Joy to the world! This was a great Christmas chapter. A couple of quick new things I learned: * Bethlehem was the birth place of David and was widely known to be the prophesied birth place of the Savior. Mary could have easily not given birth there, but the census made it all happen. * The name Jesus means Savior. Throughout this book I've learned a lot about meanings of names and titles of the Savior. * King Herod was totally crazy and very violent--much like many dictators in more modern days. * Staying in the manger was a fairly common thing in times when inns were full.
Besides those facts, I just enjoyed reviewing the nativity story. I liked the insight (I think it may have been in one of the end notes) about the shepherds and the magi representing the wide range of socioeconomic status. The message of the birth of the Savior is for everyone. Merry Christmas!
What an appropriate time to read about the nativity. I learned that just because they stayed outside the inn didn't necessarily mean they were poor but there were other evidences in the scriptures that indicated their humble circumstances.
Angels and heavenly hosts singing to shepherds-- WOW!! I would like to experience that. They must have been so excited at the news.
Question about the wise men: They said they saw a star in the east... so wouldn't they have come from the west? However, Elder Talmage as well as some historians he quotes say they came from the east. I don't understand.
I was interested in how LDS scholars concluded that April 6, B.C. 1 is the birthdate of Christ. They said that because Joseph Smith got a revelation on that day and God said it was one thousand eight hundred and thirty years since the coming of the Savior therefore that it was the birthdate of the Savior. I guess we belive that God is always precisely specific in his statements- no generalizations or broadness.
I enjoyed reading about the birth of Christ and being reminded about what is fact and what is embellishment. Every time I read a chapter I feel Christ become more real, the world he lived in becomes more real too, and I feel the Spirit bring peace and joy to my soul.
Joy to the world! This was a great Christmas chapter. A couple of quick new things I learned:
ReplyDelete* Bethlehem was the birth place of David and was widely known to be the prophesied birth place of the Savior. Mary could have easily not given birth there, but the census made it all happen.
* The name Jesus means Savior. Throughout this book I've learned a lot about meanings of names and titles of the Savior.
* King Herod was totally crazy and very violent--much like many dictators in more modern days.
* Staying in the manger was a fairly common thing in times when inns were full.
Besides those facts, I just enjoyed reviewing the nativity story. I liked the insight (I think it may have been in one of the end notes) about the shepherds and the magi representing the wide range of socioeconomic status. The message of the birth of the Savior is for everyone. Merry Christmas!
What an appropriate time to read about the nativity. I learned that just because they stayed outside the inn didn't necessarily mean they were poor but there were other evidences in the scriptures that indicated their humble circumstances.
ReplyDeleteAngels and heavenly hosts singing to shepherds-- WOW!! I would like to experience that. They must have been so excited at the news.
Question about the wise men: They said they saw a star in the east... so wouldn't they have come from the west? However, Elder Talmage as well as some historians he quotes say they came from the east. I don't understand.
I was interested in how LDS scholars concluded that April 6, B.C. 1 is the birthdate of Christ. They said that because Joseph Smith got a revelation on that day and God said it was one thousand eight hundred and thirty years since the coming of the Savior therefore that it was the birthdate of the Savior. I guess we belive that God is always precisely specific in his statements- no generalizations or broadness.
I enjoyed reading about the birth of Christ and being reminded about what is fact and what is embellishment. Every time I read a chapter I feel Christ become more real, the world he lived in becomes more real too, and I feel the Spirit bring peace and joy to my soul.