The many witnesses of the birth of Christ began in the Old Testament and continue to prophets today.
“Special Witnesses of the Birth of Christ,” Joseph Fielding McConkie, Sperry Symposium Classics, BYU Religious Studies Center
This article discusses twelve individuals or groups: Gabriel, Zacharias, Elisabeth, John the Baptist, Mary, Joseph, shepherds, a heavenly choir, Simeon, Anna, wise men, and, reluctantly, Herod, whom scriptures identify as witnesses of the birth of Christ.
“Dating the Birth of Christ,” Jeffrey R. Chadwick, BYU Studies 49, 4
Looking at historical and archeological records opens the possibility that Jesus was born in December of 5 BC.
“Jesus’ Atonement Foretold through His Birth,” Lynne Hilton Wilson, To Save the Lost: An Easter Celebration, BYU Religious Studies Center
We can see parallels in the Nativity accounts and the Atonement accounts: submission, angels, kings, and specific phrases such as seeking to destroy the Messiah.
“Good Tidings for Christmas,” John W. Welch, Eric D. Huntsman, S. Kent Brown, and others, BYU New Testament Commentary
This list of short essays on the Nativity accounts includes topics of swaddling clothes, wise men, and comparing the accounts in Matthew and Luke. |