## Lord’s Day 14
### 35. Q. What does it mean that he “was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary”?

**A**. That the eternal Son of God, who is and remains true and eternal God,<sup>1</sup> took to himself, through the working of the Holy Spirit,<sup>2</sup> from the flesh and blood of the virgin Mary,<sup>3</sup> a true human nature so that he might also become David’s true descendant,<sup>4</sup> like his brothers in all things<sup>5</sup> except for sin.<sup>6</sup>

<sup>1</sup> [John 1:1](/References/Bible/43%20-%20John/John1.md); [10:30–36](/References/Bible/43%20-%20John/John10.md#30); [Acts 13:33](/References/Bible/44%20-%20Acts/Acts13.md#33) ([Ps. 2:7](/References/Bible/19%20-%20Psalms/Psalms2.md#7)); [Col. 1:15–17](/References/Bible/51%20-%20Colossians/Colossians1.md#15); [1 John 5:20](/References/Bible/62%20-%201John/1John5.md#20)
<sup>2</sup> [Luke 1:35](/References/Bible/42%20-%20Luke/Luke1.md#35)
<sup>3</sup> [Matt. 1:18–23](/References/Bible/40%20-%20Matthew/Matthew1.md#18); [John 1:14](/References/Bible/43%20-%20John/John1.md#14); [Gal. 4:4](/References/Bible/48%20-%20Galatians/Galatians4.md#4); [Heb. 2:14](/References/Bible/58%20-%20Hebrews/Hebrews2.md#14)
<sup>4</sup> [2 Sam. 7:12–16](/References/Bible/10%20-%202Samuel/2Samuel7.md#12); [Ps. 132:11](/References/Bible/19%20-%20Psalms/Psalms132.md#11); [Matt. 1:1](/References/Bible/40%20-%20Matthew/Matthew1.md); [Rom. 1:3](/References/Bible/45%20-%20Romans/Romans1.md#3)
<sup>5</sup> [Phil. 2:7](/References/Bible/50%20-%20Pilippians/Philippians2.md#7); [Heb. 2:17](/References/Bible/58%20-%20Hebrews/Hebrews2.md#17)
<sup>6</sup> [Heb. 4:15](/References/Bible/58%20-%20Hebrews/Hebrews4.md#15); [7:26–27](/References/Bible/58%20-%20Hebrews/Hebrews7.md#26)

### 36. Q. How does the holy conception and birth of Christ benefit you?

**A**. He is our mediator<sup>1</sup> and, in God’s sight, he covers with his innocence and perfect holiness my sin, in which I was conceived.<sup>2</sup>

<sup>1</sup> [1 Tim. 2:5–6](/References/Bible/54%20-%201Timothy/1Timothy2.md#5); [Heb. 9:13–15](/References/Bible/58%20-%20Hebrews/Hebrews9.md#13)
<sup>2</sup> [Rom. 8:3–4](/References/Bible/45%20-%20Romans/Romans8.md#3); [2 Cor. 5:21](/References/Bible/47%20-%202Corinthians/2Corinthians5.md#21); [Gal. 4:4–5](/References/Bible/48%20-%20Galatians/Galatians4.md#4); [1 Pet. 1:18–19](/References/Bible/60%20-%201Peter/1Peter1.md#18)