Mr O,

Happy Holiday Season, Uncle Xi Ping Pong sends his best wishes!

Paul,

"...but Paul did have to create the whole Bethlehem nativity story to fulfil the Jewish prophecy of the coming of the messiah."

Could the story not have come down through Christian oral tradition?

Issy, me old cock! Good to hear from yah, I though yah might have gone for the high jump! Did yah have a good Christmas, I wish you and yours all the best.

Of the 4 Christian recognised gospels only Matthew and Luke make any reference to the birth of Jesus. Matthews reference is scant, no mention of the nativity, simply justifying the out of wedlock pregnancy of Mary. Whereas in Luke's version the whole nativity story is played out in full. Luke was a disciple of Paul's, and most certainly his gospel was based on the teachings of Paul. Matthew was a disciple of Jesus as was John, the only two of the four gospel writers to be so. John's gospel was most likely very short but expanded after his death by followers who were opposed to orthodox Judaism and out of step with the Jerusalem Church what remained of it after about 70AD. Matthew's version very much sticks to the traditional Jerusalem Church concept and teachings of Christ. Mark was close to the Roman Church and was an associate of Paul's, but was a disciple of Peters. Peter appeared to lose leadership and influence in the Jerusalem Church around 15 years after Jesus's death, as James, brother of Jesus, become more influential and directed Christianity back towards orthodox Judaism. In later life Peter appears to have become more or less an "elder statesman" and the nominal leader of the Roman Church which was influenced very much by Paul.

Paul,

Paul, Just wondering but was James the full brother of Jesus, or only the half-brother, both the offsprings of Mary, but only one also the son of the human Joseph ?

I thought that the notion of the coming of a Messiah was a very old one embedded in Judaism, and that there had been quite a few dodgy 'Messiahs' since David's time. And of course, ever since Jesus, many others who claimed to be the real Messiah ?

Folk tales and myths can be so entertaining.

Merry Christmas !

Joe

Comrade Foul-Mouth,

It will show up on their birth certificates.

(Honestly, why do I bother?)

James, and Joses were sons of Joseph from his first marriage and are mentioned as being present at the time of Jesus Birth. Joseph was chosen to be Mary's husband by the Priest Zecheriah because he already had sons older than Jesus and as a younger son it would hide him among the family from Herod.

The sons of Joseph initially refuse to accept Jesus, [John 7: 5, Mark 3: 35] but in time they accept Jesus and James states in his writings that he serves him as Messiah [James 1: 1].