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However, many scholars believe that Matthew's magi did not really exist. John Shelby Spong (A Bishop Rethinks the Birth of Jesus) says that among people he knows in New Testament circles, the universal assumption is that the magi, or wise men, were not actual people. Matthew was writing Christian midrash, with the purpose of telling his readers that even the priests from Persia would have wanted to honour Jesus.
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∙ 14y ago
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∙ 12y agoBishop Spong (Born of a Woman: A Bishop Rethinks the Birth of Jesus) says that among people he knows in New Testament circles, the universal assumption is that the magiwere not actual people. So, not just Spong but those of his acquaintance believe that Matthew was writing Christian midrash. The magi did not really come to Bethlehem, from the east or otherwise.
Hwever, it is possible to say why Matthew portrayed them as coming from the east. The magi were priests of the Zoroastrian religion of Persia. Matthew was demonstrating that the priests of this great religion wished to worship the baby Jesus. He was also associating the virgin birth of Jesus with the virgin birth of the Zoroastrian religion's hoped-for Saoshyant who, in many ways resembles Jesus.
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∙ 13y agoShe was going to be his wife and there was what is called a census. In those times during a census one had to take themselves and their family to the place were they where born. That's why she went with him.
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∙ 12y agoWiki User
∙ 10y agoMary and Joseph went to Bethlehem to register with the Roman Government. Unbeknown to anyone God planned that Mary and Joseph go to Bethlehem so that a prophecy about the Messiah could be fulfilled, and that prophecy was that the coming Messiah would come out of Bethlehem. Jesus the Christ fulfilled that prophecy when He was born to Mary in Bethlehem.
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∙ 10y agoA:
In Luke's Gospel, the census of Quirinius, undertaken in 6 CE, required Joseph to travel to Bethlehem. They returned from Bethlehem to their home in Galilee soon after the birth of Jesus. The census was ordered by Emperor Augustus after Judea was made a direct province of Rome, so that Rome could calculate the taxes to be collected in Judea. Scholars say it is unclear why a resident of Galilee would need to participate in the census, as Galilee remained autonomous and therefore exempt from Roman taxes.
In Matthew's Gospel, Joseph and Mary did not need to travel to Bethlehem, as they already lived there. However, they were forced to flee to Egypt soon after the birth of Jesus, and remained there probably for several years until Herod, king of Judea, had died.
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∙ 14y agoAccording to the roman decree , they went to Bethlehem , as it was Josephs hometown.
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How did Mary give birth to Jesus when he made her?
jesus did not make mary. god created the world and Mary came along much later and gave birth to jesus
What role did St Joseph play in Jesus and Mary's life?
In the scriptures we read " Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused (Married) to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost". Joseph had not been with his wife (Had not touched her) since they were married. It was up to the angel to tell Joseph that Mary was to give birth to a special child who would be the savior of mankind. Joseph believed in what the angel had told him, so he took his wife away so that she might give birth privatly. He adopted Jesus as his own son and brought him up as such because he was given to him by the God.
Where did Mary laid Jesus after wrapping him in cloths?
The Bible does not directly give an answer to your question.
What is the role of mary in salvation history?
Within the Catholic church Mary, the mother of Jesus, plays an important role. She is accorded the title "blessed" and the belief that she was bodily taken up to heaven has ensured her importance within the Catholic church.
Who was the first to hear about Jesus' birth?
AnswerThe nativity stories in Matthew and Luke are quite different and, in many ways incompatible. To some extent, they could be considered two different stories, or at least two different versions of an uncertain story.Matthew has the magi travel from the east to see the baby Jesus. Because, for Matthew, Bethlehem seems to have been the home town of Mary and Joseph, and because Herod was so uncertain of the time of Jesus' birth that he ordered the slaying of all the infants under two, we could imagine that the magi arrived some months - up to two years - after the birth of Jesus.Luke has the shepherds come to see the baby Jesus. We know that this could only have been within weeks of the birth of Jesus because the young couple travelled to Jerusalem for the ritual purification of Mary, then returned peacefully to Nazareth. The magi could have come later than the shepherds, but of course the stories give us nothing by which to prove they did. Either the magi or the shepherds coud have been first.Another answer:The shepherds. The visit from the wise men was up to two years later.According to Luke's gospel, angels announced Christ's arrival to shepherds in the field on the night of His birth, and they immediately went and saw a "babe" (Greek brephos - "a new-born child") in the manger (Luke 2:8-15). Luke doesn't tell of the visit of the wise men.Conversely, Matthew's account doesn't tell of the shepherds' visit; indeed, it says nothing of events on the night of Jesus' birth, and some time elapses between the close of Matthew 1 (the naming of Jesus, which would officially have taken place at His circumcision, when He was eight days old - Luke 2:26) and the beginning of Matthew 2.When the wise men arrived, Matthew 2:11 says that Jesus was a "young child" (Greek paidion - "a young child, a little boy, a little girl; of a more advanced child"), and that they found Him in a "house" with Mary His mother (not in the manger). By this time, Jesus would have been up to two years old, as evidenced by Herod's subsequent "slaughter of the innocents:" all male children in the region aged two and under (Matthew 2:16).
What city did Mary give birth to Jesus?
Bethlehem
How do you diagram the sentence Mary and Joseph took Jesus to Bethlehem?
Thought I'd take a stab at this... Joseph took Mary to Bethlehem on a donkey, Mary was going to give birth to Jesus. After Jesus was born they moved to egypt to escape Herod, a Roman King
What town did Mary give birth to her son?
Bethlehem of Judea, not far from Jerusalem
How did Mary give birth to Jesus when he made her?
jesus did not make mary. god created the world and Mary came along much later and gave birth to jesus
Is Mary Jesus' first disciple?
No, Mary was chosen by an angel of God to give birth to baby Jesus, but she was not his first decibel.
Why did Jesus pick Mary to be his mother?
Jesus did not pick Mary to be his Mother. Jehovah selected the Virgin Mary to give birth to Jesus. The bible refers to Mary as highly favorable one.
Did mary give birth after jesus?
Yes she had sons and a daughter as well.
Is a Bethlehem donkey a miniature donkey?
A Bethlehem donkey developed a black stripe down its back and one across its front shoulders creating a cross. These donkys only developed this after carrying Mary to Bethehem to give birth to Jesus Christ. This is a proven fact. WTB
How many gospels have the story of the birth of Jesus which ONE?
The only gospel to actually tell "the story of the birth of Jesus" is Luke.Matthew's gospel tells of related events before and after, but contains no details of the day of His birth.
When did Zeus give birth to Jesus?
Zeus is a god of the ancient Greek pantheon and is not mentioned in the Bible. The Bible says that Mary gave birth to Jesus.
Was there more then one Bethlehem during Jesus time?
According to the history channel, there was another Bethlehem that was only about 5 miles from them . Instead of 30 miles away. Would it make sense that Mary being in the 9th mo. would travel to the closest location to give birth especially on a donkey.
What was Jesus Christ's name?
He has many names but the angel told Mary:"You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus." Luke 1:31 NIV
