Teaching notes for presenting:- The Birth of Jesus.
These teaching notes for presenting the Birth of Jesus can be printed.
The Bible can be split into 3 parts:
- Old Testament
- Gospels - Matthew, Mark, Luke and John
- Acts and the rest of the New Testament.
- Revelation is done as a separate module.
References: Matthew Chapters 1 & 2 and Luke Chapters 1 & 2 & 3:21-38
Both Luke and Matthew have included Jesus' family tree because of its importance, in what they are about to tell us.
The Birth of Jesus divided time into BC
and AD. Israel at this time was under Roman occupation.
Israel was under Roman occupation. They
had Censuses every 14 years for taxation purposes.
Herod or Herod the Great died in 4BC and his
4 sons took over.
The name of Herod is used of a
person and also as a family name.
Matthew wrote his Gospel to his own people the Jews.
Luke, a Greek Medical Doctor, wrote to his own people about Jesus and the Early Church.
1. Angel - Gabriel talks to Mary - Luke 1:26-38
The angel Gabriel tells Mary that
she will have a baby and to call him Jesus.
Also that Elizabeth her cousin is six
months pregnant.
Angels are messengers or emissaries
of God.
2. Mary - visits Elizabeth - Luke 1:39-40
Because she was so excited and
could not wait to see Elizabeth and share her own news,
Mary sets off to visit Elizabeth,
Mary's cousin
Mary and Joseph had other children
after Mary gave birth to Jesus. See Matthew 13:55-56, Mark 6:3, Luke
8:19.
see info on arranged marriages.
3. Elizabeth - gets a visit from Mary - Luke 1:41-45
Elizabeth welcomes Mary her cousin
to her home. Elizabeth is pregnant and the baby
leaps for joy at the sound of
Mary's voice.
Elizabeth (Greek God is my Oath)
like her husband, Zechariah (Greek Jehovah remembers) were from the
tribe of Levi.
4. Mary Sings - praises God - Luke 1:46-56
As they greet each other, Mary sings a song of praise to God
Mary and Joseph had other children after Mary gave birth to Jesus. See Matthew 13:55-56, Mark 6:3, Luke 8:19
see info on arranged marriages.
5. Angel - talks to Joseph - Matthew 1:18-25
The angel Gabriel talks to Joseph in a dream. Take Mary to be your wife.
6. Joseph - Luke 2:1-4 and Matthew 1:18-25
Joseph takes Mary to Bethlehem, because all males had to go to their home town
to be registered as required by the Roman census a head count of Israel for taxation purposes.
arranged marriages.
Joseph and Mary were both descendants of King David, Israel's royal family.
Mary and Joseph had an arranged marriage as was the custom of the time.
The papers that made it legal were signed at the time of the arrangement of the marriage.
This may even have happened before the two people had met, not like our western custom where the legal papers
are signed at the time of the marriage.
7. Donkey - mode of Travel - Luke 2:4
At the time of Jesus' birth, people traveled by foot or on an animal or cart.
Nazareth to Jerusalem was 4 to 6 days journey, over rough tracks with wild animals and robbers.
People often traveled in groups for their own protection.
We do not know the name or breed of the donkey that was used to carry Mary who was pregnant at the time with
Jesus. The trip from Nazareth to Bethlehem could have taken 4-6 days by foot to cover the 120 km or 90 miles.
8. Jesus Birth - newly born baby - Luke 2:6-7 and Matthew 1:18-25
Baby Jesus was born in an animal feeder as the only private place in a town full of people because
of the Roman census. Also there may have been a Jewish feast at the same time.
Possible dates of the birth of Jesus
Jesus was born as a baby and then had to grow up as any baby does to become an adult.
Jesus was born in a (Greek Phatane - feeding place) were animals lived possibility only private place
in a town were many were living in the open because they had come because of the Roman decree.
They would all go back to their home towns in a few days time.
The custom at a birth of a child borne in a house. The musicians played at a birth of a boy
but went away without playing if it was a girl. Jesus was born in a common courtyard not a house.
So no musicians on hand but God provided heavenly musicians eg Angels
who told the shepherds who then went to visit newly born baby.
9. Shepherds - were the first to see Jesus - Luke 2:8-12 and Luke 2:16-20
Interaction of the shepherds and the angel
The reason why they were there looking after their sheep at night..... and whose sheep and
what the sheep were going to be used for...... are interesting matters for discussion.
Shepherds are men who live in the open looking after sheep. Each shepherd knew each sheep by name
and each sheep knew the voice of their shepherd. Flocks were approximately 10-20 sheep.
Unless they were looking after temple sheep and that is a different story.
10. Angels - praise God for the birth of Jesus - Luke 2:13-15
Then, many angels sang songs of praise to God about the birth of Jesus.
Remember Angels are messengers or ambassadors of God.
11. Baby Jesus - at 40 days old was taken to Jerusalem Why? - Luke 2:22-25
Presented in the Temple
JESUS 40 days old
Jesus was taken to the temple in Jerusalem for a Jewish religious ritual when he was 40 days old.
The Temple ritual:
a pair of doves or two young pigeons were used by the poorer class and a lamb was used by the rich.
see Leviticus 12:1-8; Exodus 13:2; Numbers18:15A
12. Simeon - had some words for Jesus - Luke 2:25-35
Simeon was a very old man who who was told by God he would see Jesus before he died.
Simeon was a prophet of God.
13. Anna - had some words about Jesus life - Luke 2:36-38
Anna the prophetess
Anna was a very old lady who spent her days in prayer.
A woman who loves God.
14. The Visit of the Magi - - Matthew 2:1-2
Often called the wise men. Traveled from the east to find Jesus.
Wise men still seek Him.
15. Herod - the Great - Luke
Herod the Great was told by the wise men [Magi] they have come to worship
a king. Yet Herod was the King appointed by the Roman so he was worried.
Herod the Great, was not a native born Israeli, but an Idumean. Herod was appointed king over the state of Israel
by the Romans and was made king in37 BC and died in 4BC.
Ruled in Palestine 37BC-4BC
How do we find which Herod is which.
There is a number of men called HEROD in the bible, starting with Herod the Great who died in spring
[March, April, May] 4BC.There is also a number of rulers descending from this man to whom the
bible gives names other than Herod in their Title.
16. Star - the star the magi followed to find Jesus - Matthew 2:9-10
Magi follow the star
The wise men, or their correct title Magi, arrived some 9 to18 months after Jesus was born.
There are many theories which star God used.
17. Child - - Matthew 2:11-12
The Visit of the Magi to Jesus
Jesus as a young Child. When the wise men found Jesus, he was in a house as
a toddler 8-18 months old. The house may have been back in Nazareth or near
Bethlehem, we are not told.
The Magi found a paidion (Greek) a child older than a new born baby but still under 2 years old.
The house was possibility in Bethlehem.
18. The Angel - has a message for Joseph - Matthew 2:13-15
The Escape to Egypt
The angel tells Joseph to take Mary and Baby Jesus to EGYPT.
In those times Egypt extended well beyond the north side of the Suez Canal.
19. Herod is angry - at the failed return of the Magi - Matthew 2:16-18
First Plot to kill Jesus ref Matthew 26:3-4
Herod is angry because the Magi or wise men did not come back to
see him.
Then he worked out how to kill Jesus who was born to be King of the
Jews.
He would order the killing of all male children under 2 years old in a 16km or 10 mile radius of Bethlehem.
Herod the Great was an Idumean and was made king of Palestine in 37 BC and died in 4BC.
Herod the great -[ruled Palestine 37BC-4BC]. Herod died aged 69 possibility of chronic kidney disease.How do we find which Herod is which. There is a number of men called HEROD in the bible
starting with Herod the Great who died in spring [March, April, May] 4BC.
There is also a number of rulers descending from this man to whom the bible gives names other
than Herod in their Title.
Herod the Great was an Idumean and was made king in37 BC and died in 4BC.
Ruled in Palestine 37BC-4BC
How do we find which Herod is which?
There is a number of men called HEROD in the bible, starting with Herod the Great who died in spring [March, April, May]
4BC. There is also a number of rulers descending from this man to whom the bible gives names other than Herod
in their Title.
20. Angel - says to Joseph "go back home" - Matthew 2:19-23
-
The Return from Egypt
The angel tells Joseph to take Mary and Baby Jesus back to Israel. Jesus could at this time be
between 2-5 years old.
The Angel another of God's messengers.
21. Jesus as a youth - as a 12 year old boy - Luke 2:41-52
-
The boy Jesus at the temple Matthew 2:19-23 return to Nazareth
Jesus about 12 years old. We have only this little piece of Jesus life from when his parents
came back to Nazareth and Jesus start of his public ministry.
Between 12-13 years old a Jewish boy becomes a man.
Jesus as a youth
Jesus at 12 like every Jewish boy became a son of the law or pais (Greek) servant of the law eg old enough to start serving God.
Jesus grew up and stayed with his parents until he left home.
22. Cross - click on Easter for the next module - Luke and Matthew - read the gospels
-
Jesus' purpose in life was to go to die on the cross, followed by His
Resurrection. These
events are explained in Easter - Palm Sunday to Pentecost
Jesus job was to die on the cross to allow us access to His father.
Jesus was possibly born between 12BC no later than 4BC,
because he was born before the death of Herod the Great in 4BC.
Jesus died between 26AD 39AD during the reign of Roman procurator.
Pontius Pilate. Jesus was to die on the cross to allow us access to His father.
and
Some of the dates of Jesus' Crucifixion could have been; Fri April 3rd 33AD,
April 14th 33AD, March/April 30AD, 5-6th April Wednesday-Thursday 29AD
Jesus was to die on the cross to allow us access to His father.
Jesus was to die on the cross to allow us access to His father GOD.
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