S E C T I O N D : C h ri s ti a ni t y
i m p o rt a nt b uil di n g i n J e wi s h lif e w a s t h e t e m pl e i n J e r u s al e m cit y w h e r e t h e J e wi s h p e o pl e g at h e r e d
t o w o r s hi p G o d. I n 6 3 B C E t h e H ol y L a n d w a s c o n q u e r e d b y t h e
R o m a n s. It b e c a m e a p r o vi n c e of t h e R o m a n E m pi r e. M o st of t h e J e w s r e s e nt e d R o m a n r ul e. H o w e v e r, t h e R o m a n s u n d e r st o o d t h e p o w e r of r eli gi o n f o r t h e J e wi s h p e o pl e. R o m e all o w e d t h e r uli n g c o u n cil of t h e J e wi s h r eli gi o n, c all e d t h e S a n h e d ri n , t o h a v e m a n y p o w e r s. T h e S a n h e d ri n c o ul d p u ni s h J e w s w h o b r o k e t h e l a w; h o w e v e r, o nl y t h e R o m a n s c o ul d e x e c ut e a p e r s o n. It s uit e d t h e R o m a n s t o gi v e p o w e r t o t h e J e wi s h r uli n g c o u n cil b e c a u s e t h e S a n h e d ri n w a s di vi d e d i nt o t w o ri v al g r o u p s – t h e P h a ri s e e s a n d S a d d u c e e s. A di vi d e d p e o pl e i s e a si e r t o g o v e r n. D u ri n g t hi s ti m e, m a n y J e w s h o p e d t h at a
m e s si a h w o ul d b e b o r n a m o n g t h e m a s t h ei r s c ri pt u r e s h a d p r o mi s e d – a g r e at l e a d e r t o s et t h e J e wi s h p e o pl e f r e e.
T h e birt h of J e s u s Y o u m a y b e f a mili a r wit h t h e C h ri st m a s st o r y – t h e c oll e cti o n of st o ri e s t ol d a b o ut t h e bi rt h of J e s u s. Alt h o u g h m a n y of t h e a s p e ct s of t h e st o r y of J e s u s’ bi rt h m a y n ot b e hi st o ri c all y a c c u r at e, t h e y e x p r e s s t r ut h s i m p o rt a nt t o C h ri sti a n s.
T w o of t h e f o u r b o o k s i n t h e Bi bl e t h at t ell J e s u s’ st o r y
( c all e d t h e G o s p el s ) r e c o r d t h at J e s u s w a s
c o n c ei v e d, e v e n t h o u g h hi s m ot h e r M a r y w a s a vi r gi n. I n S ai nt L u k e’ s G o s p el a n a n g el a p p e a r s t o M a r y ( L u k e 1: 2 6 - 2 8). I n M att h e w’ s G o s p el t h e a n g el a p p e a r s t o J o s e p h, M a r y’ s h u s b a n d ( M att h e w 1: 2 0 - 2 1). I n b ot h c a s e s t h e a n g el c o m m u ni c at e d t h at t h e c hil d w h o h a d b e e n c o n c ei v e d w o ul d n ot b e a n o r di n a r y c hil d, b ut w o ul d b e v e r y s p e ci al. T h e ot h e r t w o G o s p el s, M a r k a n d J o h n, d o n ot m e nti o n a n yt hi n g a b o ut t h e bi rt h of J e s u s.
I N V E S TI G AT E
T h e Vi r gi n M a r y
C h ri sti a n s b eli e v e t h at w h e n J e s u s w a s c o n c ei v e d, G o d c h o s e t o r e v e al hi m s elf i n h u m a n f o r m. T hi s h a d n e v e r h a p p e n e d b ef o r e. F o r C h ri sti a n s, J e s u s w a s b ot h f ull y h u m a n a n d f ull y di vi n e ( of o r li k e G o d). T hi s b eli ef t h at G o d w a s m a d e ti e s h i n h u m a n f o r m i s k n o w n a s t h e
I n c a r n a ti o n .
T h e G o s p el s t ell u s littl e of J e s u s’ c hil d h o o d o r y o u n g m a n h o o d. M att h e w’ s G o s p el ( 1 3: 5 5) m e nti o n s t h at J o s e p h w a s a c a r p e nt e r; if s o it w o ul d s e e m li k el y t h at J e s u s s p e nt s o m e ti m e a s a c a r p e nt e r t o o. T h e G o s p el s t a k e u p t h e st o r y o n c e m o r e a s J e s u s b e g a n hi s p u bli c mi ni st r y (t e a c hi n g t h e p e o pl e). At t hi s st a g e, J e s u s w a s a b o ut 3 0 y e a r s ol d. T h e y e a r w o ul d h a v e b e e n a p p r o xi m at el y 2 6 C E.
K E Y C O N C E P T T HI N K A B O U T ...
Bi blic al r ef er e nc e s, e. g. L u k e 1: 2 6- 2 8. T his is h o w w e r ef er t o p arts of t h e C hristi a n scri pt ur es. We st at e t h e b o ok (L u k e ), t h e n t h e c h a pt er (1 ), t h e n t h e v er s e or v er s es (2 6- 2 8 ).
C H E
D E B AT E
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