Where was Jesus born?
Psst. There s something you should know about Christmas. The Christmas carols, we re afraid, might have it wrong: Jesus, many New Testament scholars believe, was not born in Bethlehem but Nazareth. Among scholars this view is no secret. But for some reason, the story is not often recounted outside the ivy-covered walls. Which is why we asked two experts to go public and explain both sides of the issue. We invited Steve Mason of Toronto s York University to lay out the little-known but more widely accepted (there s an oxymoron for you!) view that Jesus was born in Nazareth. Mason offers a fascinating lesson of the way scholars search for history in the biblical text in O Little Town of … Nazareth? ). Jerome Murphy-O Connor, of the École Biblique et Archéologique Française in Jerusalem, takes a different tack in Bethlehem … Of Course, delving into the archaeological, extrabiblical and gospel evidence in support of the long-cherished Bethlehem tradition. In the end, we leave you to fi
Theologians question biblical accounts of the Nativity. Now archaeologists are doing the same. Many Christians accept the story of Jesus’ birth in a manger in Bethlehem in Judea. But what if there was no Bethlehem in Judea at the time of Jesus’ birth? (Scala/Art Resource) [LARGER IMAGE] The town of Bethlehem in the West Bank, some six miles south of Jerusalem, is revered by millions as the birthplace of Jesus. According to the New Testament account of the apostle Matthew, Joseph and Mary were living in Bethlehem in the southern region of Judea at the time of Jesus’ birth and later moved to Nazareth in the northern Galilee region. In the more popular account of the apostle Luke, Joseph and a very pregnant Mary traveled more than 90 miles from their residence in Nazareth to Joseph’s Judean hometown of Bethlehem to be counted in a Roman census. Regardless of the variation, both apostles agree that Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, the city where King David had been born a thousand yea
The Christmas carollers may have already been heard singing O Little Town of Bethlehem the length and breadth of the country. But it appears a huge chunk of their audience may have no idea why the town should be worthy of such reverence. In an alarming survey published today into knowledge of the Christmas story, it appears that one in four adults do not know that Jesus was born in Bethlehem. Among younger Britons – between 18 and 24 – the total for those who could not give the correct location rose to 36 per cent. Scroll down for more…
Sponsored link. document.write(”); Where Was Jesus Born? Christian tradition states that Jesus was born in Bethlehem, Judea (now Palestine). This is about six miles, ten kilometers, south of Jerusalem “on the east side of the ‘Patriarch’s Highway’ that ran along the ridge between Shechem and Hebron:” 1 The Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem was built by Constantine the Great, circa 330 CE. It is believed by many Christians and Muslims to have been built over the location of Jesus’ birth. The exact spot of Jesus’ birth is identified by a hole in a 14 point star in a underground cave beneath the church. However, the location of Christ’s birth is not certain.
