At the Temple Anna and Simeon Bless Jesus Luke 2:39 They returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth. (Luke 2:39) As we’ve covered, Mary and Joseph go to the temple in Jerusalem when Baby Jesus is eight days old. They do so to consecrate him to God as their first-born male and to […]
Mary Treasured These Things and Pondered Them in Her Heart Luke 2:19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. (Luke 2:19) Mary’s delivery had been a private experience. Now a bunch of strangers show up. They’re nearby shepherds who have left their sheep unattended to make a surprise visit. […]
Joseph and Pregnant Mary Travel from Nazareth to Bethlehem Luke 2:1–5 Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David. (Luke 2:4) As our journey toward Jesus’s birth unfolds, another complication arises. Caesar Augustus decrees that a census will take place for the entire Roman […]
Elizabeth’s Unborn Child Leaps for Joy at the Sound of Mary’s Voice Luke 1:39–45 “Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!” (Luke 1:45) Not only will Mary have a baby, but her much older relative Elizabeth will have one too. Mary sets off to visit Elizabeth. This […]
The Angel Gabriel Has Some Shocking News for Young Mary Luke 1:26–30 “Greetings, you who are highly favored!” (Luke 1:28) Back to Luke’s narrative, our story switches from foretelling the birth of John the Baptist to foretelling the birth of Jesus. Just as the angel Gabriel gave exciting news to Zechariah and Elizabeth, the angel […]
The Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:1–13 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (John 1:1) Let’s start at the beginning. Jesus’s story doesn’t open with his birth. It doesn’t begin at the announcement of his conception. And it doesn’t […]
The Magi Visit Jesus Matthew 2:1–2 “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews?” (Matthew 2:2) Now let’s focus on the Magi who come to visit Jesus. Matthew is the only writer in Scripture who mentions them. First, we must dispel some common misconceptions that come to us from the classic […]
Isaiah’s Prophecy Isaiah 9:1–7 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given. (Isaiah 9:6) This passage in Isaiah’s prophecy opens with the word nevertheless. To gain insight as to what this means we must consider the end of the prior chapter. There Isaiah writes of the time when the people […]
Mary’s Psalm of Praise Luke 1:49–55 “Holy is his name.” (Luke 1:49) Mary’s psalm of praise continues by commending God for who he is. Her recitation of his attributes builds on Old Testament truths, quotes, and allusions, presenting an informed scriptural understanding of how God has been at work. She starts by declaring that he […]
Daniel Foretells the Future Daniel 7:13–14 “His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.” (Daniel 7:14) The prophet Daniel lived some five centuries before Mary. You may know the story of Daniel in the lions’ den, where God protected him overnight after […]