245. Peter Gentry on The Mother of the Infant King, Isaiah 7:14
In this episode, we welcome Dr. Peter Gentry to discuss the book, co-authored with Dr. Christophe Rico, The Mother of the Infant King, Isaiah 7:14: ‘alma and parthenos in the World of the Bible: A Linguistic Perspective. Isaiah 7:14, especially given the quotation in Matthew 1:23 – is considered one of the most controversial passages in the Old Testament. Translated traditionally as “virgin”, and yet in modern translations typically rendered “young woman” – what is the actual meaning of the world ‘alma and how do we know?
Whether from arguments from etymology, to the argument of “duplicate use”, to the alleged counter-point in Proverbs 30:19, to even broad claims regarding Jewish tradition – Dr. Gentry takes us into each of these arguments, why they are made, and what is wrong with them. Focusing quite a bit on linguistic analysis, both of ‘alma and the Greek translation of “parthenos” – Dr. Gentry answers the question of whether or not Genesis 24:43 is a counter-point.
What is the context of Isaiah 7, the textual evidence regarding Isaiah 7:14 specifically – and how does it tie into the larger context of Isaiah’s book as a whole? We then ask about whether or not the evangelist Matthew rightly reads and understands Isaiah 7:14 in his quotation in Matthew 1:23? Contrary to the modern consensus, Dr. Gentry explains to us some of why a close study of Isaiah suggests that the Prophet did actually predict a virgin birth in the distant future – and that Jesus of Nazareth does indeed fulfill that specific prophecy.
Other resources by Dr. Gentry:
- “Does Isaiah Predict the Virgin Birth?”
- How To Read and Understand the Biblical Prophets
- Kingdom Through Covenant: A Biblical-Theological Understanding of the Covenants
- Text History of the Greek Ecclesiastes
- Check out the Hexapla Institute
Other resources:
- Biblical Words and Their Meaning by Moises Silva
- Exegetical Fallacies by D.A. Carson
- The Virgin Birth of Christ by J. Gresham Machen
- Check out our interview with Dr. Bernard Aubert about this book
- Scourby: Isaiah, Matthew, Luke
LDS resources:
- 1 Nephi 11:15, 18; Alma 7:10
- CFM Diagram
- “The Father and the Son” (Q15)
- Prophet-President Brigham Young: JD 1.46-53; 4.217-218; 8.115; 11.268
- Elder Heber C. Kimball: JD 8.211
- The Seer by Elder Orson Pratt (also JD 19.319)
- Jesus the Christ by Elder James Talmage
- Doctrines of Salvation (3 vol.’s) by President Joseph Fielding Smith (also here)
- Mormon Doctrine; Doctrinal New Testament Commentary (3 vol.’s); “The Mystery of Godliness” by Elder Bruce R. McConkie (also here, and here)
