The Birth of Jesus Christ

Centuries later, this promise was fulfilled in the most miraculous way. A young virgin named Mary was visited by the Angel Gabriel, who brought her an astonishing message:

"You will conceive and give birth to a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High."

Mary, though initially confused, humbly accepted God's will. The child she carried was conceived by the Holy Spirit—He was the Son of God, the promised Messiah.

The Historical and Cultural Context of Jesus' Birth

The world into which Jesus was born was one of political and religious turmoil. The Jewish people were under the oppressive rule of the Roman Empire, longing for deliverance and the fulfillment of God's promises. The religious leaders enforced strict interpretations of the Mosaic Law, and many awaited a powerful Messiah who would restore Israel to its former glory. Yet, God chose to send His Son in a humble and unexpected manner.

Mary, a young woman of Nazareth, was betrothed to a carpenter named Joseph. In those days, betrothal was legally binding, akin to marriage, yet the couple had not yet come together. When Joseph learned of Mary's pregnancy, he was troubled, but an angel appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit." With faith, Joseph obeyed God's command and took Mary as his wife.

At that time, Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. This required Joseph and Mary to travel to Bethlehem, the city of David, since Joseph was of the house and lineage of David. The journey was arduous, with Mary near the time of giving birth. Upon arrival, they found no room in the inn, forcing them to seek shelter in a stable, where Jesus was born and placed in a manger.

Shepherds, keeping watch over their flocks at night, were visited by a host of angels proclaiming the birth of the Savior. They hurried to Bethlehem and found the baby, just as the angels had said. In time, wise men from the East, following a miraculous star, arrived with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh—symbols of Jesus' kingship, divinity, and impending sacrifice.

However, King Herod, feeling threatened by the birth of a prophesied king, sought to kill Jesus. He ordered the massacre of all male children in Bethlehem under the age of two. But Joseph, warned in a dream, fled with Mary and Jesus to Egypt until Herod's death, fulfilling the prophecy, "Out of Egypt, I called my Son."