Luke 2 (WEB)
The Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem is probably the place where Jesus was born, based on a strong tradition and historical evidence. I am standing outside the entrance to the grotto that contains a star on the floor that represents the location of the birth.
I'm standing in a cave.
It is what is known as the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem.
And if you look around you here, you'll notice that, in fact, what you have had happen over the centuries is a mixture of a church with its masonry and a cave that was here originally.
And immediately behind me is the entrance to a cave that we call the grotto, or the place of Christ's birth.
Now you may say, how can you think that this is the place of Christ's birth?
How can we know?
There are many reasons why.
One is there's such a strong tradition, and tradition is not without meaning in Jewish thinking.
These are the people who remember genealogies for hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of years.
These are the people who knew where Joseph was buried and Rachel was buried, in the cave of Machpelah, where Abraham and Sarah and all of these individuals were buried.
These are people that placed 12 stones by the river and said, when your sons ask of you, what shall I say?
And you give them an answer.
They had long memories, unlike we in the West.
And so we stand here in what is viewed as a traditional cave of Christ's birth, and there never has been an alternative offered.
When Queen Helena came here in the fourth century and began to ask, where was Jesus put to death?
Where was Jesus born?
Where did Jesus walk?
They had a ready answer for her because they had passed it down from generation to generation.
In the same way where we know things happened 200 years ago in American history or in British history, where we know things occurred, they knew things here too, but even much better.
There's another thing.
Hadrian, when he came to the country of Judea in AD 132 and conquered by 135, he established an alternate capital in Jerusalem.
He took away the name Jerusalem and called it Aelia Capitolina, the capital of the house of Aelia, his…
And then where the Church of the Holy Sepulchre sits, he put a temple to the god Venus, the goddess of love.
Where the temple once stood, he put a temple to Jupiter, the king of the gods.
And where this church stands right now, he put a shrine to Adonis.
Now, you have to ask the question, out of all the places in this entire country, why would he put a temple on these three specific locations with all the other alternatives?
It was the intent to, in fact, replace the Jewish and Christian faith in this land, as we know from history, was his plan.
So really all he did…
At the turn of the first century into the second, Hadrian marked the spot.
He marked for us where the Church of the Holy Sepulchre is, and where Jesus died and where he rose from the dead.
He marked for us where the temple stood.
He marked for us where Jesus was born.
He hadn't planned on that, but he provided benefit to us over the centuries because of his actions.
One other thing about this particular church, and not just the grotto, is the fact that the Parthians, when they came here to take over in the 7th century, they destroyed all the churches of the land except for this one.
Because when they came into the church they saw a painting that had individuals in clothing of the Persians from the east who came to worship Jesus here,
and they left this church intact.
The Church of the Nativity is one of the holiest sites in the entire land of Israel.
It has one of the strongest traditions of anything that we have, and certainly we cannot prove without any possibility of doubt that this is the place, but it has a very strong tradition to be the place.
One other matter is the fact that why am I standing here at the entrance to the cave?
And if you were to walk through this area here, you would go to the grotto where there are stars on the floor where Jesus is said to be born.
Well, it only makes sense that they have done some thinking in deciding where Jesus was born in this cave, because you would not bear a child at the entrance to a cave with the wind and the possible rain and other things that might occur.
You bear to the back of the cave where there's safety and there's warmth.
And so it's really a pretty good suggestion that has been made that, in fact, Jesus is born in this cave toward the back.
Again, we're not speaking of something definitive like the Sea of Galilee or Mount Nebo, but on the other hand, as far as tradition goes, we probably have the right place.
1Now in those days, a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be enrolled. 2This was the first enrollment made when Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3All went to enroll themselves, everyone to his own city. 4Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to David’s city, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, 5to enroll himself with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him as wife, being pregnant.
6While they were there, the day had come for her to give birth. 7She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in bands of cloth and laid him in a feeding trough, because there was no room for them in the inn.
8There were shepherds in the same country staying in the field, and keeping watch by night over their flock. 9Behold, an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10The angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be to all the people. 11For there is born to you today, in David’s city, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12This is the sign to you: you will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth, lying in a feeding trough.” 13Suddenly, there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army praising God and saying,
14“Glory to God in the highest,
on earth peace, good will toward men.”
15When the angels went away from them into the sky, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem, now, and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16They came with haste and found both Mary and Joseph, and the baby was lying in the feeding trough. 17When they saw it, they publicized widely the saying which was spoken to them about this child. 18All who heard it wondered at the things which were spoken to them by the shepherds. 19But Mary kept all these sayings, pondering them in her heart. 20The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, just as it was told them.
21When eight days were fulfilled for the circumcision of the child, his name was called Jesus, which was given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
22When the days of their purification according to the law of Moses were fulfilled, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23(as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every male who opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”), 24and to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, “A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.”
25Behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. 26It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. 27He came in the Spirit into the temple. When the parents brought in the child, Jesus, that they might do concerning him according to the custom of the law, 28then he received him into his arms and blessed God, and said,
29“Now you are releasing your servant, Master,
according to your word, in peace;
30for my eyes have seen your salvation,
31which you have prepared before the face of all peoples;
32a light for revelation to the nations,
and the glory of your people Israel.”
33Joseph and his mother were marveling at the things which were spoken concerning him. 34Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary, his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which is spoken against. 35Yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul, that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”
36There was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher (she was of a great age, having lived with a husband seven years from her virginity, 37and she had been a widow for about eighty-four years), who didn’t depart from the temple, worshiping with fastings and petitions night and day. 38Coming up at that very hour, she gave thanks to the Lord, and spoke of him to all those who were looking for redemption in Jerusalem.
39When they had accomplished all things that were according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city, Nazareth. 40The child was growing, and was becoming strong in spirit, being filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him.
41His parents went every year to Jerusalem at the feast of the Passover. 42When he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast; 43and when they had fulfilled the days, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. Joseph and his mother didn’t know it, 44but supposing him to be in the company, they went a day’s journey; and they looked for him among their relatives and acquaintances. 45When they didn’t find him, they returned to Jerusalem, looking for him. 46After three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the middle of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions. 47All who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. 48When they saw him, they were astonished; and his mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us this way? Behold, your father and I were anxiously looking for you.”
49He said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Didn’t you know that I must be in my Father’s house?” 50They didn’t understand the saying which he spoke to them. 51And he went down with them and came to Nazareth. He was subject to them, and his mother kept all these sayings in her heart. 52And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.