Notes-on-Scripture – Page 2

Jesus is Introduced to the World

Scripture is from the Holy Bible — New King James Version (NKJV)

Notes on Scripture (below) by tkbrown

Matthew 3:13-17

13 — “Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him.”

14 — “And John tried to prevent Him, saying, ‘I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?'”

15 — “But Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.’ Then he allowed Him.”

16 — “When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water: and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him.”

17 — “And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, ‘This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.'”

Isaiah 11:1, 2

1 — “There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots.”

2 — “The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, The Spirit of wisdom and understanding, The Spirit of counsel and might, The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.”

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Luke 3:21, 22

21 — “When all the people were baptized, it came to pass that Jesus also was baptized, and while He prayed, the heaven was opened.”

22 — “And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven which said, ‘You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.

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John 1:29-36

29 — “The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, ‘Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!'”

30 — “‘This is He of whom I said, after me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me.'”

31 — “‘I did not know Him, but that He should be revealed to Israel. Therefore, I came baptizing with water.'”

32 — “And John bore witness, saying, ‘I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him.'”

33 — “‘I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.'”

34 — “‘And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.'”

35 — “Again, the next day, John stood with two of his disciples.”

36 — “And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, ‘Behold the Lamb of God!'”

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Mark 1:9-14

9 — “It came to pass in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.”

10 — “And immediately, coming up from the water, He saw the heavens parting and the Spirit descending upon Him like a dove.”

11 — “Then a voice came from heaven, ‘You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.'”

12 — “Immediately the Spirit drove Him into the wilderness.”

13 — “And He was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan, and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered to Him.”

14 — “Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God.”

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Notes on Scripture: by tkbrown

Reading through the scriptures above, we see that John had not met or seen Jesus prior to this event. God had instructed John that His Son would be The One upon whom the Holy Spirit descended in the form of a dove — and remained upon Him. By this, John would recognize God’s Son.

When Jesus came to the Jordan River to hear John preach, there was a specific purpose for His appearance. This would be the beginning of preparing the public for Jesus’ ministry. When John saw the Spirit descend as a dove and remain upon Jesus, he knew this was the Son of God for whom he was sent to clear the way. He first mentioned Jesus’ presence without introducing Him. After this, Jesus approached John and asked John to baptize Him.

It shocked John to be asked such a thing of the Son of God. He pointed out his need to be subject to, and baptized by, Jesus rather than the other way around. John asked, “I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?”

Jesus reminded John of the need to fulfill prophecy, and then was baptized by John. Upon coming up from the water after baptism, God recognized His Son publicly when His Voice from heaven said, “You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased!” Thus, Jesus’ introduction to the world was complete.

Rather than confuse the message presented in this lesson by including Jesus’ lineage now, I will cover His roots in the next lesson. Both this lesson and Jesus’ lineage are long enough to cover separately . . . and each has specific value separate from the other. As I develop these lessons, I am listening to my heart song when I am urged to ‘stop here.’ I had intended to cover these lessons more quickly, but Jesus’ life, ministry, death, and resurrection are too important. It is necessary to limit the lessons to specific subjects rather than a cumulative presentation. The reason for this new approach is to aid those who choose to study in being able to ‘rightly divide the word of truth.’ While the reasoning may not make sense now, it will after the study is complete. Thank You for stopping by, studying, and listening with ‘your’ heart. Have a Blessed Week!

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Week One -- Scripture: Zacharias to have Son . . . 
Week Two -- Scripture: Jesus' Birth Foretold . . . 
Week Three -- Scripture: Zacharias' son, John, is born . . .
Week Four -- Scripture: Jesus is Born . . .
Week Five -- Scripture: And Jesus Grew . . . 
Week Six -- Scripture: John Begins His Ministry . . .
Week Seven -- Scripture: Jesus Is Introduced to the World . . .

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And Jesus Grew . . .

old antique bible as an open book with sunlight bursting from the pages

Scripture is from the Holy Bible — New King James Version (NKJV)

Notes on Scripture (below) by tkbrown

Matthew 2:1-23

1 — “Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem.”

2 — “saying, ‘Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.'”

3 — “When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.”

4 — “And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.”

5 — “So they said to him, ‘In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet.'”

6 — “‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are not the least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you shall come a Ruler who will shepherd My people Israel.'”

7 — “Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared.”

8 — “And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, ‘Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also.'”

9 — “When they heard the king, they departed, and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was.”

10 — “When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.”

11 — “And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.”

12 — “Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.”

13 — “Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream saying, ‘Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word, for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him.'”

14 — “When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt,”

15 — “and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, ‘Out of Egypt I called My Son.'”

16 — “Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry, and he went forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men.”

17 — “Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying,”

18 — “‘A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.'”

19 — “Now when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,”

20 — “saying, ‘Arise, take the young Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the young Child’s life are dead.'”

21 — “Then he arose, took the young Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel.”

22 — “But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea instead of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And being warned by God in a dream, he turned aside into the region of Galilee.”

23 — “And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, ‘He shall be called a Nazarene.'”

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Luke 1:30

80 — “So the child grew and became strong in spirit and was in the deserts ’til the day of his manifestation to Israel.”

Luke 2:40-52

40 — “And the Child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him.”

41 — “His parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover.”

42 — “And when He was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast.”

43 — “When they had finished the days, as they returned, the Boy Jesus lingered behind in Jerusalem. And Joseph and His mother did not know it,”

44 — “but supposing Him to have been in the company, they went a day’s journey, and sought Him among their relatives and acuaintances.”

45 — “So when they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking Him.”

46 — “Now so it was that after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions.”

47 — “And all who heard Him were astonished at His understanding and answers.”

48 — “So when they saw Him, they were amazed; and His mother said to Him, ‘Son, why have You done this to us? Look, Your father and I have sought You anxiously.'”

49 — “And He said to them, ‘Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?'”

50 — “But they did not understand the statement which He spoke to them.”

51 — “Then He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them, but His mother kept all these things in her heart.”

52 — “And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.”

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Notes on Scripture: by tkbrown

So, Jesus grew in wisdom, stature and favor with both God and men. As we can see, things began to happen rather quickly in Baby Jesus’ life, but some happened not as quickly as most have touted. For example, most believe the wise men from Parthia visited twelve days after His birth (which is celebrated as Epiphany on January 6). At this time, the Parthian Maji are believed to have paid their respects via gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. According to Joseph Holleman (2019), ‘The journey from Parthia, in Babylon, to Jerusalem is approximately 500 miles. By caravan, with no major detours or disruption, this trek would have probably taken 50 to 60 days. Maybe less.” Thus, the earliest the wise men could have visited Jesus was mid-February, by modern-day calendar.

As we see in Luke 2:22, after the days of Mary’s purification according to the law of Moses, they took Jesus to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord. Now, according to the Law of Moses as seen in Leviticus 2:1-4 (below), Mary and Joseph would not have left Bethlehem for Jerusalem for a minimum of forty-one days after Jesus’ birth. This says the Wise Men — or the Three Kings — could not have seen Jesus until after Mary’s purification.

When King Herod of Judea heard about the Parthian Maji who were searching for the one who had been born to rule over Judea, he requested an audience with them at his palace in Jerusalem. There, he told them he, too, wanted to worship the Young King, and he asked them to inform him of the Young King’s location. The Maji agreed to grant King Herod’s request. When they had left the palace, an angel of the Lord came to them in a dream and informed them of King Herod’s plot to kill the Young King. Thus, when they left Bethlehem, a different route was taken back to Parthia.

The angel of the Lord then appeared to Joseph in a dream, informed him of King Herod’s plan to kill Baby Jesus, and instructed him to take Mary and the Babe to Egypt where they would be safe. Joseph obeyed the angel. He arose and, in the night, took Mary and Baby Jesus away to Egypt.

When King Herod realized the Maji had evaded him, he decreed that all male children two and under in and around Bethlehem be killed. His stipulation of the age, ‘two and under’ indicates that Baby Jesus was more than a few days old. Herod had questioned the Maji extensively about their revelation of “the newborn king.” So, this indicates that the Child was probably between one and two years of age.

After King Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared again to Joseph in a dream and informed him it was now safe to return to Israel. When they arrived in Israel, Joseph learned Herod’s son was now ruler. This made Joseph fear for Jesus’ life. The angel appeared to him again in a dream to tell him to go to Nazareth in Galilee; thus “fulfilling the prophecy that Jesus would be called a Nazarene.”

Furthermore, if we look again at Leviticus 2:6-8 (below), we see that when Joseph and Mary went to Jerusalem to present Baby Jesus to the Lord in the tabernacle, to atone for Mary’s impurity they were to present a lamb of the first year as a burnt offering and a young pigeon or a young turtledove as a sin offering. If they could not afford the lamb, the Law of Moses allowed for them to present two young pigeons or two young turtledoves–one as a burnt offering and the other as a sin offering. The fact that Mary and Joseph met the latter requirement indicates they were quite poor. If the Maji had already been to pay homage to Baby Jesus, they would not have been poor. The gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh would have rendered them able to present a lamb and a bird instead of two birds.

Joseph Holleman elaborated a bit on the probable date of Christ’s birth. (Holleman is CEO of Magister Technologies Inc., and Author of “The Prosperity Clock” book series.) In all likelihood, December 25 was not the date of Christ’s birth. Since we do not know, with certainty, the actual date of His birth. this date has been set aside to remember the glorious event. Below, I have included some of Holleman’s elaboration on the subject.

“The goal of the Maji was to pay homage to the infant Jesus just after the time of an extremely rare astronomical configuration, which only they were aware of, that reached its peak on March 2 of 5 B.C. right around the time that Jesus was likely born. This was also likely around the time that they began their journey,” (Holleman, 2019).

“The Parthian Maji likely arrived at the place where Joseph, Mary and the infant Jesus were staying around the time of the Summer Solstice, June 21, when the Sun or the ‘Star’ was directly overhead. Jesus was likely born in late February or early March of 5 B.C.; so, he would have been around 3 or 4 months old when they arrived,” (Holleman, 2019).

Each year, Mary and Joseph went to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Passover. When Jesus was twelve, they had made a day’s journey back toward home before they realized that the Young Boy was not with them. They had thought He was with a relative or friend who might have had a boy near His age. Upon realization that He was missing, they went back to Jerusalem looking for Him. Three days later they found Him in the temple both asking questions of and giving answers to the teachers who were astonished at His knowledge and understanding. When Mary reproached Jesus regarding the anxiety she and Joseph had suffered, Jesus responded, “Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business” (Luke 2:49, NKJV). They did not understand that He meant He must be about God the Father’s business, but Mary held all these things close to her heart–we are told.

Jesus grew in wisdom, stature, and favor with both God and men. Thus, He must have been a very obedient teen who listened to His elders when they spoke.

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Leviticus 2:1-8

1 — “Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,”

2 — “Speak to the children of Israel, saying: If a woman has conceived, and borne a male child, then she shall be unclean seven days, as in the days of her customary impurity she shall be unclean.'”

3 — “‘And on the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised.'”

4 — “‘She shall then continue in the blood of her purification during thirty-three days. She shall not touch any hallowed thing, nor come into the sanctuary until the days of her purification are fulfilled.'”

5 — “‘But, if she bears a female child, then she shall be unclean two weeks, as in her customary impurity, and shall continue in the blood of her purification sixty-six days.'”

6 — “‘When the days of her purification are fulfilled, whether for a son or a daughter, she shall bring to the priest a lamb of the first year as a burnt offering, and a young pigeon or a turtledove as a sin offering, to the door of the tabernacle of meeting.'”

7 — “‘Then he shall offer it before the Lord and make atonement for her. And she shall be clean from the flow of her blood. This is the law for her who has borne a male or a female.'”

8 — “‘And if she is not able to bring a lamb, then she may bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons–one as a burnt offering and the other as a sin offering. So, the priest shall make atonement for her, and she will be clean.'”

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Next week, we will look at John’s ministry as trailblazer for Jesus and His ministry.

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Sources:

Abbott, Shari. (5 January 2020). “Did the Wise Men Arrive 12 Days After Jesus Birth? Or Was it Much Later?” Reasons for Hope–Jesus. (4 April 2020). https://reasonsforhopejesus.com/did-the-wise-men-arrive-12-days-after-jesus-birth-or-much-later/.

Holleman, Joseph. (7 August 2019). “How long did it take the 3 wise men to find Jesus?” Quora. http://www.quora.com. (12 April 2020). https://www.quora.com/How-long-did-it-take-the-3-wise-men-to-find-Jesus.

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Week One -- Scripture: Zacharias to have Son . . . 
Week Two -- Scripture: Jesus' Birth Foretold . . . 
Week Three -- Scripture: Zacharias' son, John, is born . . .
Week Four -- Scripture: Jesus is Born . . .
Week Five -- Scripture: And Jesus Grew . . .

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Jesus is Born

old antique bible as an open book with sunlight bursting from the pages

Scripture is from the Holy Bible–New King James Version (NKJV)

Notes on Scripture (below) by tkbrown

Matthew 1:21-25

21 — “And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”

22 — “So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet saying:”

23 — “‘Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,’ which is translated, ‘God with us.'”

24 — “Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife,”

25 — “and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name Jesus.”

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Luke 2:1-40

1 — “And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered.”

2 — “This census first toop place while Quirinius was governing Syria.”

3 — “So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city.”

4 — “Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David,”

5 — “to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child.”

6 — “So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered.”

7 — “And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.”

8 — “Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.”

9 — :And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid.”

10 — “Then the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.'”

11 — “‘For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.'”

12 — “‘And this will be a sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger,'”

13 — “‘and suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying;'”

14 — “‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!'”

15 — “So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven that the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.'”

16 — “And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph and the Babe lying in a manger.”

17 — “Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child.”

18 — “And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds.”

19 — “But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart.”

20 — “Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.”

21 — “And when eight days were completed for the circumcision of the Child, His name was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb.”

22 — “Now when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him 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’),”

24 — “and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord, ‘A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.'”

25 — “And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, awaiting for the Consolation of Israel and the Holy Spirit was upon Him.”

26 — “And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.”

27 — “So he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when the parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the law,”

28 — “he took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said:”

29 — “‘Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, according to Your word;'”

30 — “‘for my eyes have seen Your salvation'”

31 — “‘which you have prepared before the face of all peoples.'”

32 — “‘a light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel.'”

33 — “And Joseph and His mother marveled at those things which were spoken of Him.”

34 — “Then Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His mother, ‘Behold this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against'”

35 — “‘(yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.'”

36 — “Now there was one, Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, and had lived with a husband seven years from her virginity,”

37 — “and t his woman was a widow of about eighty-four years, who did not depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.”

38 — “And coming in that instant she gave thanks to the Lord and spoke of Him to all those who looked for redemption in Jerusalem.”

39 — “So when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own city, Nazareth.”

40 — “And the Child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon Him.”

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Notes on Scripture: by tkbrown

As we see in Luke 2:22, after the days of Mary’s purification according to the law of Moses, they took Jesus to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord. Now, according to the Law of Moses as seen in Leviticus 2:1-4 (below), Mary and Joseph would not have left Bethlehem for Jerusalem for a minimum of forty-one days after Jesus’ birth. This says the Wise Men — or the Three Kings — could not have seen Jesus until after Mary’s purification. Therefore, the Epiphany (January 6) is not possible. Joseph and Mary were a devout Jewish couple, and they would have followed Jewish Law guidelines for her purification to the nth degree.

Leviticus 2:1-8

1 — “Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,”

2 — “‘Speak to the children of Israel, saying: If a woman has conceived, and borne a male child, then she shall be unclean seven days; as in the days of her customary impurity she shall be unclean.'”

3 — “‘And on the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised.'”

4 — “‘She shall then continue in the blood of her purification thirty-three days. She shall not touch any hallowed thing, nor come into the sanctuary until the days of her purification are fulfilled.'”

5 — “‘But if she bears a female child, then she shall be unclean two weeks, as in her customary impurity, and she shall continue in the blood of her purification sixty-six days.'”

7 — “‘Then he shall offer it before the Lord and make atonement for her. And she shall be clean from the flow of her blood. This is the law for her who has borne a male or a female.'”

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Next week, we will look at Jesus’ life from His birth to adulthood.

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Source:

Abbot, Shari. (5 January 2020). “Did the Wise Men Arrive 12 Days After Jesus’ Birth? Or Was it Much Later?” Reasons for Hope — Jesus. (4 April 2020). https://reasonsforhopejesus.com/did-the-wise-men-arrive-12-days-after-jesus-birth-or-much-later/.

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Week One -- Scripture: Zacharias to have Son . . . 
Week Two -- Scripture: Jesus' Birth Foretold . . . 
Week Three -- Scripture: Zacharias' son, John, is born . . . 
Week Four -- Jesus is Born . . .

Zacharias’ son, John, is born . . .

old antique bible as an open book with sunlight bursting from the pages

Scripture is from New King James Version (KKJV)

Notes on Scripture (below): by tkbrown

Luke 1:57-80

57 — “Now Elizabeth’s full time came for her to be delivered, and she brought forth a son.”

58 — “When her neighbors and relatives heard how the Lord had shown great mercy to her, they rejoiced with her.”

59 — “So it was, on the eighth day, that they came to circumcise the child, and they would have called him by the name of his father, Zacharias.”

60 — “His mother answered and said, ‘No, he shall be called John.'”

61 — “But they said to her, ‘There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name.'”

62 — “So, they made signs to his father–what he would have him called.”

63 — “And he asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, saying, ‘His name is John.’ So, they all marveled.”

64 — “Immediately his mouth was opened, and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, praising God.”

65 — “Then fear came on all who dwelt around them; and all these sayings were discussed throughout all the hill country of Judea.”

66 — “And all those who heard them kept them in their hearts saying, ‘What kind of child will this be?’ And the hand of the Lord was with him.”

67 — “Now his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying:”

68 — “‘Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, for He has visited and redeemed His people,'”

69 — “‘and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David,'”

70 — “‘as he spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets, who have been since the world began,'”

71 — “‘that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us,'”

72 — “‘to perform the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember His holy covenant,'”

73 — “‘the oath which He swore to our father Abraham:'”

74 — “‘To grant us that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve Him without fear,'”

75 — “‘in holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our life,'”

76 — “‘and you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest; for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways,'”

77 — ‘”to give knowledge of salvation to His people by the remission of their sins,'”

78 — “‘through the tender mercy of our God, with which the Dayspring from on high has visited us,'”

79 — “‘to give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.'”

80 — “So the child grew and became strong in spirit and was in the deserts till the day of his manifestation to Israel.”

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Notes on Scripture: by tkbrown

Here, in Luke 1:57-80, we are told of John’s birth. His mother, Elizabeth was well-advanced in years. Thus, when the neighbors and kinfolk ’round about heard of John’s birth, they spoke of it often, speculating as to the child’s purpose in life. In other words, they viewed John’s birth as a miracle and were certain he was a child with special purpose.

If you recall, when we covered — in Week One–Luke 1:5-25 — the angel’s visit to Zacharias. Gabriel informed him of John’s impending birth. However, both Zacharias and his wife — Elizabeth — were advanced in age. Having never had children, Zacharias did not believe this could happen and said as much. For this disbelief, Gabriel informed him he would be unable to speak until the child was born.

When Elizabeth’s time came, the babe was born. According to Jewish custom, on the eighth day when the babe was to be circumcised, those in attendance wanted to name him Zacharias because that was his father’s name. Elizabeth informed them the babe’s name should be ‘John’. They expressed concern about this because no one in the family had the name, ‘John’.

Zacharias was brought in, and he confirmed that the babe’s name would be ‘John’. Then Zacharias was able to speak again, and he praised God for the blessings bestowed upon him. From that time, Zacharias taught John the reason for his special birth — that he should go before the Lord to prepare the way for Jesus and His ministry.

Last week, I said we would also look at John’s life in this lesson. However, John’s life ministry is covered in sufficient manner, I believe, to warrant studying those scriptures in a separate lesson. Also, I believe it is important to cover it in the order it occurred. Therefore, we will next study the birth of Jesus and His childhood — since that is the order in which they occurred chronologically. Then we will study John’s ministry just prior to Jesus’ ministry. Thank You for following our study of the scriptures. God Bless!

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Extra Note:

These are harrowing times in our world today. The coronavirus, COVID-19, is marching across our lands with a virulence that most alive today have never witnessed. It is a time to engage in fervent prayer to our God in heaven, that this time of tribulation might be brought to an end.

My mother was born in 1918 — when the Spanish Flu ravaged the earth and devoured the lives of many. She was too young to remember the quarantines and other measures put into place by the government, but my grandparents, great-aunts, great-uncles and great-great-grandparents remembered and talked about it from time to time. She spoke often, to me, of the stories they all told.

It is imperative that we adhere to the self-quarantine and social distancing measures put into place as well as any other measures recommended. Let us all join together in these prayers, that the suffering wreaking havoc in our world might be drawn to a close.

Thank You for taking the time to read my posts. If you have questions or comments, please note them below. Have a Blessed Week!

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Week One -- Scripture: Zacharias to have Son . . . 
Week Two -- Scripture: Jesus' Birth Foretold . . . 
Week Three -- Scripture: Zacharias' son, John, is born . . .

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Jesus Birth Foretold . . .

old antique bible as an open book with sunlight bursting from the pages

Scripture is from New King James Version (NKJV)

Notes on Scripture (below) by tkbrown

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Lesson Scripture — Matthew 1:18-25

18 — “Now the birth of Jesus was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit.”

19 — “Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly.”

20 — “But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.'”

21 — “‘And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save his people from their sins.'”

22 — “So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying:”

23 — “‘Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel.’ which is translated ‘God with us.'”

24 — “Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife,”

25 — “and did not know her til she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name Jesus.:

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Luke 1:26-56

26 — “Now in the sixth month [of Elizabeth’s pregnancy with John — Week One] the angel Gabriel was sent by God to the city of Galilee named Nazareth,”

27 — “to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.”

28 — “And having come in, the angel said to her, ‘Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!'”

29 — “But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was.”

30 — “Then the angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.'”

31 — “‘And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son and shall call His name Jesus.'”

32 — “‘He will be great and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David.'”

33 — “‘And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever and of His kingdom there will be no end.;:

34 — “Then Mary said to the angel, ‘How can this be, since I do not know a man?'”

35 — “And the angel answered and said to her, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.'”

36 — “‘Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren.'”

37 — “‘For with God nothing will be impossible.'”

38 — “Then Mary said, ‘Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.’ And the angel departed from her.”

39 — “Now Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste to a city of Judah.”

40 — “and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth.”

41 — “And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.”

42 — “Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said, ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!'”

43 — “‘But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?'”

44 — “‘For indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.'”

45 — “‘Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord.'”

46 — “And Mary said: ‘My soul magnifies the Lord.'”

47 — “‘and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.'”

48 — “For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant; for behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed.'”

49 — “‘For He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name.'”

50 — “‘and His mercy is on those who hear Him, from generation to generation.'”

51 — “‘He has shown strength with His arm; He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.'”

52 — “‘He has put down the mighty from their thrones and exalted the lowly.'”

53 — “‘He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent a way empty.'”

54 — “‘He has helped His servant Israel, in remembrance of His mercy.'”

55 — “‘As He spoke to our fathers, to Abram and to his seed forever.'”

56 — “And Mary remained with her about three months and returned to her house.'”

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Notes on Scripture: by tkbrown

Joseph and Mary are told of Jesus’ impending birth. Joseph in his dream is told not to fear taking Mary as his wife — she has not been unfaithful — she will give birth to a man-child whose name shall be Jesus — the Son of God. Joseph is relieved to learn this because he had been unsure how to handle the situation. He married her, but did not ‘know her’ until after the birth occurs.

When Mary is told of the birth, she asked how this could be, since she had not been with a man. The angel assured her the child is conceived by God through the Holy Spirit. This satisfied Mary’s discomfit. Since she w as also told of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, she went to visit Zacharias and Elizabeth.

As soon as Elizabeth heard the sound of Mary’s voice, the babe in her womb — John — leaped for joy. So, John — in the womb — recognized Jesus’ presence and rejoiced.

Thus, we have knowledge of Jesus’ conception and Joseph’s acceptance of this. Next week, we will look at the actual birth of John and his role as trailblazer for Jesus’ ministry here on earth.

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Week One -- Scripture: Zacharias to have Son . . . 
Week Two -- Scripture: Jesus' Birth Foretold . . .

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