Where Was Jesus Born?
Jesus’ birthplace and hometown
Where was Jesus born? In the Bible, Jesus’ birthplace is identified as Bethlehem. This scene from the Arena (Scrovegni) Chapel in Padua by the Italian artist Giotto shows Mary, Joseph and Jesus in the Bethlehem stable. The three wise men, along with their caravan, and angels gather around the child. Above the stable, Haley’s comet streaks across the sky. Haley’s comet was sighted in 1301, three years before Giotto painted this scene.
When the Christmas season draws near each year, the Nativity story is revisited in churches and households around the world. Passages from Matthew 1–2 and Luke 1–2, the infancy narratives in the Gospels, are read and sung—and even acted out in Christmas pageants.
Where was Jesus born? In the Bible, the answer seems straightforward: Bethlehem. Both Matthew 2 and Luke 2 state that Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea.
However, Biblical scholarship has called the identification of Bethlehem as Jesus’ birthplace into question: If Jesus was indeed born in Bethlehem, why is he called a Nazorean and a Galilean throughout the New Testament, and why is Bethlehem not mentioned as Jesus’ birthplace outside of the infancy narratives in the Gospels? This has caused some to wonder if Jesus was actually born in Nazareth.
In the November/December 2014 issue of BAR, Philip J. King addresses this question—where was Jesus born—in his Biblical Views column “Jesus’ Birthplace and Jesus’ Home.” He takes a close look at what the Bible says about the towns of Bethlehem, traditionally Jesus’ birthplace, and Nazareth, Jesus’ home.
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While Bethlehem in Judea was known in the Hebrew Bible and New Testament as being the birthplace of King David and the birthplace of the future messiah, the small village of Nazareth in Galilee was much lesser-known, not even warranting a mention in the Hebrew Bible, the Talmud or in the writings of Josephus. King explains, “Nazareth derives its importance entirely from its relationship to the life and teaching of Jesus.”
The contrast between Bethlehem, the birthplace of King David, and Nazareth, a small agricultural village, is obvious. Yet both sites were significant in the life of Jesus.
So if Jesus was born in Bethlehem, as the Gospels of Matthew and Luke attest, why was he called a Nazorean? To see what Philip J. King thinks—and for more information about the Biblical towns of Bethlehem and Nazareth—read the full column “Jesus’ Birthplace and Jesus’ Home” in the November/December 2014 issue of BAR.
BAS Library Subscribers: Read the full column “Jesus’ Birthplace and Jesus’ Home,” by Philip J. King in the November/December 2014 issue of Biblical Archaeology Review.
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Related reading in Bible History Daily
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The Infancy Narratives in Matthew and Luke—Of History, Theology and Literature
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This Bible History Daily feature was originally published on November 17, 2014.
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We ALL love GOD and his son who died for our sins. Doesn’t matter where he was born, who’s right, who’s wrong. We can all agree he came to earth, died and rose again to be seated at the right hand of OUR father! Love you my brother’s and sister’s.
So many `mysteries` are blown out of all proportion, presumably as the `bread and butter` of authors and writers who wish to make a name for themselves, inflate their ego, keep an organisation afloat etc.
This is surely one of those – anyone with half a brain can give a reason for this `stupendous, staggering, faith destroying` puzzle that may well tear the Church apart.
Sorry, naughty me!
If one is void of Spirit quickened faith then these `hurdles` will be constantly looming and no amount of education and `insight` will clear them – but constantly crash them.
I believe that the story of Bethlehem in Judea is the Story of John the Baptist and that it was taken from him like other stories in the New Testament. Jesus was born in the Galilee at least ten years after the Birth of John, and was his Disciple until the Beheading of John the Baptist for being a Treat to Roman Rule and Jewish Religious Order. Jesus only followed on the Destiny of John the Baptist and was Crucified six months after his Beheading during the Jewish Passover and Survive the Crucifixion and died on the Day of Ascension 40 days later! What we believe is the Story of Saul of Tarsus who saw the Spirit on the Way to Damascus but not the Real Jesus! It could have been the Spirit of John the Baptist?
Hello sons and daughters of the one true living God, please pray always that you shall be accounted worthy to escape the hour of temptation that is going to come upon the whole world. And pray always that you shall also be accounted worthy to stand in the presence of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
According to Matthew’s infancy narrative, Jesus was born in Bethlehem, not because of a census (which is Luke) but because Mary and Joseph lived there. And after the angel informed him of Herod’s death, Joseph settled in Galilee rather than returning to his home in Bethlehem in Judea.
Yeshua (“Ioseus, Jesus”) was born in a separate room or temporary dwelling as per ancient Jewish tradition. Birthing women, the same as menstruating ones, went to a separate tent or area till the period of their confinement was over. In this case is quite possible that if Yeshua was born in a skéné, Strong’s 4633, or succa (temporary dwelling) during Succot or the Feast of Tabernacles, Miriam (“Mary”) would have been confined to the succa for 7 days then on the 8th day have Yeshua circumcised and through her purification rites as per instructed in Lev 12. We should also keep in mind that birthing woman had midwives to assist her, not her husband. All this would not take away from placing Yeshua in a watering trough made from a carved stone. He would not have been born in close proximity to animals that is just not kosher at all.
“Biblical scholarship has recently called the identification of Bethlehem as Jesus’ birthplace into question…”
All I have to say to those scholars… 1 Corinthians 1:27 (KJV) But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty
https://ascentofsafed.com/cgi-bin/ascent.cgi?Name=Gilgul37
According to a famous rabbi arizal in tzfat (galilee) jesus was buried in galilee. Clearly we see he was buried in jerusalem according to nt. Maybe jerusalem isnt where we think it is?
Questions are possible, why Betlehem, Nazaret and Galilea are used. New Testament however supposes that Jesus was unknown mostly. There were many dwelling-places on inform. Parents were from Nazaret but Jesus was born in errand way. Mary may been also family of David? In Galilea Jesus perhaps helped his father in building of Roman town. In some maps there is Bethlehem near Nazaret. Young Jesus remowed to Cabernaum of Galilea!Matthew 4:13, John 2:12.
CB: indeed there is no issue here, then Bible is very clear and here is a quote from the Gospel of Matthew:
But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,
Mat 2:20 Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child’s life.
Mat 2:21 And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel.
Mat 2:22 But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee:
Mat 2:23 And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene.