23. The Birth of Jesus

What the Story Says

1. Why did Joseph decide to divorce Mary quietly?

   Mary was pregnant, and Joseph knew it was not his baby. Therefore, he decided to divorce her. However, he decided to have mercy on her and not to shame her. Therefore, he was going to divorce her quietly (#23-01).

2. The angel told Joseph how Mary became pregnant. How did he say this happened?

   The angel told Joseph that the Holy Spirit placed the baby in her (#23-02).

3. What does the name “Jesus” mean?

   It means “Yahweh saves” (#23-02).

4. How long did Mary remain a virgin?

   Joseph did not sleep with her until after she had given birth (#23-03).

5. Why did Joseph and Mary need to travel to Bethlehem?

   Their ancestor, King David, was born in Jerusalem. The Roman officials told everyone to travel back to where their ancestors lived. Therefore, Joseph and Mary went to Bethlehem (#23-04).

6. Who told the shepherds that the Messiah was born?

   An angel told the shepherds that the Messiah was born. Then many other angels also appeared to the shepherds, praising God for what he had done (#23-06), (#23-07).

7. What did the shepherds do after the angel told them about the Messiah?

   The shepherds went to Bethlehem and found the baby in the feeding trough, just as the angel had told them (#23-08).

8. Why did men come from the east to see the baby?

   They studied the stars and saw an unusual star in the sky. They knew this meant the king of the Jews had been born. Therefore, they can to see him (#23-09).

9. What did the wise men do when they saw the child?

   They bowed down and worshiped him, and they gave him expensive gifts (#23-10).

What the Story Means to Us

1. Joseph learned that Mary was pregnant, and knew he was not the father of the baby. Why do you think he decided to have mercy on Mary?

   Joseph believed that Mary was pregnant because she had been unfaithful to him and had slept with another man. Joseph could have been angry with Mary and wanted to punish her. Joseph was a righteous man, and did not want to marry an adulteress. However, he was a good man, and it appears that he loved Mary. Therefore, he decided to have mercy on her instead of punishing her.

2. How might Mary have felt when people learned that she was pregnant?

   Mary must have been very sad when people learned that she was pregnant, because they did not believe that her baby was from the Holy Spirit. Everyone thought she was an adulteress. Even Joseph thought she had sinned, and did not want to marry her. However, Mary knew that she had obeyed God and was still a virgin. She waited patiently until God told Joseph that she was faithful, and that he should marry her.

3. Why did Joseph not sleep with Mary until the baby was born?

   God told Joseph that Mary was a virgin and that the baby inside her was from God. Perhaps Joseph was so amazed that the Son of God was in Mary’s womb that he kept her a virgin. Or perhaps he wanted to be able to tell everyone that Mary’s baby could not possibly be the result of a human father. Therefore, he did not sleep with her until Jesus was born.

4. How was the location of Jesus’ birth different than where you would expect the Son of God to be born?

   Joseph and Mary were forced to travel far away to another city while she was pregnant. She gave birth to Jesus in a place where animals were kept. They were too poor to be able to find a proper room for them to stay. None of their family or friends were with them. Joseph and Mary honored and obeyed God. And Jesus was the Messiah, the Son of God. However, they still faced many difficult situations. But God took care of them during that time.

5. What did God do to encourage Joseph and Mary after Jesus was born?

   God sent the shepherds to tell Joseph and Mary about the angels that visited them. He also sent the wise men who brought expensive gifts and worshiped Jesus.

Summary

Life was very difficult for Mary when she became pregnant. Her friends and family, and even her fiancée did not believe that the baby was from God. However God intervened to tell Joseph to marry her. Joseph obeyed and kept her a virgin until Jesus was born. Joseph and Mary were all alone When Jesus was born. But God sent his angels and the wise men to celebrate his birth!