When, and where, was Jesus born?

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How does ‘main-stream’ critical scholarship deal with the biblical narratives of the birth of Jesus?

What follows is based on this article by Helen K. Bond, senior lecturer in New Testament at the University of Aberdeen.  I also draw on her book The Historical Jesus: A Guide For the Perplexed (HJ).  A similar line is taken by Rodolfo Galvan Estrada III in this article.

First, Bond notes that only Matthew and Luke record Jesus’ birth, and their stories are quite different.  …

Signs of humility

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From Jeremy Taylor, Works, Vol 5:-

  1. The humble man trusts not so much to his own discretion in important matters, as to that of his friends and spiritual guides
  2. he does not pertinaciously follow his own will, nor murmur against commands, nor is too inquisitive into the reasons of them
  3. he lives in compliance with public customs without affectation
  4. he is meek, and patiently bears injuries
  5. is a lover of good and wise men
  6. is no censurer of others
  7. fears when he is commended
  8. gives no pert answers
  9. refuses the temptations of offices and honors
  10. amends his faults with thankfulness
  11. is ingenuous and open
  12. ready to do good offices, even to his slanderers
  13. contented to be the object of suspicion, provided he be really innocent before God.
…

Satan in Paul’s epistles

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Paul told the Corinthian believers

  • to hand the incestuous person over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh (1 Cor. 5:5)
  • that husbands and wives should not deprive one another sexually lest Satan tempt them because of their lack of self-control (1 Cor. 7:7)
  • that they should reinstate the presumably repentant offender so that Satan might not outwit us (2 Cor. 2:11)
  • that Satan masquerades as angel of light (2 Cor. 11:14)
  • and that the apostle himself was given a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment him so as to prevent him from becoming conceited (2 Cor.
…

Phil 2:19-30 – Best supporting act – sermon notes

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Text – Philippians 2:19-30

When the BAFTAs and the Oscars are held, there are awards for best film, best director, best screenplay, best music, best costume design, best make-up and hair, best leading actor and actress, best grip, best best boy, and, of course, best supporting act.

As Christians, we are used to speaking in glowing terms of heroes of the faith such as Abraham, Moses, David, Paul, Augustine, Martin Luther, John Wesley, Billy Graham.  But we’re here tonight to consider two nominations for ‘best supporting act’. …

Messianic secret

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It has long been recognised that in the Synoptic Gospels (Mark especially) Jesus is frequently recorded as commanding people not to speak about certain aspects of his identity and activity.

For example:

  1. Jesus commonly taught the disciples separately from the crowds (Mark 4:13, 34; 7:17; 9:28–29, 30–31; 10:10–11; 13:3).
  2. Jesus asked several people whom He healed and the family of a girl He brought back to life not to speak of it to anyone (Mark 1:43–44; 5:43; 7:36; 8:26).
…

Simplicity

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What does it mean to adopt a simpler lifestyle?  Richard Foster suggests a number of aspects:-

1.  Simplicity means unity of heart and singleness of purpose.  Our one desire is to obey Christ in all things.  Our one purpose is to glorify him in all things.  We have only one use for money – to advance his kingdom.  Jesus taught us to have a ‘single’ eye, Mt 6:22.

2.  Simplicity means joy in God’s good creation. …

The role of the apostles as authoritative eyewitnesses

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‘The role of the apostles as witnesses to the fact that the crucified and buried Jesus rose from the dead is central for Luke. This role is emphasized in the commissioning of the apostles (Lk 24:48; Acts 1:8), and it is central both in the description of the criteria of apostleship when the need arose to replace Judas Iscariot (Acts 1:21–22) and in Peter’s preaching and teaching (Acts 2:32; 3:15; 4:2, 10, 33; 5:32; 10:41). The apostles are “distinctive in their role as Jesus’ authorized delegates, witnesses to the reality of his resurrection and expounders of its significance” (Clark, 178).…

The doctrine of Christ’s return affects everything in the Christian life

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Peter Lewis (The Glory of Christ, 400) reminds us that the doctrine of Christ’s return affects everything in the Christian life. It:-

  1. encourages us in daily godliness, 1 Thess 1:10; 2:13; 3:13; 5:23; Tit 2:11-14.
  2. provides a focus for all church life and worship, 1 Cor 1:7; 11:26; Heb 10:25.
  3. gives us confidence in spiritual warfare, Rom 16:20; 1 Cor 6:3; 2 Thess 2:8-12; Rom 13:11-13; 1 Thess 5:2-8.
  4. Comforts us in times of persecution, Rom 8:18-25; 2 Thess 1:6-10.
…

The Puritan path of piety

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In mapping the path of piety (that is to say, godliness), the Puritans focused on four particular areas:-

  1. the first steps – conviction and conversion, leading to assurance;
  2. the fight – against the world, the flesh, and the devil;
  3. the fellowship – communion with God through prayer, and with other Christians through ‘conference’ (talking and sharing);
  4. the finish – dying well, in faith and hope, with all preparations made and a clear and quiet conscience as one prepares for the final momentous meeting with the Father and the Son.
…

God does not live in houses

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“The Most High does not live in houses made by men,” declared Stephen (Acts 7:48).  And even though these words infuriated his accusers, he was only echoing the consistent message of their own Scriptures (see, esp. 2 Sam 7:5f).

To this day, Christians seem to doubt Stephen’s words.  True, they may pay lip-service to the idea that the church is a ‘people’, not a ‘place’.  But ‘holy’ buildings still feature far more prominently than they ought, given the consistent teaching of both Old and New Testaments.…