2 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, 2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? Speculative, but intriguing. Here we are discussing the origin of Christ while trying to change the colors of a rainbow. Its the same no matter what religion you believe in, or whether you believe in none. This passage identifies the place of Christ's birth as being Bethlehem of Judea and the time of His birth was . How long did Jesus parents hide him in Egypt? And since, according to the gospel of Luke, Jesus was born around the time of the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria, his birth occurred some time between 6 B.C. Are we not created in his image and did Jesus not tell us he was just a man? Much of this artwork was created BEFORE the sixth century. and 4 B.C. So they went to Egypt and stayed there till Herod died. It is argued that this example in Matt. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. added). The Bible describes how an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph giving him instructions to take Mary and the young child into Egypt (Matthew 2:13). Matt. Color of skin means nothing, only that God loves wondrous variety, and every person is unique, and His mercies will never end for those who believe. Those who choose not to believe, in this freely given eternal life, are only giving up the best thing ever!!! Why does the Bible prophecy that Jesus will be aNazarene? 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 (Matthew 2:23). Consider also an example from Lukes account of some of the acts ofsome of the apostles (in the book we call Acts). Do you know how long it would take to travel from Bethlehem to Egypt by foot? In addition, Paul, who was indeed literate and the one who taught the world to be Christian, didnt live through Jesus time on earth, he interpreted what Jesus himself (the Holy Spirit?) Most scholarship places the date of Herods death around 4 BCE. God bless. He didn't want another "King" to interfere with his kingdom. Thank you for your reply and clear explanation, Christopher. After 2,000 years of excavations no physical evidence of Jesus or any of his original 12 disciples has ever been found. I thank you for your efforts. There were about 1 million Jews living in Alexandria when Christ was born. Some children see Him lily white, But Matthew discreetly does not say where Jesus actually was when they arrived, just that the Magi followed the star from Jerusalem to that place. Reconciliation, forgiveness, victory, new creation, substitution, redemption, adoptionthese are some, but not all, of the ways that the New Testament writers and later Christian theologians would explain how Jesus death saves us. 1:18-25. All rights reserved. The concept has a venerable pedigree in Christian theology going all the way back to Irenaeus of Lyon in the 2nd Century, and it can also be argued that Pauls arguments about the First Adam and Second Adam are an example of recapitulation in the Bible, although without that particular word being used. This concept is so rich in meaning that it needs to be seen from more than one perspective to be fully appreciated. That is, he paid a price to buy us out of slavery, because we were enslaved to things that by nature are not gods. 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." . Remember, Herod had all babies killed up through the age of two, therefore, Jesus and family would not have come back. marmite benefits for hair. There is a wealth of knowledge available to those who hunger for its truth. Thank you for your explanations, which are helpful. What is important is that he came to save us. Any idea where in ancient Egypt Christ may have stayed? See Revelations 12:6. Heres a link that will tell you a bit more about this. The Israelites flee from Egypt. Receiving rich presents from mysterious eastern magi at Bethlehem after Jesus' birth, he then fled to Egypt to avoid the wrath . If Jesus is a Greek translation. Did Adam lie before sin entered theworld? It could have been done in the home. Matthew 2:13. And that reminds us in this season when we are anticipating the Feast of the Incarnation (Christmas) that he truly did come to earthas you say, to save us. The Romano-Jewish historian Josephus . How about Islamic occupation of Jerusalem being the reason there are less records that we would hope. I believe that this is how Jesus would have looked too. Matthew 11:14. What year was Jesus Christ born? But, according to Galatians 1:17-18, Paul actually went to Arabia, back to Damascus, and then after three years he went up to Jerusalem. Q: In Matthew 2, it says Mary, Joseph and Jesus were in Bethlehem, and (verse 13) after the wise men left, the angel told them to flee to Egypt. When Muslims capture a city like Jerusalem they destroy every bit of history documenting any civilization before them. https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/32953/why-use-bce-ce-instead-of-bc-ad. I would be afraid to lie on Jesus and his family. It clearly shows how the Bible stories are imbeded in many cultures. Like this post? Hi Christy. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. At least in the case of Jesus, we know that he did exist and can still believe in Him, His Message and His Promise, even if the nativity stories are myth. In other words, only those who believe they are forgiven and ask God for forgiveness, can be forgiven. like theirs, but bright with heavenly grace, The idea that the Lord might have been up to 2 years old when the Magi visited comes from the fact that Herod had all the male babies under 2 years of age in Bethlehem killed in an effort to kill Jesus. Blessings. I hope this addresses your concern. His wife Samantha maintains this site as well as their missionary outreaches. Herod orders the execution of all infant boys born in and near Bethlehem during the previous two years, so they flee by night right before the execution. Where does Jesus, make such a claim? He ruled from 6-4 BC. He was a consulting editor to the International Bible Society (now Biblica) for The Books of the Bible, an edition of the New International Version (NIV) that presents the biblical books according to their natural literary outlines, without chapters and verses. The book of Exodus describes their descent into slavery and miraculous rescue after some 430 years. Did Jesus ever visit Egypt? can u explain why joseph was not recognized by his brothers when they came here in egypt? Ehrman, Bart (2005),Misquoting Jesus: The Story Behind Who Changed the Bible and Why (San Francisco, CA: Harper). In unreserved obedience, Joseph "rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt and remained there until the death of Herod.This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, 'Out of Egypt I called my son'" (2:14-15). Thats the life of Jesus in Egypt which is 1260/365 = 3.45. How did the shepherds know where to find babyJesus? Heres a discussion that you might find helpful: I think this Christmas carol by Alfred Burt says it all. There are many progressive believers. Sometime after Herod had died, the holy family returns from Egypt. The Holy Family fleed to Egypt and they stayed in a cave. Father Joesph had his trade there as a carpenter. It was Herod's attempt to destroy this new king by killing all of the boys in Bethlehem who were two years old or younger that led . However, it is also very possible, and perhaps more likely, that Luke simply omitted Joseph, Mary, and Jesus trip to Egypt, which sequentially could be placed between Luke 2:38 and 2:39. Unless the family went to Jerusalem for the festivals from Egypt during their sojourn there. Chris it seems odd to me that the most important thing that has ever happened on earth is not better documented. Actually, at the time Jesus was born, there were lots of Jewish communities in Egypt. This passage identifies the place of Christs birth as being Bethlehem of Judea and the time of His birth was in the days of Herod the King. According to local traditions, the first stop for the Holy Family was Farma, east of the Nile river. I believe it also has to do with faith. Joseph is between 39 and 56 years old. It isnt that people want Jesus to be white. I hope these comments were helpful. In fact, even the one Person, Who is the main theme of ScriptureJesushas relatively little recorded about Him in comparison to every place He ever went and everything He ever did or said. It would be a shame for children to lose the magic of Christmas Nativity but sooner or later they have to learn the reality of Santa Claus. this Savior whom we kneel beside. Joseph, acting with complete docility, rose up, took the Child and his Mother by night, and fled into Egypt (Mt 2:14). Christianity is the second largest religion in Egypt. I think it was closer to seven years. The date of birth of Jesus is not stated in the gospels or in any historical reference, but most theologians assume a year of birth between 6 and 4 BC. The family had long since left Bethlehem and returned home by the time the Magi arrived in the area about two years after Jesus birth. The reason some Israelis are white is because they only travelled to Israel in the last century or less. . Jacob is between 130 and 147 years old. Flee into Egypt. Did David ever seek Gods guidance aboutmarriage. View all posts by Christopher R Smith. A quick intro and overview of our ministry and this website, plus some best-of articles and Q&A. As we saw in Session 14, this concept is so rich in meaning that it needs to be seen from more than one perspective to be fully appreciated. and 4 B.C, as if the census helps us date the birth of Christ. Dr. Christopher R. Smith is an an ordained minister, a writer, and a biblical scholar. Joseph and Mary did not actually flee to Egypt until two years after Jesus was born. It seems to me that the most likely scenario is that Jesus was born around 6 B.C., the wise men (by their own account) arrived in Jerusalem two years later in 4 B.C., and in that same year . Good Question, https://www.gotquestions.org/Quirinius-census.html, Daily Homilies: December 26-31 - SundayPrep.org. He was active in parish and student ministry for twenty-five years. Later, after Herod's death, Jesus' family departed Egypt for Nazareth where they made their home (Matthew 2:19-23). When they had finished the days, as they returned, the Boy Jesus lingered behind in Jerusalem. There are several hundred posts here, on a wide range of biblical topics. Revelations 12:5 She gave birth to a male child [Jesus], one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child[Jesus] was caught up to God and to his throne, 6 and the woman [Mary] fled into the wilderness [Egypt], where she has a place prepared by God, in which she is to be nourished for 1,260 days. The anwer is 1,260 days so l thought that was 4.56 years tus in revelation 12:4-5-6 . This was before news, media, and the web. These individuals live in such a harsh places to serve in GODS purposes. You may want to look for further items of interest by using the resources below: the search bar; the lists of posts; and the list of categories. According to Albert Barnes commentary on the book of Matthew, King Herod the Great died in his 37th year of reign. Can you please explain further so that we can understand better? Herod died and was replaced by his son Archelaus in 4 BC. (Clicking on a category will display all of the posts it, in a continuous scroll with the most recent at the top.). Did they stay in Bethlehem long or return back? An interesting question that also arises is, since Jesus did find shelter as a refugee in Egypt for some length of time, whether He still feels a debt of gratitude to his briefly adopted homeland, and whether this provides an even further incentive for God to want to see justice done for all sides in current Middle Eastern disputes. There is no historical proof that Jesus was born of a woman, only historical evidence that he existed as an adult, because Josephus, the 1st century historian mentions him by name. It seems not then unlikely to me that Jesus' family, with a lineage traced to the great king David (Matthew 1; Luke 3.23-38; Romans 1.3; 15.12), opted to flee from Bethlehem, long-standing residence of the kingly line and their original home. Jesus the Refugee - Matthew 2:1-15 . It is that he most likely WAS white based on the fact that he was an Israeli and most Israelis are white. Later that night, Joseph had a frightening dream where an angel of God appeared to him. Ehrman, 2005, p. 10). Ascribing Biblical text as mans opinions or the result of events generally can be misleading. The episode is frequently shown in art, as the final episode of the Nativity of Jesus in art . In Lesson 14, which deals with 2 Corinthians, I note, In his earlier letters, Paul mentioned in passing what Jesus does for us. book a tip slot neath how old was jesus when they fled to egypt from Northwestern College in Minneapolis, Minnesota, a M.A. There were two main roads to Egypt. The Nativity and the Flight into Egypt took place in the last years before the death of Herod the Great which is known to have taken place in late March or early April, 4BC. He told the Thessalonians, for example, that Jesus died and rose again for us and that he rescues us from the coming wrath. But now, to help his friends stand firm in what theyve believed, Paul begins to spell out how Jesus life, death, and resurrection bring us salvation. It is for the same reason we reject one another. Ultimately through his death and resurrection, Jesus inaugurated a new Israel composed of those people from every nation who put their faith and trust in him. For the 430 years that Israel was in Egypt! Should the Bible be read and studied in the order it waswritten? To fully understand all of it requires understanding that Jesus [the groom], the Church [the bride] and the ancient Jewish wedding are the pattern for the Rapture. You can also read or download the study guides in my Understanding the Books of the Bible series by using the Free Study Guides link at the top of this page. It seems probable that He was between one and two years oldbased upon the account of Herods order to kill all the children two years and under. Paul also says that Jesus redeemed us. Why did God reject Saul as king for making one small mistake? At the age of about 30 , he d returned to the Middle East and the life that is familiar to us from the New Testament. This was when Jesus was three years old. It seems to me that the most likely scenario is that Jesus was born around 6 B.C., the wise men (by their own account) arrived in Jerusalem two years later in 4 B.C., and in that same year Joseph, Mary, and Jesus fled to Egypt, Herod died, and they returned . There is no known age of Jesus after His Return from Egypt, but there are supporting facts that give hints. The Gospel of Matthew says that Mary, Joseph and Jesus fled from Bethlehem to Egypt for fear of King Herod, who wished to have Jesus killed. The following two tabs change content below. Soon after the visit by the Magi, an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream telling him to flee to Egypt with Mary and the infant Jesus since King Herod would seek the child to kill him. Most people familiar with the few details given in Scripture about the early life of Jesus are aware of the fact that following the visit from the wise men, Matthew indicates that Joseph and Mary took Jesus and fled to Egypt at the command of God (Matthew 2:13-14). Answer (1 of 6): Right after Jesus was born, Saint Joseph took baby Jesus and his Mother Mary to Egypt! A book about stones in the life of Jesus can hardly ignore the Pyramids of Egypt. . Your Retirement News Channels. In many traditional societies, such locations of clans are maintained, even with social disruptions. Scholars dont believe the visit happened on the night of the Lords birth because Matt. If you look at the native Palestinians who have been there for much longer you see they have a dusky brown skin tone and dark hair. I very nearly did not approve this comment because of its tone, but since it was made in reply to someone elses question, I will permit the dialogue to continue in this space. The book of Acts records that Jews from all over the Roman Empire came to Jerusalem for the festivals. The allegation that Matthew and Lukes accounts are contradictory is actually based on an assumption: the skeptic assumes that Matthew and Luke each included all of the whereabouts of Jesus family during His early life. how old was jesus when they fled to egypt jeffrey dahmer museum milwaukee However, I think you would enhance your credibility by finding a more fitting word than recapitulate. Jacob lives in Egypt for seventeen years after his arrival (Genesis 47:28). . So the length of their sojourn in Egypt was probably about a few months. About 4.5 years. (LogOut/ When Herod realized that he had been deceived by the magi, he became furious. Rather, just as we oftentimes tell stories today and include certain details that others omit, so did the inspired writers of Scripture. So the Lord's birth, the visit by the Magi, the flight to Egypt and the return to Nazareth all had to take place between 6 and 4 BC.