And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.
Gospel of Luke 2:16 King James Version
Mary an Introduction
Christians, Jews and unbelievers know parts of the iconic scene unfolding in Bethlehem through a virgin Jewish mother.
Today I honor Mary most appropriately by retelling her story of Christmas mostly from the King James Version of the Holy Bible.
Mary, Eve of the Virgin Birth
And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem..
.. with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.
Gospel of Luke 2:4-5 KJV excerpt
And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.
Mary, wife of Joseph?
Not quite, according to custom and Jewish law.
Do YOU know any young woman who has been pregnant (even near full term) yet not married to the man she knew?
μνηστεύω – Strong’s G3423 – mnēsteuō – from a derivative of G3415; to give a souvenir (engagement present), i.e. betroth:—espouse.
Recall that GREEK is the common language not only of Luke the Physician but also of all of the Roman Empire ruled by Caesar Augustus.
Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused G3423 to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.
Gospel of Matthew 1:18 KJV
SCANDELOUS !
(as least in the A.D. First Century)
Mary, ENGAGED to Joseph
AND they both know that the Virgin Mary had NEVER come together with Joseph her fiancé!
Joseph, an honorable man
(like his namesake and ancestor, Joseph, son of Jacob, who the LORD used to rule Egypt under Pharaoh.)
Gospel of Matthew 1:19- KJV
Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily. But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying,
Joseph, thou son of David,
Matthew 1:20b KJV
fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife:
for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.
And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS:
for he shall save his people from their sins.
An angel of the Lord speaks to you!
What to do?
The adoptive father of JESUS believes God (of course). And Joseph is a righteous and honorable man.
Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife:
And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.
Signs and Witnesses
Prophesy of Isaiah and others centuries Before Christ.
Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
Isaiah 7:14 KJV
Witness by a heavenly host of Angels – Luke 2:8 KJV
And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
Gospel of Luke 2:8-14 King James Version
Witnesses and worship
And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him. .. Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said,
Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word:
For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,
Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people;
A light to lighten the Gentiles,
and the glory of thy people Israel.
Gospel of Luke 2:25-32 KJV excerpt [context]
Signs before Jesus’ birth
There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.
And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years.
And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest’s office before God in the order of his course, According to the custom of the priest’s office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense.
And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.
Gospel of Luke 1:5-11 King James Version
An Angel of the Lord standing beside the Priest of God right inside the Holy of Holies! A pretty big deal.
Briefly, what happens next is a foretelling prophetic birth of JOHN the BAPTIST, preparing the way for the Lord Jesus, the consolation of Israel and Messiah sent of God the Father.
Elisabeth, John and the Holy Spirit
- Zacharias the Priest of God continued to serve his term in the Temple unable to speak.
- Daily worshipers in Jerusalem must have know that something was up.
- He returns home.
- Elisabeth conceived.
- An angel of the Lord then appears in Nazareth prior to their trip to register for the census of Caesar and also tells Mary:
And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren. For with God nothing shall be impossible.
- And Mary went into the hill country of *Juda
- And entered into the house of Zacharias
- and (knowing the the angel had revealed) saluted Elisabeth.
And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary,
the babe leaped in her womb;
and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost:
Gospel of Luke 1:41 KJV signs confirming the Messiah when Mary greeted the mother of John the Baptist
In the Year of the most controversial birth in history
Jesus Christ born in a manger
Church fathers, theologians who study such things, took a few centuries to articulate the trinitarian Christology from the Apostles recorded in Scripture from the A.D. first century.
The clarity of their CREEDS and CONFESSIONS of FAITH define our hope of eternal life in the Lord Jesus Christ.
I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.
Nicene Creed excerpt
And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds; God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God; begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made.
Who, for us men for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary,
and was made man…
AD 325 & AD381
Born of the Virgin Mary
Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?
And the angel answered and said unto her,
The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee,
and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee:
therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.
Gospel of Luke 1:34-35 King James Version
εὐλογέω – eulogeō
.. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.
κύριος – kyrios
And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord,
And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden:
for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
Gospel of Luke 1:46-48 KJV [familiar beginning of the Magnificat of Mary]
As were Joseph and others to whom the Lord sent His angels:
The soul of Mary is humble, as is JESUS from her womb to the Cross.
For he that is mighty hath done to me great things;
Gospel of Luke 1:49-50 King James Version – from the Magnificat of the Virgin Mary declaring that the Lord is mighty and holy is His Name.
and holy is his name.
And his mercy
is on them that fear him
from generation to generation.
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