Although it appears highly improbable that a human virgin could bear a child, it is not scientifically impossible. Per Rich Deem, Is the Virgin Birth Scientifically Impossible? (15 December 2005), “it could be possible in humans for a [virgin] woman to give birth to a male… if the woman had both an X and Y chromosome, which occurs in 1 in 5 million women.” Such a male would likely be an XX male since the child’s DNA would come solely from his mother. Presently, 1 in 20,000 males are considered XX even though they had been conceived through male-female sexual intercourse.

When mathematics is utilized to determine the odds of a virgin female with a Y chromosome conceiving and XX male divided by (1 less the percentage of stillbirths), the probability of such a virgin birth is miniscule but not impossible – 1 in 100.6711747 trillion.

Based on DNA analysis performed on the only known historical artifacts specifically linked to Jesus – the Shroud of Turin (the cloth in which his body was wrapped and interred in the tomb) and the Oviedo Cloth (the napkin that covered Jesus’ face when he was in the tomb) – his genetic composition was consistent with that of an XX male.

Furthermore, when virgin birth or parthenogenesis (which per ’Virgin Birth By Shark Confirmed: Second Case Ever (Science Daily, 11 October 2008) occurs when the “mother’s chromosomes split during egg development [and] pair with another copy of itself [instead of with chromosomes from sperm]”) is viewed in the context of nature, it is even more likely. To date, scientists have proven that parthenogenesis has occurred in some bony fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and single hammerhead and blacktip (female) shark species.

Consequently the virgin birth of Jesus when considering mathematical probability and science, it likely occurred and will likely remain a one-time, unique event in human history.

Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him? [Matthew 2:2]

At the same time, the Star of Bethlehem provides additional proof of the special significance of Jesus’ birth. Per F.J. Tipler, The Star of Bethlehem: a Type Ia/Ic Supernova in the Andromeda Galaxy (20 March 2005) the star the magi saw was historically and scientifically real. It could have been Supernova (SN) 1885A in the Andromeda Galaxy whose center, based on calculations from the Babylon Observatory was extremely close to Bethlehem, such that its “galactic halo” would have been visible in the town’s center or a comet “that was observed for over seventy days with no movement recorded” by Chinese and Korean astronomers per Colin Humphreys, The Star of Bethlehem (Science and Christian Belief, October 1995), both of which could be seen in an around Bethlehem in 5 BCE.

In addition, even though Christmas is celebrated on 25 December, based on contemporary descriptions, historicity and science that indicate Jesus was born on a cold night when “shepherds [were] living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night” [Luke 2:8], “sheep [in the area] were usually put out to grass between March and November,” climactic data indicating that Bethlehem is usally “cold and very wet [from] December [through] February” and “the earliest date [the comet appeared based on] Chinese records” per Colin Humphreys, the birth date of Jesus can be calculated as 9 March 5 BCE.

Last, even though Jesus’ birth was nothing short of a miracle and preceded his ministry that culminated with the resurrection, the ultimate manifestation of God’s eternal love that promises nothing less than universal salvation, we have much to rejoice about with regard to the birth alone.

Jesus was born to a teenaged virgin woman estimated to be 14 years of age, during an era when women were marginalized and considered socially inferior. He was also born outdoors in a manger among animals, the antithesis of social opulence. Because of this, right from his first breath, Jesus established solidarity with the poor, the homeless, the marginalized, and everyone else rejected and/or persecuted by society. No person, past, present and future was and is unworthy of his great love!

Therefore as we yearn for peace on Earth and an era when all people are treated with dignity, human rights are respected (eliminating torture that occurs in 62.5% of the world’s countries and stifling of free expression that occurs in 57.9% of the world’s countries based on Amnesty International’s 2017 statistics) and life itself is cherished from conception to last breath regardless of one’s individuality, imperfections and even disability (when applicable), let us rejoice on this Christmas day and resolve to do our part to make this a better world. May everyone’s hearts be filled with God’s everlasting, unconditional love on this Christmas season and always.