According to Matthew's Gospel, sometime before the death of Herod the Great in 4 BC, Jesus was born in Bethlehem. When the wise men show up, they are living in a house (Matt. 2:11). After fleeing to Egypt, they seek to return to Judea (Matt. 2:21-22). All this suggests that the family was from Bethlehem.
In Luke's Gospel, on the other hand, the family is clearly from Nazareth. They only go up to Bethlehem for the census under Quirinius, which took place in 6 AD - it was connected with the institution of direct Roman rule when Herod's son was deposed, and so clearly happened after the death of Herod the Great. From Bethlehem they go up to Jerusalem, and once they had done everything required by the Law (Leviticus 12 makes clear this took only a little more than a month) they returned to Nazareth.
Isn't it clear that these two stories cannot both be historically factual?
See http://blue.butler.edu/~jfmcgrat/jesus/quirinius.htm for more information.
2007-05-26 10:34:30 · 17 answers · asked by jamesfrankmcgrath 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Jesus Gonzolo comes from somewhere in mexico
2007-05-26 10:39:57 · answer #1 · answered by Long Strider 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Both accounts read that he was born in Bethlehem. Luke mentions that Joseph and Mary came 'out of the city of Nazareth" but continued to "David's city, which is called Bethlehem". Jesus was called a native of Nazareth because that's where his parents lived, and where he was raised.
2016-05-18 04:46:05 · answer #2 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Actually, Joseph's family was historically from Bethlehem. They were living in Nazareth before Jesus was born. Part of the census was that everyone had to return to the town their family was from. For Joseph, that was Bethlehem. It was the city his forefathers had lived in.
The census and all that was involved with it probably did only take a month, but Joseph and Mary decided to stay in Bethlehem, because that's where Mary had Jesus. It probably would have been too hard for them to travel with a very young child.
They did eventually return to Nazareth, but not until they had lived in Egypt for a few years. This was because of Herod slaughtering all the young boys in the vicinity of Bethlehem, as I'm sure you know. So they stayed in Egypt until it was safe.
I hope this answers your question. The accounts DO seem to vary slightly, but not enough to matter.
2007-05-26 10:49:56 · answer #3 · answered by The_Cricket: Thinking Pink! 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Jesus family lived in Nazareth. They were originally from Bethlehem, that is why they had to return to Bethlehem when Herod ordered for a censis to be taken. Jesus was born at that same time in Bethlehem.
2007-05-26 12:09:02 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The name of the birth place of Jesus is Bethlehem. Prophecy in Micah 5:12 also tells that Jesus would be born in this town. The word means "house of bread." The city over looks the main highway to Hebron and Egypt and is still a city today .
Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David
2007-05-26 10:48:32 · answer #5 · answered by Eartha Q 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Mary and Joseph were living in Nazareth at the time the decree of census for all romans was ordered. They had to travel through Bethlehem to register for the Census (as Joseph has to return to his city of birth) . Thus, their son Jesus was born in Bethlehem. Eventually, the family returns to Nazareth.
2007-05-26 10:47:02 · answer #6 · answered by lorianne 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Joseph and Mary were residents of Nazareth. They travelled to Bethlehem because of the census. Joseph belonged to the house of David, and so was originally from Bethlehem.
Jesus was born in Bethlehem and the family stayed there for a time while he was very young. The Magi first came to Jerusalem (Bethlehem was not very far from there) and they were directed to Joseph's temporary home.
Then the angel tells them to leave to Egypt, where they stay for a time.
They then return to Nazareth.
It would be just like if there was a census now that proclaimed that we all had to return to the city of our birth to register.
blessings :)
2007-05-26 10:46:48 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
The census in Bethlehem was for Mary and Joseph--THEY were from Bethlehem. But when the wise men FINALLY visited Jesus and the family, yes, they did live in a house and were no longer at the manger because it took the wise men about 2 to 3 years to get to him. The star pointed to the house, obviously.
2007-05-26 10:42:44 · answer #8 · answered by Michelle 3 · 2⤊ 2⤋
Matthew's gospel tells us in general about Jesus' birth. In Matt. 2:1 it tells us that AFTER Jesus was born in Bethlehem, the wise men came. They went to Jesus' home when He was a "young Child" (Matt. 2:9). We know from Herod's attempt to kill children two years old and younger that Jesus was about 2 years old when the wise men came.
Luke's gospel covers the details of Jesus' birth, explaining that the reason Mary and Joseph go to Bethlehem was to be taxed. They journey there and Jesus is born in an inn. the family returns home and then Matthew's narrative kicks in about Herod and the wise men, Herod's decree to kill infants, and their flight to Egypt. Then they return and settle in Nazareth.
I hope this clarifies things for you.
2007-05-26 11:05:58 · answer #9 · answered by Steve Husting 4 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Joseph and Mary were from Nazareth. Joseph's family were from Bethlehem which is also called the City Of David and could trace their family lineage back to King David of Israel.
2007-05-26 12:28:44 · answer #10 · answered by London Catlover 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
they where living in nazereth when the king wanted to figure out the population he sent every one (male along with their family)to their (the husbands/men) home city. in this case Joseph was originally from bethlehem. Nobody is exactly sure about what time the stories in the Bible happened. Jesus was born from B.C. 6 to A.D 4 well supposedly
2007-05-26 10:43:45 · answer #11 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋