You may have heard people trying to confuse Christians by telling them
that the Bible is full of inconsistencies, which they call lies and they claim
this disproves that Jesus Is the Son of God, but is this really true?
I will do very thorough research on this topic using the New King James
Version (NKJV) of the Bible and internet resources, as needed. Often, the Bible
has both the words “he” and “him” in the same Bible verse. I will put who is
talking and who is spoken to within brackets for clarity, if it isn’t apparent
by the text. Additionally, I will put my analysis, evaluations, comments,
opinions, and conclusions within brackets, as well, and will try to let you
know when I am sharing this information with you.
Since this research project covers a wide range of information and
analysis, some may want to read the research analysis or share it with others
who might benefit. You can find this research project posted at either of these
two blog sites I felt led to create: Biblical Proof! at https://BiblicalProof.blogspot.com/ and Do Biblical Inconsistencies Really Matter? at https://Biblicalinconsistencies.blogspot.com/
I will share all the related passages, first. Then, I will ask questions
within brackets to analyze specific portions of these passages in order to
evaluate for any inconsistencies. I will copy and paste the portions of the
passages together that relate to the question to make the analysis more focused
and then, share my conclusions within brackets after analyzing them.
Matthew 1:1-17 says: The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son
of David the Son of Abraham: Abraham begot Isaac, Isaac begot Jacob, and Jacob
begot Judah and his brothers. Judah begot Perez and Zerah by Tamar, Perez begot
Hezron, and Hezron begot Ram. Ram begot Amminadab, Amminadab begot Nahshon, and
Nahshon begot Salmon. Salmon begot Boaz by Rahab, Boaz begot Obed by Ruth, Obed
begot Jesse , and Jesse begot David the king. David the king begot Solomon by
her who had been the wife of Uriah. Solomon begot Rehoboam, Rehoboam begot
Abijah, and Abijah begot Asa. Asa begot Jehoshaphat, Jehoshapat begot Joran,
and Joran begot Uzziah. Uzziah begot Jotham, Jotham begot Ahaz, and Ahaz begot
Hezekiah. Hezekiah begot Manasseh, Mannasseh begot Amon, and Amon begot
Joshiah. Josiah begot Jeconiah and His brothers about the time they were
carried away to Babylon. And after they were brought to Babylon, Jeconiah begot
Shealtiel, and Shealtiel begot Zerubabel. Zerubbabel begot Abiud, Abiud begot
Eliakim, and Eliakim begot Azor. Azor begot Zadok, Zadok begot Achim, and Achim
begot Eliud. Eliud begot Eleazar, Eleazar begot Matthan, and Matthan begot
Jacob. And Jacob begot Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus who
is called Christ. So all the generations, from Abraham to David are fourteen
generations, from David until the captivity in Babylon are fourteen
generations, and from the captivity in Babylon until the Christ are fourteen
generations.
Matthew 1:18-25 says: Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows:
After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she
was found with child of the Holy Spirit. Then Joseph her husband, being a just
man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away
secretly. But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord
appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid
to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the
Holy Spirit. “And she will bring forth a Son and you shall call His name Jesus,
for He will save His people from their sins.” So all this was done that it
might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: “Behold,
the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name
Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.” [from Isaiah 7:14] Then
Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded Him
and took him his wife, and did not know her till she had brought forth her
firstborn Son. And he called His name Jesus.
Matthew 2:1-23 says: 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 this 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.”’ [fulfilling the prophecy in Micah
5:2] 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. Now when they had departed, behold an angel of the Lord appeared
to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee
to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young
Child to destroy Him.” When he [Joseph] arose, he took the young Child and His
mother by night and departed for Egypt, and was there until the death of Herod,
that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet,
saying, “Out of Egypt I called My Son.” [fulfilling the prophecy in
Hosea 11:1] Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was
exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who
were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under,
according to the time which he had determined from the wise men. Then was
fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying, “A voice was
heard in Ramah, Lamentation, weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for
her children, Refusing to be comforted, Because they are no more.” [fulfilling
the prophecy in Jeremiah 31:15] Now when Herod was dead, behold, an
angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, “Arise, take
the young Child and His mother, and go into the land of Israel. But when he
[Joseph] heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea instead of his father
Herod, he was afraid to go there. And being warned by God in a dream, he
[Joseph] turned aside into the region of Galilee. And he came and dwelt in a
city called Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the
prophets, “He shall be called a Nazarene.” [fulfilling the prophecy in
Isaiah 40:3]
[Although the Gospel of Mark says little about Jesus’ birth, these Bible
verses are pertinent, in my opinion.]
Mark 1:1 says; The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of
God.
Mark 1:9-11 goes on to say: It came to pass in those days that Jesus
came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by John [the Baptist] in the
Jordan. And immediately, coming from the water, He saw the heavens parting and
the Spirit descending upon Him like a dove. Then a voice came from heaven, “You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
Luke 1:26-56 says: Now in the sixth month [of Elizabeth, John the
Baptist’s mother’s pregnancy] 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 [Mary] saw him [the angel], 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. Now Mary arose in those days
and went into the hill country with haste, to a city of Judah, and entered the
house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. And it happened, when Elizabeth heard
the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was
filled with the Holy Spirit. Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said,
“Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! “But why
is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? “For
indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe
leaped in my womb for you. “Blessed is she who believed for there will be a
fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord.” And Mary said:
“My soul magnifies the Lord, And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. For
He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant; For behold, henceforth all
generations will call me blessed. For He who is mighty has done great things
for me, And holy is His name. And His mercy is on those who fear Him From
generation to generation. He has shown strength with His arm; He has scattered
the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He has put down the mighty from
their thrones, And exalted the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good
things, And the rich He has sent away empty. He has helped His servant Israel,
In remembrance of His mercy, As He spoke to our fathers, To Abraham and to his
seed forever.” And Mary remained with her about three months, and returned to
her house.
Luke 2:1-40 goes on to say: 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 [Joseph] 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 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. And when eight days
were completed for the circumcision of the Child, His name was called Jesus,
the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb. Now when the
days of her purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they
brought Him [Jesus] to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord (as it is written
in the law of the Lord, “Every male who opens the womb shall be called holy to
the Lord”), and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of
the Lord, “A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons. And behold, there was a
man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout,
waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it
had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before
he had seen the Lord’s Christ. So he came by the Spirit into the temple. And
when the parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom
of the law, he [Simeon] took Him [Jesus] up in his arms and blessed God and
said: “Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, According to
Your word; For my eyes have seen Your salvation Which You have prepared before
the face of all peoples, A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, And the
glory of Your people Israel.” And Joseph and His mother marveled at those
things which were spoken of Him. Then Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His
mother, “Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in
Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against “(yes, a sword will pierce
through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”
Now there was one, Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of
Asher. She was of a great age, and had lived with a husband seven years from
her virginity; and this woman was a widow of about eighty-four years from her
virginity; and this woman was a widow of about eight-four years, who did not
depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.
And coming in that instant she gave thanks to the Lord, and spoke of Him to all
those who looked for redemption in Jerusalem. So when they had performed all
things according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own
city, Nazareth. And the Child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with
wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him.
[The Apostle John doesn’t say much about the birth of Jesus and is very
poetic in his description of Jesus.]
John 1:1-5 says: In the beginning was the Word [Jesus], and the Word was
with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things
were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him
was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the
darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
John 1:12-14 goes on to say: But as many as received Him [Jesus], to
them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His
name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the
will of man, but of God. And the Word [Jesus] became flesh and dwelt
among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the
Father, full of grace and truth.
[In looking at all these passages, and being prayerful about them, I
realized that I have a whole different type of research project this time. In
the past, the vast majority of my Biblical research projects have been based
around the Gospel writers and whether they were or weren’t there to give
eyewitness testimony or had testimony from witnesses. Also, writing style came
into play in those research projects, because some Gospel writers write with
more detail and some with less detail. Some will only add additional information
to add clarity to what has already been adequately recorded.]
[Sometimes, not all of the Gospel writers would be there at a particular
event/situation, because Luke 9:1-2 says: Then He [Jesus] called His twelve
disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to
cure diseases. He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and heal the sick.
So, it would be unreasonable to expect all of the disciples to always be with
Jesus at any given time, since they may be in different communities sharing the
Word of God and healing people.]
[None of these will be helpful in analyzing the related Bible passages
about Mary’s Conception and the Birth of Jesus, because the Gospel writers
wouldn’t have been there to be eyewitnesses or wouldn’t have talked to
witnesses. In fact, they may not have even been born yet.]
[What really is really significant in analyzing these passages comes
from
2 Timothy 3:16-17 which says: All Scripture is given by inspiration
of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for
instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly
equipped for every good work. That, really, is the way that the Gospel writers
would know about the Holy Spirit coming to speak to Mary, or an angel of the
Lord speaking to Joseph, and so on.]
[With that said, not everyone of the Gospel writers share the same
information about Mary’s conception and the birth of Jesus. In fact, the
Gospels of Mark and John share very little. After being prayerful about this
and reading these passages several times, what came to mind is that God is all
knowing. He knew what information needed to be shared by the Gospel writers and
whether it needed to be repeated by all of them, which it wasn’t. It appears to
me that God has it like a puzzle, of sorts, with some Gospel writers writing
about some aspects of this topic and some another. It’s like each of the Gospel
writers had a different piece of the puzzle to share. I am going to try to
relay my research results in as close to chronological order as I can, so it
all falls into place.]
[It appears, in analyzing this, that possibly God wanted the Apostle
John to share the connection of Jesus [John calls the Word] with God from the
beginning, prior to His birth to Mary.]
John 1:1-5 says: In the beginning was the Word [Jesus], and the Word
was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All
things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.
In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the
darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
[In my opinion, God wanted the Apostle Mark to reinforce that Jesus is
truly the Son of God, in that he shared: Mark 1:1 which says; The beginning
of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.]
[These two Bible passages are significant, although brief, because they
reinforce that Jesus Is the Son of God and didn’t just appear on the scene when
He was born to the Virgin Mary. Jesus existed with God from the beginning. He
was there at the creation and was a part of all creation. Pretty significant if
you ask me! So, although neither of these two Gospels mention Jesus’ conception
and birth, it is amazingly significant that they let us know who Jesus is: the
Son of God, with God, and in God from the very beginning!]
[The Gospel of Luke 1:26-56 falls into place as a piece of the puzzle,
because it explains how the angel approached Mary, how she conceived Jesus, and
went to see her cousin, who was pregnant with John the Baptist.]
Luke 1:26-56 says: Now in the sixth month [of Elizabeth, John the
Baptist’s mother’s pregnancy] 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 [Mary] saw him [the angel], 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. Now Mary arose in
those days and went into the hill country with haste, to a city of Judah, and
entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. And it happened, when
Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb; and
Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. Then she spoke out with a loud voice
and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!
“But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
“For indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe
leaped in my womb for you. “Blessed is she who believed for there will be a
fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord.” And Mary said:
“My soul magnifies the Lord, And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. For
He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant; For behold, henceforth all
generations will call me blessed. For He who is mighty has done great things
for me, And holy is His name. And His mercy is on those who fear Him From
generation to generation. He has shown strength with His arm; He has scattered
the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He has put down the mighty from
their thrones, And exalted the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good
things, And the rich He has sent away empty. He has helped His servant Israel,
In remembrance of His mercy, As He spoke to our fathers, To Abraham and to his
seed forever.” And Mary remained with her about three months, and returned to
her house.
[This important piece of the puzzle, is that God had it recorded in
Matthew to show that He kept His promise that Jesus was born of the lineage of
David.]
Matthew 1:1-17 says: The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son
of David the Son of Abraham: Abraham begot Isaac, Isaac begot Jacob, and Jacob
begot Judah and his brothers. Judah begot Perez and Zerah by Tamar, Perez begot
Hezron, and Hezron begot Ram. Ram begot Amminadab, Amminadab begot Nahshon, and
Nahshon begot Salmon. Salmon begot Boaz by Rahab, Boaz begot Obed by Ruth, Obed
begot Jesse , and Jesse begot David the king. David the king begot Solomon by
her who had been the wife of Uriah. Solomon begot Rehoboam, Rehoboam begot
Abijah, and Abijah begot Asa. Asa begot Jehoshaphat, Jehoshapat begot Joran,
and Joran begot Uzziah. Uzziah begot Jotham, Jotham begot Ahaz, and Ahaz begot
Hezekiah. Hezekiah begot Manasseh, Mannasseh begot Amon, and Amon begot
Joshiah. Josiah begot Jeconiah and His brothers about the time they were
carried away to Babylon. And after they were brought to Babylon, Jeconiah begot
Shealtiel, and Shealtiel begot Zerubabel. Zerubbabel begot Abiud, Abiud begot
Eliakim, and Eliakim begot Azor. Azor begot Zadok, Zadok begot Achim, and Achim
begot Eliud. Eliud begot Eleazar, Eleazar begot Matthan, and Matthan begot
Jacob. And Jacob begot Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus who
is called Christ. So all the generations, from Abraham to David are fourteen
generations, from David until the captivity in Babylon are fourteen
generations, and from the captivity in Babylon until the Christ are fourteen
generations.
[The next piece of the puzzle is found in the Gospel of Matthew 1:18-25,
except for the last sentence of verse 25, which hasn’t happened yet.]
Matthew 1:18-25 says: Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows:
After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she
was found with child of the Holy Spirit. Then Joseph her husband, being a just
man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away
secretly. But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord
appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid
to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the
Holy Spirit. “And she will bring forth a Son and you shall call His name Jesus,
for He will save His people from their sins.” So all this was done that it
might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: “Behold,
the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name
Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.” [from Isaiah 7:14] Then
Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded Him
and took him his wife, and did not know her till she had brought forth her
firstborn Son. And he called His name Jesus. [This
hasn’t happened yet.]
[The next puzzle piece is: Luke 2:1-7 which explains why Mary and Joseph
went to Bethlehem, even though she was so close to delivery and why Jesus was
born in an inn.]
Luke 2:1-7 says: 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 [Joseph] 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.
[This is when the last part of Matthew 1:25 comes into play when Joseph
names the baby: Jesus.]
Matthew 1:last of verse 25 says: And
he called His name Jesus.
[The next puzzle piece is in Luke 2:8-20 which tells about an angel of
the Lord coming to the shepherds and telling them of the birth of Jesus. Not
only do the shepherds go to Bethlehem and see the baby Jesus wrapped in
swaddling cloths lying in a manger, as the angel said, but they are
eyewitnesses of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, who had been born in such
humble surroundings.]
Luke 2:8-20 says: 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 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.
[Actually, this is a two-pronged puzzle piece, because two things
were going on at once. When the star appeared when Jesus was born and the angel
spoke to the shepherds about Jesus’ birth, the star was also there to guide the
Wisemen to Jesus. So they were following the star, but had stopped in to
inquire of Herod, first.]
Matthew 2:1-10 says: 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 this 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.”’ [fulfilling the prophecy in Micah
5:2] 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.
[The next part of the puzzle is when Simeon and Anna are also witnesses
of the Lord’s Christ, when Mary and Joseph take Him to be circumcised eight
days after His birth.]
Luke 2:21-39 says: And when eight days were completed for the
circumcision of the Child, His name was called Jesus, the name given by the
angel before He was conceived in the womb. Now when the days of her
purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him to
Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord (as it is written in the law of the Lord,
“Every male who opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”), and to offer
a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord, “A pair of
turtledoves or two young pigeons. And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem
whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the
Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been
revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had
seen the Lord’s Christ. So he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when the
parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of
the law, he [Simeon] took Him [Jesus] up in his arms and blessed God and said:
“Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, According to Your
word; For my eyes have seen Your salvation Which You have prepared before the
face of all peoples, A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, And the glory
of Your people Israel.” And Joseph and His mother marveled at those things
which were spoken of Him. Then Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His
mother, “Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in
Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against “(yes, a sword will pierce
through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”
Now there was one, Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of
Asher. She was of a great age, and had lived with a husband seven years from
her virginity; and this woman was a widow of about eighty-four years from her
virginity; and this woman was a widow of about eight-four years, who did not
depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.
And coming in that instant she gave thanks to the Lord, and spoke of Him to all
those who looked for redemption in Jerusalem. So when they had performed all
things according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own
city, Nazareth.
[I checked on the internet to get an idea of how old Jesus was when the
wisemen came to see Him. I found this information on neverthirsty.org : Magi Find Jesus In A House The
gospel of Matthew tells us that later some magi from the east arrived in
Jerusalem asking where would the king of the Jews be born? (Matthew 2:1-3) The
Roman governor, Herod the Great, asked the Jewish chief priests and scribes
where He would be born. After the Jewish chief priests and scribes searched the
Scriptures they told Herod and the magi the Christ would be born in Bethlehem
(Matthew 2:4-8).
Consequently, the magi
followed the light in the sky. It led them to the city of Bethlehem and to the
place where Jesus was living with His parents.
After coming into the house they saw the Child with
Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him. Then,
opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and
myrrh. Matthew 2:11 (NASB)
Verse 11 states that Jesus
was living in a house. This reveals that Jesus’ parents had moved to a house.
Contrary to popular nativity scenes and paintings, Christ was now living in a
house when the magi visited Him. His parents had moved from the location of the
manger to this house. There were no shepherds or angels when the magi stopped
to worship Him and give Him gifts.
Verses 13-14 state that the magi left and Joseph was
warned in a dream to take his family to Egypt. It is difficult to know how much
time had elapsed between the magi’s arrival in Jerusalem and their visit to the
house. But it is highly unlikely that the events happened quickly.
Matthew 2:11-12 says: And when they [Wise Men] 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.
[This leads to the next piece of the puzzle where an
angel of the Lord appears to Joseph after the wisemen see Jesus and is warned to
take Jesus and Mary to Egypt until the angel brings Joseph word that it was
safe to return.]
Matthew 2:13-23 says: Now when they had departed,
behold an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Arise, take
the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you
word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him.” When he [Joseph]
arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt,
and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was
spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, “Out of Egypt I called My
Son.” [fulfilling the prophecy in Hosea 11:1] Then Herod, when he saw that
he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and
put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its
districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had
determined from the wise men. Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah
the prophet, saying, “A voice was heard in Ramah, Lamentation, weeping, and
great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, Refusing to be comforted,
Because they are no more.” [fulfilling the prophecy in Jeremiah 31:15] Now
when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph
in Egypt, saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, and go into the
land of Israel. But when he [Joseph] heard that Archelaus was reigning over
Judea instead of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And being warned
by God in a dream, he [Joseph] turned aside into the region of Galilee. And he
came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled which was
spoken by the prophets, “He shall be called a Nazarene.” [fulfilling the
prophecy in Isaiah 40:3]
[Although the Gospels of Mark and John had very little
to say about the conception and birth of Jesus, what they did say in the first
chapters of each is still very significant, in my opinion.]
[The Gospel of Mark starts out talking about how it was prophesied in
the Old Testament that God would send His messenger [John the Baptist] to
prepare the way of the Lord, which leads to telling about Jesus’ ministry after
the following passage. Although the information about Jesus’ ministry isn’t
included in this research topic’s scope of analysis, I did want to conclude
with what the Apostle John recorded about Jesus in John 1:12-14.]
Mark 1:9-11 says: It came to pass in those days that Jesus came from
Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by John [the Baptist] in the Jordan. And
immediately, coming from the water, He saw the heavens parting and the Spirit
descending upon Him like a dove. Then a voice came from heaven, “You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
John 1:12-14 says: But as many as received Him [Jesus], to them He
gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:
who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of
man, but of God. And the Word [Jesus] became flesh and dwelt among us,
and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
[Therefore, don’t let people confuse you, saying the Bible is full of
inconsistencies and lies which disprove Jesus Is the Son of God. You have
intelligent minds and you know when they are trying to lead you away from the
truth! Follow the truth which is Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior!]
