{"id":119,"date":"2017-10-31T09:48:10","date_gmt":"2017-10-31T08:48:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/buch.jehovah-shammah.de\/?p=119"},"modified":"2017-10-31T09:48:10","modified_gmt":"2017-10-31T08:48:10","slug":"highlights-of-the-birth-and-early-life-of-jesus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/buch.jehovah-shammah.de\/index.php\/2017\/10\/31\/highlights-of-the-birth-and-early-life-of-jesus\/","title":{"rendered":"Highlights of the Birth and Early Life of Jesus"},"content":{"rendered":"

And they asked him, saying, Teacher, when therefore shall these things be? and what shall be the sign when these things are about to come to pass?<\/em><\/p>\n

Luke 21:7<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

Introduction<\/strong><\/p>\n

In this study, we will learn a<\/span>bout the birth and early life of Yeshua (Jesus) in the context of first century Jewish background and customs.<\/p>\n

One thing to notice in dealing with the birth and early life of Yeshua is that all we can<\/span> know is found only in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. It is only Matthew and Luke who give us the actual story of the birth and early life of Jesus, not Mark or John. However, Matthew and Luke tell the story from two different viewpoints: Matthew tells the story of the birth and early l<\/span>ife of Yeshua from Joseph\u2019s perspective, while Luke tells the same story from Mary\u2019s perspective. In the Gospel of Matthew, Joseph plays the active role, but Mary plays a passive role. Matthew records what Joseph is thinking, but not what Mary is thinking. For example, in <\/span>Matthew 1:20<\/a>, it is recorded how angel<\/span>s came to Joseph, but no angels appear to Mary. On the other hand, Luke\u2019s Gospel tells the story from Mary\u2019s perspective. In this Gospel, Mary plays the active role, while Joseph plays the passive role. In <\/span>Luke 1:26<\/a>, it is recorded how angels appear to Mary, but no angels appear to Joseph. Luke reports what Mary is thinking, but not what Joseph is thinking.<\/p>\n

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I. The Birth of Jesus<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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A. The Announcement<\/p>\n

There were three different announcements of the Birth of the Messiah. The first announcement was to Mary; the second announcement was to Joseph; and the third announcement was to the shepherds.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

1. To Mary<\/p>\n

The best place to begin is with Luke 1:26\u201338<\/a>. This passage records how the Angel Gabriel was sent to Mary in order to inform her about the coming birth of the Messiah in verses 26\u201327<\/a>: Now i<\/em>n the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin\u2019s name was Mary.<\/em><\/p>\n

In this passage, two things are stated. First, the person to whom Gabriel was sent was Mary or Miriam in Hebrew; and secondly, it is clearly emphasized that Mary was a virgin.<\/p>\n

In verses 30\u201333<\/a>, the angel declared to Mary: And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for you have found favor with God. And behold, you shall conceive in your womb, and bring forth a son, and shall call his name JESU<\/em>S. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Most High: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.<\/em><\/p>\n

Gabriel informs Mary that she is to give birth to a son, and she is to call Him JESUS. It should be remembered that when Gabriel was speaking to Mary, he was not speaking in English nor in Greek, but in Hebrew. In Hebrew, the name \u201cJesus\u201d is pronounced Yeshua, which has for its root-meaning \u201cto save.\u201d His name is to be JESUS, meaning \u201cSalvation\u201d or \u201cSavior.\u201d<\/p>\n

Gabriel then points out several things concerning the Son of Mary, which can be summarized in five points. First, as to the Incarnation, God was going to become a man in the person of Yeshua, the Son of Mary. Secondly, as to His name, it was to be JESUS, meaning \u201cSalvation\u201d or \u201cSavior.\u201d Thirdly, as to His essential nature, Mary was told in verse 32a<\/a>, \u201cHe shall be great.\u201d Fourthly, He would be the Son of the Most High; He would be the Son of God by virtue of His unique relationship to God the Father. And fifth, He will fulfill the Davidic Covenant.<\/p>\n

In the Davidic Covenant, God promised David four eternal things: an eternal house, an eternal throne, an eternal kingdom, and an eternal descendant. All four areas are brought out in this passage. As to the throne, we read in verse 32b<\/a>, \u201cthe Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David.\u201d As to the house, the angel says in verse 33a<\/a>, \u201che shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever.\u201d As for the kingdom, we read in verse 33b<\/a>, \u201cof his kingdom there shall be no end.\u201d As to this eternal descendant, the angel stated in verse 32a<\/a>, \u201cHe shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Most High.\u201d<\/p>\n

When Mary asked the question about how this was going to come about in light of the fact that she was a virgin, the angel answered her in verse 35<\/a>: And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Spirit shall come upon you, and the power <\/em>of the Most High shall overshadow you: wherefore also the holy thing which is begotten shall be called the Son of God.<\/em><\/p>\n

Because of what is said here, a common misconception has arisen which must be dispelled. There is a common teaching propagated in some circles that the reason for the necessity for the Virgin Birth was that this was the only possible way of keeping Yeshua from inheriting the sin-nature. They go on to teach that the sin-nature is transmitted through the male only. Since Yeshua did not have a human father, He was sinless. He only had a human mother and the sin-nature is not transmitted through the mother.<\/p>\n

Actually, there is no Scripture in the Bible that ever teaches that the sin-nature is transmitted only through the male. Sometimes, in fact, the Bible emphasizes the female side of it more than the male side. For example, in Psalm 51:5<\/a> David said, \u201cAnd in sin did my mother conceive me.\u201d In reality, the sin-nature is transmitted through both the father and the mother.<\/p>\n

What kept Yeshua from inheriting the sin-nature was not the absence of the male seed, rather, it is stated in verse 35<\/a>, \u201cthe overshadowing of the Holy Spirit.\u201d We should remember that God, being sovereign, was not suddenly limited with only one way of doing things. If God wanted to, He could have produced a sinless being using both the male seed and the female egg. The reason for the Virgin Birth is that this was the way God chose to do it, not because this was the only way. He chose to do it this way, and by choosing this way He would also fulfill prophecies that He stated in the Old Testament, which are hinted at in Genesis 3:15<\/a> and clearly stated in Isaiah 7:14<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Again, the sin-nature is transmitted through both the father and the mother. What protected Jesus from inheriting this sin-nature was the overshadowing ministry of the Holy Spirit. This overshadowing by the Holy Spirit could have also produced a sinless being using both the female egg and the male seed, but God chose to use the female only.<\/p>\n

Because of the overshadowing of the Holy Spirit, the product will be two things: first, He will be holy; that is, sinless; secondly, He will be deity; that is, He will be called the Son of God.<\/p>\n

Having the prophecy and the answer to her subsequent question, Mary responds in verse 38<\/a>: And Mary said, Behold, the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to your word. And the angel <\/em>departed from her.<\/em><\/p>\n

At this point, then, Mary totally submits herself to the will and care of God. This is wise in light of three things. First, the Old Testament penalty for a betrothed woman who was suddenly found with child was execution by stoning. Mary had to trust God that when it became more and more apparent that she was with child and yet not married to Joseph, that God would protect her so that she would not be stoned to death. Secondly, she had to trust God for the reaction of the community; she had to believe that God would protect her from being totally ostracized from the community and, therefore, her child being forever labeled as \u201cillegitimate.\u201d Thirdly, she needed to trust God for her relationship to Joseph. This was truly a great concern, because Joseph, being a righteous man, would indeed consider divorcing Mary from the betrothal relationship.<\/p>\n

Later, in Luke 1:46\u201355<\/a>, is Mary\u2019s response to the message God had given her. Mary\u2019s Song can be divided into two main sections. In the first section, verses 46\u201350<\/a>, Mary talks about what God did for her. In the second section, verses 51\u201355<\/a>, Mary talks about what God will do for Israel. This Song of Mary shows the extent of her spirituality and her knowledge of Scripture, because many things stated here are very similar to Hannah\u2019s song in 1 Samuel 2<\/a>. She makes two main points in her song. First, that God was her Savior in verse 46<\/a>: My soul does magnify the Lord, And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Saviour.<\/em><\/p>\n

The kind of people who need a savior are sinners. This falsifies the claim that Mary was a sinless being herself. She was a sinner and needed a savior.<\/p>\n

Secondly, that the One who is coming will fulfill the promises to Abraham in verses 54b\u201355<\/a>: \u2026 That he might remember mercy (As he spoke unto our fathers) Towar<\/em>d Abraham and his seed forever.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

2. To Joseph<\/p>\n

The announcement of the birth of Yeshua to Joseph is in Matthew 1:18\u201325<\/a>. In this passage, the emphasis is clearly on the Virgin Birth. It is emphasized three different times. First, in ve<\/span>rse 18<\/a>: Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found with child of the Holy Spirit.<\/em><\/p>\n

Secondly, in verses 22<\/span>\u201323<\/a>: Now all this is come to pass, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, And they sh<\/em><\/span>all call his name Immanuel; which is, being interpreted, God with us.<\/em><\/p>\n

The fact that Isaiah 7:14<\/a> is quoted by Matthew 1:22\u201323<\/a> shows clearly that Isaiah 7:14<\/a> was understood at the time of First Century <\/span>Judaism to speak of a Virgin Birth.<\/p>\n

The third time the Virgin Birth is emphasized is in verse 25<\/a>: \u2026 and knew her not till she had brought forth a son: and he called his name JESUS.<\/em><\/p>\n

Earlier in this stu<\/span>dy about the announcement of the birth of Yeshua to Mary, it was pointed out that Mary, in the end, submitted herself totally to the will and care of God because she had to be concerned for three things: first, that she<\/span> would not be stoned to death, which was the penalty under the Law; secondly, that God would work out the reaction with the community; and thirdly, that God would work out her relationship with Joseph. Joseph would naturally assume the obvious, that Mary had been unfaithful. Indeed, verse <\/span>19<\/a> states: And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man, and not willing to make her a pub<\/em><\/span>lic example, was minded to put her away privily.<\/em><\/p>\n

Joseph had already privately begun to write out a bill of divorcement. He had begun divorce procedures since he had felt that, in light of Mary\u2019s pregn<\/span>ancy, she had been unfaithful. It is at this point that an angel appears to Joseph with a message containing three essential points. First, he is to fulfill the marriage vow to Mary; he is to proceed to take her as his wife in the marriage ceremony. Secondly, he is to believe Mary\u2019s story that she had not been unfaithful to him. And thirdly, that al<\/span>l is according to plan, for this was necessary to fulfill the plan of the Old Testament; in particular, <\/span>Isaiah 7:14<\/a>.<\/p>\n

God did indeed work out her relationship to Joseph. In verses 24\u201325<\/a>, we read: And Joseph arose from his sleep, and did as the angel <\/em><\/span>of the Lord commanded him, and took unto him his wife; and knew her not till she had brought forth a son: and he called his name Jesus.<\/em><\/p>\n

In this concluding section, two things should be noted. First, J<\/span>oseph immediately obeyed the angel, being a righteous and spiritual man himself, and took Mary to be his wife, and followed through with the marriage ceremony. And secondly, it clearly states, \u201che knew her not,\u201d meaning he had no sexual relations with her \u201cuntil s<\/span>he had brought forth a son.\u201d<\/p>\n

After the marriage ceremony, Mary remained a virgin until the birth of Yeshua. When it says \u201che knew her no<\/span>t until she had brought forth a son,\u201d it means that he did know her after she brought forth that Son. After the birth of Yeshua, they did have subsequent sexual relations; this falsifies a common claim that Mary remained a virgin in perpetuity. The teaching of the perpetual virginity of Mary is not scriptu<\/span>ral. Not only did she not remain a virgin, but furthermore, we know she gave birth to at least six other children: four sons and at least two daughters (<\/span>Mat. 13:55\u201356<\/a>).<\/p>\n

3. To the Shepherds<\/p>\n

In Luke 2:8\u201320<\/a>, there is the announcement by the angels to the shepherds concerning the birth of Jesus. Verse 8<\/a> says: And there were shepherds in the same country abiding in the fi<\/em><\/span>eld, and keeping watch by night over their flock.<\/em><\/p>\n

Because of what verse 8<\/a> states, around Christmas time many sermons are preached declaring that Yeshua could not have been born in December, because no<\/span> one would have sheep out in the field in the month of December. Anyone who says that has simply never been to the Bethlehem area in the month of December. Having lived in Israel, and having been in Bethlehem on more than one occasion in December, I can attest to the fact that there are sheep and shepherds everywhere. Israel\u2019<\/span>s rainy season is from mid-October to mid-April. From mid-April to mid-October, no rain falls in the country except on extremely rare occasions. As a result, by the time the first of October arrives, the hills and valleys are burned dry by the sun. Since the rains come in October, by the time December arrives, there is a lush, green carpet throughout the county, even in the Negev Desert. It is a great <\/span><\/span>time for those sheep to be out there! This is not to argue in favor <\/span>of a December 25th date; it is only to say that verse 8<\/a> cannot be used against it. Insofar as the biblical record is concerned, it is absolutely impossible to determine what time of year Yeshua was bo<\/span>rn. Maybe it was December; maybe it was July. We simply do not know for certain.<\/p>\n

The important point in this passage is that when these angels appear to the shepherds, they tell them to go to Bethlehe<\/span>m and find the Messiah. To let them know which baby is the correct one, two clues are given in verse 12<\/a>. The first clue is that the baby was wrapped in \u201cswaddling clothes.\u201d The term swaddling clothes <\/span>refers to burial cloths. So Jesus is wrapped in burial cloths. Along the mountains and hillsides of the hill country of Judah, not only were caves used for the purpose of housing animals, but caves were also used as tombs. Quite often these would be intermixed. Among the caves used to house anima<\/span>ls would also be caves used for the storing of burial cloths. Since Yeshua was born in a stable, His parents had to make use of that which was most easily and readily available\u2014burial cloths. On the first day of His life, Jesus was wrapped with the same kind of cloths as He would be wrapped with on the last day of His life\u2014burial cloths. The symbolism should not be missed. What is happening here is the clear significance as to the reason why this One was born. He was born to die, and this is <\/span>signified by being wrapped in burial cloths.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The second clue is that the baby will be lying in a manger, which tells them to look for the Child in a stable. In those days, stables were not separate building<\/span>s like farmers use today, but they were caves.<\/p>\n

Having announced to the shepherds the two clues by which they would be able to find the Messiah, in verse 13<\/a>, the angels then begin to sing a two-line hy<\/span>mn. The first line is for God, and the second line is for humanity. This is found in verse 14<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Concerning God, they said: Glory to God in the highest, \u2026<\/em><\/p>\n

Concerning humanity, they said: And on earth pe<\/em><\/span>ace among men in whom he is well pleased.<\/em><\/p>\n

Because of the two clues given earlier, the Jewish shepherds are able to find the Child. The first Jewish worship of the Messianic Person is in verses 15\u201320<\/a>.<\/p>\n

B. The Birth Itself<\/p>\n

The next section, Luke 2:1\u20137<\/a>, deals specifically with the birth of Yeshua: Now it came to pass in those days, there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world shoul<\/em><\/span>d be enrolled. His was the first enrolment made when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to enrol themselves, every one to his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, <\/em><\/span>into Judaea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David; to enrol himself with Mary, who was betrothed to him, being great with chil<\/em><\/span>d. And it came to pass, while they were there, the days were fulfilled that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son; and she wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Based on what Luke says, it is possible to determine with a fair degree of accuracy exactly when Jesus was born, as far as the year is concerne<\/span>d. First, Yeshua had to have been born before 4 b.c., simply because Herod the Great died in 4 b.c. The Gospels make it clear that Herod the Great was very much alive when Yeshua was born. Since Herod<\/span> the Great died in 4 b.c., that means Jesus was born some time before that year. Secondly, the Decree of Quirinius (v. 2<\/a>) was passed in 8 b.c. That leads to a semi-conclusion that Jesus was born some <\/span>time between 8 and 4 b.c.<\/p>\n

It can be narrowed down even further because, according to Josephus, a first century Jewish historian, Herod left Jerusalem in 5 b.c., and went to Jericho and stayed there un<\/span>til he died. Since the Wise-men met Herod while he was still in Jerusalem, that would put the Wise-men\u2019s connection some time around 6 b.c. or earlier. That narrows the birth of Yeshua to being some t<\/span>ime between 8 and 6 b.c. Also according to Josephus, in 8 b.c., Herod was away from Jerusalem fighting a war. The Wise-men could not have met Herod in 8 b.c., as he was out of Jerusalem. Putting all t<\/span>hese clues together, it is possible to conclude that Yeshua was born some time between 7 and 6 b.c.<\/p>\n

C. The Circumcision<\/p>\n

Luke 2:21<\/a> records the circumcision of Yeshua: And when eight days were fulfilled for circumcising him, his name was called JESUS, which was so called by the angel before he was con<\/em><\/span>ceived in the womb.<\/em><\/p>\n

On separate occasions, both Mary and Joseph were told by the angel to name their child JESUS. The official naming of a child in the Jewish world, then as it is today, comes upon th<\/span>e day of the circumcision. So they did not officially call His name Yeshua on the day He was born, but waited until He was eight days old. Then Jesus was circumcised, and on this occasion, He was officially named in obedience to what the angel told Joseph, \u201cyou shall call his name JESUS for it is he who shall save his people from their sins\u201d (<\/span>Mat. 1:21<\/a>). Again, the very term JESUS means \u201cSalvation<\/span>\u201d or \u201cSavior.\u201d<\/p>\n

Circumcision was prescribed under two of the Old Testament covenants. First, circumcision was mandatory under the Abrahamic Covenant; and secondly, under the Mosaic Covenant. But the si<\/span>gnificance of circumcision under each covenant was different. Circumcision under the Abrahamic Covenant was a sign of Jewishness. Circumcision under the Mosaic Covenant was a sign of submission to the Law of Moses. At this point, the Mosaic Law was in effect as well as the Abrahamic Covenant, so Yeshua was circumcised on the basis of both the Abrahamic Covenant and on the basis of t<\/span>he Law of Moses<\/span>. Under the Abrahamic Covenant, circumcision was mandatory for Jews only, but under the Mosaic Covenant, it was mandatory for both Jews and those Gentiles who were proselytes or servants, alike.<\/p>\n

Howev<\/span>er, since the death of the Messiah, the Law of Moses is no longer in effect; it has been rendered inoperative. Because it was rendered inoperative, there is no longer any basis for circumcision under the M<\/span>osaic Law for either Jews or Gentiles. But because the Abrahamic Covenant is an eternal covenant, it is still mandatory for Jews to circumcise their sons on the eighth day as a sign of their Jewishness. That is why Jewish believers today are still under the obligation of the Abrahamic Covenant to circumcise their sons on the eighth day.<\/span><\/p>\n

Does this violate the Book of Galatians? Not at all, for<\/span> Paul was not dealing with circumcision for Jews on the basis of the Abrahamic Covenant, rather he was dealing with circumcision for Gentiles on the basis of the Law of Moses. Because there is no basis for circumcising Gentiles under the Law of Moses, the <\/span>Book of Galatians is arguing against circumcision on the basis of the Mosaic Law.<\/p>\n

Furthermore, circumcision shows the faith of the parent, not t<\/span>he child. At the mere age of eight days, the child is not exercising his will or his faith when he is circumcised. If he were able to take an option on that day, he would probably forego the experience altogether. Circumcision shows the faith and obedience of th<\/span>e parents, not the child.<\/p>\n

That is one reason why baptism is not the antitype or fulfillment of circumcision. Baptism shows the faith and o<\/span>bedience of the one being baptized. Circumcision shows the faith and obedience of the parents of the one being circumcised. If baptism were the antitype of circumcision, then only male children should be baptized at the age of eight days. Of course, that is not taught in Scripture. So again, baptism shows the f<\/span>aith of the one being baptized and his obedience to the command. Circumcision shows the faith and obedience of the parents. The antitype to circumcision of the flesh in the Scriptures is never said to be baptism. Instead, the antitype to circumcision of the flesh was, and is, circumcision of the heart.<\/p>\n

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D. The Presentation<\/p>\n

The next event in the birth of the Messiah is recorded in Luke 2:22\u201338<\/a>. This was the Presentation that occurred when Yeshua was forty days old. According to the Mosaic Law (Lev. 12<\/a>), a mother was to undergo a purification ritual forty days after giving birth to a boy and eighty days after giving birth to a girl. Because Mary had given birth to a boy, this event took place when Yeshua was forty days old.<\/p>\n

The purpose for this ceremony was twofold. The first purpose was for the ceremonial cleansing and purification of the mother. The second purpose was to pay the special redemption price for the firstborn in keeping with the command of Exodus 13<\/a>. Here again is evidence that Joseph and Mary were both spiritual people, as shown by their obedience to the commands of the Mosaic Law. Jesus was being brought up by two people that were spiritual, righteous, and obedient to the Law of Moses.<\/p>\n

Verse 24<\/a> states that their offering was, \u201cA pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons,\u201d one bird for a sin-offering and the other for a burnt-offering. This reveals that the economic status of Joseph and Mary was on the poverty level, because the offering of a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons was allowable only if they could not afford anything better. This was in keeping with two Old Testament prophecies. First, Isaiah 11:1<\/a>, prophesied that the Messiah would appear only when the mighty House of David had been reduced to the level it had been, not in David\u2019s day, but in the day of Jesse, his father. That is why Isaiah mentions Jesse rather than David. He pictures the great House of David as a tree that had been felled, with only the stump remaining. While it appeared to be nothing but a dead stump, suddenly a shoot began to grow and produce life. The whole point of the picture in Isaiah 11:1<\/a> is that, when the House of David has been reduced to poverty again, when it has been reduced to what it was in Jesse\u2019s day, then would the Messianic Branch appear.<\/p>\n

The second prophecy, in Amos 9:11<\/a>, predicted that the Messiah would appear only when the mighty House of David had been reduced to a \u201cbroken-down hut.\u201d In place of not being able to offer animals, Joseph and Mary offered two birds.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

1. The Encounter with Simeon<\/p>\n

It is on this occasion that two experiences or two encounters occur in verses 25\u201335<\/a>. The first encounter was with an old man named Simeon. According to verse 25<\/a>, Simeon wa<\/span>s \u201ca righteous and devout man looking for the consolation of Israel.\u201d This means that Simeon was a member of the believing Remnant of that day. Previously, it had been revealed to Simeon that he was not going to<\/span> die\u2014no matter how old he was\u2014until he saw the Messianic Person with his own eyes.<\/p>\n

When he saw the forty-day-old Yeshua, he recognized the fulfillment of that promise to him. In verses 29\u20133<\/span>1<\/a> he says: Now let you your servant depart, Lord, According to your word, in peace; For mine eyes have seen your salvation, Which you have prepared before the face of all peoples; \u2026<\/em><\/p>\n

Simeon says he is <\/span>now ready to die because he has finally seen the Messianic Person. This is a play upon words for it should be remembered that Simeon was not speaking English, nor was he speaking Greek, he was speaking Hebrew. When he <\/span>said, \u201cmine eyes have seen your salvation,\u201d he would have said: \u201cmy eyes have seen your Yeshuah,\u201d exactly the same as the Hebrew name for Jesus\u2014Yeshua, with the addition of an \u201ch.\u201d I<\/span>n other words, he said, \u201cMy eyes have seen your Salvation, your Jesus.\u201d Simeon, being one who had studied the Word of God in the Old Testament, recognized that the First Coming of the Messiah would be of benefit to two groups of peoples: <\/span>Gentiles and Jews.<\/p>\n

In verse 32<\/a>, Simeon said of Jesus: \u2026 A light for revelation to the Gentiles, And the glory of your people Israel.<\/em><\/p>\n

Next, he had some strong word<\/span>s for Mary in verses 34\u201335<\/a>, which Mary probably did not fully understand until many years later. Verse 34<\/a> states: \u2026 Behold, this child is set for the falling and the rising of many in Israel; and for <\/em><\/span>a sign which is spoken against; \u2026<\/em><\/p>\n

Two things are revealed in this verse. First, the coming of Yeshua will cause a division in the Jewish world. There will be those who will \u201crise\u201d because of Him; that<\/span> is, those who believe. But many will \u201cfall\u201d because of Him. Secondly, He will be a sign that will be spoken against within the body of Israel, and this is true even to our own day.<\/p>\n

Verse 35<\/a> reveals t<\/span>wo additional things. First, in verse 35a<\/a>: \u2026 yea and a sword shall pierce through your own soul; \u2026<\/em><\/p>\n

The emphasis here is that she will have an internal heartbreak over the person of Jesus\u2014not because o<\/span>f Him, but because of circumstances surrounding Him. She will have agony, heartbreak, and depression over the person of Yeshua because she will witness His rejection and will see Him as a sign spoken against by the Jewish leadership. Jesus became a sign in the sense that He became a point of division<\/span> between Jews who believe, the Remnant, and Jews who do not believe, the non-Remnant. He became a sign of division and a sign spoken against by the non-Remnant. The point of time when the sword will pierce its deepest into the soul of Mary is when she will see Him hanging on the cross.<\/span><\/p>\n

Finally, in <\/span>verse 35b<\/a>, Simeon said that the overall purpose is, \u201cthat thoughts out of many hearts may be revealed.<\/em><\/p>\n

Indeed, the thoughts of many hearts were\u2014and are\u2014revealed through the person of Yeshua of Nazaret<\/span>h.<\/p>\n

2. The Encounter with Anna<\/p>\n

The second encounter that occurred within the Temple Compound is in verses 36\u201338<\/a>. Verse 36<\/a> describes Anna as a prophetess; that is, one who receives direct revelation from G<\/span>od. She was the daughter of Phanuel, of whom nothing else is known. The text then goes on to point out that because Phanuel was her father, she was of the Tribe of Asher. This is one of those so-called \u201cten lost tribes,\u201d but notice, she was not lost; she was right there in Jerusalem<\/span>. It is a fallacy to talk about the ten lost tribes of Israel. That is a myth. The biblical record tells exactly where they settled. The Jews who returned from Babylonian captivity were not only from the two Tribes of Judah and <\/span>Benjamin, Jews from all twelve tribes returned from Babylon. Here is one piece of biblica<\/span>l evidence that Asher is not one of the so-called ten lost tribes: Anna is a representative of the Tribe of Asher in Jerusalem. Verse 36<\/a> further states that, by this time, Anna was of a great age, hav<\/span>ing lived with her husband for only seven years before being widowed.<\/p>\n

Verse 37<\/a> states that after being widowed, she lived another eighty-four years for a total of ninety-one years. Typically, she woul<\/span>d have married around the age of fifteen, so she was well over one hundred years old at this point. Like Simeon, she also recognized in this forty-day-old boy the Messianic Person and rejoiced greatly. According to verse <\/span>37<\/a>, she \u201cdeparted not from the temple, worshipping with fastings and supplications night and day.\u201d Normally, it was her custom to remain within the Temple Compound night and day i<\/span>n the practice of praying, fasting, and supplication. What would she be supplicating for? No doubt she was supplicating for the redemption of Israel through the coming of the Messiah. But now she recognized that her earnest prayers have been answered.<\/span><\/p>\n

The response to the answer to her prayers was in verse 38<\/a>: And coming up at that very hour she gave thanks unto God, and spoke of him to all them th<\/em><\/span>at were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.<\/em><\/p>\n

Now she was finally free to leave the Temple Compound and went out to tell everyone who was a member of the believing Remnant\u2014those who were looking fo<\/span>r and believed in the coming redemption of Jerusalem\u2014that the Messiah had been born, and she had seen Him at the age of forty days. They could now calculate that within the next few years the Messiah would be made public in Israel, and the work of redemption would begin.<\/p>\n

E. The Visit of the Wise-men<\/p>\n

The next passage, Matthew 2:1\u201312<\/a> deals with His infancy in the town of Bethlehem and the visit of the Wise-men. There are several misconceptions in the common nativity sce<\/span>ne, as well as in a very popular Christmas song. Concerning the nativity scenes, around the Christmas season many nativity sets are displayed, and they all tend to look somewhat the same. There is a little building to represent a barn, neglecting the fact that in those days they did not have barns or separate wooden buildings, but used c<\/span>aves. Within this little barn-like structure are three people: Mary on one side, Joseph on the other, and baby Jesus either in Mary\u2019s lap or lying in a manger. Facing the three members of the family, several shepherds are on one side, and three kings are on the other side. Actually, that whole nativity scene is somewhat unbiblical, because the shepherds and the Wise-men never met each other, they were separated in time by about two years. The story of the Wise-men takes place when Yeshua is approximately two years old.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

There are three misconceptions concerning the song that begins with the words, \u201cWe three kings of Orient are.\u201d First, there is no way of<\/span> knowing how many kings there were. The Bible merely uses a plural form, which means there had to be at least two. There may have been two, twenty, two thousand, who knows? An unknown number is the best that can be deduced.<\/span><\/p>\n

A second misconception is that they were kings. The Bible does not say that, either. They were not kings, they were Wise-men, a term that means \u201castrologers.\u201d<\/p>\n

A third misconcep<\/span>tion is that the men saw a literal star, and some add, \u201cone with a big tail.\u201d What the Wise-men saw was not a literal star; rather, it was the Shechinah Glory. This could not be a literal star for five reasons. First,<\/span> it is uniquely the Messiah\u2019s star, for in verse 2<\/a>, it is called his star, in a way that is not true of any other star. Secondly, this star appears and disappears. Thirdly, this star <\/span>moves from east to west, from Babylonia to Israel. Fourthly, it moves from north to south, from Jerusalem to Bethlehem. And fifth, in verse 9<\/a>, it hovers over the very house where the Child is now livi<\/span>ng. A literal star that would hover over one house in Bethlehem would obviously destroy the entire planet. Just as the Shechinah Glory was used to announce the birth of the King of the Jews to Jewish shepherds, it was also used to announce the birth of the Ki<\/span>ng of the Jews to these Gentile astrologers.<\/p>\n

These Wise-men, however, were not practicing astrology any more. They had the title, but not the<\/span> practice. Generations after Daniel\u2019s righteous life and bold miracles had influenced men around him, these Gentiles had become believers in the God of Israel. He wrote the Book of Daniel while he was captive in Babylon and these Gentiles had learned that the King of the Jews had been born. Ther<\/span>efore, they came to the logical place to look for a King\u2014Jerusalem, the capital and seat of government.<\/p>\n

<\/span>While they were acquainted with the Book of Daniel, they were not acquainted with the Book of Micah, which predicted that the Messiah would be born in the town of Bethlehem (Mic. 5:2<\/a>). Therefore, they<\/span> came to Jerusalem asking the question, \u201cWhere is he that is born King of the Jews?\u201d This created a tremendous stir among the residents of Jerusalem and, in particular, attracted the attention of Herod the Great.<\/span><\/p>\n

Because of his paranoia, Herod the Great was always fearful of conspiracies against him, and now he suspected another conspiracy. Along with the Wise-men, he called in the chief priests a<\/span>nd elders, who were able to inform Herod and the Wise-men that the place where the Messiah would be born was Bethlehem, not Jerusalem. According to verse 7<\/a>, Herod privately called in the Wise-men and <\/span>\u201clearned of them carefully what time the star appeared.\u201d In other words, after the chief priests and the elders left, he had a private interview with these Wise-men to discover how long it had been since <\/span>the star first appeared. He did it for his own reasons.<\/p>\n

Having learned from them that it had been about two years, he sent them to Bethlehem and said in verse 8b<\/a>: \u2026 Go and search out exactly conce<\/em><\/span>rning the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word, that I also may come and worship him.<\/em><\/p>\n

The term that Herod used for young child is a Greek term paidos, and refers to a child that is a<\/span>t least one year old. This means that, at this point, Yeshua was at least one year old; but more exactly, based on how long it had been since the star appeared, He was two years old. Leaving Herod, the Wise-men began to make their way to Bethlehem, and when they came close to Bethlehem, this sta<\/span>r reappeared and stood or hovered over where the child was.<\/p>\n

According to verse 11<\/a>, \u201cthey came into the h<\/span>ouse.\u201d They did not go into a barn or a stable or cave; they went into a private home. The shepherds had found Jesus in a stable, but the Wise-men found Him in a private home in Bethlehem. This shows that, after giving birt<\/span>h to Yeshua in the Bethlehem environs, Joseph and Mary remained in Bethlehem, perhaps because of their poverty-stricken condition or because this was where their family origins were. When the Wise-men entered into the house, they recognized this two-year-old boy to be the Messianic Person, and in verse <\/span>11<\/a>, \u201cthey fell down and worshipped him.\u201d Here is the first Gentile worshi<\/span>p of the Messianic King, whereas with the Jewish shepherds, we had the first Jewish worship of the Messiah.<\/p>\n

Furthermore, the Wise-men gave to this family three types of gifts: gold, frankincense, and <\/span>myrrh. All of these gifts have tremendous symbolic significance from the Old Testament: gold was the symbol of kingship or royalty; frankincense was the symbol of deity; and myrrh was the symbol of death and sacrifice. The gold emphasized that Yeshua is a king; the frankincense emphasized th<\/span>at He is God; and the myrrh emphasized the work that the God-Man came to do\u2014to die as the final sacrifice for sin.<\/span><\/p>\n

Although Herod had told these men to report to him when they found the Child, in verse 12<\/a>, they were warned by God not to do so. Fortunately, by a warning through a dream in verse 13<\/a>, Joseph wa<\/span>s able to escape to Egypt in verses 14\u201315<\/a>. Although they had been poverty stricken, now, with the gold, frankincense, and myrrh, they had money to travel and to sustain themselves for the time they wo<\/span>uld be in Egypt.<\/p>\n

Matthew 2:16\u201318<\/a> records Herod\u2019s response. Herod now felt that he had to do something about this conspiracy in Bethlehem. Although Herod has been known as Herod the Great, a better nam<\/span>e for him would have been \u201cHerod the Paranoid.\u201d He was so paranoid he always felt someone was conspiring against him. He killed his favorite wife and four of his own sons in the course of his career b<\/span>ecause he suspected them of conspiracy. The Caesar of that day, Augustus, once said of Herod that it was safer to be Herod\u2019s pig than Herod\u2019s son. Herod was a nominal convert to Judaism, so he did not eat pork. If you were Herod\u2019s pig you were quite safe. But<\/span> if you were Herod\u2019s son you were in danger of death.<\/p>\n

Herod now assumed there was a two-year-old boy in Bethlehem conspiring to take his thro<\/span>ne away, so he sent his soldiers to kill the babes of Bethlehem. Matthew 2:16b<\/a> states: \u2026 and slew all the male children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the borders thereof, from two years old and u<\/em><\/span>nder, according to the time which he had exactly learned of the Wise-men.<\/em><\/p>\n

Herod had learned from the Wise-men that it had been two years since the star appeared. Based upon that fact, he slaughtered e<\/span>very male child in Bethlehem and in the surrounding area that was two years old and under.<\/p>\n

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II. The Early Life of Jesus<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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A. The Return to Nazareth<\/p>\n

The next event is found in Matthew 2:19\u201323<\/a> and Luke 2:39<\/a>, which deal with the Messiah\u2019s infancy in Nazareth. It is impossible to know exactly how long the family spent in Egypt after fleeing from Herod the Great, but it was approximately a year or two. By the time Yeshua left Egypt for the Land of Israel, He was somewhere between three and four years old. When the family fled to Egypt, they fled from the town of Bethlehem where they had apparently chosen to settle after Jesus was born, perhaps keeping in mind the prophecy of Micah 5:2<\/a>. While Micah 5:2<\/a> did prophesy that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem, it never prophesied that He would also be raised in Bethlehem.<\/p>\n

When Yeshua was two years old, He was taken to Egypt and stayed there until about the age of three or four. When He returned to Israel, He was brought to Nazareth. The reason for the move to Nazareth was because of the man who was appointed ethnarch of Judea where Bethlehem is located. When Herod the Great died, his massive kingdom was divided among three of his sons. Archelaus, as much as it might be hard to believe, was even worse than his father. He was so bad that eventually he was banished by Rome altogether. But at this point, Archelaus was in charge of Judea. In order to avoid problems with Archelaus, the family chose to move to Galilee, which was now under the jurisdiction of Herod Antipas. Although Antipas was also the son of Herod the Great, he was a different sort of person than Archelaus.<\/p>\n

Their settlement in the town of Nazareth in Galilee would create a stigma for the Messiah for the rest of His life. There was a common saying among the rabbis that \u201cif you want to get rich, go north; if you want to get wise, go south.\u201d To go north meant north to Galilee, and to go south meant south to Judea. Judeans looked down on the Galileans. The Judeans felt that the Galileans were really out for the money; that they were more concerned about material things than spiritual things. Those who were only interested in materialism would live in Galilee, but those who were really interested in divine wisdom would go south to Judea where all the rabbinical schools and academies were found. In fact, one day a fellow-Pharisee told Nicodemus, \u201cSearch, and see that out of Galilee arises no prophet\u201d (Jn. 7:52<\/a>). This, of course, was an overstatement because some prophets, such as Jonah, Hosea, and Elijah, did come from Galilee.<\/p>\n

Not only did Judeans look down on Galileans, but fellow-Galileans looked down upon those who were from Nazareth. Even a fellow-Galilean would one day say in John 1:46<\/a>, \u201cCan any good thing come out of Nazareth?\u201d By being both a Galilean and a Nazarene, Yeshua would, indeed, suffer the experience prophesied of Him by Isaiah 53:3<\/a>, \u201cHe was despised and rejected of men.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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\n

B. The Growth of Jesus<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
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1. From the New Testament<\/p>\n

The next passage, Luke 2:40<\/a>, is a one-verse summary of the growth of Jesus from about the age of four until the age of twelve: And the child grew, and waxed strong, filled wi<\/em>th wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him.<\/em><\/p>\n

With this one statement, the development of Yeshua is summarized by stating that physically, He waxed strong; mentally, He was filled with wisdom; and spiritually, the grace of God was upon Him.<\/p>\n

The question now is: What kind of upbringing did Yeshua have? We know from the next segment of Luke\u2019s Gospel that, by the age of twelve, Yeshua had tremendous knowledge about the Word of God. But how did He gain all this knowledge? Certainly, it was not possible to learn all that He knew in the Nazareth school system of that day, which itself was in a despised state. To some degree, we can draw several things from what we know through the New Testament. We know Jesus was brought up in a Jewish home\u2014and a very spiritual Jewish home\u2014for both Joseph and Mary were members of the believing Remnant of that day. So, much of what Jesus knew about His Jewishness, the Jewish world, and the Scriptures He could have learned easily from His stepfather, Joseph, and His mother, Mary. But that would not explain the uniqueness of His knowledge by the age of twelve.<\/p>\n

We must not assume that the knowledge was there because of His deity, for while it is true that, in His deity, He was omniscient; in His humanity, He had to undergo the same learning experience all humans have to undergo\u2014by studying and by being taught.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

2. From the Old Testament<\/p>\n

There are certain things about Yeshua we learn from the Old Testament. Isaiah 50:4\u20139<\/a> describes the way Jesus was taught: The Lord Jehovah has given me the tongue of them that<\/em><\/span> are taught, that I may know how to sustain with words him that is weary: he waken morning by morning, he waken mine ear to hear as they that are taught. The Lord Jehovah has opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away backward. I gav<\/em><\/span>e my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair; I hid not my face from shame and spitting. For the Lord Jehovah will help me; therefore have I not been confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame. He is near that justifies me; who will contend with me? let us stand up together: who is mine adversary? let him come near to me. Behold, the Lord Jehovah will help me; who i<\/em><\/span>s he that shall condemn me? behold, all they shall wax old as a garment; the moth shall eat them up.<\/em><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

According to verse 4<\/a>, as the boy Yeshua was growing up, every morning, in the wee hours of the morning, morning by morning, God the Father would awaken His Son, take Him aside and begin to teac<\/span>h and train Him in the things of the Word of God. He was being discipled concerning His person, His message, and His work. This is the way He gained His knowledge. In verse 5<\/a>, as He began to realize i<\/span>n His humanity that the reason He came to the earth was to die, He was not rebellious, rather, He kept an open ear and did not turn away backward or rebel against His calling. In verse 6<\/a>, He gave His <\/span>back to smiters, meaning He did not try to hide His back from those who were whipping, scourging, and beating Him. He did not try to turn His face away to keep from getting His beard pulled out. Rather, He gave His<\/span> cheeks to them that plucked off the hair. He did not try to cover His face from the spitting and the shame that came with it. When it came time for Him to fulfill His mission, verse 7<\/a> s<\/span>tates, \u201cHe set His face like a flint to fulfill it.\u201d In verse 8<\/a>, the Messiah was justified, and in verse 9<\/a>, He was uncomdemned.<\/p>\n

What was merely summarized in Luke 2:40<\/a> is given in detail here in Isaia<\/span>h 50:4\u20139<\/a>. The Son of God, in His humanity, was especially trained and taught by God the Father every morning, in the wee hours of the morning, morning by morning, so that by the age of twelve, He clea<\/span>rly understood His mission and He clearly understood His relationship to God the Father.<\/p>\n

C. The Visit to Jerusalem<\/p>\n

In Luke 2:41\u201350<\/a>, there is the record of an incident in the life of Yeshua which occurred when He was twelve years old. According to verse 41<\/a>, His parents went to Jerusalem ev<\/span>ery year for the Feast of the Passover. Again, this shows the obedience of Jesus\u2019 parents to the Law of Moses in that they made it a yearly practice to go to Jerusalem for the Passover in keeping with the commands of the Mosaic Law, w<\/span>hich are found in Exodus 23:14\u201317<\/a> and Deuteronomy 16:1\u20138<\/a>.<\/p>\n

During the early years of the life of Yeshua, His parents went up to Jerusalem without Him. But when He turn<\/span>ed twelve, verse 42<\/a> states: And when he was twelve years old, they went up after the custom of the feast; \u2026<\/em><\/p>\n

Some have assumed that this is the time of His Bar Mitzvah. Bar Mitzvah refers to a Jewish \u201c<\/span>confirmation ceremony,\u201d but this ceremony is for a boy when he is thirteen years old, not at the age of twelve. It was a custom of that day that, after the son\u2019s twelfth birthday in preparation for his Bar Mitzvah at thirteen, he was taken to Jerusalem to observe the Passover. On the first P<\/span>assover after His twelfth birthday, Yeshua was taken to Jerusalem, not for His Bar Mitzvah, but in preparation for it.<\/span><\/p>\n

Verses 43\u201345<\/a> state that when they had completed the festivities of the Passover, His parents joined the group with whom they had come and began making the trek toward Nazareth, normally a t<\/span>hree-day journey. When they arrived at the encampment at the end of the first day\u2019s journey, they saw that Yeshua was not anywhere with the group as they had anticipated. One whole day was spent going from Jerusalem to the first campsite. A second full day was spent returning from this campsite to Jerusalem.<\/span><\/p>\n

According to verse 46<\/a>, three more days were spent before they finally found Him in the Tem<\/span>ple Compound. A total of five full days had transpired since they had last seen Him. When they found Him, He was in the Temple Compound, \u201cin the midst of the teachers, both hearing them, and asking them questions.\u201d At the age of twelve, He was able to intelligently dis<\/span>cuss the issues of the Scriptures and the points of the Mosaic Law with those who were experts in interpreting the Law.<\/p>\n

Verse 47<\/a> re<\/span>ads: \u2026 and all that heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.<\/em><\/p>\n

The reasons for their amazement are several. First, He was only twelve years old, and it was obvious that He had knowled<\/span>ge, which was beyond that of a normal twelve year old. Secondly, He was from Galilee, not from one of the Jewish schools of Judea. Thirdly, and even worse, He was from the town of Nazareth, where schooling was of even less value than that of other Galilean schools. What should be noted here is the result of His trainin<\/span>g by God the Father as explained by Isaiah 50:4\u20139<\/a>. As a result of His studying a<\/span>nd being discipled by God the Father, He was able to carry on an intelligent question-and-answer session with the experts of the Mosaic Law. All who heard Him, both in His questions and in His answers, were indeed impressed.<\/span><\/p>\n

In verse 48a<\/a>, when they finally found Jesus, for a moment Mary forgot who He was. At this moment, she began to scold the God-Man and said to Him in verse 48b<\/a>: \u2026 Son, why have <\/em><\/span>you thus dealt with us? behold, your father and I sought you sorrowing.<\/em><\/p>\n

In other words, Mary said to Jesus, \u201cWhy did you do this to us? Did you not know that your father and I were looking all over fo<\/span>r you, sorrowing?\u201d<\/p>\n

At this point, in verse 49<\/a>, Yeshua reminded His mother who He was and who His Father really was: And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? knew ye not that I must be in my<\/em><\/span> Father\u2019s house?<\/em><\/p>\n

Yeshua answered His mother, \u201cHow is it that you were looking around for Me?\u201d In other words, they should have known exactly where to find Him: in the Temple Compound. The reason they <\/span>should have known exactly where they could have found Him is, \u201cDid you not realize that I must be in My Father\u2019s house?\u201d Here He reminds Mary that Joseph is not His real father. His father is God the Father. She should have known that the best place to look for a son is in his father\u2019s house. At this point, His Father\u2019s house was the Temple Compound.<\/span><\/p>\n

Luke goes on to point out in verse 50<\/a> that they<\/span> did not clearly understand what He was saying. This incident shows two things. First, it shows the results of His discipling by God the Father (Is. 50:4\u20139<\/a>); and secondly, it also shows that by the ag<\/span>e of twelve, He clearly recognized and understood His Sonship relationship with God the Father.<\/p>\n

D. The Development of Jesus<\/p>\n

The last passage that deals with His birth and early life is Luke 2:51\u201352<\/a>, where Luke summarizes His upbringing from the age of twelve until about the age of thirty. Verse <\/span>51<\/a> reads: And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth; and he was subject unto them: and his mother kept all these sayings in her heart.<\/em><\/p>\n

He was subject to His parents. This is the best verse to p<\/span>rove that \u201csubjection\u201d does not mean \u201cinferiority.\u201d In this passage, it is the God-Man, a superior, subjecting Himself to two sinful human inferiors, because that was the divine order and the divine will for His life at this point. When the Bible commands a <\/span>wife to subject herself to her husband, the issue is not inferiority or superiority. It is not an inferior subjecting herself to a superior. Rather, it is the same thing as in <\/span>Luke 2:51<\/a>: a matter of divine order, divine decree, and divine will. What happens in marriage is that one equal subjects herself to another equal in keeping with the <\/span>divine order and the chain of command taught by 1 Corinthians 11:2\u201316<\/a>. Again, subjection is a matter of order and procedure; it is not an issue of inferiority or superiority.<\/p>\n

Verse 52<\/a> reads: And Jesus<\/em><\/span> advanced in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.<\/em><\/p>\n

Between the ages of twelve and about thirty, Yeshua advanced in four areas of human development. First, He developed mentally; He advanc<\/span>ed in wisdom. Secondly, He developed physically; He advanced in stature. Thirdly, He developed spiritually; He advanced in favor with God. And fourthly, He developed socially; He advanced in favor with men.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

And they asked him, saying, Teacher, when therefore shall these things be? and what shall be the sign when these things are about to come to pass? Luke 21:7 Introduction In this study, we will learn about the birth and early life of Yeshua (Jesus) in the context of first century Jewish background and customs. … <\/p>\n

\u201eHighlights of the Birth and Early Life of Jesus\u201c <\/span>weiterlesen<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-119","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-allgemein"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/buch.jehovah-shammah.de\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/119","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/buch.jehovah-shammah.de\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/buch.jehovah-shammah.de\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/buch.jehovah-shammah.de\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/buch.jehovah-shammah.de\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=119"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/buch.jehovah-shammah.de\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/119\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":120,"href":"http:\/\/buch.jehovah-shammah.de\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/119\/revisions\/120"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/buch.jehovah-shammah.de\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=119"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/buch.jehovah-shammah.de\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=119"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/buch.jehovah-shammah.de\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=119"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}