Page 8 - 200912 - The 'X' Chronicles Newspaper - December 2009

8 Where Was Jesus Born? 8 Where Was Jesus Born? WHERE WAS JESUS Matthew. It has people in a crowd rejecting bread,' a common name for settlements with WHERE WAS JESUS BORN? Jesus as the Messiah because the Messiah was mills capable of producing fine flour, rather BORN? than the course grade most Israelites used for expected to come from Bethlehem in Judea, whereas Jesus was known to come from their daily needs. In 1975, amid the musty, Christian tradition states that Jesus was born in Galilee. But both are compatible with Luke's damp and badly lit back shelves of the Bethlehem, Judea (now Palestine). This is about account, assuming that Joseph and Mary University Library in Cambridge, I first learned six miles, ten kilometers, south of Jerusalem returned quickly from Bethlehem in Judea to of a Galilean Bethlehem, near Nazareth, from "on the east side of the 'Patriarch's Highway' Nazareth. an obscure study of the Talmud published that ran along the ridge between Shechem and during the nineteenth century. I was surprised Hebron:" 1 The Church of the Nativity in * There are numerous references in New by the dearth of discussion of this place in New Bethlehem was built by Constantine the Great, Testament that identify Jesus as coming from Testament studies as the possible site of Jesus' circa 330 CE. It is believed by many Christians Nazareth. The early Christians were called birth, especially since a northern Bethlehem is and Muslims to have been built over the "Nazarenes." Jesus was called "Jesus of mentioned in the Hebrew Bible (Joshua location of Jesus' birth. The exact spot of Jesus' Nazareth" or "Jesus the Nazarene" or "Jesus the 19:15)....Now, however, archeological birth is identified by a hole in a 14 point star in Nazorean" - and never "Jesus of Bethlehem." excavations show that Bethlehem in Galilee is a a underground cave beneath the church. first-century site just seven miles [12 km] from Perhaps the most important reason to suspect Nazareth, so my former reserve can be put However, the location of Christ's birth is not the accuracy of Matthew and Luke is that aside. There is good reason to surmise that the certain. Bethlehem in Judea did not exist as a Bethlehem to which Matthew refers was in functioning town between 7 and 4 BCE when Galilee." * Matthew 2:1-6 quotes Micah 5:2 as one proof Jesus is believed to have been born. that Jesus was the anticipated Messiah. Micah Archaeological studies of the town have turned Aviram Oshiri writes: predicted that out of Bethlehem would "come a up a great deal of ancient Iron Age material "I had never before questioned the ruler who will be the shepherd of my people from 1200 to 550 BCE and material from the assumption that Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Israel." The picture drawn by Matthew is of an sixth century CE, but nothing from the 1st Judea. But in the early 1990s, as an engaged couple who were living in Bethlehem century BCE and 1st century CE. According to archaeologist working for the IAA, I was at the time of Jesus' birth. Aviram Oshiri, this included the "...Church of contracted to perform some salvage excavations the Nativity and associated Byzantine and around building and infrastructure projects in a * Luke 2:1-7 describes Joseph and Mary as medieval buildings. But there is a complete small rural community in the Galilee. When I residents of Nazareth in the Galilee. They had to absence of information for antiquities from the started work, some of the people who lived travel the approximately 90 miles (140 km) Herodian period--that is, from the time around around the site told me how Jesus was really south from Nazareth in the Galilee to the birth of Jesus." So, it appears that Bethlehem born there, not in the south. Intrigued, I Bethlehem in Judea in order to take part in the was deserted at the time that Jesus was born. researched the archaeological evidence for Roman census and taxation. Jesus was born Bethlehem in Judea at the time of Jesus and while they were in Bethlehem. This version of As usual, there is a division within Christianity found nothing. This was very surprising, as the Christmas story seems a little strange, for along conservative/liberal lines: Herodian remains should be the first thing one many reasons: should find. What was even more surprising is - The status of a woman in 1st century * Conservative Christians usually believe in the what archaeologists had already uncovered and Palestine was only slightly above that of a slave. inerrancy of the Bible. Since the Gospels of what I was to discover over the next 11 years of Only Joseph would be required to register with Matthew and Luke both refer to Bethlehem in excavation at the small rural site--Bethlehem of the authorities, because only men paid taxes. Judea, then that must have been Jesus' place of Galilee." The presence of his fiancée or wife would be birth. It is confirmed by the passage in Micah redundant. Mary would hardly have made the 5:2 which implied that the Messiah would be Excavations between 1992 and 2003 have 100 mile trip while 9 months pregnant unless it born there. uncovered the remains of a large church and was absolutely necessary. Joseph would have monastery built circa 500 CE. Oshri said: traveled alone. * Some liberal Christians are convinced by the "There is no doubt in my mind that these are - Aviram Oshri, a senior archaeologist lack of archaeological evidence in Bethlehem, impressive and important evidence of a strong with the Israeli Antiquities Authority (IAA), has Judea and the presence of archaeological Christian community established in Bethlehem said: "Basic medical knowledge tells you that a evidence in Bethlehem, Galilee that he was a short time after Jesus' death." He is certain that heavily pregnant woman could not ride a probably born in the Galilee. Further, according the structures are Christian because of the oil donkey that kind of distance without losing her to theologians Don Cuppitt and Peter lamps with crosses, baptismal font, bronze baby." Armstrong, "...our first principle of historical cross, and pig bones found on the site. He - There is no record of a worldwide criticism must be: be wary of any details in the expects that recognition of Bethlehem in Galilee census having been made in the last decade gospels which have close parallels in the Old as the birth place of Jesus may take a long time. BCE. If one had been conducted, it would have Testament."Their reasoning was that Christians He said: "Business interests are too important. been so disruptive that it certainly would have in the first century CE diligently searched the After all this time, the churches do not have a been recorded at the time in Roman documents. Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament) for strong interest in changing the nativity story." A census was taken by Quirinius during 6 CE, references for the coming Messiah. They would but that would have been when Jesus was about have found the reference to Bethlehem, Judea, He is probably right. With the fabulous success ten years of age. Also, it was held in Judea, but in Micah 5:3 and assumed that Jesus must have of The Da Vinci Code, and the newly preserved not the Galilee where Joseph lived. been born there. So, the authors of Matthew and and translated Gospel of Judas, and the rising - It makes absolutely no sense to require Luke would have followed this tradition. interest in Gnosticism -- one of the three main Jews and other inhabitants of the Roman divisions within the early Christian movement - Empire to return to their ancestral town for An alternate birth location: - Christians are probably not in a mood to registration. The economy of the Empire would relocate Jesus' birth from its traditional location. be devastated if everyone had to make such a A new possibility has been suggested recently. It has been a settled issue for over a millennium visit. The transportation facilities would be There appears to have been a small hamlet in and a half. [] hopelessly overloaded. Censuses are always Galilee that was also called Bethlehem -- taken where people live -- in ancient times and "Bethlehem HaGalilit" in Hebrew. It was MISSED AN EPISODE OF now. located very close to Nazareth. THE ‘X’ ZONE? * Mark 6:1 contradicts Matthew by identifying Bruce Chilton, author of "Rabbi Jesus" VISIT Nazareth as Jesus' birthplace as his comments: "hometown." John 7:41-43 also contradicts "Bethlehem in Hebrew means 'house of www.xzonepodcast.com