The Birth of Jesus

These passages can be hard to find truly parallel parts, and break it down so that it makes sense. Here I cover the birth of Jesus - although as it includes the wise men as well I suspect it goes though to when He was a toddler. Is it just me or does anyone else think it's strange that Joseph keeps his family in Bethlehem for so long? They only went there for the roman census - you figure it can't take that long to fill out the form. Why didn't they go back to their home town and live closer to their families (especially as they had a new baby - what grandparent wants to miss out on that) Also wouldn't that be where Joseph had all his business contacts? Maybe there was a shortage of carpenters in Bethlehem, maybe they were trying to avoid any gossip that had occurred back home from Mary's pregnancy?, maybe by delaying the return home people wouldn't do all the month counting to figure out when Mary had got pregnant. Who knows, and who really cares? The important part is Jesus was born into the world, in humble circumstances. After his birth he is first visited by the lowest of the low (shepherds) and then the highest of the high (wise men) - which demonstrates his immediate, and intimate direct accessibility to all.