The Birth of Christ

Season 2Episode 130 minJuni 6, 2011
The Birth of Christ
In fact only two of the four accounts of the life of Christ in the New Testament, the Gospel of Luke and the Gospel of Matthew, tell of his birth. These Infancy Gospels, as they are known, both agree that Jesus was born in Bethlehem and today pilgrims and tourists mill in their thousands around the Church of the Nativity built upon the supposed site of Christ’s entry into the world, just as they have for centuries. But only Luke mentions the Census and the journey from Nazareth. Neither mentions the ox or the ass. The visitors from the east are nowhere referred to as Kings and nor is it mentioned that there are three of them. Both Gospels mention King Herod, but his dates do not correspond with the dates of a possible Roman census under the Governor Quirinus mentioned in Luke, which came ten years after Herod the Great’s death. And what census, then or now, would take you away from your main residence to be counted in a town which you or your ancestors have long since left? We reveal that even though we assume that Joseph is present at the birth of Christ, this is not mentioned in any of the gospels. In fact according to purification laws outlined in the Temple Scroll and in the book of Leviticus, under Jewish law the only people that may have been present at the birth would in fact have been women. With help from leading academics, archaeologists and Jewish and Christian theologians, we visit many of the locations mentioned in the Gospels to place the birth of Christ in its historical, cultural and Jewish and early Christian contexts and piece together the real story of The Nativity.
The Birth of Christ has aired on Juni 6, 2011
Previous EpisodeNext Episode

Trailer

We do not have any trailers for this episode

Recently Updated Shows

Recently updated shows that might be of your interest.
Grantchester
Running

Grantchester

Eavesdropping on the life of Sidney Chambers, a charismatic, charming, crime-fighting clergyman, and his partner in crime Police Inspector Geordie Keating, became a highlight for the audience who revelled in their on screen partnership. Geordie's plain-speaking, down to earth approach to policing complemented Sidney's more gentle technique of coaxing information from witnesses and suspects. Their unlikely pairing became a true friendship as each offered a different insight into the crimes they unravelled.

GenreDrama, Crime, Mystery
The Repair Shop
Running

The Repair Shop

The Repair Shop is a workshop of dreams, where broken or damaged cherished family heirlooms are brought back to life.

Furniture restorers, horologists, metal workers, ceramicists, upholsterers and all manner of skilled craftsmen and women have been brought together to work in one extraordinary space, restoring much-loved possessions to their former glory.

Many of these items have incredible stories behind them and a unique place in history: from an accordion played in the Blitz by a woman who is now in her 90s, to a beautifully crafted clock made by a father who was completely blind; a Pinball machine that is currently being used as a kitchen counter, and a Davenport desk with its trademark fake drawers which fooled burglars - and their crowbar.

The Repair Shop is an antidote to our throwaway culture and shines a light on the wonderful treasures to be found in homes across the country.

School Spirits
Running

School Spirits

When Maddie finds herself trapped in afterlife limbo at her high school, she decides to investigate her own mysterious disappearance.

GenreDrama, Fantasy, Supernatural
Cobra Kai
Running

Cobra Kai

Thirty years after the events of the 1984 All Valley Karate Tournament, Johnny Lawrence's life has taken a rocky turn as he tries to forget a past that constantly haunts him. He seeks redemption by reopening the infamous Cobra Kai karate dojo. But the LaRusso-Lawrence rivalry of yesteryear is reignited when their lives become intertwined with the next generation of "karate kids".

GenreDrama, Comedy, Action
Black Snow
Running

Black Snow

In 1994, seventeen-year-old Isabel Baker was murdered. The crime shocked the small town of Ashford and devastated Isabel's Australian South Sea Islander community. The case was never solved, the killer never found. But in 2019, the opening of a time capsule unearths a secret that puts cold-case Detective James Cormack on the trail of the killer.

GenreDrama, Crime, Mystery