The Wise Men

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.”

When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.

So they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet:

‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,

Are not the least among the rulers of Judah;

For out of you shall come a Ruler

Who will shepherd My people Israel.’ ”

Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also.”

When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.

(Matthew 2:1-14 NKJV)

https://biblehub.com/nkjv/matthew/2.htm

Christ is Born

And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered.

This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria.

So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city.

Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David,  to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child.  So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered.  And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. 

Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.  And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid.  Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.  For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.  And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host

praising God and saying:

“Glory to God in the highest,

And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”

So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.”  And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger.  Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child.  And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. 

But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. 

Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them. (Luke2:1-20 NKJV) 

 

https://biblehub.com/nkjv/luke/2.htm

 

 

The Christ, the Son of the Living God

At the time of Jesus' birth, most Jewish people were able to recite their genealogy (family tree) all the way back to Adam.  The scriptures clearly state that the Messiah would be a descendant of King David of Israel. (Jeremiah 23:5-6; Isaiah 11:1-2; Psalm 89 3-4, 18, 26-37; Acts 2:29-30)   Therefore, it was important that Jesus’ genealogy show that he was a descendant of David.

The genealogy of Jesus of Nazareth is provided for us in the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 1, and the Gospel of Luke, Chapter 3.  There are, however, significant differences between the two.  In Matthew's Gospel the father of Jesus' stepfather, Joseph, is listed as “Jacob.”  In Luke's Gospel it says that Joseph's father was “Heli.”  This is because the genealogy listed in Luke is actually the genealogy of Mary, Jesus’ mother.  Heli was Joseph's father-in-law, and Heli was regarded as Joseph's father culturally.

The significance cannot be overstated.  If Joseph was Jesus' biological father, then Jesus cannot be the Messiah.  Matthew 1:11 shows that Joseph was a descendent of Jeconiah (a.k.a. Jehoiachin) a King in the linage of David who was so evil that he was cursed (2Kings 24:8; 1Chronicles 3:16; Jeremiah 22:18-30), and no descendant of Jeconiah could inherit the throne of David.  The only way that Jesus can be "the Christ (Messiah), the Son of the living God," (Matthew 16:16) is through the genealogy of Mary.

Those who would deny the Immaculate Conception, and the virgin birth of Jesus of Nazareth, by doing so also deny Peter's witness that He is the Messiah.  “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34 NIV)

 

 

Joseph's Obedience

This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about:

His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph,

but before they came together,

she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit.

Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law,

and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace,

he had in mind to divorce her quietly.

But after he had considered this,

an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said,

“Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife,

because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.

She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus,

because he will save his people from their sins.”

All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:

”The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son,

and they will call him Immanuel”* (which means God with us).

When Joseph woke up,

he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him

and took Mary home as his wife.

But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son.

And he gave him the name Jesus.

(Matthew 1:18-25 NIV)

* Isaiah 7:14

https://biblehub.com/niv/matthew/1.htm

The Annunciation

Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.

And having come in, the angel said to her,

“Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you;

blessed are you among women!”

But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”

Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?”

And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. For with God nothing will be impossible.”

Then Mary said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her. (Luke 1:26-38 NKJV)

https://biblehub.com/nkjv/luke/1.htm