Nativity of Jesus facts for kids
The birth of Jesus, also called the Nativity, is a very important event for Christians. It tells the story of how Jesus was born. This story is found in two books of the Bible: the Gospel of Luke and the Gospel of Matthew. Both books agree that Jesus was born in a town called Bethlehem in Judaea. They also say that his mother, Mary, was engaged to a man named Joseph. Joseph was a descendant of the famous King David. The Bible teaches that Jesus' birth was special because it was caused by God's power, not by Joseph.
Many people who study the Bible believe these birth stories are more about faith and God's plan than about exact history. This is because the Gospels were written to share important religious messages, not just to list events in order.
The Nativity is the reason for the Christian holiday of Christmas. This holiday is a big part of the Christian year. Many Christian families like to set up small manger scenes in their homes. These scenes show the baby Jesus, Mary, Joseph, and other figures. People also enjoy watching nativity plays or Christmas pageants. In many European countries, people create large "creche scenes" with life-sized statues during the Christmas season.
Artists have been showing the Nativity in their work since the 300s. Over time, these artworks began to show Jesus as a humble and gentle baby. This was a change from earlier art that showed him as a powerful "Lord and Master." This change in art also reflected how Christian leaders began to teach about Jesus in a softer, more caring way.
Contents
Stories from the Gospels
Only the Gospels of Matthew and Luke tell us about Jesus' birth. Both Gospels use ideas from older Hebrew scriptures. This shows that they saw Jesus' birth as part of God's plan for Israel. Both also show that God was in control of everything that happened.
Here's what both Gospels agree on:
- Jesus was born in Bethlehem.
- This happened when King Herod was ruling.
- His mother's name was Mary.
- Her husband, Joseph, was from the family of David.
- Joseph was not Jesus' biological father.
- Jesus' birth was a miracle from God.
However, the two stories are different in many ways.
- Matthew's story focuses more on Joseph, while Luke's focuses on Mary.
- Matthew suggests Joseph already lived in Bethlehem. Luke says he lived in Nazareth and traveled to Bethlehem.
- In Matthew, an angel speaks to Joseph in a dream. In Luke, the angel speaks to Mary.
- Only Luke tells about the birth of John the Baptist, the census, the shepherds visiting Jesus, and Jesus being presented at the Temple.
- Only Matthew tells about the wise men, the star, Herod's plan to kill Jesus, the killing of innocent children, and the flight to Egypt.
- The family's travels are different. In Matthew, they start in Bethlehem, go to Egypt, and then settle in Nazareth. In Luke, they start in Nazareth, go to Bethlehem for the birth, and then return to Nazareth.
Because of these differences, experts believe the two stories come from different sources. They cannot be easily combined into one single story.
| Luke | Matthew |
|---|---|
 |
 |
| 1. Annunciation to Mary in Nazareth | 1. Annunciation to Joseph |
| 2. Census of Quirinius (6–7 CE) | – |
| 3. Joseph and Mary travel from Nazareth to Bethlehem | – |
| 4. Birth of Jesus in Bethlehem | 2. Birth of Jesus in Bethlehem |
| 5. Annunciation to the shepherds in the fields | – |
| 6. Adoration of the shepherds in Bethlehem | – |
| – | 3. Magi "follow the star" and visit Herod in Jerusalem |
| – | 4. Adoration of the Magi in Bethlehem |
| 7. Jesus is presented at the temple in Jerusalem | 5. Joseph, Mary and Jesus flee to Egypt to escape Herod |
| – | 6. Massacre of the Innocents in Bethlehem |
| – | 7. Death of Herod (4 BCE) |
| 8. Joseph, Mary and Jesus return home to Nazareth | 8. Joseph, Mary and Jesus return from Egypt |
| – | 9. Joseph, Mary and Jesus settle in Nazareth |
Matthew's Story
Angel Appears to Joseph
In Matthew's Gospel, Mary was engaged to Joseph. But she became pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Joseph planned to quietly end their engagement. However, an angel appeared to him in a dream. The angel told Joseph to marry Mary and to name the child Jesus. The angel said Jesus would "save his people from their sins." This would fulfill an old prophecy that a virgin would have a son named Emmanuel, meaning "God is with us." Joseph woke up, married Mary, and named the child Jesus (Matthew 1:18–25).
Even though Joseph was from King David's family, Jesus was not his biological son. But Joseph naming the child meant he was legally adopting Jesus. This made Jesus, like Joseph, a "son of David."
Wise Men Visit Jesus
Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea when King Herod was ruling. Some wise men from the East came to Jerusalem. They asked where they could find the child born "king of the Jews." They had seen his special star in the sky and wanted to worship him.
King Herod and everyone in Jerusalem were worried. Herod learned from religious leaders that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. So, he sent the wise men there. He told them to come back and tell him when they found the child. The wise men found Jesus in Bethlehem and worshipped him. They gave him special gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. But an angel warned them in a dream not to return to Herod. So, they went home by a different way.
Escape to Egypt and Return
When Herod realized the wise men had tricked him, he was furious. He ordered all baby boys in and around Bethlehem, two years old and younger, to be killed. This sad event is called the Massacre of the Innocents. It was said to fulfill a prophecy from the prophet Jeremiah.
But an angel had appeared to Joseph in a dream. The angel warned him to take Jesus and Mary and flee to Egypt. The Holy Family stayed in Egypt until Herod died. This also fulfilled a prophecy: "Out of Egypt I have called my son." After Herod died, an angel again appeared to Joseph in a dream. The angel told him to return to Israel. But Herod's son was now ruling Judea. So, after another dream warning, Joseph went to Galilee. He settled in Nazareth. This fulfilled another prophecy: "He will be called a Nazorean."
Matthew's story shows that Jesus, even though he was from Nazareth, was truly born in Bethlehem. This was important because Bethlehem was King David's hometown, and the Messiah was expected to be a "son of David" and "King of the Jews." Herod's fear and the wise men's visit highlight Jesus' royal birth.
Luke's Story
In Luke's Gospel, when Herod was king, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth. The angel told a virgin named Mary, who was engaged to Joseph, that she would have a child. The angel said she should name him Jesus. He would be the Son of God and rule over Israel forever.
When it was almost time for Jesus to be born, Caesar Augustus, the Roman emperor, ordered a census. Everyone had to go to their hometown to be counted. Joseph took Mary to Bethlehem, the old city of David, because he was from the family of David. Jesus was born in Bethlehem. There was no room for them in the inn, so the baby was placed in a manger (a feeding trough for animals).
That night, angels announced Jesus' birth to shepherds in the fields. The shepherds went to Bethlehem and worshipped him as the Messiah and Lord.
Following Jewish law, Jesus' parents presented him at the Temple in Jerusalem. There, two people, Simeon and Anna the Prophetess, thanked God for sending his salvation. Joseph and Mary then returned to Nazareth.
When and Where Jesus Was Born
Both Matthew and Luke agree that Jesus was born in Bethlehem during the time of Herod the Great. Luke's Gospel says Jesus was placed in a manger because there was "no place in the katalyma." This Greek word could mean a private home, a room in a home, or an inn. We can't be completely sure which it was.
In the 100s AD, a writer named Justin Martyr said Jesus was born in a cave outside Bethlehem. The Protoevangelium of James, another old text, also describes a birth in a nearby cave. Today, the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem is built over a cave. This cave is traditionally believed to be where Jesus was born.
The exact date of Jesus' birth is not mentioned in the Gospels or any other old writings. Most experts believe he was born between 6 BC and 4 BC. It's hard to know for sure, but people have tried to guess the date by looking at historical events mentioned in the Gospels.
Important Ideas and Meanings
Old Testament Connections
Scholars have discussed if some verses in Matthew's Gospel refer to specific passages in the Old Testament. For example, Matthew 1:22 says, "All this happened to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet." Some old copies of Matthew add "Isaiah the prophet."
Also, Matthew 1:23 says, "Behold the virgin shall be with child." The Greek word used here means "virgin." However, the original Hebrew in Isaiah 7:14 uses a word that can mean "maiden," "young woman," or "virgin." Some experts believe that when the Bible was translated into Greek in the 200s BC, the translators understood the Hebrew word to mean "virgin" in this context.
Another verse, Matthew 2:23, says Jesus "will be called a Nazarene." This doesn't directly quote an Old Testament passage. Many scholars have different ideas about what it means. It might refer to Jesus being from Nazareth. It could also connect to the idea of someone "consecrated to God" or to a Jewish group called the Nazarenes.
Christian Beliefs
The meaning of Jesus' birth has been a key part of Christian teachings for a very long time. Early Christian leaders and thinkers discussed it. These discussions sometimes led to different ideas about Jesus and Mary, which caused some early divisions in the Church.
Birth of the New Man
Apostle Paul saw Jesus' birth as a huge event for the whole world. He believed it brought a "new man" who fixed the problems caused by the first man, Adam.
Paul taught that Adam, by disobeying God, brought sin and suffering to humanity. But Jesus' birth balanced this out. Jesus, as the "new man," obeyed God. This brought salvation and fixed the damage Adam caused.
Early Christian thinkers used this idea of Jesus as the "new man" compared to Adam. They saw Jesus' birth as the start of a "cosmic Christology." This means that Jesus' birth, life, and resurrection have meaning for everyone and everything. Through his obedience, Jesus created a new way for humans to relate to God.
In the 100s AD, a Church leader named Irenaeus wrote:
When He became human, He started a new line of human beings. He gave us salvation in a simple way. What we lost in Adam – being like God – we can get back in Christ Jesus.
Irenaeus also used the idea of "second Adam and second Eve." He called Virgin Mary the "second Eve." He said that Mary "untied the knot of sin" that the first Eve had tied. Just as Eve led Adam to disobey, Mary showed a path of obedience for the "second Adam" (Jesus). This obedience, from the Annunciation to Jesus' death, allowed Jesus to bring salvation.
In the Middle Ages, the idea of Jesus as the second Adam was linked to Saint Augustine's idea of the "happy fall." This idea suggests that Adam's fall, though bad, led to the even greater good of Jesus' coming.
This belief continued through the Protestant Reformation. John Calvin taught that Jesus was free from original sin because he was made holy at birth. This meant his birth was perfect, like before Adam's fall. In the 1900s, theologian Karl Barth also saw Jesus' birth as the birth of a new man who fixed Adam's mistakes. Barth believed Jesus was an obedient Son who fulfilled God's will. Because he was sinless, he could show God's goodness and bring salvation.
Understanding Jesus' Nature
Jesus' birth also raised important questions about his nature. Was Jesus a man born of a woman, or was he God born of a woman? Many ideas about Jesus' birth were discussed in the first few centuries of Christianity. Some debates were about whether Virgin Mary should be called Theotokos (God-bearer). These discussions showed how ideas about Mary affected ideas about Jesus. Some views were later called heresies, and others led to new branches of the Church.
The verse Matthew 1:21 says Jesus will save people from their sins. This verse later influenced ideas about the Holy Name of Jesus. Matthew 1:23 introduces the idea of "Emmanuel Christology." This means Matthew wants to show Jesus as "God with us." This idea appears throughout Matthew's Gospel, especially in Matthew 28:20, where Jesus promises to be with his followers always.
Several important Church meetings, called ecumenical councils, were held in the 300s and 400s to discuss these issues. The Council of Ephesus debated how Jesus could be both God and human. The Council of Chalcedon in 451 was very important. It decided that Jesus is both fully divine and fully human. This belief became a key part of orthodox Christianity.
In the 400s, Pope Leo I used the Nativity as a central part of his teachings. He gave many sermons on the Nativity. He used these sermons to emphasize that Jesus has two natures and to fight against ideas he considered wrong.
In the 1200s, Thomas Aquinas also discussed the Nativity. He asked questions like: "Should the Blessed Virgin be called the Mother of God?" Aquinas explained that Jesus has two natures: one from God the Father from eternity, and one from his mother Mary in time. This helped explain why Mary could be called the "Mother of God."
During the Protestant Reformation, John Calvin argued that Jesus was made holy by the Holy Spirit at his birth. This meant Jesus was born without original sin, making his birth perfect.
Impact on Christianity
Christmas: The Feast of Jesus' Birth
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Christian Churches celebrate Jesus' birth on Christmas. Most Western Christian Churches celebrate it on December 25. Many Eastern Christian Churches celebrate it on January 7. This difference is not about the date itself, but about which calendar they use to find December 25. In the 500s, the Church decided that the twelve days between Christmas and Epiphany (January 6) should be one big holiday season.
The time before Christmas is called Advent. It's a time for Christians to get ready for Christmas. Christmas traditions include singing carols, giving gifts, watching nativity plays, going to church services, and eating special foods. Many people start decorating for Christmas on the first Sunday of Advent.
History of Celebrations
In the first two centuries, Christians mostly celebrated the Lord's Day (Sunday). Later, Easter became a separate holiday. In the 100s, Epiphany began to be celebrated in the East on January 6. This day celebrated the visit of the Magi.
The celebration of the Nativity, which became Christmas, started in the 300s in the Western Church. The earliest mention of December 25 as Jesus' birth date comes from Hippolytus of Rome in the early 200s. He believed Jesus was conceived on March 25 (the spring equinox), and then added nine months. By the mid-300s, Eastern churches celebrated Jesus' birth and Baptism on January 6. Western churches celebrated the Nativity on December 25. By the late 300s, both churches had both holidays.
An old Roman document from 354 mentions the Nativity celebration. In 386, John Chrysostom said that the feast had been celebrated in Antioch for about 10 years. By 385, the feast for Jesus' birth was separate from his Baptism and was held on December 25 in several cities.
Pope Leo I officially established a feast for the "Mystery of Incarnation" in the 400s. This was the first formal feast for Jesus' Nativity. Later, Pope Sixtus III started the tradition of Midnight Mass before this feast. In the 500s, Emperor Justinian I made Christmas a legal holiday.
In the 1300s and 1400s, people like Jean Gerson emphasized the loving nature of the child Jesus in their sermons. Gerson highlighted Jesus' love at his birth and his plan to save humanity.
By the early 1900s, Christmas became a very important part of Christian and Western culture. Even in countries that are not officially religious, Christmas is a big celebration.
Changing the Image of Jesus
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Early Christians often called Jesus "the Lord." This word, Kyrios in Greek, appears over 700 times in the New Testament. It showed Jesus as a powerful, all-knowing God. This image of Jesus as "Lord and Master" was common for many centuries. It meant Jesus was to be served and would one day judge people.
Over time, especially with the influence of people like Anselm of Canterbury and Bernard of Clairvaux, a more "tender image of Jesus" began to appear. The Franciscans played a big role in this change.
The 1200s were a turning point. The Franciscans began to highlight Jesus' humility at both his birth and his death. Francis of Assisi created the first Nativity scene. This helped show a softer image of Jesus. It contrasted with the powerful image of Jesus at his Transfiguration. It emphasized how God chose a humble way to be born.
During the Black Death in Europe, the Franciscans and Dominicans helped people deal with the tragedies. The Franciscans stressed Jesus' humility and the poverty of his birth. They taught that God, the all-powerful Creator, became a helpless baby in a manger. This was as amazing and touching to believers as his sacrifice on the cross.
So, by the 1200s, the tender joys of Jesus' birth were added to the pain of his Crucifixion. This brought new religious feelings that spread widely. The Franciscans encouraged both feelings. The Nativity scene promoted a gentle Jesus. At the same time, Francis of Assisi deeply felt Jesus' suffering on the Cross. This dual approach, combining joy and sacrifice, appealed to many people. As Franciscan Friars traveled, these feelings spread around the world. They changed the image of Jesus from just a powerful "Lord" to a more tender, loving, and caring figure. These traditions spread to places like Latin America, the Philippines, and the United States.
Archbishop Rowan Williams noted that this change, along with many Madonna and Child paintings, helped Christians feel Jesus' living presence. He became a loving figure "who is always there to harbor and nurture those who turn to him for help."
Hymns, Art, and Music
Songs in Luke's Gospel
Luke's Nativity story includes four well-known songs, called canticles:
- The Benedictus (Song of Zechariah)
- The Magnificat (Mary's Song)
- The Gloria in Excelsis (Song of the Angels)
- The Nunc dimittis (Simeon's Song)
These songs are now an important part of Christian worship. The Magnificat, sung by Mary in Luke 1:46–55, is one of the oldest Christian hymns. The Benedictus is sung by Zechariah in Luke 1:68–79. The Nunc dimittis is sung by Simeon in Luke 2:29–32. The Gloria in Excelsis is longer than the line in Luke 2:14. It's often called the "Song of the Angels" because angels sang it to the shepherds.
These three songs might have come from early Christian worship services in Jerusalem, but their exact beginnings are not known.
Artistic Depictions
One of the most common Christmas traditions is displaying manger scenes. These usually have statues or figurines of the Nativity. This tradition is often linked to Francis of Assisi. He is said to have created the first such display in Greccio, Italy, in 1223.
Before manger scenes became popular, artists painted the Nativity. The earliest artworks were found in catacombs (underground burial places) and on sarcophagi (stone coffins) in Rome. The Magi (wise men) were often shown in these early scenes. They represented that Jesus' arrival was important for all people, not just Jews. The ox and donkey were also often included. They symbolized Jews and non-Jews and have been in Nativity art ever since. Mary was soon shown sitting on a throne when the Magi visited.
Nativity images also carry a message of redemption. They show God becoming human, which is a key part of Christian belief in Salvation.
In the Eastern Church, painted icons of the Nativity often go with specific hymns to Mary. These icons emphasize two main things. First, the event shows the mystery of God becoming human. This is a core belief of Christianity. Second, it connects the event to the real world and what it means for humanity.
Hymns, Music, and Plays
Early Christians, like Jews of the time, did not use musical instruments in church. They relied on chants and plainsong. This is why the term a cappella (meaning "in the chapel") came to be used for singing without instruments.
One of the earliest Nativity hymns was Veni redemptor gentium, written by Ambrose of Milan in the 300s. By the early 400s, the poet Prudentius wrote "From the Heart of the Father," which focused on the Nativity. Another poet, Sedulius, wrote "From the lands that see the Sun arise," describing the humble birth of Jesus. The Magnificat, Mary's song, is based on the Annunciation and is one of the oldest Christian hymns.
Romanos the Melodist wrote many hymns, including "On the Nativity," after having a dream about the Virgin Mary. Re-enactments of the Nativity, now called nativity plays, were part of church services in the 600s. By the 1200s, the Franciscans encouraged popular Christmas songs in local languages. The first English Christmas carols appeared in a book from 1426.
Many musical works about Jesus' birth exist. Most musical Nativity stories are not directly from the Bible. They became popular after church music started to include elements of opera in the 1600s. After that, many new musical pieces were created. These include Heinrich Schütz's The Christmas Story (1660), Bach's Christmas Oratorio (1700s), and Hector Berlioz's L'Enfance du Christ (1850).
See also
In Spanish: Natividad de Jesús para niños
- Christ Child
- Chronology of Jesus
- Jesus in Christianity
- Life of Jesus in the New Testament
- Marian art in the Catholic Church
- Matthew 2:23
- Nativity of Mary
- Nativity of Saint John the Baptist
- Race and appearance of Jesus
- Saint Joseph's dreams
