But first, here are a few ideas you might have come across...
For Christians, the Bible is a pretty important book. In fact, it's the most important book in the world: we believe that it's from God and about him, in particular in showing us who Jesus is. It's one big book made up of 66 smaller books. 4 of these books (the ones people call 'gospels') are biographies of Jesus -- 2 by people who knew Jesus themselves (Matthew and John); 1 whose information came from one of Jesus' closest friends, Peter (the book of Mark); and another by an academic who conducted careful and painstaking research about the events recorded in the gospels (Luke). Much of what we read is corroborated by secular historians. So here are the facts:
Birth and growing up
- Jesus was born around 4 bc (this video covers the historicity of Jesus' birth) (why four years early?)
- His mum had never had sex, so this birth was pretty miraculous (check this article)
- He was born in a backwater town called Bethlehem[1], [2], [3], [4], [5] (also see the above video)
- The authorities of the day tried to find him and kill him when he was a toddler (see this)
- After a brief period in Egypt, he grew up in an even more obscure place called Nazareth (article)
- For quite a while, he was just an apprentice in his dad's carpentry business (same article)
Three years of preaching, teaching and healing
- At about the age of thirty, he quit carpentry and was baptised (what does that mean: baptised?)
- He spent the next three years travelling around the region of Galilee, preaching, teaching and doing miracles, showing that he was God (what was his main message?)
- His miracles included healing people, feeding thousands with a small packed lunch (at least twice) and showing his control over nature
- Loads of people followed him around or turned out to see him, but he gathered a group of twelve men around him, whom he taught and trained
- Some people -- especially the religious leaders -- didn't like him and tried to find a way to get rid of him
- Eventually, one of his team of twelve betrayed him, effectively selling him to the religious leaders for cash, though he later tried to change his mind
Trial, death and new life
- After a quick false trial, Jesus was sentenced to death and underwent one of the most excruciatingly painful, torturous deaths ever invented (what did this death involve?)
- As he died, the sky went unusually dark and the curtain in the Jewish temple ripped in two, both events loaded with significance (so what?)
- Jesus died on the Friday; the next Sunday he came back to life
- Hundreds of people saw him alive, teaching, over the next forty days
- At the end of these forty days, he returned to heaven, where he is now
- Before leaving, he promised to send his spirit (we call this the Holy Spirit), never to leave his followers, and so Christianity began and mushroomed to what it is today
And none of it a surprise or an accident
- All of these things were predicted, down to some of the smallest details, by people hundreds and sometimes thousands of years before couldn't the prophecies apply to anyone?)
- In other words, God planned it all (why?)
Matthew 2:1-10
The Visit of the Wise Men
2:1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men [1] from the east came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose [2] and have come to worship him.” 3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; 4 and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. 5 They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet:
6 “‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for from you shall come a ruler
who will shepherd my people Israel.’”
7 Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.” 9 After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. (ESV)
Luke 2:4
4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, (ESV)
Luke 2:15
15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” (ESV)
John 7:42
42 Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the offspring of David, and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David was?” (ESV)
