“[Jesus] is both man and God at once; mysterious for men, he who cannot be contained. As man, however, he is truly born of Mary, having been begotten without manly seed.”
Epiphanius of Salamis, Ancoratus 32; PG 43,76 A-B.
How do Christians relate to this?
For His birth from a virgin, if Jesus Christ was born through marital relations, He would have been like any human; He would not be unique in any way. Thus, he was born of a virgin.
On taking a human body and soul, the uncontainable Word of God took flesh and became containable. Because He is God, He is unlimited and incomprehensible. Our understanding will not be able to capture all his mysterious work. So, He revealed to us enough to remain in communion with Him. Thus, He took flesh and was seen, touched, and heard. So, you, too, can experience, know, feel, and hear Him.
The Egyptian Christians (Copts) dealt with this mystery by including their simple faith in their daily prayers. Here is an example of what they included in their Holy Psalmody (Book of Praises):
“For the Incorporeal was incarnate, and the Word became flesh,
Coptic Holy Psalmody, Wednesday Theotokia (Praise to the Mother of God), Seventh Part.
the One without beginning began, the Eternal came under time.
The Incomprehensible has been touched, and the Unseen has been seen,
and the Son of the living God, truly became the Son of Man.”
If you are interested in buying the Coptic Holy Psalmody, you can find it on Amazon in a paperback format. Also, it is available on Coptic Reader App available on Apple Store and Google Play
If you are interested in more quotes on Virgin Mary, you can find them in Mary and the Fathers of the Church on Amazon in both in Kindle and paperback formats.
References:
Gambero, L., 1999. Mary and the Fathers of the Church 1st ed. Translated by Buffer, T., San Francisco: Ignatius Press. p. 117
