The miracle of the virginal conception
involves genetics. Human cells have 46 chromosomes—except sex cells have 23
(the female egg and the male sperm). In fertilization the sperm and egg unite
their chromosomes and form a zygote, a new potential individual person.
Regarding the offspring’s sex, the father’s seed is the deciding factor. (The
mother only contributes the X gene. The father may have an X or Y gene. Hence a
son is YX and a daughter is XX). Virgin birth (parthenogenesis) can occur in
frogs—but the offspring are only female. Jesus was a circumcised male (Luke
2:21), so a miracle occurred at conception for the virgin to conceive a son. The
Holy Spirit miraculously prepared and gave to Mary the 23 male chromosomes
which would be taken by the Son of God to create a fully human being. (Hilary
Arthur Nixon, The Mystery of Ezekiel’s Temple Liturgy: Why Ezekiel’s Temple
Practices Differ from Levitical Law [Bloomington, Ind.: WestBow Press,
2018], 142)
