How much of the nativity story is true?

Question

I know the myths of the nativity cannot be all correct. because there are so many non biblical manuscripts that have other stories and traditions?
How old was mary when she conceived. most people believe she was under 16. how old was she when she died? how many children did she give birth too?
How old was Joseph? at least one manuscript says he was very old and already had had one wife and would've refused the betrothal of mary because he was too old?
have you heard of the tradition of the flower that budded off of josephs Stick as a sign of the coming messiah? most nativity narations dont include this!
Was Mary a true virgin, or just a maiden? did she have an immaculate conception and was perpetually a virgin?
Was joseph REALLY so poor and desolate that he could afford a room at the inn? or was he so poor that he could not afford a room, or even own a donkey?
Was the angel that appeared to the shepherds from heaven or just a messenger child sent from bethlahem?
there are more

Answer 1

Question 1: So what if other manuscripts have other traditions? That doesn't make the Bible any less correct. There are other Constitutions, that doesn't dissolve the power of ours.

Question 2: Most people believe Mary was somewhere between the ages of 14-16 when she conceived Jesus. Keep in mind, life expectancy was short, and girls probably matured younger in those days. What could kill a child now was perfectly normal at the time.

Question 3: I have no idea how old she was when she died, I've never looked it up. She gave birth to several other children, Jesus refered to them in one of his speeches. That's why I don't believe she was an "eternal virgin".

Question 4: From what the Bible says, Joseph was much older than Mary. I don't know how old that was.

Question 5: What manuscript are you refering to? The Bible says he married Mary, and that's the only document I'm aware of that relates this story. I doubt he felt he was too old.

Question 6: I've never heard of this tradtion. Could you elaborate on it?

Question 7: She was a virgin in every sense of the word. She was not concieved immaculately, that was only her Son, Jesus.

Question 8: It wasn't that Joseph was poor, it was that there was no room for them. Bethlehem was a small town at the time. There was probably only one inn, and since it was tax time, I'm sure it was full. It probably took Mary and Joseph longer to reach there considering her condition and the mode of transportation. Where does it say he didn't own a donkey?

Question 9: I believe it was an angel. I'm going to check back for more of your questions. I hope this helps!

Answer 2

Historians suggest that Mary was between 13 and 15 - common age to be considering marriage and childbearing in those days, but not quite married yet.

I have seen it said Mary had 3-5 other children with Joseph. Mary's story is never really followed after Jesus dies - so how old she was upon death is likely unknown. She was fairly old though - if he was 33, and she was 13 when he was born.. that's 46 - long lived.

Joseph could have been in his 30s - remember, health and historically, 30 was considered old then. Not too many folks living into their 60s and older.

I think you are confusing Joseph his stepdad with Joseph of Arimathea, who donated his tomb for Jesus, and whose staff is said to have flowered. Legend has it he took it England, and planted it on the Tor of Glastonbury, and the resulting bush still grows there.

Yes, there can be what is considered immaculate conception even today - don't need penetration for pregnancy to happen. No, after Jesus's birth, Mary had regular marital relations with Joseph, so she was not a virgin anymore.

It wasn't that Joseph could not afford a room at the inn, but rather that there were not any rooms to be had. Joseph and Mary were traveling to be counted in the Roman's mandatory census- and pay taxes too, I believe - many others had to as well. Being pregnant, she traveled slower, so when they got there, the rooms were all gone. He owned a donkey - most scriptures make it quite clear that Mary rode a donkey while he walked. That's actually a sign of wealth, since horses and donkeys were NOT animals native to the area. As for rooming in the barn, likely there were many other travellers who rented space in that barn that night as well - common practice when the inn is full. They were awfully small buildings, after all.

The "barn" in fact was likely a cave. Starts in a cave, ends in a cave - full cyclical story there.

Could have been both angel and child - both bringing the same message.

Hope this helps you see the story better.

Answer 3

http://orthodoxwiki.org/Nativity

Let me start by stating I am an Orthodox Christian, and therefore I hold true the Nativity as described by the Orthodox Church. The truth of this narrative is decided by the Tradition preserved by the Church since apostolic times, at the beginning only through the spoken word, then in the Gospels and the hymns of the Nativity Feast. Other writings may or may not reflect this truth. One of the writings which concord with the Tradition is the Gospel attributed to St. James.

I don't know how old Mary was. She was very young, the age in itself is not important. She might have been younger than 16, because traditionally in Mediteranean countries girls married very young according to our standards today. For example, my grandfather had a grandmother who got married at 12 and bore her first child at 13 (she lived in Greece). Also, Juliet in Shakespeare's play was 13-14 when she fell in love with Romeo.

Mary gave birth to only one child, Jesus. She was a virgin before, during and after the birth of Jesus. Her conception (how her parents conceived her) was not immaculate, but natural; it was miraculous because her parents were elderly and had been sterile all their lives. If you mean Jesus, the proper term is Incarnation, the result of a miraculous action performed by the Holy Spirit over Mary. She lived many years after the the Crucifixion and Resurrection, but again, I'm not aware of the exact age.

http://orthodoxwiki.org/Theotokos
http://orthodoxwiki.org/Annunciation
http://orthodoxwiki.org/Dormition

Joseph was an older man (here the Hollywood movie fails miserably), probably around sixty, and a widower. He had children from this marriage that are referred to as the "brothers of the Lord" in the Gospels. His betrothal to Mary was formal, because she was an orphan, and needed someone to take care of her. Joseph did not have any marital relations with Mary. He was certainly not rich, but not as poor as not to afford a room. There were no spare rooms because the Romans called a great number of people into the cities for the census. The budding stick is new to me, and most likely a Catholic thing (depicted in statues).

http://orthodoxwiki.org/Joseph_the_Betrothed

In Greek angelos means messenger, and in this context angel (messenger of God).

Answer 4

All the Biblical accounts are true. It doesn't say Joseph couldn't afford a room at the inn, it says there was no room for them at the inn. Read the Book, friend Mary was a virgin when she conceived and bore Jesus, but afterwards the Bible speaks of Jesus' half brothers, so no Mary wasn't perpetually a virgin; NOR was she born of immaculate conception. That's catholic nonsense!

It was REALLY an angel that appeared to the shepherds; do you know why? Because they were faithful to God, and God rewarded their faithfulness by giving them one of the first glimpses of the Messiah they so long awaited!

Answer 5

Around the time when the Jesus story came into being there were meny other god-men who share all the features of the Jesus myth. Everything from the virgin borth throught to crucifixion and comming back from death had been done before the Christians took the stories as their own. Since the story was a myth, none of the other questions really matter people make facts up as it suits them.

Answer 6

All of it is true with the exception of the three "wise" men.....

They were not wise men, per se... they were magicians... astrologers.... but you don't here many Christians saying that.... as far as they know, they were "wise men"......

Why do they call them "wise men", because Scripturally, Christians are not supposed to be consorting with people who have such abilities... no magi... no astrologers....no soothsayers.... none of that.... that was not to be toyed with in those days......

It was also true that Joseph was not very pleased to find that the woman he was about to marry was with child when she was supposed to be his virgin bride........ He had to be "coaxed", if you will, to marry the woman.... Had it not been for the angel telling him that the spirit of God moved upon the woman and had chosen her to bring through the promised child, he would not have......

So, no, Joseph wasn't very happy at first...... But, when he learned that the prophecied child was to come... he was relieved..... He reluctantly, married Mary......

Your sister,
Ginger

Answer 7

Joseph was much older, a widower w/ children. These children Mary cared for and were Jesus' half sibblings. Mary was always a virgin and never bore anymore children.

Answer 8

No. i do unlike horror video clips to start with and the assumption of one being in accordance with a real tale may lead me to have self assurance it particularly is a team of crap. Does all people undergo in techniques slightly action picture called Blair Witch? Who extremely believed that substitute into all authentic?

Answer 9

Well I am an Atheist so I don't believe any of it but did you know that according to the bible Jesus was a young child of about the age of 2 living in a house with his mother by the time the 3 wisemen found him?

Answer 10

Everything thats in a Bible that u get at your local Christian bookstore is true. i don't believe that flower-budding stuff. and also people married very young a long time ago. in the middle ages peolple married at 12!