The birth of Jesus Matthew 1:18-25, Luke 1:1-2:7

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1 A priest called Zechariah

and his wife Elizabeth
were righteous in God’s
eyes, careful to obey all
of the Lord’s
commandments and
regulations. They had no
children because
Elizabeth was unable to
conceive, and they were
both very old.
(Luke 2:5-7).
Zacharias and Elizabeth
- James Tissot - Brooklyn
Museum.

2 One day Zechariah was

serving God in the
Temple, for his order
was on duty that week.
As was the custom of
the priests, he was
chosen by lot to enter
the sanctuary of the
Lord and burn incense.
While the incense was
being burned, a great
crowd stood outside,
praying.
(Luke 2:8-10).
Reconstruction of the
Temple - James Tissot -
Brooklyn Museum.
3 While Zechariah was in
the sanctuary, an angel
of the Lord appeared,
standing to the right of
the incense altar. ‘Don’t
be afraid, Zechariah!’
the angel said, ‘God has
heard your prayer. Your
wife, Elizabeth, will give
you a son, and you are
to name him John. He
will be filled with the
Holy Spirit, even before
his birth and turn many
Israelites to the Lord. He
will be a man with the
spirit and power of Elijah
who will prepare the
people for the coming of
the Lord.’
Luke 2:11-17).
The Vision of Zacharias -
James Tissot - Brooklyn
Museum.

4 Zechariah replied, ‘How

can I be sure this will
happen? I’m an old man
now, and my wife is old
too.’
‘I am Gabriel! I stand in
the very presence of
God,’ the angel
announced. ‘He sent me
to bring you this good
news! But since you
didn’t believe what I
said, you will unable to
speak until the child is
born’
When Zechariah came
out to the people, he
couldn’t speak. Soon
afterward his wife,
Elizabeth, became
pregnant. ‘How kind the
Lord is!’ she exclaimed.
(Luke 2:18-25).
The Vision of Zacharias -
James Tissot - Brooklyn
Museum.
5 In the sixth month of
Elizabeth’s pregnancy,
God sent the angel
Gabriel to Nazareth, a
village in Galilee, to a
virgin named Mary. She
was engaged to be
married to a man named
Joseph, a descendant of
King David.
(Luke 2:26-27).
The Holy Virgin in Her
Youth - James Tissot -
Brooklyn Museum.

6 Gabriel appeared to
Mary and said, ‘Don’t be
afraid, Mary for you
have found favour with
God! You will conceive
and give birth to a son,
and you will name him
Jesus. He will be very
great and will be called
the Son of the Most
High.’
Mary protested, ‘But
how can this happen? I
am a virgin.’
The angel replied, ‘The
Holy Spirit will be upon
you, and the power of
the Most High will
overshadow you. So the
baby to be born will be
holy, and He will be
called the Son of God.’
Mary responded, ‘I am
the Lord’s servant. May
everything you have
said come true.’
(Luke 2:26-38).
The Annunciation -
James Tissot - Brooklyn
Museum.

7 When Joseph found out

Mary was pregnant by
the Holy Spirit, he did
not want to expose her
to public disgrace, but
wanted to divorce her
quietly.
(Matthew 1:18-19).
The Anxiety of Joseph -
James Tissot - Brooklyn
Museum.
8 Then, an angel of the
Lord appeared to him in
a dream and said,
‘Joseph, do not be afraid
to take Mary home as
your wife, because what
is conceived in her is
from the Holy Spirit. She
will give birth to a son,
and you are to give him
the name Jesus, because
He will save His people
from their sins.’
(Matthew 1:20-21).
The Vision of Joseph -
James Tissot - Brooklyn
Museum.

9 The angel explained that

all this was happening to
fulfill what the prophet
Isaiah had said: ‘The
virgin will conceive and
give birth to a son, and
they will call him
Immanuel’ (which
means ‘God with us’).
(Matthew 1:22-23).
The Vision of Joseph -
James Tissot - Brooklyn
Museum.

10 When Joseph woke up,

he did what the angel of
the Lord had
commanded him and
took Mary home as his
wife. But he did not
consummate their
marriage until she gave
birth to a son.
(Matthew 1:24-25).
The Betrothal of Mary
and Joseph - James
Tissot - Brooklyn
Museum.
11 Mary went to visit
Zechariah and Elizabeth
in the hill country of
Judea. She entered the
house and greeted
Elizabeth. At that
moment, Elizabeth’s
child leaped within her,
and Elizabeth, filled with
the Holy Spirit,
exclaimed, ‘God has
blessed you above all
women, and your child is
blessed. Why am I so
honoured, that the
mother of my Lord
should visit me?
(Luke 1:39-44).
The Visitation - James
Tissot - Brooklyn
Museum

12 Mary burst out in a song

of praise, ‘Oh, how my
soul praises the Lord.
How my spirit rejoices in
God my Saviour! For He
took notice of His lowly
servant girl, and from
now on all generations
will call me blessed.’
(Luke 1:46-56).
The Magnificat - James
Tissot - Brooklyn
Museum.

13 When the Roman

emperor, Augustus,
decreed that a census
should be taken
throughout the Roman
Empire, it meant Mary
and Joseph had to
register in Bethlehem in
Judea, David’s ancient
home.
When they arrived the
town was full and there
were no lodgings
available for them to
stay.
(Luke 2:1-5).
Joseph Seeks a Lodging
in Bethlehem - James
Tissot - Brooklyn
Museum.
14 An innkeeper offered
them shelter in a stable.
(Luke 2:7).
Joseph Seeks a Lodging
in Bethlehem - James
Tissot - Brooklyn
Museum.

15 That night the time

came for Mary’s baby to
be born. She gave birth
to her firstborn son and
wrapped Him snugly in
strips of cloth then laid
Him in a manger.
(Luke 2:6-7).
The Birth of Our Lord
Jesus Christ - James
Tissot - Brooklyn
Museum.

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