Tell Me The Story of Jesus: What About Jesus' Birth?
Spiritual Questions with Scriptural Answers.
The birth of Jesus was a monumental, earth-shattering event.
His birth was prophesied throughout the Old Testament, and He came into this world exactly when the Father purposed (Gal. 4:4).
In this article, we want to examine the “five w’s” of the birth of Jesus, looking primarily at Luke’s account (Luke 2:1-19) and corresponding passages.
The “Who” of Jesus’ Birth.
First, we consider the “Who.”
The Son of God, the Second Person of the Godhead, left Heaven and “took on the form of a bondservant and was made in the likeness of men” (Phil. 2:8).
He was made “like unto His brethren” (Heb. 2:17) so He could experience what we all as human beings experience. The Bible says that Jesus was “tempted in all points as we are, yet without sin” (Heb. 4:15-16). Furthermore, the Scriptures teach that He knew what it was like to be hungry (Matt. 4:2), thirsty (John 4:7; 19:28), and exhausted (Matt. 8:24).
Jesus also knew the pain of losing a loved one (John 11:35) as well as the pain of being rejected by those He loved (John 1:11). It is important to remember that Jesus, while Deity, was also human (1 Tim. 2:5).
The “What” of Jesus’ Birth.
Second, we notice the “What.”
The “Word took on flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14). Deity took on flesh!
Isaiah, who prophesied some 700 years before Jesus was born, by inspiration, said:
“Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel” (Isa. 7:14).
According to Matthew’s account of the Gospel, the name “Immanuel” means “God with us” (Matt. 1:22-23).
The birth of Jesus was a fulfillment of prophecy; but furthermore, it was the birth of hope to a lost and dying world (1 Tim. 1:1).
The “When” of Jesus’ Birth.
Third, we examine the “When.”
The Bible does not reveal exactly when Jesus was born. According to our text (Luke 2:1), Jesus would have been born during the reign of Caesar Augustus (29 BC to 14 AD). Many in the religious world pinpoint the date of December 25th, but that is without merit:
“So many place importance upon the date of Christ’s birth, but the inspired writers did not see fit to inform us of the exact date of that great event. For that reason alone any such emphasis upon the birth of Christ as a special religious holy day should be forever abandoned. Lamar points out that that the 25th of December “was assigned in the fifth century by the Roman Catholic church without the slightest evidence that Christ was really born on that day... The church simply decreed that Christ’s nativity instead of the Roman god Sol’s, should be celebrated on that day” (Wacaster).1
Dear reader, what matters is that Jesus was born, not the when of His birth.
The “Where” of Jesus’ Birth.
Fourth, we look at the “Where.”
The prophet, Micah, delivered a breathtaking prophecy about the birthplace of Jesus:
“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting” (Mic. 5:2).
It is fitting that the “Bread of Life” (John 6:35) was born in the “house of bread,” i.e., Bethlehem! It is important to know where Jesus was born because it further stresses the validity and perfection of the Bible.
The “Why” of Jesus’ Birth.
Fifth, and finally, we discuss the “Why.”
Why did my Savior come to earth? Why did the Father “send forth His Son” (Gal. 4:4)?
God, according to His eternal purpose and amazing love, sent His only begotten Son into the world to provide hope and salvation for all who obey (Eph. 3:9-11; 1 John 4:7-10)!
Dear friend, if Jesus had not been born, He would not have been able to live a sinless life. If He had not lived a sinless life, He would not have been qualified to die for the sin of the world as the spotless, sinless Lamb of God (John 1:29).
To put it plainly, if Jesus had not been born, we would all be hopeless!
Thanks be to God that Jesus came into this world being born of a virgin, lived a perfect life, and died on the cross to give us all the opportunity to be saved (John 3:16-17)!
I hope and pray this article has been helpful. Next week, we will begin to discuss the life of Jesus.
Drew Suttles is a minister for the Quitman church of Christ in Quitman, Georgia, and one of my best friends in this world. They live-stream all their Bible classes and sermons on their YouTube channel.
Drew also hosts the “Weathering the Storm” podcast on the Scattered Abroad Network. Drew talks about facing life’s challenges as a child of God. His podcast will be a blessing to your life.
Wacaster, Tom. Luke Class Notes. pg. 31. Electronic.
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"It is fitting that the “Bread of Life” (John 6:35) was born in the “house of bread,” i.e., Bethlehem! It is important to know where Jesus was born because it further stresses the validity and perfection of the Bible."
Interesting fact. For some reason, in all my years (43) of walking with the Lord, I never knew that Bethlehem meant "The House of Bread". How cool is that.