The Birth of
Jesus Christ
Nativity Quiz
1. How many wise men were there?
A. 3
B. 7-8
C. The Bible doesn’t say
2. Did Joseph meet the wise men?
A. Yes, in the stable
B. Yes in their home
C. The Bible doesn’t say.
3. What animal did Mary ride to Bethlehem?
A. A donkey
B. A horse
C. A camel
D. The Bible doesn’t say
4. The Parents named the child Jesus because
A. An angel told Mary
B. An angel told Joseph
C. All of the above
6. What animals were present at the Nativity?
A. Goats, Sheep, and Cattle
B. Chicken and pigeons
C. Pigs
D. Oxen
E. The Bible doesn’t say
7. Who besides the wise men saw the star?
A. Shepherds
B. Herod
C. The Bible does not say
8. How did the star compare in brightness with the
other stars?
A. Far brighter than the other stars.
B. Lots brighter than the other stars.
C. The Bible does not say
9. How soon after Joseph and Mary reached Bethlehem
was Jesus born?
A. Immediately, the same day.
B. The same week.
C. The Bible does not say.
5. What kind of a building was Jesus born in?
A. A stable
B. A cave
C. A hospital
D. The Bible doesn’t say
The Lineage of Jesus Christ
Genealogy of Jesus Christ
Ruth
Tamar
Rahab
Bathsheba
Mary’s Parents - Joachim and Anna
Childless Couple
Joachim tried to offer
a sacrifice
"You are not worthy
to offer sacrifice
with those childless hands."
An Angel appeared:
“ A daughter most blessed, by whom
all the nations of the earth
will be blessed, and
through whom will come
the salvation of the world."
Mary is Presented at the Temple
Miriam or Mary
“ Excellence”
or “Bitterness”
Mary was dedicated to temple service
as a small child
Ancient Prayer Circle
Mary’s Vision in the Temple
Joseph the Carpenter
He was a just man
Tzaddik
A Master builder
Learned
In tune with the Spirit
Beyond Reproach
Betrothal of Joseph and Mary
Probably arranged
while children
Bride price is paid and a contract is given by the young man to the young woman
Average Betrothal age:
Females: 12-13
Males: 18-20
The Annunciation
“ How Shall this be,
seeing I know not
a Man”
Mary’s Call to be the Mother
of the Savior of the World
“ Mary, Thou Hast Found Favor”
“ Behold
The handmaid
of the Lord….
… ..Be it unto me according
to thy word.”
Blessed Art Thou Among Women”
The Magnificat
My soul doth magnify the Lord,
And my spirit hath rejoiced
in God my Saviour.
For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden:
for, behold, from henceforth
all generations
shall call me blessed.
For he that is mighty
hath done to me great things;
and holy is his name.
“ Mary was Found to Be with Child”
James, the brother of Jesus said,
“ And Mary was in her sixth month and behold Joseph came….and entering into her house, he discovered she was big with child. And he…..wept bitterly."
“ Joseph was Minded to Put Her Away Privily”
Joseph’s Vision
That which is
conceived in her
is of the Holy Ghost
Joseph had been chosen to be the earthly father of the Savior of the World!
The Marriage of Joseph & Mary
Scholars are divided
Either Joseph and Mary were married immediately
Or Joseph and Mary traveled to Bethlehem and were formally married after Christ’s birth
He “knew her not”
“ All the World should be Taxed”
Rome required a Census
and a Tax
The law required that both
Joseph and Mary were to be taxed
Mary and Joseph went “Up” to Bethlehem
“ No Room in the Inn”
Caravanserai
“ No Room in the “Kataluma.”
Manger
Guest Room
Family Area
kataluma
“ Stable”
Steps
There was no “room” available in the “kataluma”
or guest room so Joseph and Mary
shared the Family Room attached to the “stable.”
The Star
Matthew emphasizes the Star – reminding the Jews that a star announced the birth of Abraham and Moses
Only the Wise Men saw the Star. The Star may have been literal or a symbol for frequent visitations from an angel who guided the Wise Men.
The Birth of Jesus
The Shepherds = Outcasts
The First Witnesses
Shepherd Priests
Sacred duty: First born male lambs without blemish
for the Passover sacrifices
Fear Not
I bring you
good tidings of
great joy!
For unto you is born….a Saviour,
which is Christ the Lord!
Ye shall find the babe….
…… Wrapped in swaddling bands
… .Lying in
a manger.
A Name and a Blessing
Circumcision
Joseph
named him
“ Yeshua”
“ Jehovah is Salvation”
“ Immanuel”
“ He is God!”
“ God is
with us!”
The Dedication of Jesus at the Temple
40 days after birth
A lamb is to be sacrificed to redeem the child.
Two doves were brought for Mary’s purification and atonement .
Simeon
Revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Messiah.
He came by the Spirit into the Temple
“ A sword shall pierce thy breast.”
Anna
Married at 12-14
Widowed at 19-21
Unmarried for 84 years
At least 101 years old when she saw the Savior
Anna = Grace
Phanuel = Face of God
Asher = Happy and blessed
“ Happy am I” for I have seen “the face of God”
through His “Grace.”
The Magi = the Wise Men
Religious men from the Diaspora
According to the scriptures:
The only people who saw the star.
How Many Wise Men Were There?
Gold = King
Incorruptible, pure, valuable, eternal
Frankincense = Priest
Temple incense, sacrifice, prayer, resurrection
Myrrh = Healer
Balm, healing, death, atonement
Herod the Great
Arabian ancestry
Brilliant genius
Richest man in the Roman Empire
Baby Killer
Flight into Egypt
Joseph was warned in another vision to go
to Egypt
Heliopolis =
Zi - On
The same area of Goshen where the Israelite slaves lived
Herod has Zacharias Killed
Herod orders the death of males 2 years and younger.
Zacharias sends Elizabeth and John to the desert
Herod’s soldiers come
Zacharias is killed between the altar and the porch of the Temple
The
Glorious Advent of our Savior