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The Life of
Jesus |
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About
this Narrative |
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This
continuous Story of Jesus is based on the Gospels of
Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, in the North American Bible
version, as published by the
United States
Conference of Catholic Bishops. None of the words had
been changed and none are added. Summaries are indicated
by italics. All graphics are used
with implied permission from
Hermano
Leon. |
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The Birth of Jesus |
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An angel
appeared to Joseph, a righteous man telling him that
through the Holy Spirit a child has been conceived in
Mary. They were to, "...name him Jesus, because he will save
his people from their sins." Matthew 1:21
Jesus was
born at the time of the census, where everyone was to
enroll in their own town. Joseph and Mary went to
Bethlehem, where Jesus was born. Mary, "...wrapped him in
swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there
was no room for them in the inn." Luke 2:7
The
"heavenly hosts" proclaimed Jesus' birth, and shepherds
and kings came to adore him.
"Firstborn
son" is a legal description indicating that Jesus
possessed the rights and privileges of the firstborn son
(Genesis 27;
Exodus 13:2;
Numbers 3:12-13;
18:15-16;
Deut 21:15-17). |
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The
announcement of Jesus' birth to the shepherds is in
keeping with Luke's theme that the lowly are singled out
as the recipients of God's favors and blessings (see also
Luke 1:48,
52). ] The basic message of the infancy narrative is
contained in the angel's announcement: this child is
savior, Messiah, and Lord. Luke is the only synoptic
gospel writer to use the title savior for Jesus. As
savior, Jesus is looked upon by Luke as the one who
rescues humanity from sin and delivers humanity from the
condition of alienation from God. The title christos,
"Christ," is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew masiah,
"Messiah," "anointed one."
The peace
of which Luke's gospel speaks (Luke
2:14;
7:50;
8:48;
10:5-6;
19:38,
42;
24:36) is more than the absence of war of the
pax Augusta; it also includes the security and well-being
characteristic of peace in the Old Testament.
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Matthew 1:18-25: Joseph's
Dream |
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Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about.
When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph,
but before they lived together,
she was found with child through the Holy Spirit.
Joseph
her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet
unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce
her quietly.
Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the
Lord appeared to him in a
dream and said,
"Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary
your wife into your home. For it is through the holy
Spirit that this child has been conceived in her. She will
bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he
will save his people from their sins."
All this
took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through
the prophet:
"Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a
son, and they shall name him Emmanuel," which means
"God is with us."
When
Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had
commanded him and took his wife into his home. He had
no relations with her until she bore a son, and he
named him Jesus. |
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Luke 2:1-14: The Birth of
Jesus |
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In those
days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that the
whole world should be enrolled. This was
the first enrollment, when Quirinius was governor of
Syria. So all
went to be enrolled, each to his own town.
And
Joseph too went up from Galilee from the town of
Nazareth to Judea, to the city of David that is called
Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of
David, to be
enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.
While
they were there, the time came for her to have her
child,
and she gave birth to her firstborn son.
She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a
manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
Now
there were shepherds in that region living in the
fields and keeping the night watch over their flock. The
angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of
the Lord shone around them, and they were struck with
great fear.
The
angel said to them, "Do not
be afraid; for behold, I proclaim to you good news
of great joy that will be for all the people. For
today in the city of David a savior has been born for
you who is Messiah and Lord. And this
will be a sign for you: you will find an infant
wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger."
And
suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host
with the angel, praising God and saying: "Glory
to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on
whom his favor rests." |
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John 7:41-42 |
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Others
said, "This is
the Messiah." But others said, "The Messiah will not
come from Galilee, will he? Does not
scripture say that the Messiah will be of David's
family and come from Bethlehem, the village where
David lived?" |
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Matthew 2:1-12: The Visit of the Magi |
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When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in
the days of King Herod, behold, magi from the
east arrived in Jerusalem,
saying,
"Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We
saw his star at its rising and have come to
do him homage."
When King Herod heard this, he was greatly
troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
Assembling all the chief priests and the
scribes of the people, he inquired of them
where the Messiah was to be born.
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They said to him,
"In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it has been
written through the prophet: 'And
you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least
among the rulers of Judah; since from you shall come a
ruler, who is to shepherd my people Israel.'"
Then
Herod called the magi secretly and ascertained from
them the time of the star's appearance.
He sent
them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and
search diligently for the child. When you have found
him, bring me word, that I too may go and do him
homage."
After
their audience with the king they set out. And behold,
the star that they had seen at its rising preceded
them, until it came and stopped over the place where
the child was.
They
were overjoyed at seeing the star, and on
entering the house they saw the child with Mary his
mother. They prostrated themselves and did him homage.
Then they opened their treasures and offered him gifts
of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And
having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod,
they departed for their country by another way. |
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Luke 2:8-20: The Visit of
the Shepherds |
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When the
angels went away from them to heaven, the shepherds
said to one another, "Let us
go, then, to Bethlehem to see this thing that has
taken place, which the Lord has made known to us."
So they
went in haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the
infant lying in the manger. When they saw this, they
made known the message that had been told them about
this child.
All who
heard it were amazed by what had been told them by the
shepherds. And Mary
kept all these things, reflecting on them in her
heart. Then the
shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for
all they had heard and seen, just as it had been told
to them. |
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