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Did Baby Jesus live in Nazareth? Part 1

This is the first of a two part blog.

My son was listening to a Bible teacher who was teaching out of Luke 2. When he got to verse 39, he was taught that Jesus would have been just a little older than a couple of months when the family returned to Nazareth.

Luke 2:39 – When they had performed everything according to the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own city of Nazareth.

Is this right? Was Jesus only a few months old when he returned to Nazareth?

In order to determine whether this Bible teacher has properly understood Luke 2:39, we need to get some context. Context will come from the surrounding verses, the rest of the book and the whole Bible.

The two Gospels that tell us about Jesus’ birth are Matthew and Luke. They give us different accounts, though no one believes they are contradictory. We recognize they are different aspects of the one birth account. Let’s look at the birth account in Matthew.

The Magi Arrive

Matthew tells us that Herod determined how old Jesus was by asking the magi.

Matthew 2:7 – Then Herod secretly called the magi and determined from them the exact time the star appeared.

Once he knew the time the star appeared, he knew the age of this supposed king who would usurp his throne. He tells the magi to return after they find the child (not infant – the Greek word “paidion” is never used for an “infant” in the Bible). Herod expects the magi to do the hard work of finding the child and then he would have him killed.

Things don’t go as expected for Herod. The magi never return. When he realizes this, he determines to kill all the boys of Bethlehem 2-years-old and under. Why 2-years-old?

Matthew 2:16 – Then when Herod saw that he had been tricked by the magi, he became very enraged, and sent and slew all the male children who were in Bethlehem and all its vicinity, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the magi.

Just prior to this, Joseph has been warned by an angel to go into Egypt to hide until Herod has died. Joseph does so. Some time passes and when Herod dies, Joseph is afraid to go back to Jerusalem because Herod’s son, Archelaus, is now the ruler. Apparently, the son was as dangerous as his father.

As he ponders what he should do, Joseph has a dream and is instructed to go to Nazareth in Galilee (Matthew 2:21-22). Joseph takes his family and leaves Egypt. At this point, they return to Galilee.

Halfway through.

What do you think so far? Anyone think we ought to go with Luke and see Jesus in Galilee at the age of 50 days? How about going with Matthew’s account putting Jesus at over two years before getting to Galilee? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. God bless…

When the second half of this blog is published, it can be found here.