Definition and Significance
Conception, in the biblical context, refers to the act of becoming pregnant or the beginning of life in the womb. It is a significant event in Scripture, often associated with divine intervention, blessing, and the fulfillment of God's promises. The Bible presents conception as a miraculous and sacred process, emphasizing God's sovereignty over life and His intimate involvement in the creation of each individual.

Biblical Instances of Conception
Several key biblical narratives highlight the importance of conception:

1. Sarah and Isaac: In Genesis 21:1-2, the conception of Isaac is portrayed as a fulfillment of God's promise to Abraham and Sarah. Despite their old age, God intervenes, allowing Sarah to conceive: "Now the LORD attended to Sarah as He had said, and the LORD did for Sarah what He had promised. So Sarah conceived and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised him."

2. Hannah and Samuel: In 1 Samuel 1:19-20, Hannah's conception of Samuel is depicted as an answer to fervent prayer. After years of barrenness, God remembers Hannah, and she conceives: "Elkanah made love to his wife Hannah, and the LORD remembered her. So in the course of time, Hannah conceived and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, saying, 'Because I asked the LORD for him.'"

3. Elizabeth and John the Baptist: In Luke 1:24-25, Elizabeth's conception of John the Baptist is another instance of divine intervention. Despite her advanced age, God enables her to conceive, preparing the way for the coming of Jesus: "After these days, his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. 'The Lord has done this for me,' she said. 'In these days He has shown His favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.'"

4. Mary and Jesus: The conception of Jesus is the most significant miraculous conception in the Bible. In Luke 1:31-35, the angel Gabriel announces to Mary that she will conceive by the Holy Spirit, emphasizing the divine nature of Jesus' birth: "You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High... The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you."

Theological Implications
Conception in the Bible is often linked to God's providence and purpose. It underscores the belief that life begins at conception and that each life is known and valued by God. Psalm 139:13-16 beautifully captures this idea: "For You formed my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother’s womb... Your eyes saw my unformed body; all my days were written in Your book and ordained for me before one of them came to be."

Moral and Ethical Considerations
The biblical view of conception has significant implications for discussions on the sanctity of life and the moral considerations surrounding issues like abortion and reproductive technology. The belief that life is a divine gift from the moment of conception informs the Christian perspective on the inherent value and dignity of every human being.

Conclusion
While the Bible does not provide exhaustive details on the biological process of conception, it consistently presents it as a divine act, integral to God's creative and redemptive plan. Through the narratives of miraculous conceptions, Scripture reveals God's power, faithfulness, and intimate involvement in the unfolding of human history.

The Case of Abortive Conceptions.
... Chapter 85."The Case of Abortive Conceptions. Hence in the first place
arises a question about abortive conceptions, which have ...
/.../augustine/the enchiridion/chapter 85 the case of abortive.htm

Different Conceptions of John the Baptist.
... Book X. 20. Different Conceptions of John the Baptist. "At that season
Herod the tetrarch heard the report concerning Jesus and ...
/.../20 different conceptions of john.htm

Definitive Conceptions About the Spirit which Conform to the ...
... TOU AGIOU BAChILEIOU PERI TOU PNEUMATOCh BIBLION. Chapter IX. Definitive conceptions
about the Spirit which conform to the teaching of the Scriptures. 22. ...
/.../basil letters and select works/chapter ix definitive conceptions about.htm

Concerning the Question of Jesus in C??sarea, who do Men Say that ...
... Book XII. 9. Concerning the Question of Jesus in C??sarea, Who Do Men Say
that I Am? Different Conceptions of Jesus. "Now when Jesus ...
/.../origens commentary on the gospel of matthew/9 concerning the question of.htm

Christ's Explanations of Demonism Purely Spiritual. --His ...
... AGENCY. Section 104. Christ's Explanations of Demonism purely Spiritual."
His Accommodation to the Conceptions of the Demoniacs. It ...
/.../section 104 christs explanations of.htm

Connexion of the Phenomena with the State of the Times. ...
... Section 102. Connexion of the Phenomena with the State of the Times."Conceptions
of the Jews in regard to them: of the Demoniacs themselves. ...
/.../section 102 connexion of the.htm

Concerning Wisdom, Mind, Reason, Truth, Faith.
... not only that all human intelligence is a sort of error, when tried by the stability
and durability of the Divine and most perfect conceptions, but that it is ...
/.../dionysius/dionysis on divine names/caput vii concerning wisdom mind.htm

The Method of Classifying Things and Names.
... In language there are three things:"Names, which are primarily the symbols
of conceptions, and by consequence also of subjects. ...
/.../clement/the stromata or miscellanies/chapter viii the method of classifying.htm

The Shaking of the Heavens and the Earth (Preached at the Chapel ...
... 'Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.' Not merely the physical
world, and man's conceptions thereof; but the spiritual world, and man's ...
/.../kingsley/the water of life and other sermons/sermon vi the shaking of.htm

What are the Affirmative Expressions Respecting God, and what are ...
... Now I have in my Outlines of Divinity set forth those conceptions which are most
proper to the affirmative method, and have shown in what sense God's holy ...
/.../rolt/dionysius the areopagite/chapter iii what are the.htm

Conceptions (1 Occurrence)
...Conceptions (1 Occurrence). Daniel 4:5 a dream I have seen, and it maketh me afraid,
and the conceptions on my bed, and the visions of my head, do trouble me. ...
/c/conceptions.htm - 6k

Anthropomorphism
... shall have for us some real meaning; hence those quasi-personal or anthropomorphic
forms of expression, which inhere in the most perfected conceptions of Deity ...
/a/anthropomorphism.htm - 20k

Infinitude
... terms as "self-existence," "absoluteness," "unconditioned" yet the ideas for which
these terms stand were all of them attributed in their conceptions to God. ...
/i/infinitude.htm - 12k

Infinite (8 Occurrences)
... terms as "self-existence," "absoluteness," "unconditioned" yet the ideas for which
these terms stand were all of them attributed in their conceptions to God. ...
/i/infinite.htm - 15k

Eternity (23 Occurrences)
... with Time 2. In the Old Testament 3. In the New Testament 4. The Eternal "Now" 5.
Defect of This View 6. Philosophical Views 7. Time Conceptions Inadequate 8 ...
/e/eternity.htm - 24k

Paraclete
... a striking verbal or formal parallel to the statement in 1 John 2:1 where Christ
is our Advocate with the Father, although of course Philo's conceptions of the ...
/p/paraclete.htm - 17k

Sun (1708 Occurrences)
... SUN (2). (Figurative): Poetical conceptions for the sun are frequently found in
the Scriptures, though the strictly figurative expressions are not common. ...
/s/sun.htm - 14k

Punishment (417 Occurrences)
... SCRIPTURAL SUPPORT 1. Old Testament and Jewish Conceptions 2. New Testament Teaching
(1) "Eternal" (2) Equivalent Expressions (3) The Last Judgment 3. Teaching ...
/p/punishment.htm - 62k

Philosophy (1 Occurrence)
... Some of the ruling conceptions of speculation, such as God, spirit, order, causation,
true and false, good and evil, were not discovered by reason, but given ...
/p/philosophy.htm - 27k

Earth (10501 Occurrences)
... See also ASTRONOMY, sec. III, 2. HEAVENS, NEW (AND EARTH, NEW). " 1. Eschatological
Idea 2. Earliest Conceptions: Cosmic verses National Type 3. Different from ...
/e/earth.htm - 26k

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