Jesus' XY chromosome

[Sirach_4]

I was talking about Mary providing Jesus with his human nature in class today and a student asked where Jesus got His XY chromosome from if Mary only had an XX to give Him? This seems like a stretch but since Eve came from Adam’s side…is it possible that Jesus as the New Adam comes forth from the New Eve, being that Man’s (Adam’s) rib/DNA was there already???

 

[PerfectTiming]

That is definitely a stretch. Genetics don’t work like that. Mary would have had XX sex chromosomes, like any female. Jesus, as a male, would have had XY. Mary could in no way provide the Y chromosome. Remember that Jesus was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit: Mary may not have had any Y chromosome to pass on but the power of the Holy Spirit is infinite. If the power of the Holy Spirit could cause the Blessed Virgin to conceive then it can just as easily have given the extra chromosome needed.

 

[Sirach_4]

I hear ya PT. Not doubt the Holy Spirit has infinite power. God can create from nothing. My concern with your response is that many solid Catholic scholars emphasize Mary’s role in providing Jesus with His human nature and a particular emphasis has been placed on His physical body. Some go so far as to say they (Mary & Jesus) had the same DNA (like Identical twins). If Mary is the source of Christ’s body, which was pierced for our sins, then she should also be the source of his DNA, which is part of His body. Thoughts?

 

[oneGODoneCHURCH]

I hear ya PT. Not doubt the Holy Spirit has infinite power. God can create from nothing. My concern with your response is that many solid Catholic scholars emphasize Mary’s role in providing Jesus with His human nature and a particular emphasis has been placed on His physical body. Some go so far as to say they (Mary & Jesus) had the same DNA (like Identical twins). If Mary is the source of Christ’s body, which was pierced for our sins, then she should also be the source of his DNA, which is part of His body. Thoughts?

My question then become were did the XY chromosome for Adam come from? Would His Chromosomes come from God make him not completely man.

Does It matter that Christ Received the Y from God?

 

[Sirach_4]

All matter (all created being) ultimately comes from God. If the Holy Spirit creates matter (Christ’s XY) from nothing I am willing to accept it. We believe that when conception takes place God creates a new soul out of nothing, joins the soul to the matter, and animates the matter provided by the parents. If part of the Holy Spirit’s activity in overshadowing and impregnating Mary is to provide some physical matter we should include that information when the topic of Mary providing Jesus with His human nature/body is discussed. Maybe “conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit” includes this. I am not taking away anything from Mary’s role or Jesus’ humanity/masculinity by posing the question. If it is part of our faith that Jesus’ body comes from Mary AND the Holy Spirit we should say so and not simply say Mary gives Him His body.

 

[Erich]

My question then become were did the XY chromosome for Adam come from? Would His Chromosomes come from God make him not completely man.

Does It matter that Christ Received the Y from God?

Just a nit… XX and XY refer to a pair of chromosomes, not a single chromosome.

The mother, being female, has XX chromosomes and can only contribute one type, namely X, to her offspring.

The father, being male, has XY chromosomes and can contribute one of two types, namely X or Y, to his offspring. If the father contributes an X, then the child will have an X from its mother and an X from its father, so the child will be XX (i.e. female). Similarly, if the father contributes a Y, then the child will have an X from its mother and a Y from its father, so the child will be XY (i.e. male).

Maybe the Y from Adam’s rib floated forward through space and time and became the source of Jesus’ Y… and the now-extra X from Mary floated backward through space and time and became the source of Eve’s second X – i.e. the Law of Conservation of Chromosomes

 

[Reuben_J]

If it is part of our faith that Jesus’ body comes from Mary AND the Holy Spirit we should say so and not simply say Mary gives Him His body.

Humanly speaking it is right to say that Mary gives him his body as all mothers do but particularly for Mary since the other parent (God) we cannot see. We also say that Mary is the Mother of God because we cannot separate Jesus the man from Jesus the divine but we know that Mary does not create divinity.

Explaining the incarnation by scientific means would pose certain problem simply because the Bible is not a book of science. Having said that the birth of Jesus and where he was derived from should not pose a problem. The Holy Spirit attributes to what is required in the paternity of Jesus.

 

[oneGODoneCHURCH]

Just a nit… XX and XY refer to a pair of chromosomes, not a single chromosome.

The mother, being female, has XX chromosomes and can only contribute one type, namely X, to her offspring.

The father, being male, has XY chromosomes and can contribute one of two types, namely X or Y, to his offspring. If the father contributes an X, then the child will have an X from its mother and an X from its father, so the child will be XX (i.e. female). Similarly, if the father contributes a Y, then the child will have an X from its mother and a Y from its father, so the child will be XY (i.e. male).

Maybe the Y from Adam’s rib floated forward through space and time and became the source of Jesus’ Y… and the now-extra X from Mary floated backward through space and time and became the source of Eve’s second X – i.e. the Law of Conservation of Chromosomes

Or Maybe God made it at the time? Just a thought. I mean did he or did he not make them all to begin with?

Oh And I do know That the Father can contribute either and X or a Y and the Mother only a Y. My Question is/was since Adam and Eve did not have parents to contribute these chromosome, but being Human had them, they must have come from God, Therefore why would we not conclude that when the Holy Spirit Came upon Mary and she conceived, that the Holy Spirit provided the Y chromsome.

 

[PerfectTiming]

Or Maybe God made it at the time? Just a thought. I mean did he or did he not make them all to begin with?

Oh And I do know That the Father can contribute either and X or a Y and the Mother only a Y. My Question is/was since Adam and Eve did not have parents to contribute these chromosome, but being Human had them, they must have come from God, Therefore why would we not conclude that when the Holy Spirit Came upon Mary and she conceived, that the Holy Spirit provided the Y chromsome.

You’re right that the father can contribute either X or Y but the mother can only contribute an X - not a Y. Women have XX sex chromosomes, men are XY.

 

[oneGODoneCHURCH]

You’re right that the father can contribute either X or Y but the mother can only contribute an X - not a Y. Women have XX sex chromosomes, men are XY.

Sorry thats was my mistake I meant X.

 

[vera_dicere]

God created the entire universe. Surely can’t be that much of an intellectual stretch to reason He is more then capable of providing a Y chromosome.

I’ve always been of the mind that perhaps He copied/borrowed Joseph’s Y chromosome so Jesus would look like Joseph physically and Mary would not be questioned for any indiscretion.