 🌍 Website – https://totuscatholica.org/ ✉️ Contact me – https://totuscatholica.org/contact 🔍 Examination of Conscience – https://catholicexaminationofconscien... 💬 Reflection Question If Justin Martyr's question still stands—"If it's just an ordinary birth, why call it a sign?"—how does that challenge the "Matthew mistranslated Isaiah" objection? Does your interpretation of Scripture submit to the Church's authoritative voice, or do you rely on private judgment?