What the Angels Said

A few years ago I wrote a letter to my son-in-law explaining a children's book that I had read to his daughter. Don't believe I ever gave it to him, but then I have regularly written notes to my children and various others expressing something, and then spared them the tedium of having to endure my lecture. The book was a small inaccurate one (from the position of my faith) that failed to include the complete Biblical view of who the baby Jesus was. It had seemed a safe presentation of what was acceptable for a Muslim child to know, though. (It had not declared Jesus to be the Son of God, etc.) She loved it. After having been left in my care for a few days, I had read it to her at Christmas. When her parents returned, she was full of questions and got into trouble asking about it. I thought an explanation to be in order, as I had followed the limitations of what she was allowed to know.


You asked if this children’s account of Christmas book was based on truth, if it was accurate. Mostly it is, even if one is only considering the gospels as historical sources. It tells the story of the birth of a famous person, not of the Son of God, removing most of the supernatural elements. It includes elements that are in the gospel accounts, but leaves out what to Christians would be significant information. Like the hadith, they contain the accounts of the apostles and early disciples, companions who were there and recorded what happened. The discrepancy is that the book does not report what the gospels say the angels really said. One part of what the angels really said was

Unto you is born in the city of David, a Savior which is Christ the Lord.
Since this was announced to shepherds in Israel, within their cultural context, they knew the savior was the expected Messiah. From the Psalms many of the details were already known. David was born in and lived in Bethlehem as a child, so that was known as the city of David. 

The Jews required every boy to be literate enough to read the Scriptures. In the Psalms a whole foundation is laid where the Messiah is called Lord, treated as God, not a mere man. And Isaiah (7:14) declared the Lord Himself will give you a sign: behold a virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Emmanuel. (Emmanuel meant god with us.)

Another part of Isaiah says for unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.

Prophecies may sometimes seem to be taken out of context. I can only explain that even at Herod’s time, the verses were already interpreted to be prophecies. These verses were read in their synagogues, not just in the temple. So simple folks with more limited learning, and based on more oral culture still had access to them, just as do shepherds in Arab lands who depend on songs and readings to the masses who might not have their own copies of the Koran, or the time to devote to reading as some more wealthy might.

A verse said He shall be called a Nazarene. Another stated Galilee, of the Gentiles …(those who) sit in darkness have seen a great light. The Jews’ land was inherited and you weren’t supposed to go off from where you were born except on a trip. Normally if you were from Bethlehem or Nazareth, you’d remain there to live. Fulfilling all of these Scriptures took some doing. It wasn’t something that would normally happen. They were in Nazareth, but there arose a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed. This meant everyone within the Roman empire. Since Joseph was of the line of David, he had to go to Bethlehem.

The book, I think mentions they were warned by an angel to leave, which they did, fleeing to Egypt. It may not, but I told your child about it as it is part of the story because the Bible relates this. There is another verse in the Old Testament saying I called my son out of Egypt. I am telling you this in case she asks about the bad soldiers who came to hurt the babies.

You see, when the wise men came from the east (Iran or somewhere,) they were experts in astrology and reading the stars.) They stopped and asked King Herod where the new king could be expected to be born. The men had followed the star. The king feigned friendliness, but he didn’t want to be replaced. He told them to come back and tell him about it, but they didn’t.

The experts told them Bethlehem was the expected place based on the various scriptures. Herod sent soldiers later, to kill all the babies two and under in Bethlehem, just to make sure they covered all the possible boys. An angel sent the young family away in time. But there was another scripture to prophesy the sorrow of this massacre, something that neither Joseph nor Mary could have arranged in order to fulfill it.

In fact, of all the prophecies that could have been arranged to “coincidentally” fulfill these conditions was taking a trip to Bethlehem. Or leaving and going to Egypt, but the timing of when to leave could not have been known. Instead, persons of other faiths (wise men), the corrupt King Herod, a Roman emperor, as well as Roman soldiers were moved around on a cosmic chess board. Though the shepherds might have been expected to know where the Christ was to be born, they could not have expected to know where exactly to find Him or when. A rational mind might discount the testimonies of those who claimed angelic visitations, but the coordination of things outside their control lends credence to their stories.

Much of this story is recorded in the gospel of Luke ( Lk.1:26-2:38, but also Matthew 1:18-2:23.) I believe you have access to a Bible which has a concordance. It should list various verses related to Jesus and his birth, as well as what prophecies were fulfilled from the Old Testament. Or you can get one used that will have it, or find the information online.

 
Now there were in the same country (Israel) shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, do not be afraid, for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy that shall be to all people. For there shall be born to you this day in the city of David, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: you will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!

The Gospel of Matthew contains the story of the wise men and Herod, as well as what Joseph was told. The Gospel of Luke tells of the shepherds, the annunciation to Mary, as well as John the Baptist’s birth. Mark starts with John the Baptist and Jesus as men. The Gospel of John begins with Jesus as the Word of God, the creator of the world, focusing on his deity, infinity, and power. This is interesting as he was Jesus’ best friend, and you might expect him to talk about his buddy. (In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…) But that goes off on another study.

Of course, Joseph and Mary were both spoken to by angels. But the children’s book doesn’t go into those announcements, the explanation of the virgin birth, nor that He would be the Son of God, nor God-Emmanuel, or that He would save people from their sins. It merely presents the birth of a special baby whose arrival was announced by angels. In fact, lacking the data about the virgin birth, it is less dramatic than the Koran.

The purpose is merely to explain celebrating a baby’s birthday. She cannot get Christian dogma from this book, as the book omits it. If Jesus is one of your prophets why would you keep her from it? Ordinarily I would not have even purchased it since it presents a limited view of Him. But it does allow a Jesus about equal with your understanding of who He is.

　

This is for your understanding of what I said, what I left out, and what will give you a comprehensive study on the birth of Jesus. Since he is supposed to be one of your prophets, I see no harm in it. It should be as useful or more, as a study of Abu Bakr. More so because the Koran does not speak of Bakr as sinless, or conceived by a virgin, nor of His miracles and teachings.

Note to the reader:  One of the first premises of writing is to recycle. Since I had not used the work for the purpose as originally written, it seemed okay to use here, that is especially considering I was going to post the next item (above this one.)