The Truth About the Birth of Jesus

The Truth About the Birth of Jesus

 

By Elton Camp

 

 

            This is not the usual Christmas write.  It is intended for persons who, like me, believe the Bible to be the truthful word of God and take what it actually says as being far more important than traditional teaching of men. 

 

            The birth of Jesus and the events that followed are described in only two books of the Bible�"Matthew and Luke.  There are, however, endless embellishments and distortions that people, perhaps with good intentions, have created over the years.  Mark Twain commented that great books were those that “everybody praises, but nobody reads.”  Millions do read the Bible, but it is all too easy to allow fanciful stories to cause us to misinterpret what is written.  So it is with the account of the birth of Jesus and his early childhood.  The discussion that follows is based on the King James translation of 1611. 

 

            Please read Luke 2: 1-22 and then return to this narrative.  These few verses tell how Mary and Joseph came to be in the village of Bethlehem and why she came to give birth to Jesus and laid him in a manger.  Now let’s carefully examine certain aspects of the account. 

 

Luke 2: 7:  The expression “firstborn” which was written many years after the events suggests that Mary went on to have additional children, though in the normal biological manner rather than by a miracle.  Some church dogma holds that Mary was a virgin for her entire life.  What do you think?  Look for more on this later. 

 

Luke 2: 8:  Notice that the shepherds were “in the same country,” not from a distant place like the “wise men.”  They were “abiding in the field,” that is to say they were staying there tending to their flocks even “by night.”  What does this suggest as to the idea that Jesus was born in cold December?  Scripture nowhere gives the date of the birth of Jesus and December 25^th arises from corrupt church dogma alone. 

 

Luke 2: 11:  When was the heavenly announcement made to the shepherds?  Look carefully:  “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.” 

 

Luke 2: 15,16:  Remember that the shepherds were in the “same country” where the birth took place and close enough that they immediately went into the village “with haste” and found Jesus still in the manger.  The “wise men” who were from another country didn’t show up for a considerable time and certainly weren’t there at the same time as the faithful men the angels notified.  How does this contrast with the usual depictions of the birth of Jesus?  More on this later. 

 

Please read Matthew 1: 18-23 and 2: 1-23 and then return to this narrative once again.  This provides more detail when compared to Luke’s account.  The two are in no way contradictory.  Luke knew what Matthew had already written and saw no need to repeat it. 

 

Matthew 1:  This relates matters on which there is little controversy among those who are Bible believers, but do note that it confirms that Mary didn’t remain a virgin all here life.  Verse 25 informs us that righteous Joseph “knew her not” (had no intercourse with her) “till she had brought forth her firstborn son.”  What happened after that?  Of course they commenced normal sexual relations and Mary bore other children over the years.  The angel didn’t specifically tell Joseph not to have sex with Mary until later, but he made that righteous decision out of respect for what he had been told.  Again, notice that Jesus was her “firstborn” which implies other children later.  James is, in other places, specifically mentioned by name as being Jesus’ brother.  Jesus had other brothers and sisters born, but not produced in the miraculous manner that he was. 

 

Matthew 2: 1-2:  The “wise men” appear, but unlike the shepherds, they are not directed by God to Jesus.  Bible scholars generally agree that a more correct translation is “magi.”  They were astrologers as shown by their looking to a “star” which informed them of the birth of the King of the Jews.  Astrology directs attention to the stars as a source of wisdom rather than to the Bible.  Notice that the magi had to ask where the Christ was born although this is clearly stated in Bible prophecy.  They were unfamiliar with the Bible and far from being “wise men.”  How many were there?  The Bible doesn’t say, but uses “men” so there could have been two or a dozen.  Only church dogma tells that there were three.  What was the “star” that the magi saw?  Let the verses that follow lead us to the right conclusion. 

 

Matthew 2:7:  Notice that Herod diligently inquired as to the time the “star” appeared.  This inquiry is vital to understanding of the verses that follow. 

 

Matthew 2: 9-10:  Herod wickedly sent the magi to find Jesus with the intention of killing him.  Notice carefully that the “star” then “went before them.”  It was not a star, but a light from Satan the Devil leading the magi to the young Jesus with hope that it might result in his death as Herod was planning.  Because they were astrologers, they called the light a “star” in keeping with their pagan beliefs.  Apparently, only the magi saw the “star.”  Otherwise, others would also have followed it.  The “star” or light then stood “over where the young child was.”  A star in the heavens couldn’t possibly do that!  Notice it was a “young child,” not a newborn baby.  About two years had elapsed since his birth.  More on this later. 

 

            Matthew 2: 11:  Where did they find Jesus?  The Bible answers, “when they were come into the house [not the stable where he had been born] they saw the young child.”  Again, a “young child,” not a newborn baby. 

 

            Matthew 2: 16:  The magi were warned not to go back to Herod and they didn’t.  That made Herod extremely angry, but he was still determined to kill the Christ.  He had children in Bethlehem killed, expecting Jesus to be among them.  Notice carefully the ages of the children he ordered destroyed:  “from two years old and under.”  Why that age?  Why not newborns?  The Bible explains, “according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men.”  He had learned that the “star” appeared two years prior to the arrival of the magi.  Of course, Joseph had taken Jesus safely out of the area due to divine instructions. 

 

Do you see the sharp contrast between what the Bible actually says and church teaching about the birth of Jesus?  Which will you accept?  It matters, because truth matters and truth in religion is what is revealed in the Bible.  Let God be found true, although every man a liar.

 

Is it because I honor and respect Jesus Christ that I do not celebrate “Christmas.”  There are many other examples of church dogma contradicting the Bible.  Anyone who has sincere questions may contact me, but I do NOT want to argue or enter into some religious debate.  [email protected]