[A. D., or Anno Domini, means in the year of our Lord; or, of the Christian era. This era, as usage has fixed it, begins four years after the actual time of our Saviour's birth. We are therefore obliged to give the date of his birth, at 4 years before the commencement of the Christian era.]
THE BIRTH OF JOHN THE BAPTIST AND OF JESUS. THE ANGELS APPEAR TO THE SHEPHERDS BY NIGHT. WISE MEN FROM THE EAST COME TO WORSHIP JESUS. HEROD TRIES TO DESTROY HIM. JOSEPH FLEES, WITH THE YOUNG CHILD AND HIS MOTHER, INTO EGYPT. AFTER HEROD'S DEATH THEY RETURN TO THE LAND OF ISRAEL.
AND now the time was near for the Saviour to come upon earth. We have read how God promised, when Adam and Eve first sinned in the garden, that a Saviour should come. We have read also how the prophets, who lived afterward, told the children of Israel that he was coming. But before he came, they said, John the Baptist would be sent to tell the people to make ready for him by repenting of their sins.
While Herod was king in Judea there lived a priest named Zacharias. His wife was named Elizabeth. They were both of them old, and the Bible tells us, were righteous and careful to obey all God's commandments. But God had never given them a child.
The priests were still divided into different courses, or companies, as king David had divided them. There were twenty-four of these courses. Each one took its turn in staying, for a time, at the temple, to attend to God's worship there. The course of priests which Zacharias belonged to, was called the course of Abia.
Very early every morning, before it was light, the priests at the temple began the work of the day. Some of them went to the altar of burnt offering and cleaned it, taking away the ashes that had been left there from the day before, and putting fresh wood on the fire, which was never allowed to go out. Other priests went into the temple, and trimmed the lamps on the golden candlestick, and cleaned the golden altar of incense. Afterward one of the priests offered up a lamb on the altar of burnt offering, and another burned incense on the golden altar. The lamb was offered up, and the incense burned, about nine o'clock in the morning, and again about three o'clock in the afternoon. These were called the hours of prayer. At these hours the people came up to the temple to worship, and stood in the court, praying, while the incense was burning in the holy place.
Every day, before the priests began their work, lots were cast for them, to see what part of the work, or service, each one was to do. On the day we are reading about, the part of Zacharias was to burn incense on the golden altar; therefore he went into the holy place to burn incense at the hour of prayer.
And while he was in the temple he saw an angel standing beside the golden altar. When he saw him he was afraid. But the angel said, Fear not, Zacharias, for God will give to thee and thy wife Elizabeth, a son, and thou shalt call his name John. He shall not drink wine or any strong drink, and shall be filled with God's Holy Spirit from the time he is born. He shall tell the children of Israel of the Saviour who is coming, and shall teach many of them to repent of their sins and obey him. Then Zacharias said to the angel, But how shall I know that these things will be? The angel answered, I am the angel Gabriel, who live in heaven and stand before God, to do whatever he commands me, and he has sent me to tell thee this good news. And now, because thou hast not believed it, thou shalt be punished by being dumb and unable to speak, until the words I have spoken come true.
And the people who were waiting in the courts of the temple for Zacharias to come out of the holy place, wondered what kept him so long. When he came they saw that he could not speak. But he made them understand, by signs, that he had seen a vision.
Six months after this God sent the angel Gabriel into the city of Nazareth, to a young woman named Mary. She was a cousin of Elizabeth, the wife of Zacharias, and was descended from king David. When she saw the angel, she was troubled, for she knew not why he had come. But he said, Fear not, Mary; for God has greatly blessed thee. Thou shalt have a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of God. And God will make him king over those who love him, forever. To thy cousin Elizabeth, also, God has promised a son. Mary answered the angel, saying, I am the servant of the Lord, let it be done to me as thou hast said. And the angel departed from her.
Then Mary made haste and went into the land of Judah, to the house of Zacharias and Elizabeth, to visit her cousin, and she stayed with Elizabeth about three months. Afterward she came back to her own home. Now Mary's husband was named Joseph. He also was descended from king David; yet they were both poor, and Joseph was a carpenter.
And God gave to Zacharias and Elizabeth, the son he had promised them. When the child was eight days old, their neighbors and relations came together, to dedicate, or give him, to the Lord, and also to decide what his name should be. And they called him Zacharias, after the name of his father. But his mother said, Not so; he shall be called John. They said to her, None of thy relations are called by this name. And they made signs to his father, asking what he would have him called. He asked for a writing table, because he could not yet speak, and wrote, saying, His name is John. Then they were all astonished; for Zacharias had not yet told them of what the angel said to him in the temple.
As soon as Zacharias had written these words, God gave him power to speak again; and he spoke, and praised God. And all the people in that part of the land heard of what had been done, and they said, What sort of a child shall this he? And the boy grew, and the Lord blessed him, and he lived in the lonely wilderness, away from the rest of the people, until the time came for him to preach to them and tell them about Jesus. For this little child, whom God had given to Zacharias and Elizabeth, was John the Baptist.
We have read that the Jews were servants to the Romans: they had to obey whatever the emperor of Rome commanded. And now he made a decree that all the Jews should be enrolled, or have their names written down, and he commanded each one of them to go to the city where his fathers had lived, so that the Roman officers might take down his name there. Therefore every one went to his own city. And Mary, with Joseph her husband, went out of Nazareth, where their home was then, to Bethlehem, where David used to live, because they were descended from king David. When they came to Bethlehem, there was no room for them at the inn: it was already full, and they went into the stable to sleep. And while they were there, God gave to Mary the son which the angel had promised her. It was in the stable in Bethlehem that the infant Jesus was born. And Mary his mother, wrapped him round with swaddling clothes, or bands, and laid him in a manger.
There were in that country shepherds, who staid out in the field watching over their flocks all night. And the angel of the Lord came down to them, and a bright light shone around them, and they were afraid. But the angel said, Fear not, for I bring you good news which shall give joy to all people. Because there is born for you this day, in the city of David, a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord. And this is the way you shall know him: You shall find him wrapped in swaddling clothes, and lying in a manger. When the angel had said this, suddenly there was a multitude of angels with him, who praised God, saying, Glory be to God on high, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
After the angels had gone from them up into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us go now to Bethlehem, and see these things of which the angel has told us. And they came with haste, and found Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. And they saw the child, and afterward went out and told others what the angel had said to them about him. And all whom they told wondered at what they said. Then the shepherds returned to their flocks again, praising God for what they had seen and heard.
When the babe was eight days old, his parents called his name Jesus, as the angel had commanded; and they dedicated him to the Lord. For although he was the Son of God, yet he came on the earth to be like one of us, and to set us an example, in all things, of what we ought to do.
After this Joseph and Mary brought him to Jerusalem, and took him to the temple, and offered up a sacrifice of turtle-doves, or young pigeons. And there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon. He was just and feared God, and he was expecting Jesus to come into the world from what the prophets had said about him. And the Holy Spirit had promised Simeon that he should not die until he had seen Jesus. And just before Mary and Joseph came into the temple, the Spirit told Simeon to go there; and when they brought in the child, Simeon took him up in his arms, and said, Now, Lord, thy promise has come true, and I can die in peace, because I have seen the Saviour.
And there was a woman named Anna, a prophetess.. She was a widow of great age, and she lived near to the temple, so that she might worship there day and night. While Simeon was speaking, she also came into the temple where Jesus was, and thanked God because he had let her see him. And she went out, and spoke of him to others who were expecting the Saviour to come into the world.
And there came to Jerusalem wise men from some far off eastern country, who asked the people, saying, Where is he that is born to be king of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. God had sent a star that shone over the land where these wise men lived, so they might know that Jesus was born; and they had come to Jerusalem seeking him. But when they reached there they did not see Jesus; therefore they asked the people where they might find him.
Herod heard what they said, and was troubled because they called Jesus, King. He was afraid that the child which was born, might some day be made king over Judea instead of himself. Therefore he also wanted to know where Jesus was. And he gathered together some learned men who he knew had studied the Scriptures, and asked them to tell him where Christ should be born. They answered, In the city of Bethlehem, for so the prophet has said. Then Herod called the wise men to him, and sent them to Bethlehem, saying, Go and look diligently for the young child, and when you have found him bring me word, that I may come and worship him also. But he said this, not because he wanted to worship Jesus: it was because he wanted to put him to death.
After Herod had spoken to them, the wise men departed from Jerusalem, and went toward Bethlehem. And as they went, the star which they had seen in their own land, appeared to them again. When they saw the star, they were filled with joy, for it moved on before them, and showed them the way, till it came and stood over the house where the young child was. And they went into the house and saw the young child with Mary his mother, and they bowed down and worshipped him.
In those days, persons who came to visit kings, brought presents with them. And the wise men brought presents for Jesus, of such things as were precious in the country where they lived. And when they had opened these things, they gave to him gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh. But God spoke to them in a dream, and commanded them not to go back to Herod; therefore they returned to their own country by another way.
When Herod found that the wise men had disobeyed him, he was very angry, and sent his servants to Bethlehem and slew all the little children there, that were two years old, or younger, for he hoped that among them Jesus would be slain. But, before Herod's servants came, the angel of the Lord told Joseph to take the young child and its mother and flee into Egypt. And Joseph arose in the night and fled into Egypt; and he stayed there till Herod was dead. Then the angel spoke to him again, saying, Arise, and go back into the land of Israel, for they are dead who sought to destroy the young child. And Joseph did as the angel commanded, and he and Mary and the young child came and lived at their home in the city of Nazareth.
Joseph and Mary used to go every year to Jerusalem, to keep the feast of the passover; and when Jesus was twelve years old, he also went with them. After the days of the feast were ended, they started on their journey back to Nazareth. Now people who went to the passover, used to travel in companies; friends and neighbors would go up to Jerusalem together: some of them rode on mules and horses, perhaps, but many of them walked all the way. It was with such a company as this that Joseph and Mary started to return to Nazareth, and they thought that Jesus was among those who journeyed with them. So they went on till evening; then they looked for him, but could not find him. Therefore they left the company they journeyed with, and went back to Jerusalem. They had been one day in coming to the place where they missed him; it took them one day more to go back to Jerusalem, but on the next, or the third day, they found him at the temple, talking with the doctors, or wise men, hearing what they said, and asking them questions.
And all who heard Jesus were astonished at the things that he spoke, for he was only a child, but those whom he talked with were men of great learning. And his mother said to him, Son, why hast thou treated us so? Thy father and I have been looking for thee, anxious and sorrowful. He answered, Why have you looked for me? Did you not know that I must be about my Father's business? He meant that he must be doing what his Father in heaven had sent him on earth to do. For God had sent him to teach men and explain the Scriptures to them, before he should die on the cross for their sins. But Joseph and Mary did not understand what he meant by the words that he spoke to them.
Then Jesus went down with his parents to their home in the city of Nazareth, and he lived with them, and obeyed what they said to him. And, as he grew, God blessed him, and those who were with him loved him. Ill: