1. The document provides a summary of the Christmas story based on biblical accounts in Matthew and Luke. It discusses details about Joseph and Mary's journey to Bethlehem, Jesus's birth, the shepherds and wise men who came to see the baby, and other biblical figures involved. 2. The document then provides a quiz with questions about these biblical Christmas stories to test the reader's knowledge. The questions cover topics like who told Mary and Joseph to go to Bethlehem, how many angels appeared to announce Jesus's birth, and the names and meanings of Jesus. 3. The document concludes by providing biblical answers to the quiz questions and expressing a hope that reflecting on the details will help readers see Jesus Christ as

1. The Christmas story –19th December 2016
“The virginwill conceive andgive birth to a son,and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God
with us”).(Matthew 1:23).
From the time we could comprehend, as Christianswewait for Christmas… the festivities and overall happiness
that come with it. But even as Christians,we take this important event for granted. Most of us remember the
festivities,visits,gifts etc but not the absoluteblessingof the greatest gift that one could ever have on this earth as
we know it. Therefore this presentation whishes to draw you as a reminder and how well “you think you know”
the Christmas story? Here aresome Christmas Biblequizquestions for you to think about. Many of these are basic
knowledge questions,but some of them will make you digto see if your answer really is right.
1. About Joseph and Mary:
a. Who told Mary and Joseph to go to Bethlehem?
b. True or False: Mary and Joseph went to Bethlehem for the birth of Jesus because they were following a
star.
c. 3 What form of transportation did Mary and Joseph use to get to Bethlehem?
2. About Jesus
a. Which Old Testament prophet had the most to say about the birth of Christ?
b. In the accounts announcing the birth of Christ (Matthew 1 and Luke 1 and 2) how many times did an
angel or angels appear?
c. Who told Joseph the baby’s name was to be Jesus?
d. Can you list 5 names of Jesus found in the Bible? Some you will find in the answer below are from Old
Testament prophecies.
e. What are the meanings of the names Jesus and Emmanuel?
3. About Shepherds and Wise Men
a. The shepherds and the wise men went to see Jesus. Which group followed a star and which group went to
find the baby because an angel told them where to look?
b. What did the angels sing to the shepherds?
c. When the shepherds went looking for Jesus, what was the sign they were to look for?
d. How many wise men or kings or magi came to see Jesus?
e. Matthew 2:8 says that Herod asked the wise men to inform him where the baby Jesus was. Why does this
verse say he wanted to know?
f. How old was Jesus when the wise men found him?
g. What are the three gifts which are mentioned being given by the wise men?
4. Miscellaneous
a. Which emperor ordered all the young children be killed?
b. What animals does the Bible say were present at the birth of Jesus?
c. What was the name of the unkind innkeeper who would not allow the pregnant Mary to lodge in his
inn?
d. What is the name of the priest who was told he would not die until he saw the Savior?
e. Two of the four Gospels do not mention the birth of Christ. Which two?
Answers:
1. About Joseph and Mary

2. a. Caesar Augustus.He ordered the people to go back to the city of their forefathers. Jos eph’s family was from
Bethlehem as stated in Luke 2:1: “In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of
the entire Roman world.”
b. False. As in the previous answer, they went not because an angel told them or because a star led them. They
were obedient to the established governmental authority.
c. The Bibledoes not say how they went from Galileeto Bethlehem. It was a 80 miletrip for them. It is likely that
they rode some type of animal,but the Biblegives no details.Itis commonly depicted that Mary rode a donkey
whileJoseph walked alongside.But that is simply an artistic depiction.Wedon’t really know.
2. About Jesus
a. The book of Isaiah hasmuch to say about the birth of the Savior.When one studies the bible, we come across
many prophetic words concerningJesus Christand His coming birth in the book of Isaiah.
b. At least 3 angelic announcements for the birth of Christ and 1 for the birth of John the Baptist. For Christ an
angel appeared before Mary and Joseph individually and a multitude of angels spoke to the shepherds. For
John’s birth announcement in Luke 1 Gabriel appeared before John’s father to announce the birth of John the
Baptist. We can learn this from Matthew 1:20-24; Luke 1:11-20; Luke 1:26-38; Luke 2:9-15.
c. An angel as we can read in Matthew 1:21, “She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus,
because he will save his people from their sins.” The Bibledoes not say that this was Gabriel;however, it is
assumed to be him sincehe was the one specifically mentioned as the messenger to Mary and Zachariasin Luke1.
d. Jesus, Emmanuel, the Christ, Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of
Peace. Isaiah 9:6; Matthew 1:21,23.
e. Jesus means Savior and Emmanuel means God with us. Jesus is the same name as the Old Testament name
Joshua which also means Savior. Matthew 1:21,23.
3. About Shepherds and Wise Men
a. The shepherds followed the instructions of the angels in Luke 2:9-15. The wise men followed the star to find the
placewhere Jesus was.Matthew 2:1, 2.
b. Technically angels are never said to “sing” in the Bible. Each time they appear they only speak. However, to
answer the question, the angels praised God with these words: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace,
good will toward men.” Luke 2:14.
c. A baby, wrapped in swaddlingclothes,lyingin a manger. Luke 2:12.
d. The Bible does not say how many wise men there were. Tradition says there were three because of the three
gifts. There are even names given to the three wise men in different countries and cultures, but we don’t really
know their names. It is also very likely there were many more than just three.
e. So that Herod could ‘pretend’ he wanted to worship the child.But we know that his intentions were far from
worship.Matthew 2:11-18.
f. The wise men saw His star at his birth and began following it. Later in the story Herod ordered all the children
aged 2 years and younger to be killed. Matthew 2:9-18.
g. Gold, frankincenseand myrrh. Matthew 2:11
4. Miscellaneous
a. Thiswas Herod.He orderedall the childreninBethlehemandthe outlyingareaswhowere 2yearsold
and youngertobe killed.However,JesusandHisfamilyhadalreadymovedtoEgypt as we can learn
fromMatthew 2:13, “When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he
said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search
for the child to kill him.”
b. In the NewTestament accounts of Christ’sbirth there is no mentionof any animals.However,
Isaiah 1:3 could be a prophecy talkingabout at least a donkey seeingthe crib of hisMaster (God).It
could allude to the fact that an ox was there too. If a bunch of shepherdswere there,one would

3. assume sheepwould have beenpresent.But there is no definite listofanimals mentionedinthe
Bible.
c. The Bible doesnotsay.Nordoesit evensaythat theywere inhospitablyturnedawayfromaninn.It
justsays there wasnot roomin the innat Bethlehem.Theremayhave beenmanyhundredsof people
campinginthe streetsandcountryside duringthe mandatorycensus aswe canlearnfrom Luke 2:7,
“…and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because
there was no guest room available for them.”
d. Simeon. We can find this in Luke 2:25,“Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous
and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. 26 It had been revealed
to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah.
e. Neither Mark or John tell the story of the birth of Christ.
Our prayer is that this presentation will make you to think of Jesus Christas a gift of God for all of humanity, rather
than simply as an annual festival that all of us wait for each year.