23-01
he knew it was not his baby
Joseph knew that he was not the one who had caused Mary to be pregnant.
to shame Mary
Joseph was merciful to Mary, even though it seemed like she was an adulteress.
divorce her
In Jewish culture, an engagement was binding. The only way to end the engagement was to divorce the woman.
23-03
he did not sleep with her
Joseph kept Mary a virgin until after the baby was born.
23-04
When the time was near for Mary to give birth
This could mean When it was near the end of Mary’s pregnancy.
the Roman officials
Rome had conquered and ruled over Israel at this time.
to count all the people
The Romans probably counted the people so they could tax them.
23-05
no place for them to stay
Because Bethlehem was so crowded at that time, the usual rooms for guests were already full of people.
where some animals were kept
This was a place for sheltering animals, not a place where people lived.
a feeding trough
This refers to an animal feed box. The box could have been filled with hay to provide a padded surface for the baby to lie on.
23-06
guarding their flocks
A flock is a group of sheep. The shepherds were caring for their sheep, and protecting them from harm or theft.
they were terrified
The shepherds were very afraid when a supernatural angel appeared.
23-07
wrapped in pieces of cloth
The custom of that time was to tightly wrap newborn babies in long strips of cloth.
23-08
everything they had heard and seen
This included the glorious angels and their amazing message, as well as seeing the newborn Messiah himself.
23-09
a country far to the east
This country was to the east of Israel. Many scholars think it was near Persia, which is modern-day Iran or Iraq.
They studied the stars
These men may also have had access to the Old Testament prophets’ writings that predicted the birth of the Messiah.
an unusual star
The star that they noticed was not a normal star. It was something that appeared at the time of Jesus’ birth.
the child
As much as a year or two passed before the men arrived in Bethlehem. Jesus was no longer a baby.
the house
They were no longer staying in the place for animals where he was born.
23-10
bowed down
At that time, this was the customary way of showing great respect or reverence.