The Birth of Jesus. Matthew 1:18-25. (n.b.

Dec 17)
18Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When his

mother Mary was engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together,
she was found to be with child through the power of the Holy Spirit.
19Joseph her husband, an upright man unwilling to expose her to

the law, decided to divorce her quietly. 20Such was his intention
when suddenly the angel of the Lord appeared in a dream and said
to him: “Joseph, son of David, have no fear of taking Mary as your
wife. It is by the Holy Spirit that she has conceived this child. 21She is
to have a son and you are to name him Jesus because he will save
his people from their sins.” 22All this happened to fulfill what the
Lord had said through the prophet:
23”The virgin shall be with child and give birth to a son, and they

shall call him Emmanuel,”

a name which means “God is with us.” 24When Joseph awoke he
did as the angel of the Lord had directed him and received her into
his home as his wife. 25He had no relations with her at any time
before she bore a son, whom he named Jesus.
Gospel pericope: Mt 1:18-25. The Birth of Jesus

Search for elements:

1. What did Joseph find out or discover during the period of his
betrothal with Mary? (1)
2. What was Joseph’s initial decision regarding his discovery? (1)
What were the reasons behind his decision according to the
verses? (2)
3. What made Joseph change his mind? (1) What were the two
tasks given to Joseph? (2)
4. What name shall Joseph give to the child? (1) What shall the child
be called? (1)
Search for elements: (Answers)
1. Joseph discovers: Mary is with child (pregnant) (1)
2. Joseph’s initial decision: divorce Mary (1)
reasons behind his decision: (2)
• just/righteous man
• unwilling to expose Mary to shame (the Law)
3. what made Joseph change his mind: his dream (1)
two tasks given to Joseph: (2)
• give the child a name
• hand the davidic succession
4. name Joseph shall give the child: Jesus (1)
what the child shall be called: Emmanuel (1)
betrothal: the marriage contract had
been drawn up
*lasts for a year
within this period:
Joseph discovers: Mary is with
child (pregnant)

Joseph decides to divorce Mary

because he was righteous: one who desires to observe the Law

yet unwilling to expose his wife
a dream prevents Joseph in executing his decision
*first of Joseph’s 3 dreams
*(history of patriarchs): frequent dreams:
signifies: call towards a vocation beyond
human capacities
**in each dream:
angel’s instruction & Joseph’s execution: closely parallel
suggests: Joseph’s total obedience to God’s guidance

BIG Q: IF JOSEPH IS TOTALLY OBEDIENT TO GOD’S GUIDANCE

WHY CONTEMPLATE ON SENDING MARY AWAY?

contemplating on sending Mary away illustrates Joseph’s:

a) fear: awe at greatness of miracle worked in Mary
b) sense of unworthiness: taking into his household someone
so intimate with God

Joseph’s task (thru angel’s command):

• give Jesus his name
• hand Jesus the davidic succession (by becoming his legal
father)
Jesus’ name:
Heb Jeshuah, Joshuah, Yehoshua
means: Yahweh is salvation
‫יהוה‬ ‫יהושצ‬
YHWH YHWS
Isaiah’s oracle: Emmanuel: God is with us
means: Jesus goes far beyond all that Israel ever
hoped for & dreamed of
“I am with you always…”
The Birth of Jesus
(Lk 2:1-20)
1In those days a decree went out from Caesar
Augustus that all the world should be enrolled.
2This was the first enrollment when Quirinius was

Governor of Syria. 3And all went to be enrolled,

each to his own city. 4And Joseph also went up
from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to
the city of David, which is called Bethlehem,
because he was of the house and lineage of David,
5to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed who was

with child. 6And while they were there, the time

came for her to be delivered. 7And she
gave birth to her first-born son and
wrapped him in swaddling cloths, and
laid him in a manger, because there
was no place for them in the inn. 8And in
that region there were shepherds out in
the field, keeping watch over their flock
by night.
9And an angel of the Lord appeared to
them, and gave the glory of the Lord
shone around them, and they were filled
with fear. 10And the angel said to them,
“Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you
good news of a great joy which will come
to all the people; 11for to you is born this
day in the city of David a Savior, who is
Christ the Lord. 12And this will be a sign
for you: you will find a babe wrapped in
swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”
13And suddenly there was with the angel

a multitude of heavenly host praising God and saying, 14”Glory to God

in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom he is
pleased! 15When the angels went away from them into heaven, the
shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see
the thing that happened, which the Lord has made known to us.”
16And they went with haste, and found Mary and Joseph, and the

babe lying in a manger. 17And when they saw it they made known
the saying which had been told them concerning this child; 18And all
who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. 19But Mary
kept all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20And the
shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard
and seen, as it had been told them.
vss1-5. Caesar Augustus orders enrolment in own cities
Luke’s interest:
1) describe Jesus’ birth against the background of
the Roman Empire
2) explain how Jesus was born in Bethlehem
v7. first-born: (male) consecrated to God
owns birthright
in Jesus’ case: inheritance of David’s throne
vss8-9. Jesus’ birth is first announced to shepherds
shepherds: not very recommendable group
• not among the religious people of Israel
• not those who would mind much about the
promise of a Messiah
means: God’s salvation is not exclusive/selective
v11. for to you is born this day…a savior…
this day: salvation is happening right now
what we have to be reminded of: God is saving us every
moment of our lives
v12. …sign for you: …find a babe wrapped in swaddling cloths and
lying in a manger
2 impt things: discovery of the child;
child’s condition
indicates: God’s new disposition to his people

Points to Consider:
v7. …there was no place for them in the inn.
inn: Gk κατάλυμα: kataluma
a) as used in the LXX and NT:
refers to: variety of places for lodging
most likely lodging in the public accommodations in Bethlehem
crude shelters for people & animals
b) as suggested by various scholars:
Joseph & Mary stayed with relatives in Bethlehem
kataluma as guest room in the relatives’ house
at that moment filled beyond capacity with all the other relatives
who journeyed to Bethlehem for the census
cf Jn1:11. To his own he came, yet his own did not accept him.
Jesus’ exclusion from human society
anticipates: rejection He would continue to experience
throughout His ministry

in our lives: How much have we continued to reject Jesus to

enter our lives? What makes us continue rejecting
him? Our caprices? Our preoccupations with
various things & with ourselves? Or simply our
unmindfulness?
vss7, 12, 16. infant Jesus is laid in a manger
manger: a trough or box of carved stone or wood
construction used to hold food for
animals
rich symbol: where animals find their “source” of
food/strength/life

in our lives: Do we consider Jesus as the source of our strength

and life? How often do we go back to him as our
“Source”?

Gospel pericope:
Matthew 2:1-12.
Visit of the Magi.
elements:
• Bethlehem of Judea
• wise men
• Herod & Jerusalem’s
reaction
• star
• gifts: gold, frankincense,
myrrh
Visit of the magi: closely parallel with:
Queen of Sheba’s visit to Solomon (to witness his wisdom)
• a star beckons
• hard questions
• acknowledgement of divinely ordained royalty
• lavish presentation of gifts
story’s meaning:
Jesus: founder & leader of God’s eschatological people
forecast: Israel’s future rejection & pagan acceptance
manifested by Herod & Jerusalem’s reaction: “troubled”
Jesus’ birthplace: Bethlehem, Judea:
fulfillment: Micah’s prophecy (5:1)
Bethlehem: “house of bread”; “city of food”
also known as: Ephrata: fruitfulness/fertility
significance in Israel’s history:
• Rachel’s burial place
• special role in judges’ conquest
• David’s birthplace
• establishment of monarchy
• best known during the period of prophets

gives Bethlehem: unique honor: Savior’s birthplace

“no other city/land will be as fruitful (ephrath) as
Bethlehem (house of bread)”
…wise men from the east…
Ps72:10-11. May the kings of Tarshish and of the isles
render him tribute, may the kings of Sheba and Seba bring
gifts. May all kings fall down before him, all nations serve
him.
wise men = magi
magi: possessors of special/secret wisdom
esp. re: meaning of the course of stars & its
interconnection with world events

“Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews?”
magi’s quest: underlines: Jesus’ royal character
magi’s visit: gives Bethlehem: royal character
child & visitors: of kingly status
…for we observed his star…
ancient belief: many instances:
heavenly manifestations:
herald the birth of great rulers
*midrashic stories: same phenomenon as:
Abraham’s birth
Queen of Sheba’s visit to
Solomon
astrologers’ belief: every child:
born under certain astral combination
has own star
rise at the moment of one’s birth
& determine one’s horoscope
Qumran texts: horoscope of expected Messiah
Jewish circles (believers in astrology):
apparent speculation concerning:
star under which the Messiah would be born
when manifested: start looking for Messiah’s
birthplace
OT: Messianic motif of light:
Num 24:17. A star shall come forth out of Jacob, and a
sceptre shall rise out of Israel
identifies light with Messiah himself
hence, star of Jacob  refers to: person & not an
atmospheric
phenomenon
biblically: no clear distinction between astrological
phenomenon & personification
most important consideration:
astrological phenomenon?
“star of Bethlehem”
person?
JESUS: (BECOMES) STAR OF OUR LIFE
Jesus: Star of Our Lives
significance: 3 gifts:
Gold: Jesus: King: one who reigns in our hearts
Frankincense: Jesus: Priest: one who sanctifies our lives
Myrrh: Jesus: Prophet: one who leads us to the right path (corrects
our evil & wrongdoings)
Reflection #2:
1. What is a star? What does a star do?
2. What does it mean to make Jesus as the star of your life?

Star:
a. a self-luminous body consisting of a mass of gas held together by
its own gravity in which the energy generated by nuclear reactions
in the interior is balanced by the outflow of energy to the surface,
and the inward-directed gravitational forces are balanced by the
outward-directed gas and radiation pressures
b. any of the celestial bodies visible at night from Earth as relatively
stationary, usually twinkling points of light
c. something regarded as resembling such a celestial body
d. a graphic design having five or more radiating points, often used
as a symbol of rank or merit.
e. an artistic performer or athlete whose leading role or superior
performance is acknowledged
f. one who is highly celebrated in a field or profession