Bible Studies, Inspired by Faith and Science

Christmas is over... maybe. I believe in some traditions the Christmas celebration takes place on Jan 6th, so the season can hardly be over there. And in my tradition, I'm too lazy to take all the decorations down yet. They look pretty, and I've other stuff to do (like washing and cleaning). But January Coffee Break restarts tomorrow, so here is our next study from the Gospels, appropriately (for just after Christmas) looking at the childhood of Christ. Enjoy! (6) Childhood Tales The holy family flees to Egypt, fulfilling prophecy ( Read Hosea 11:1) . Who else “fled” to Egypt in the Old Testament? 1.        Read Matthew 2:13-15 Why Egypt? Where in Egypt? And what kind of support might they have found there? 2.        Read Matthew 2:19-23 Why Nazareth? ( Read Luke 1:26, Luke 2:39-40) What kind of support might they have found there? 3.        Why not Bethlehem? Or even, why Bethlehem in...

Out of Nazareth 1. When was Jesus presented in the Temple? 2. What’s the significance of the gifts his parents gave? 3. When was Jesus lost in the Temple? 4. What’s the significance of where he was found? 5. How could Jesus’ parents have lost him? 6. What other stories do we know about Jesus’ childhood? 7. When did Joseph die? 8. How many brothers and sisters did Jesus have? 9. Why do so many stories not appear in the gospels? 10. What’s the difference between faith and tradition? Jesus was circumcised and named on the eighth day according to Jewish law. After six weeks, when Mary and Jesus had completed the period of purification (another Jewish law that protected mother and child from illness during those critical early days) Jesus was presented in the Temple as the first-born son. (First-born son means both first child and first male child. Sons born after miscarriages would not have been first-borns.) The gift they bring is the substitute gift (doves or pigeons) rather than the mor...