Is Paul teaching the virgin birth of Jesus in Galatians 4:4?
To answer your good question, let’s read Galatians 4:4-5, “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.”
The virgin birth of our Lord Jesus is so important and is taught plainly in the scriptures. One important reason to accept the truth of the virgin birth concerns Jesus’ identity as the Son of God. If Joseph were His true father, then Jesus would be only a human being. He would not be the Son of God as Scripture clearly states. He would have had His beginning in time rather than eternally existing. As we read in John 1:1, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
It does seem that Paul is speaking concerning the Lord’s virgin birth in this passage. Here we learn that there was an exact, appointed time for the Lord Jesus to come in bodily form to the earth. It was in the ‘fulness of time’ that this occurred. The right time and the right place!
GOD SENT FORTH HIS SON – This speaks of the Lord’s deity. This shows the existence of the Lord Jesus before He was born in the manger in Bethlehem. God SENT HIS SON! We have this precious truth presented several times in the Bible. We read in John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” God was able to send His Son because He existed before He was born as a baby! We read prophetically of the Lord Jesus in Proverbs 8:22-30, “The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was. When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water. Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth: While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world. When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth: When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep: When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth: Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him.”
MADE OF A WOMAN – This speaks of the Lord’s humanity. The Greek word for made is ‘ginomai’ and means “to cause to be.” This refers to the Lord’s birth and the words do not reference a man, only a woman. Isaiah 7:14 gives us this prophesy, “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” This prophesy was fulfilled in the birth of Christ as we read in Matthew 1:18-23, “Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily. But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.”
We have this dual truth of the Lord’s deity and humanity given to us in Isaiah 9:6 which says, “For unto us A CHILD IS BORN, unto us A SON IS GIVEN: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counseller, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” So, I believe you are right in thinking that Paul is referring to the Lord’s virgin birth in Galatians 4:4. (CC) (630.4)