My Wonder Studio

Bethlehem had a long history even before it became known as the place where Jesus was born.

Bethlehem, known also as Ephrath, is mentioned first in Genesis as the burial place of Rachel, the wife of the patriarch Jacob.¹ Later, we’re told that Bethlehem was the home of Jesse, the father of King David.²

The prophet Micah mentioned Bethlehem in his prophecy,³ which was then quoted to King Herod during the visit of the magi who were traveling to Bethlehem in search of baby Jesus.⁴

In their Gospel accounts of the birth of Jesus, Matthew and Luke tell us how Joseph (a descendant of King David) and Mary traveled to Bethlehem at the time Jesus was born to pay the Roman taxes.⁵

Bethlehem still exists today, situated approximately 10 kilometers (6 miles) south of the city of Jerusalem.

Footnotes:
¹ Genesis 35:19 and 48:7
² 1 Samuel 17:12
³ Micah 5:2
⁴ Matthew 2:1–6
⁵ Luke 2:1–4 and Matthew 2:1

Bethlehem had a long history even before it became known as the place where Jesus was born.

Bethlehem, known also as Ephrath, is mentioned first in Genesis as the burial place of Rachel, the wife of the patriarch Jacob.¹ Later, we’re told that Bethlehem was the home of Jesse, the father of King David.²

The prophet Micah mentioned Bethlehem in his prophecy,³ which was then quoted to King Herod during the visit of the magi who were traveling to Bethlehem in search of baby Jesus.⁴

In their Gospel accounts of the birth of Jesus, Matthew and Luke tell us how Joseph (a descendant of King David) and Mary traveled to Bethlehem at the time Jesus was born to pay the Roman taxes.⁵

Bethlehem still exists today, situated approximately 10 kilometers (6 miles) south of the city of Jerusalem.

Footnotes:
¹ Genesis 35:19 and 48:7
² 1 Samuel 17:12
³ Micah 5:2
⁴ Matthew 2:1–6
⁵ Luke 2:1–4 and Matthew 2:1

Nazareth was only a small town in Jesus’ day. Philip, who was to become one of Jesus’ disciples, told Nathanael, “We have found the man Moses and the prophets wrote about, Jesus of Nazareth.”

“Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”¹ Nathanael replied. The tiny farming village, far from the main trade routes, was not the type of place anyone would look for the Messiah.

Nazareth was also where Joseph and Mary were living when the angel Gabriel appeared first to Mary and later to Joseph to tell them that Mary was to become pregnant with baby Jesus.² Joseph, Mary, and young Jesus also later lived in Nazareth after returning from their flight to Egypt.³

Jesus spent most of his childhood and early adult years in Nazareth, living there until His early ministry days.

Footnotes:
¹ John 1:45–46
² Luke 1:26–35, Matthew 1:18–25
³ Matthew 2:13–23