I am doing some research on the nativity of Jesus of Nazareth

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I am doing some research on the nativity of Jesus of Nazareth. I am looking into the many sectarian traditions and scholarly opinions on this subject.

I would like to get hermeneutic opinions and off the cuff opinions on some groundwork questions.

1. What actual year do you think Jesus was born?

2. How old was Mary when she was married?

3. How did Mary conceive?

4. What is the significance of his birthplace?

5. What is the significance of the Magi who sought him after his birth?

6. Why was it necessary or significant for an angel to tell Mary she was going to conceive?

Where possible, links or citations would be useful for particular opinions or traditional explanations.

#bible #jesus #theology #mary #miriam #virginbirth #nativity #incarnation #christ #christianity

@theology@a.gup.pe @christianity@a.gup.pe @religion@a.gup.pe @academicchatter@a.gup.pe @infostorm@a.gup.pe

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@octade @theology @christianity @religion @academicchatter @infostorm
1. 1 A.D. is the traditional year, though many historians think 3 is more likely.

2. Tradition has it that she was about 14. (See the Protoevangelion of James.)

3. The Gospels indicate that the Holy Spirit provided the paternal impetus. There is (obviously) no historical opinion on where the paternal half of the chromosomes came from. I would presume that they were created; I would not be surprised at all if they were identical with Adam's, since Christ is the perfect Second Adam.

4. Bethlehem was the city of David, his royal forbear. Thus he fulfilled the prophecies that the King must come from David's city.

5. The Magi are the first example of the nations bowing before him. They are a foreshadowing of Pentecost, when all the nations began hearing about Jesus in their own language.

6. It was crucial that Mary consent to the conception. When Gabriel told her what had been pre-ordained before the world began, she replied, "Let it be done to me according to your word." It was this "yes," this obedience, that began to unbind the curse of disobedience which had begun in the Garden of Eden. God always respects human free will, and will never force himself on anyone, because he desires to be loved, and love must always be a free choice.

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#Religion #Christ

@octade
Interesting array of questions.
Whereas the #Christian perspective has been excellently summed up by the Natural Intelligence, NI, Daniel 😉
@ossobuffo,
I have heard several times that #Jesus is seen as a prophet in the other #Abrahamaic religions, #Judaism and #Islam, it would be interesting to hear a similarly perspective from their side on your questions.

@theology @christianity @religion @academicchatter @infostorm

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he/him

@ossobuffo @octade @theology @christianity @religion @academicchatter @infostorm

Just curious: why does @academicchatter boost this bullshit?

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@shimon @ossobuffo
@academicchatter

Literally the function of the a.gup.pe group accounts, they’re basically unmoderated mailing lists you can follow to subscribe to or mention to post to. Great for seeing a breadth of things, but also great for spamming.

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@ossobuffo @octade @theology @christianity @religion @academicchatter @infostorm

I've heard that 4 or 5 BC is more likely since Herod the Great died in 4 BC

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He/Him

@octade
1. 6ce is the date I hear most from critical scholars
2. She is referred as a young woman, so under 18 probably.
3. Probably the regular way. Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.
4. David's home town, To fulfill prophesy.
5. Only Matthew mentions Magi. Rhetorical and theological reasons.
6. How else are you going to sell a virgin birth?
Bart Ehrman and Dan McClellan are good critical sources on the New Testament.
@theology @christianity @religion @academicchatter @infostorm

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@octade @theology @christianity @religion @academicchatter @infostorm
4 BC
Young by our standards - 12-16
By the Holy Spirit
Unsure (prophesied though)
Jesus came not just to Jews but to the whole world
? agency, co-creation, free will/consent

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@octade @theology @christianity @religion @academicchatter @infostorm

1. ~3 BC on the Gregorian Calendar
2. ~16 years old
3. miraculously by the holy spirit of God the Father (she herself was convinced immaculate without original sin in the womb of St. Ann)
4. The place of bread, always pointing us back to the eucharist.
5. Wise men still seek him.
6. Because I'm sure it was already scary as heck, could you imagine not being told?
Summaries based on my understanding of The Catechism of the Catholic Church and additional Catechesis I may have received at a younger age.

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