Johnny Skeptic

Even if the magi visited Jesus in Bethlehem, why should anyone believe that he was born there? He might just as well have been born in a neighboring town and then taken to Bethlehem.

Consider the following:

http://www.ankerberg.com/Articles/AT...J1203-QS-2.htm

First, let’s look at the material that is questioned. In the Gospel of Matthew, we are told, "Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of Herod the king." Then, in the Gospel of Luke we read: "And Joseph also went up from Galilee from the city of Nazareth to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, in order to register along with Mary, who was engaged to him and was with child. And it came about that while they were there, the days were completed for her to give birth; and she gave birth to her firstborn Son." Now, doesn’t it seem that both Matthew and Luke clearly state Jesus was born in Bethlehem?

Johnny: Regarding Matthew, yes, but regarding Luke, that is another matter entirely. Consider the following:

http://www.infidels.org/library/mode...ssiahgate.html

Dr. Larry Taylor

When was Jesus born? According to Luke, it was during the reign of the Roman governor Quirinius,during a census ordered by Augustus throughout the whole world. According to both Luke and Matthew it was also during the reign of king Herod "the Great." The problem is that Herod died in 4 B.C.E., and this was fully ten years before Quirinius' census. Furthermore, during Herod's reign, no Roman census could have been held in his territory, which included both Judaea and Galilee, the locations of both Bethlehem and Nazareth. Herod would have collected his own taxes, and given tribute to the Romans. Lastly, the existence of a census throughout the whole empire is contrary to the practice of the Romans, who collected taxes province by province, often subcontracting the process to "publicans."

Johnny: Where did Matthew and Luke get information from, and was it reliable? No one knows.

It is no wonder that most Jews rejected the absurd notion that Jesus fulfilled Micah 5:2. Taken in context, Micah chapter 5 does not mention anything even remotely close to a messiah that would be a peacemaker and tell people to turn the other cheek. Micah chapter 5 is about God getting even with enemies of the Jews. Here is the chapter in its entirety:

5:1 Now gather thyself in troops, O daughter of troops: he hath laid siege against us: they shall smite the judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek.

2 But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.

3 Therefore will he give them up, until the time that she which travaileth hath brought forth: then the remnant of his brethren shall return unto the children of Israel.

4 And he shall stand and feed in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God; and they shall abide: for now shall he be great unto the ends of the earth.

5 And this man shall be the peace, when the Assyrian shall come into our land: and when he shall tread in our palaces, then shall we raise against him seven shepherds, and eight principal men.

6 And they shall waste the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod in the entrances thereof: thus shall he deliver us from the Assyrian, when he cometh into our land, and when he treadeth within our borders.

7 And the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many people as a dew from the LORD, as the showers upon the grass, that tarrieth not for man, nor waiteth for the sons of men.

8 And the remnant of Jacob shall be among the Gentiles in the midst of many people as a lion among the beasts of the forest, as a young lion among the flocks of sheep: who, if he go through, both treadeth down, and teareth in pieces, and none can deliver.

9 Thine hand shall be lifted up upon thine adversaries, and all thine enemies shall be cut off.

10 And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD, that I will cut off thy horses out of the midst of thee, and I will destroy thy chariots:

11 And I will cut off the cities of thy land, and throw down all thy strong holds:

12 And I will cut off witchcrafts out of thine hand; and thou shalt have no more soothsayers:

13 Thy graven images also will I cut off, and thy standing images out of the midst of thee; and thou shalt no more worship the work of thine hands.

14 And I will pluck up thy groves out of the midst of thee: so will I destroy thy cities.

15 And I will execute vengeance in anger and fury upon the heathen, such as they have not heard.

Christians often accuse skeptics of taking scriptures out of context, but I suggest that they take their own advice.

Last but not least, we know for a fact that Jesus did not become ruler in Israel as Micah 5:2 promised.