Nativity
The story of Jesus’ birth is known as the Nativity. Jesus was born in Bethlehem in around the year 5 BCE. His parents were Mary and Joseph, and he was given the Hebrew name Yeshua (“Jesus” comes from this name via Greek and Latin). When he was growing up he would have been known as “the carpenter’s son” (Joseph was a carpenter), but we know him as Jesus of Nazareth (he grew up in the town of Nazareth in the area of Galilee, which is now in Israel) and Jesus Christ (“Christ” comes from the Greek, and means Messiah).
Childhood
Shortly after his birth, Jesus's family fled to Egypt to escape King Herod’s order to kill all young boys, returning to Nazareth after Herod’s death. We do not know much about Jesus’ life at this time - it is likely that he trained as a carpenter with Joseph, and had brothers and sisters.
At the age of 12, Jesus travelled with his parents to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover festival. However on the way home, Mary and Joseph realised that they had left Jesus behind in Jerusalem. They found him in the temple (this would have been the Second Temple) discussing religion with the religious teachers. In Luke’s Gospel (chapter 2), we read,
Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers.
When they had located him, Mary told Jesus that she and Joseph had been worried about him, and he replied,
Why were you searching for me? Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?
This story highlights Jesus’ early understanding of his relationship with God, giving rise to the title, the Son of God.
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