# What came first?



## Preach (Jan 9, 2006)

I am preaching through the Life of Christ on Sunday mornings. I am basically following A.T. Robertson's "Harmony of the Gospels". Can you tell me if the following is the right chronological order for the events in our Lord's birth & early childhood? The following is a broad outline: 
1) Angel and Mary
2) Angel and Joseph
3) The Lord's birth
4) Shepherds visit Baby in manger
5) The Lord's cicumcision on 8th day
6) Presentation in the Temple on 41st day (Simeon & Anna)
7) Magi visit
8) Escape to Egypt
9) Return from Egypt
10) 12 years old in the Temple


Questions: 
1) Where did Joseph & Mary live during their engagement (was it Nazareth)?
2) How old was Jesus when they fled to Egypt?
3) Which happened first, the magi or the presentation in the Temple on day 41 (Calvin says that the Magi happened first. How can this be?)
4) When Joseph & Mary returned from Egypt, the Gospel of Matthew says they went to Nazareth to live because Herod's son was on the throne (which seems to indicate that this was their first time in Nazareth), but Luke tells us Joseph & Mary had come from Nazareth to go to Bethlehem when the decree for the census was given.

Any correctioin of chronoligical order is appreciated as well as the questions (especially the seeming contradiction regarding the royal family's time spent in Nazareth-comapre the Matthean and the Lukan accounts). Thanks everyone.

"In Christ",
Bobby

p.s.The congregation (especially those who have not yet excepted the Lord but are visiting week by week) seem fascinated with the story of our Lor'ds birth & childhood. I pray this will be the greatest season of my Christian experience as we track the Lord's life incarnate!


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## C. Matthew McMahon (Jan 9, 2006)

1) Angel and Mary
2) Angel and Joseph
3) The Lord's birth
4) Shepherds visit Baby in manger
5) The Lord's cicumcision on 8th day
6) Presentation in the Temple on 41st day (Simeon & Anna)
7) Magi visit
8) Escape to Egypt
9) Return from Egypt
10) 12 years old in the Temple


Questions: 
1) Where did Joseph & Mary live during their engagement (was it Nazareth)?

As far as we know that seems to be the conclusion. Luke 1:26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth. Mary was definitely there.

So was Joseph - Luke 2:4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David,

2) How old was Jesus when they fled to Egypt?

At least 2. The Magi visited the child in the house, not the baby in the manger. (My take.)

3) Which happened first, the magi or the presentation in the Temple on day 41 (Calvin says that the Magi happened first. How can this be?)

The Magi visited after the "child" was in the "house." Look up child - "paidian" and not "brephos". However, in some cases it can mean infant or little child. Still, Herod's reaction to kill the children 2 years and younger give us some indication of the age possibility.

4) When Joseph & Mary returned from Egypt, the Gospel of Matthew says they went to Nazareth to live because Herod's son was on the throne (which seems to indicate that this was their first time in Nazareth), but Luke tells us Joseph & Mary had come from Nazareth to go to Bethlehem when the decree for the census was given.

Why do you think this means the frist time?


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## Preach (Jan 9, 2006)

Matt,
Thanks for your take. But there still seems to be some tension. For example, do you think that Joseph would have kept Mary and Jesus in Bethlehem after the days of purification? Calvin says no way. They didn't know anyone, they couldn't even get into an inn, let alone a settled abode, Joseph's job was in Nazareth(?), we think. 

How do we explain Luke 2:39? Are we saying that Luke didn't know of Matthew's writings and vice versa?

And what about the Magi's gifts? How substantial were they? I always thought that it was in God's providence to provide for the royal family by way of the magi's gifts to get the family through the Egyptian experience and back into Nazareth. But if the Magi did come (as Calvin maintains) to the royal family before the temple dedication on the 41st day, then why did they offer the cheapest sacrifice (2 turtle doves)?

Finally, read the beginning of Luke chapter two (Joseph and Mary ceretainly left Nazareth before the Lord was born, in order to go to Bethlehem, but Matthew chapter two seems (not necessarily) to read that when they returned from Egypt Joseph intended to go back to Judea, but God sent the family to Nazareth to fulfill prophecy.

I call this my chronological conundrum. Is there anyone that can put this all together? I especially would like to know where Luke 2:39 fits into everything. A.T. Robertson has that verse with Matthew's passage about the family coming back from Egypt. It just doesn't seem to read correctly that way. The natural reading of Luke 2:39 fits into the entire temple dedication passage which happened before the flight to Egypt.

Wow, it's a good thing I believe in the superintendence of the Holy Scriptures by the Holy Spirit. Faith still strong, yet questioning the chronology.


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