Luke 1:26-38. Miriam, or Mary as we call her in English, was a devout Jew living in the town of Nazareth. The angel Gabriel told Mary that she was going to have a baby, and to call him Jesus. Elizabeth, her cousin, was six months pregnant at the time. Mary, in answering the angel, calls herself a bond slave to the Most High God. “I am the Lord’s servant.” The word servant, in Greek, means: a bond slave. In Hebrew, Gabriel means: God is mighty. God has used angels to announce to Mankind things He is going to do. For example, Abraham, Daniel, and John in the book of Revelation.   Read More »

Luke 1:39-40. Mary understood what Gabriel told her. She was excited because the angel had just told her that she was pregnant with the Messiah. She visited Elizabeth immediately to share her news. In Hebrew Mary means: bitter. Joseph married Mary who in due time gave birth to Jesus. Mary and her husband Joseph were direct descendants of King David. The family tree of Jesus record in the Gospel of Matthew is through the legal line of Joseph, and the family tree of Jesus as recorded in the Gospel of Luke is through the bloodline of Mary.   Read More »

Luke 1:41-45. Elizabeth welcomed Mary, her cousin, to her home. Elizabeth was six months pregnant and her baby leaped for joy at the sound of Mary’s voice. In Hebrew, Elizabeth means: God is my oath. Elizabeth was the wife of Zacharias (Zechariah), and both were from the tribe of Levi, the priestly tribe of Israel. Zechariah in Hebrew means: Jehovah remembers. Elizabeth was told to call her son John, the shortened form of Jehohanan,   Read More »

Luke 1:46-56. Mary offered a hymn of praise to God as she and Elizabeth greeted each other. The hymn points out eight of the characteristics of God. Miriam, or Mary as we call her in English, was a devout Jew living in the town of Nazareth. The exact lineage of how Mary and Elizabeth were related is uncertain. But Elizabeth was from the tribe of Levi and Mary was from the tribe of Judah. One of the ways they could be related is if a Levite man married a girl from Judah, which often happened. Elizabeth may have been the only person that Mary could have trusted to talk to   Read More »

Matthew 1:18-25. An angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and he said; “Take Mary home as your wife.” When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel commanded. Mary and Joseph ended up in Bethlehem where the birth took place. In Hebrew Joseph means: increaser. In the Bible, the name Joseph was first mentioned as the eleventh son of Jacob, and the first son of Jacob’s wife, Rachel. Jacob's son Joseph had the coat of many colors, and he served God all his life with integrity. Mary’s husband, Joseph, was more than likely named after this Joseph from the Book of Genesis.   Read More »

Luke 2:1-4. Joseph took Mary to Bethlehem, because all males had to go to their hometowns to be registered for a Roman census. The Romans, who occupied Israel, required this census for taxation purposes." The Romans had a census, or headcount, occurring every fourteen years. Joseph in Hebrew means: increaser. Joseph and Mary were both descendants of King David, so of Israel’s royal family. Mary and Joseph had an arranged marriage as was the custom of the time. The papers that made it legal were signed at the time of the arrangement of the marriage.   Read More »

Luke 2:5. At the time of Jesus’ birth, people traveled by foot, by animal, or in a cart. Nazareth to Bethlehem was a four to six-day journey over rough tracks with wild animals and robbers. People usually traveled in groups for their own protection. Donkeys or asses were the normal animals used to carry loads and are still used in many countries today. Horses were only used by the rich or as a war animal. The hand of God is seen everywhere, even here, with His using a Roman census to get Jesus to be born in Bethlehem. Jesus, to be the Messiah and Savior of the world,   Read More »

Luke 2:6-7 and Matthew 1:18-25. The town was full of people because of the Roman census. There may well have been a Jewish feast happening at the same time. One of the few private places available for Jesus’ birth was in the sheep or cattle stall. After Jesus was born Mary wrapped Him in a soft cloth and placed Him in the animals’ feeding trough which served as His cot, or crib, or bassinette, or cradle. Jesus was born, died on a cross, and rose again on the third day! He was the Messiah and Son of God. He will return as a reigning King.   Read More »

Luke 2:8-12 and 2:15-20. There was an interaction between the angels and the shepherds. The shepherds were the first to see Jesus. The reason why they were there looking after their sheep at night and what the sheep were going to be used for, are interesting matters for discussion. The shepherds lived in the open looking after their sheep. They all knew their sheep by name, and each animal knew the voice of its shepherd. Flocks were small, approximately ten to twenty sheep. If the sheep were Temple sheep, as many were around Bethlehem, it makes for a different story.   Read More »

Luke 2:13-14. It was then that many angels started singing songs of praise to God, to celebrate the birth of Jesus. One of the angels spoke to the shepherds. God often used angels to announce important events and many times they were used to protect Israel. The shepherds found Jesus as a newly born baby: Greek brephos. Not like the Magi, who found a paidion. Paidion is the Greek word for a child older than a newly born baby but still under two years old. The angels got the sheepherders to see Jesus on the night of His birth were as the Magi visited Jesus up to two years later.   Read More »

Luke 2:22-24. Jesus was taken to the Temple in Jerusalem for the Jewish religious ritual of Redemption when he was 40 days old. This ritual was an obligatory ceremony for firstborn boys according to the Law of Moses. His mother was also there for her Jewish religious ritual of Purification or Cleansing. Scripture refers to the offering of a pair of doves or two young pigeons, probably indicating that Mary and Joseph were not wealthy enough to afford a lamb. Also, the firstborn son had to be redeemed as well. See Numbers 18:14-16.   Read More »

Luke 2:25-35. Simeon, a right living and very devout man of faith, was frequently in the Temple meditating, and in a constant state of anticipation of the most significant foretold event in the Jewish faith - the arrival of the Jewish Messiah. Joseph and Mary were in at the Temple in Jerusalem for the redemption of Jesus as the firstborn and the purification of His mother, Mary, as per the Law of Moses in the first five books of the Bible. Simeon met baby Jesus and blessed Him, in fulfillment of a promise to Simeon from God.   Read More »

Luke 2:36-38. Anna had some words about what Jesus would do in His life here on Earth. Anna was a very devoted old lady who lived in the Temple in Jerusalem, spending her days in fasting and prayer. Anna, like a lot of Jews at the time, was waiting for the arrival of the Messiah. She said, “This baby is the Messiah everyone is waiting for.” In Hebrew, Anna or, Hannah means: favor or grace. Anna is one of the Greek and Latin variants of the name Hannah or Channah. Background Reading: 36 Now Anna, a prophetess, was also there. She was a descendant of Phanuel from the tribe of Asher.   Read More »

Matthew 2:1-12. The Magi followed a star to find Jesus. Magi, who have often been called the three wise men, traveled from the East to find Jesus and after consulting, and with King Herod in Jerusalem, they arrived in Bethlehem some time after Jesus birth. The Magi may have come from the area we now call Iraq, and could have had a sizeable armed escort with them. They have sometimes been called the three wise men or three kings from the East, but the Bible does not call them that. Neither does the Bible mention the number of these Magi.   Read More »

Matthew 2:3-8. King Herod the Great is greatly disturbed by the Magi or wise men. They tell him that they have come to worship the baby born to be King. The murderous King Herod, a Roman appointee, is fearful that he is going to be replaced by another king, the baby Jesus no less. Herod, although he ruled Judea, was not a Jew. One of his many wives was born a Jewess. He could claim Esau as one of his ancestors. In Greek, Herod means: heroic. There are a number of men called HEROD in the Bible, starting with King Herod the Great who died in spring 4BC.   Read More »

Matthew 2:9-10. The Magi, also known as the wise men, follow the guiding star and arrive at Jesus’ house. He is now nine to eighteen months old. The Bible says the Magi found a paidion, (Greek), a child older than a new born baby, but still under two years old. We don’t know if the star was a natural star or one that God had created for the purpose of Jesus’ birth. The Magi are the first recorded Gentiles in the Bible to worship Jesus as the Son of God here on Earth. The Magi may have come from the area we now call Iraq. If they did this it was where Daniel had lived.   Read More »

Matthew 2:11-12. The Magi found Jesus in a house and gave Him their gifts of gold, frankincense, and of myrrh. He was between nine and eighteen months old. Having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, the Magi left for their country by a different road. The house that the Magi found Jesus in was most likely in Nazareth of Galilee, where Joseph had his workshop, or in Bethlehem, but the Bible does not tell us the location of the house. After the Magi had left, Joseph had a dream. The Bible does not say much more about Jesus until He starts His ministry.   Read More »

Matthew 2:13-15. An angel has a message for Joseph - "Go to Egypt." King Herod is searching for Jesus to kill him, because he thinks that Jesus could become king instead of him. After all, Herod was not of the line of King David and was not a Jew. After the Magi leave, Joseph has a dream in which an angel tells him to take Mary and Jesus to Egypt. They leave immediately and do not come back until the angel tells him to return. In those times Egypt extended well beyond the north side of the Suez Canal.   Read More »

Matthew 2:16-18. King Herod the Great is angry because the Magi, or wise men, do not come back to see him. He works out how to kill Jesus, who is born to be King of the Jews. King Herod orders the killing of all male children under two years old, in a 16km or 10-mile radius of Bethlehem. The Roman Senate had appointed Herod, an Edomite (Idumean), as king of Judea in 37BC. He died about 29th March-4th April 4BC. Note: It is noteworthy that Rachel, the beloved wife of Jacob, is buried in Bethlehem. In Greek, Herod means: heroic.   Read More »

Matthew 2:19-23. After King Herod died, an angel of the Lord told Joseph to take Mary and Jesus back home to the land of Israel. Jesus would have been between two and five years old. Joseph found that one of King Herod’s sons, Archelaus, was ruling in his place in Judea. He was a very bad ruler and Joseph was afraid. After another dream, Joseph returned to Nazareth in Galilee. So, it was fulfilled what was said through the prophets, “Jesus will be called a Nazarene,” even though He was born in Bethlehem.   Read More »

Luke 2:41-52. Other than the simple fact that Jesus lived in Nazareth with His parents, the only Biblical record of His life as a youth is a description of one of the family’s annual journeys to Jerusalem for one of the annual Passover Festivals. On the family trip to Jerusalem for the Passover Festival, in Jesus’ twelfth year, Jesus became separated from the family group heading home to Nazareth. He had remained in the Temple to continue a discourse on the Scriptures with the rabbis. Jesus stayed behind for a tutorial with the Temple rabbis and teachers.   Read More »

Luke 22:1-24:53 and Matthew 26:1-28:20. The main purpose for Jesus’ life on Earth was to open a way for us to God the Father. This purpose of Jesus’ life involved Him dying on the cross, then to be raised to life from the dead. This resurrection enables us to access God, His Father. In Genesis 3:14-15 God said to Satan he was going to lose, and God's Son Jesus was going to win the war between Satan and God over Mankind. Jesus was born between 7BC and no later than 4BC because He was born before the death of King Herod the Great in 4BC. Jesus died between AD26 and AD39.   Read More »

1. What did Mary call herself to the angel? 2. What was the name of the angel that talked to Mary? 3. What was the name of the cousin who also was pregnant? 4. Which town was Mary living in when she got a visit from the angel Gabriel? 5. An angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said what to Joseph? 6. Why did Joseph go to Bethlehem? 7. What was the size and population of Jerusalem? 8. The shepherds found Jesus as a newly born baby. Is this correct? 9. Which group of people came and saw the baby Jesus first?   Read More »

12. Who was Simeon waiting to see? 13. What did Anna the prophetess proclaim? 14. Does the Bible say how many Magi or wise men traveled from the east to find Jesus? 15. When was Herod made king by the Romans and when did he die? 16. Where did Magi who followed the star to were Jesus lived. Jesus who may by now have been between 9 to 20 months old? 17. What gifts did the Magi give Jesus? 18. What did the Angel say to Joseph in a dream? 19. What does Herod the Great plan to do to Jesus?   Read More »

BACKGROUND NOTES and STUDY MATERIAL PAGE – that was used to organize the above images .

The Birth of Jesus - the Christmas story. [Approximately 5 A4 pages of notes.]   Read More »
BACKGROUND NOTES and STUDY MATERIAL PAGE – that was used to organize the images above.
The Birth of Jesus - the Christmas story. [Approximately 5 A4 pages of notes.]   Read More »

This timeline created for bibleview.org is in 17 sections. Each section covers a different part of the timeline from undated past to the year 2017.
1. Undated Past until 1800BC including the book of Genesis [Approximately 7 A4 pages of notes if printed.]
2. 1800BC-1400BC The life of Moses as found in Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. [Approximately 7 A4 pages of notes if printed.]
3. 1400BC-900BC The period of the Judges cover. The books in the Bible called Joshua, Judges, Ruth and Samuel. [Approximately 6 A4 pages of notes.]
4. 1043BC-931BC Approximately [2 A4 pages of notes if printed.]   Other timelines »

GOD’S GREATEST GIFT By Jesma O’Hara - It is no accident that God introduces His greatest gift to us in the Gospel of Matthew through a very Jewish family tree. Matthew gives us his credentials as a son of Abraham, son of Judah, son of David. Jewish theologian Martin Buber wrote, “From my youth onwards, I have found in Jesus my great brother. That Christianity...does regard him as God and Savior has always appeared to me a fact of highest importance which, for his own sake and my own, I must endeavor to understand...   Read More »

Websites: Birth of Jesus - Easter -   Revelation - Life Of Moses.
Books: Chronological Aspects of the Life of Christ - Harold W. Hoehner - Zondervan 1977 Bibliotheca Sacra Volume 130 and131, Doctoral Dissertation 1964 Revived 1972 Dallas Theological Seminary. He has written other books.
A Harmony of the Gospels and Analytical out line of the Harmony A T Robertson 1922 renewed 1950 Harper & Row Publishers.   Read More »

Ministry of Jesus - is the second of eight sections or modules on the New Testament. Ministry of Jesus coves the period when Jesus started His public Ministry of about three and a half years where we meet the 12 disciples, those against Jesus and those who supported Jesus, From about a week before his death, this period of His life is covered in the module Easter - Triumphal Entry to Pentecost. Now back to Ministry of Jesus.   Read more » »