Bible Study The Birth of Jesus

[HeIsRisen2018]

Since it is almost Christmas time I just had a few questions about the most famous birth of all. So, I have a few theories about the first question but I was just wanting to know whether anybody knew for sure. Why did God choose to have Mary conceive Jesus before she was married to Joseph? Here are my theories:

1. For purity reasons and maybe because of the fact that that way, Jesus couldn't get any of their sinful genes?


2. To show that He really was God's Son and set Him apart from other human beings although He was also human as well.


3. To fulfill prophecy that a virgin would deliver the one who would deliver us all and Mary just happened to be a virgin at the time. (Which brings me to my next question.)



Did Mary have a choice to give birth to Jesus? I know that this question was asked quite awhile ago and there was some disbute about this one but I honestly believe that she did have a choice. After all, God has given us all the choice of free will so why wouldn't He have given it to Mary? And when she told the angel to let it be done that also leads me to believe that she had a say in the matter. It's just that God knew all along what her answer would be.


Alright third and final question. (Actually it's a lot of questions all thrown into one.) Why do people automatically assume things about Christ's birth that was never written in the Bible in the first place? Like every Nativity set there is a stable and animals in the scene.


However, I believe the only thing in the Bible that we actually know is that Jesus was laid in a manger. It doesn't mention anything about a stable or animals. Jesus could have been born in a cave or something. I don't think it goes into great detail about the wise men just that they visited Jesus and presented Him with gifts. I don't think it says if they visited Him as soon as He was born or if there were only three of them because of the fact that only three gifts were presented. (Then again I must admit that my brain is a little bit fuzzy when it comes to these details.)


The thing that still throws my brain for a loop is the fact that some people even say that the baby Jesus talked as soon as He was born. 2 Now I know for a fact that it doesn't mention this part anywhere in the Bible. Of course there is that old Christmas legend that the animals spoke as well after Jesus was born and still do to this day every Christmas Eve at midnight I think it is and I realize that that story is just for fun and strictly fiction. There was also an animated movie about this (Annabelle's Wish) that I rent every year. Anyways, I'm sorry that this was a rather long post but hopefully I'll finally get some answers to these questions. (The videos are just for entertaining purposes and being joyful and celebrating the birth of our Savior by the way.

 

[for_his_glory]

You will find your answers in Luke 1:26-38; 2:1-40; Matthew 12:1-12

Matthew 2:1-12 gives us the account of the Magi who were a priestly sect from Persia bringing their best gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh to honor the Messiah’s birth as they symbolically acknowledged Jesus as being the prophesied King of the Jews.

Magi were renowned in their knowledge of astrology with regard to it being science and related their knowledge to the Star of Bethlehem. Daniel was highly regarded by the Persian court. In Daniel 9 the Magi had been given the prophecy of Messiah being cut off in the midst of His 35th year. They knew this event would occur 483 Babylonian years of 360 days after the Persian King Artaxerxes issued a decree. With this piece of information they deducted the Messiah would be born 32B.C.

There was also a Mesopotamian prophet named Balaam who foretold the coming of the star that would signify the rise of Messiah for the tribes of Israel. It was foretold that the Hebrews would receive a King Messiah and that his coming would be noted by a sign in the heavens specifically in the constellation known to Magi as Virgo. One of Daniels pupils, Zoroaster, incorporated these prophecies in his bible called the Zend Avest. Zoroastrianism was the state religion of Persia at the time of Jesus’ birth.

In Matthew 2:9-11 indicates that something would be marking the very place of Messiah’s birth and it is possible that Magi witnessed the Shekinah Glory Cloud, the same cloud described in Genesis at the entrance to the garden of Eden, in Exodus 13:21, 22 as the Pillar of Cloud by day and Pillar of fire by night and in Job as he witnessed the Shekinah when God spoke to him from a whirlwind of a bright and shining cloud.

The trip from Persia to Jerusalem by camel had to take at least three weeks as a camel can travel 500 miles in ten days plus giving time for rest along the trip. Being that the path they took could have been the Silk Road, which was an unsafe road especially when you were traveling with goods of worth, the Shekinah Glory Cloud not only led their trip it protected them until they reached the site where Jesus was born so they could humble themselves before the King of the Jews and worship him with their best gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

All three gifts that were mentioned in scripture had real value and also possibly a prophetic one as only the Magi recognized Jesus as being a king at his birth even though no one else did, not even his own family. Gold was a traditional gift to families to help with the financial burden of a new child and it also symbolized virtue. Frankincense was used as incense and perfume as a soothing gift for a new family. It also helps to keep away pest especially around a new baby. Frankincense was one of the elements used in holy anointing and was placed in a purified form on the showbread in the tabernacle, Exodus 30:34; Leviticus 6:15; 24:7. Myrrh was another ingredient of the holy anointing oil, Exodus 30:23-33). It was also useful as a deodorant. Its preservative properties allowed myrrh to be used along with aloes and other scents and spices to anoint the dead.

These three gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh represented the life and death of Jesus in respect to gold as being his kingship here on earth, frankincense his priestly office and myrrh signifying his suffering. These three gifts symbolized the life and death of Christ we also humble ourselves before him bringing our best gifts to bring glory and honor to the name of Jesus.

The gifts of the Magi were fit for a king and we have to ask ourselves what are our best gifts or are we even giving our best gifts to the Lord. Gifts are not only monetary like what you place in the offering plate, but it is also giving the best of us to others as Jesus gives us his best.

 

[HeIsRisen2018]

You will find your answers in Luke 1:26-38; 2:1-40; Matthew 12:1-12

Matthew 2:1-12 gives us the account of the Magi who were a priestly sect from Persia bringing their best gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh to honor the Messiah’s birth as they symbolically acknowledged Jesus as being the prophesied King of the Jews.

Magi were renowned in their knowledge of astrology with regard to it being science and related their knowledge to the Star of Bethlehem. Daniel was highly regarded by the Persian court. In Daniel 9 the Magi had been given the prophecy of Messiah being cut off in the midst of His 35th year. They knew this event would occur 483 Babylonian years of 360 days after the Persian King Artaxerxes issued a decree. With this piece of information they deducted the Messiah would be born 32B.C.

There was also a Mesopotamian prophet named Balaam who foretold the coming of the star that would signify the rise of Messiah for the tribes of Israel. It was foretold that the Hebrews would receive a King Messiah and that his coming would be noted by a sign in the heavens specifically in the constellation known to Magi as Virgo. One of Daniels pupils, Zoroaster, incorporated these prophecies in his bible called the Zend Avest. Zoroastrianism was the state religion of Persia at the time of Jesus’ birth.

In Matthew 2:9-11 indicates that something would be marking the very place of Messiah’s birth and it is possible that Magi witnessed the Shekinah Glory Cloud, the same cloud described in Genesis at the entrance to the garden of Eden, in Exodus 13:21, 22 as the Pillar of Cloud by day and Pillar of fire by night and in Job as he witnessed the Shekinah when God spoke to him from a whirlwind of a bright and shining cloud.

The trip from Persia to Jerusalem by camel had to take at least three weeks as a camel can travel 500 miles in ten days plus giving time for rest along the trip. Being that the path they took could have been the Silk Road, which was an unsafe road especially when you were traveling with goods of worth, the Shekinah Glory Cloud not only led their trip it protected them until they reached the site where Jesus was born so they could humble themselves before the King of the Jews and worship him with their best gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

All three gifts that were mentioned in scripture had real value and also possibly a prophetic one as only the Magi recognized Jesus as being a king at his birth even though no one else did, not even his own family. Gold was a traditional gift to families to help with the financial burden of a new child and it also symbolized virtue. Frankincense was used as incense and perfume as a soothing gift for a new family. It also helps to keep away pest especially around a new baby. Frankincense was one of the elements used in holy anointing and was placed in a purified form on the showbread in the tabernacle, Exodus 30:34; Leviticus 6:15; 24:7. Myrrh was another ingredient of the holy anointing oil, Exodus 30:23-33). It was also useful as a deodorant. Its preservative properties allowed myrrh to be used along with aloes and other scents and spices to anoint the dead.

These three gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh represented the life and death of Jesus in respect to gold as being his kingship here on earth, frankincense his priestly office and myrrh signifying his suffering. These three gifts symbolized the life and death of Christ we also humble ourselves before him bringing our best gifts to bring glory and honor to the name of Jesus.

The gifts of the Magi were fit for a king and we have to ask ourselves what are our best gifts or are we even giving our best gifts to the Lord. Gifts are not only monetary like what you place in the offering plate, but it is also giving the best of us to others as Jesus gives us his best.

Well that was a lot of good Biblical information there,.. but I missed the part where this actually answered any of my questions. I'm sorry please don't take that the wrong way.

 

[JohnDB]

Mary was Jewish.
And you have to understand the culture at that time. Women wanted children...as many as possible. Children were a woman's "retirement program".

Now having a child for God? That was the ultimate for a Jewish woman. Any Jewish woman would commit murder for the opportunity (if she thought that she could get away with it).
Sampson, Isaac, Samuel, and many others were born in such a fashion... most women would have loved to have a child become a Pharisee or "Expert in the Law" AKA grammoton. But to bear THE Messiah? It was undeserved favor that Mary was chosen. Every day at the Temple they prayed for God to send the Messiah. And Mary was a virgin... meaning unmarried and the child was born from God's choices and not her boyfriend or husband or anyone else. (Of course no one believed Mary when she said that she hadn't fooled around...not even Joseph until the angel told him different)

Let's put it this way...
If God comes to you and asked for you to perform a task...what are you going to say?

 

[HeIsRisen2018]

Mary was Jewish.
And you have to understand the culture at that time. Women wanted children...as many as possible. Children were a woman's "retirement program".

Now having a child for God? That was the ultimate for a Jewish woman. Any Jewish woman would commit murder for the opportunity (if she thought that she could get away with it).
Sampson, Isaac, Samuel, and many others were born in such a fashion... most women would have loved to have a child become a Pharisee or "Expert in the Law" AKA grammoton. But to bear THE Messiah? It was undeserved favor that Mary was chosen. Every day at the Temple they prayed for God to send the Messiah. And Mary was a virgin... meaning unmarried and the child was born from God's choices and not her boyfriend or husband or anyone else. (Of course no one believed Mary when she said that she hadn't fooled around...not even Joseph until the angel told him different)

Let's put it this way...
If God comes to you and asked for you to perform a task...what are you going to say?

Well I'm sure that many still didn't believe her or Jesus that He was who they both said He was. (When Jesus was old enough to understand and tell them Himself that is.) As for your question to be honest I really don't know, it would really depend on what the task was. Don't get me wrong, I really want to obey Him but I might become scared.

 

[JohnDB]

Well I'm sure that many still didn't believe her or Jesus that He was who they both said He was. (When Jesus was old enough to understand and tell them Himself that is.) As for your question to be honest I really don't know, it would really depend on what the task was. Don't get me wrong, I really want to obey Him but I might become scared.

Remember...
It was something that she wanted to do and was happy doing it. (God is always good)
So if God asked you to do something it probably would be the same (something that you like and want to do)

 

[HeIsRisen2018]

Remember...
It was something that she wanted to do and was happy doing it. (God is always good)
So if God asked you to do something it probably would be the same (something that you like and want to do)

Pretty much what I figured all along then. So what about my third question then?

 

[JohnDB]

The myths?
People have been making stuff up long before Jesus was born... adding things to stories as if there was more than told.

 

[HeIsRisen2018]

The myths?
People have been making stuff up long before Jesus was born... adding things to stories as if there was more than told.

Well the thing is though some of those myths might hold some truth to them but then again it's rather difficult to be sure. Obviously a baby or animals couldn't talk though no matter what. The only talking animal besides humans (who have already learned how to speak) that I've seen is a parrot and it just repeats what it hears. Unless you count monkeys and apes that have learned how to use sign language.

 

[for_his_glory]

Well that was a lot of good Biblical information there,.. but I missed the part where this actually answered any of my questions. I'm sorry please don't take that the wrong way.

Those scriptures I gave you in Luke 1:26-38; 2:1-40; Matthew 12:1-12 all speak about Mary and the birth of Jesus. It was prophcied in Isaiah 7:14, 9:6, 7 that the Lord would give a sign and that sign was that a virgin would conceive and bear a son and call him Immanuel. Mary was choosen by God as she had much favor in Him and she and Joseph were from the lineage of King David as being a part of the tribe of Judah. I don't think that Mary even considered a choice, but accepted the will of God.

Mangers (feeding trough) are usually found in stables as there was no other place for them to lodge as it was census time and all the rooms were taken. Many homes at that time had two levels. The upper level was for the family and the bottom for the animals. It could be that Joseph had relatives and they stayed with them and had to bunk in with the animals.

The part I gave about the Magi is they were also know as the wise men in scripture who came later to present gifts to Jesus. Hope this clears it up .

 

[HeIsRisen2018]

Those scriptures I gave you in Luke 1:26-38; 2:1-40; Matthew 12:1-12 all speak about Mary and the birth of Jesus. It was prophcied in Isaiah 7:14, 9:6, 7 that the Lord would give a sign and that sign was that a virgin would conceive and bear a son and call him Immanuel. Mary was choosen by God as she had much favor in Him and she and Joseph were from the lineage of King David as being a part of the tribe of Judah. I don't think that Mary even considered a choice, but accepted the will of God.

Mangers (feeding trough) are usually found in stables as there was no other place for them to lodge as it was census time and all the rooms were taken. Many homes at that time had two levels. The upper level was for the family and the bottom for the animals. It could be that Joseph had relatives and they stayed with them and had to bunk in with the animals.

The part I gave about the Magi is they were also know as the wise men in scripture who came later to present gifts to Jesus. Hope this clears it up .

Yes, it did actually. Thanks.