John 1:1-5 MEV
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were created through Him, and without Him nothing was created that was created. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of mankind. 5 The light shines in darkness, but the darkness has not overcome it.
John 5:19 NKJV Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.
John 8:26 NKJV
I have many things to say and to judge concerning you, but He who sent Me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I heard from Him.”
Left off with:
Matthew 1:18-23 MEV
18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ happened this way: After His mother Mary was engaged to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child by the Holy Spirit. 19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man and not willing to make her a public example, had in mind to divorce her privately. 20 But while he thought on these things, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for He who is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins.” 22 Now all this occurred to fulfill what the Lord had spoken through the prophet, saying, 23 “A virgin shall be with child, and will bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is interpreted, “God with us.”
Now lets look at the next two verses and see how Joseph responded:
Matthew 1:24-25 MEV
24 Then Joseph, being awakened from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him, and remained with his wife, 25 and did not know her until she had given birth to her firstborn Son. And he called His name JESUS.
The presence and command of the angel of the Lord overpowered the law and the traditions of man.
Oral Roberts commentary1:
Matthew 1:18-20
A Divine Crisis
We begin to see now the unfolding of God’s purpose in bringing His Divine Son to be born of a woman without the aid of a husband or the male seed.
At this time Matthew precisely points out the way Jesus was born. He did this by reminding the Jewish people of their own customs, that either their parents or the matchmaker would “betroth” the children to be married later in life. After the boy had had his bar mitzvah and become an adult and the girl had become an adult, the engagement became more formal and they were really betrothed. Because Joseph and Mary were betrothed to be married, for the next 12 months they would be considered husband and wife but without living with each other. The community would look upon them as husband and wife, although they knew there was no sexual contact between them. At the end of the 12 months they would have a beautiful and solemn wedding and would begin their family. As a matter of fact, that betrothal was considered so binding that the only way to get out of it that final 12 months before the real marriage was to have a divorce.
It was upon this background that Mary and Joseph were facing that one year before their marriage — their real marriage. Mary was discovered pregnant, and she was a virgin. It was something incredible. The virgin who had never had intercourse, who was betrothed to Joseph in such a binding way, was now pregnant, but not by him! Not knowing any more about it but being a decent man, he decided very privately to get this set aside so the girl could go off and have her baby.
You see, when Abraham began to believe God and the flow started, God was thinking of that flow that came all through the ancestors — the genealogy of Jesus, right down to Mary and to Joseph. Mary was visited by the Holy Spirit himself, the one who had been there to create the world, who had filled the prophets, who had given them promises of the coming Messiah, who had made them leaders of Israel to keep the people on the paths of righteousness. The Holy Spirit had moved upon this girl in a supernatural way and implanted the divine seed rather than the human male seed into her womb.
The body of that child began to grow. As her body swelled and her pregnancy was revealed, Joseph was faced with a dilemma, but the angels took charge. The same angels who had been working throughout the ages, who had been present among the people of Israel, who had done some of the mightiest of all deeds, appeared to Joseph. While he was dreaming, the angel said to him, “Don’t be afraid to take Mary to be your wife, for the Holy Spirit has conceived His child in her.”
Holy Spirit Action
Now remember the Jews always looked upon the Holy Spirit as the agent of creation, that the birth of this child was a creative act of God. The also believed in the recreation of the Holy Spirit as exemplified in Ezekiel 37 in the story of the reviving of the dry bones. So the Jews associated the Holy Spirit with creation and recreation. Although Joseph knew nothing about Pentecost and the Holy Spirit as a gift coming into those of us who are born-again believers, he, as a Hebrew, knew of the creative and recreative acts of the Holy Spirit.
Left off with:
Luke 1:39-45 MEV
39 In those days Mary arose and quickly went into the hill country, to a city of Judah, 40 and entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 She spoke out with a loud voice, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 Indeed, as soon as the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45 Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a completion to those things which were told her by the Lord.”
Now lets look at the following verses and see how Mary responded:
Luke 1:46-56 MEV
46 And Mary said: “My soul magnifies the Lord, 47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior. 48 For He has regarded the low estate of His servant; surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed. 49 For He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name. 50 His mercy is on those who fear Him from generation to generation. 51 He has shown strength with His arm; He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. 52 He has pulled down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of low degree. 53 He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent away empty. 54 He has helped His servant Israel, in remembrance of His mercy, 55 as He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his descendants forever.” 56 Mary remained with her about three months and returned to her own house.
Mary honored God and honored the things of God. She magnified and rejoiced in God for what He was doing through her.
She saw that God chose her, a lowly person, instead of choosing a woman that comes from a family that is religious and of great stature.
Oral Roberts commentary2:
Luke 1:46, 47
Christ the Mediator
Mary says very clearly that God is her Savior. There is no such thing biblically as “immaculate conception,” that is, that Mary was sinless herself. She was a normal follower of God, a daughter of Abraham, a descendant of David whose obedience was perfect as far as her ability was concerned, and who believed what God said. She was looking to Him as her Savior.
Mary was a marvelous, indescribable, incomparable woman, obedient, faithful, and willing, but that is all she was. In no way are we to pray to her or to think that she sits at God’s side or that we have to go through her to get to her Son. No! Jesus Christ is the mediator between God and man.
Luke 1:49-50
Mercy Through Obedience
When she finishes glorifying God for doing great things in and through her, she then speaks of His same mercy being upon all who fear Him from generation to generation. She is saying that she is a person of low estate who, in her obedience to God, has been lifted up and therefore the same thing can happen to us. However lowly we may be, when we obey God, God shows His mercy to us and lifts us up in Him.
The Birth of Jesus
Luke 2:1-7 MEV
1 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that the entire inhabited earth should be taxed. 2 This taxation was first made when Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 And everyone went to his own city to be taxed. 4 So Joseph also departed from the city of Nazareth in Galilee to the City of David which is called Bethlehem, in Judea, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be taxed with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. 6 So while they were there, the day came for her to give birth. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in strips of cloth, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
- Bethlehem – Micah 5:2 MEV But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, although you are small among the tribes of Judah, from you will come forth for Me one who will be ruler over Israel. His origins are from of old, from ancient days.
- “and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.” This does not say that they were poor and could not afford a room at the inn but that there was no room at the inn.
I am going to present the following events according to the timeline listed on the chart, “Harmony of the Gospels” in Nelson’s Complete Book of BIBLE MAPS AND CHARTS.
5-4 B. C.
- Proclamation by the Angels, near Bethlehem in Luke 2:8-14
- The Visit of Homage by Shepherds, Bethlehem in Luke 2:15-20
- Jesus’ Circumcision, Bethlehem in Luke 2:21
- First Temple Visit
Proclamation by the Angels near Bethlehem
Luke 2:8-14 MEV
8 And in the same area there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And then an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were very afraid. 10 But the angel said to them, “Listen! Do not fear. For I bring you good news of great joy, which will be to all people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the City of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign to you: You will find the Baby wrapped in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.” 13 Suddenly there was with the angel a company of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, and good will toward men.”
In verse 9 “the glory of the Lord shone around them,” this would be similar to
Exodus 34:29-35 MEV
29 When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of testimony in the hands of Moses, when he came down from the mountain, Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone while he talked with Him. 30 So when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, amazingly, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him. 31 But Moses called to them, and Aaron and all the rulers of the congregation returned to him, and Moses spoke to them. 32 Afterward all the children of Israel drew near, and he commanded them all that the LORD had spoken to him on Mount Sinai. 33 When Moses finished speaking with them, he put a veil over his face. 34 But whenever Moses went in before the LORD to speak with Him, he took the veil off until he came out. Then he came out and spoke to the children of Israel what he had been commanded. 35 The children of Israel saw the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses’ face shone, and then Moses put the veil over his face again until he went in to speak with Him.
in that Moses face shone from being in close proximity to God and so it was with the angel because he had been in close proximity to God.
The angel tells them that the babe, Jesus would be found in a manger, this is different from how the Wise Men find Him in Matthew. According to the timeline, the Wise Men came a year or more after Jesus’ birth. This can be confirmed by the declaration of Herod to have all male babes killed that were two years old or younger (Matthew 2:16).
I really like the way Luke records verse 13 and 14!
Luke 2:13-14 MEV
13 Suddenly there was with the angel a company of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, and good will toward men.”
The Visit of Homage by Shepherds in Bethlehem
Luke 2:15-20 MEV
15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see what has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 So they came hurrying and found Mary and Joseph, and the Baby lying in a manger. 17 When they had seen Him, they made widely known the word which was told them concerning this Child. 18 And all those who heard it marveled at what the shepherds told them. 19 But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
In verse 17 the shepherds were so overjoyed at seeing the babe, Jesus, that they ran all over town telling anyone who would listen about what the angel said and about Jesus’ birth and they went back to their flocks glorifying and praising God.
When we depict the Wise Men surrounding the babe in the manger, it’s not a correct representation. The shepherds were present but not the Wise Men. Look at the following verses:
Matthew 2:1 MEV
Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, wise men came from the east to Jerusalem,
Matthew 2:9,11 MEV
9 When they heard the king, they departed. And the star which they saw in the east went before them until it came and stood over where the young Child was. 11 And when they came into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary, His mother, and fell down and worshipped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
Jesus’ Circumcision & First Temple Visit in Bethlehem & Jerusalem
Luke 2:21 MEV
When eight days had passed and the Child was circumcised, He was named JESUS, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb.
- Circumcised under the law, later to fulfill the law.
- Legally given the name of Jesus
Before we look at the first temple visit let’s set a timeline. According to the Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, the purification of Mary after giving birth to a male child was 40 days after which she would have to present a burnt offering and a sin offering at the temple. So, we know that at the time of entering the temple, at least 40 days plus travel time had passed.
Luke 2:22-38 MEV
22 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 23 (as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male shall be called holy to the Lord” ) 24 and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.”
25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 It was revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. 27 Led by the Spirit, he came into the temple. And when the parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the law, 28 he received Him in his arms and blessed God and said: 29 “Lord, now let Your servant depart in peace, according to Your word; 30 for my eyes have seen Your salvation 31 which You have prepared in the sight of all people, 32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel.”
33 Joseph and His mother were amazed at those things which were spoken about Him. 34 Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary His mother, “Listen, this Child is destined to cause the fall and rising of many in Israel and to be a sign which will be spoken against, 35 so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed. And a sword will pierce through your own soul also.”
36 And there was Anna a prophetess, a daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age and had lived with her husband seven years from her virginity. 37 And she was a widow of about eighty-four years of age who did not depart from the temple, but served God with fasting and prayer night and day. 38 Coming at that moment she gave thanks to the Lord and spoke of Him to all those who looked for the redemption of Jerusalem.
In the next episode, Jesus Part 4, we will pick up with the visit of the Wise Men and most likely go through to Jesus’ adolescence and adulthood.
Let me leave you with this verse:
Acts 1:8 You will receive Power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you and you will be My witnesses.