Revelation of the Magi

[reneweddaybyday]

though upon what you posted nothing says in scripture Joseph and Mary even stayed in Bethlehem for more than a day or two, they could have very well went back to Nazareth right after the census which is about a five days journey 90 miles on foot even shorter if on horse back,

then they could have circumised Jesus in Nazareth on the 8th day, then waited some 30 days then traveled back to Jerusalem for the purification rites. scripture says they offered two turtledoves or two pigeons, this implies they were poor, so the Magi had to come after Mary's purification days, the 8 days for circumised plus the 33 days Mary had to wait until entering the temple, because if the magi had come before that, they would have had money to offer the two lambs instead of the two turtledoves or pigeons.

I don't know if you have children and whether you have considered how difficult it would be to travel with a young mother (who had just given birth) and an infant. Add to that the fact that they traveled on foot, the weather at the time they traveled ... it would have been colder at night, perhaps moderate during the day.

Now you're suggesting they left Bethlehem, traveled 90 miles on foot, and made it home to Nazareth in time to circumcise Jesus when He was 8 days old. Then turn around and travel back to Jerusalem. That is easy enough for us in our day and time, but back then? on foot? after just having given birth? and having to tend to an infant? ... just some thoughts to ponder

You mention the fact that they were not rich. Joseph was a carpenter and he could have worked in Bethlehem to support his young family while they stayed there.

Also note that Lev 12 indicates Mary was considered "unclean" until the completion of the day of her purification. I do not know what protocol was followed when someone was considered unclean, but I don't know if she would have been able to travel freely and openly.

the direction the magi was traveling from Jerusalem in my opinion has not much weight, for the star they seen and guided them could very easily turned them around and they traveled to Nazareth either on foot or horse back, the star stopped over a house this implies Joseph and Mary were back home in their house in Nazareth, for they didn't live in Bethlehem nor had a house in Bethlehem We know that because there was no room at the Inn when Mary gave birth to Jesus, they stayed in the barn. if they had a house in Bethlehem they would have stayed there to begin with.

Joseph and Mary could have stayed in Bethlehem. After the census was finished and people left, there may have been dwellings they could have stayed in. Joseph was a carpenter and he could have picked up work in Bethlehem.

Looking at your scenario, you have Joseph and Mary leaving Bethlehem after Mary had just given birth and Jesus was a very young infant.

How many days are you going to allow for Mary to be able to recuperate from childbirth before you have her travel on foot over a long distance? And remember, she would have had to stop every two to three hours in order to feed Jesus.

And you have her arriving in Nazareth on the eighth day after His birth?

Yikes, that's pretty rough treatment of a young wife/mother, as well as the infant.


Another thought I have had concerning whether or not Joseph and Mary stayed in Bethlehem or returned to Nazareth is that when we read Matthew 2:16-18, we see that Herod slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof (vs 16).

Would all the coasts of Bethlehem include Nazareth, which was 90 miles away?

 

[IamWhoIam]

I don't know if you have children and whether you have considered how difficult it would be to travel with a young mother (who had just given birth) and an infant. Add to that the fact that they traveled on foot, the weather at the time they traveled ... it would have been colder at night, perhaps moderate during the day.

Now you're suggesting they left Bethlehem, traveled 90 miles on foot, and made it home to Nazareth in time to circumcise Jesus when He was 8 days old. Then turn around and travel back to Jerusalem. That is easy enough for us in our day and time, but back then? on foot? after just having given birth? and having to tend to an infant? ... just some thoughts to ponder

You mention the fact that they were not rich. Joseph was a carpenter and he could have worked in Bethlehem to support his young family while they stayed there.

Also note that Lev 12 indicates Mary was considered "unclean" until the completion of the day of her purification. I do not know what protocol was followed when someone was considered unclean, but I don't know if she would have been able to travel freely and openly.





Joseph and Mary could have stayed in Bethlehem. After the census was finished and people left, there may have been dwellings they could have stayed in. Joseph was a carpenter and he could have picked up work in Bethlehem.

Looking at your scenario, you have Joseph and Mary leaving Bethlehem after Mary had just given birth and Jesus was a very young infant.

How many days are you going to allow for Mary to be able to recuperate from childbirth before you have her travel on foot over a long distance? And remember, she would have had to stop every two to three hours in order to feed Jesus.

And you have her arriving in Nazareth on the eighth day after His birth?

Yikes, that's pretty rough treatment of a young wife/mother, as well as the infant.


Another thought I have had concerning whether or not Joseph and Mary stayed in Bethlehem or returned to Nazareth is that when we read Matthew 2:16-18, we see that Herod slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof (vs 16).

Would all the coasts of Bethlehem include Nazareth, which was 90 miles away?

Yes you are correct, it doesn't make sense Mary walked on foot, besides Joseph was a up right man, he wouldn't let Mary walk 90 miles being 9 months pregnant from Nazareth to Bethlehem of coarse not. As well Joseph was a carpenter he built structures, made furniture, built carts out of wood, being that carpentry was his trade he had a mule and a cart for carrying tools, lumber etc.

back in those days the people had a wide range of transportation modes, some being horses, camels, mules, donkeys, boats, carts, chariots. the magi came from another country riding on horses, these men had some wealth and surely wouldn't be walking from country to country, Mary rode in the back of the cart, with some food and some water, some extra clothes for the trip to Bethlehem.

Jesus quite often rode in a boat, rode on a donkey, sat in the back of cart chewing on a long blade of grass, swinging His legs back and forth, watching the morning fog fade away, the sunshine beaming through the mist, glistening off the foliage dew, a shepherd tending to his flock out in the open field, as the sheep grazed on the green meadow.

In the winter months out in the open field it is cold and damp, not much vegetation is growing either. So shepherds would store up hay and grain feed for the flock to eat during those times because the sheep would be spending more time in the corral pin or in the barn rather than eating fresh grass in the open field during the growing season.

now if we could only know the time frame in which Zachariah served his duty in the temple could be known well that would go a long way to understanding things, But I think those dutys probably was at regular intervals in a certain month yearly.

peace out,

 

[reneweddaybyday]

now if we could only know the time frame in which Zachariah served his duty in the temple could be known well that would go a long way to understanding things, But I think those dutys probably was at regular intervals in a certain month yearly

According to 1 Chronicles 23:6 – 24:19, King David divided the priests into 24 groups. The "course of Abia" (called "Abijah" in Chronicles) was the eighth course.

Each "course" of priests would serve in the Temple twice a year for one week. The first course began the first week of the year and each succeeding course would follow. So week 2 of the year, the second course of priests (Jedaiah according to 1 Chr 24:7) would serve; week 3, the third course (Harim – 1 Chr 24:8); etc., etc.

In addition, all the priests would serve at the Temple during the three Feasts – the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Pentecost, and the Feast of Tabernacles.

I found a chart* online which shows the author's viewpoint as to the timing of the course of Abia during the period the author believed Zacharias served in the Temple as shown in Luke 1. Hope this helps you in understanding the "course of Abia".

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*reneweddaybyday disclosure: as far as the date of John Baptist birth or birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, I am not saying I agree or disagree with the findings of the person who organized the chart. I just posted this information to help IamWhoIam understand the various "courses" of priestly service in the Temple. In other words, I will not participate in a debate as to the timing of the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.