I suspect that most people have been acquainted with the manger scene – you know, the one that is quite popular near the Christmas season. So, what do you normally see in such a scene? You see Mary, Joseph, their baby Jesus. You see shepherds and the wisemen as well. According to the Scriptures, “Who Was Present At Christ’s Birth?”
We know that the Romans had called a census and all people had to go to their home areas to be registered. Since Joseph was of the house and lineage of David, he had to go to Bethlehem. Let’s read what happened next,
Luke 2:6, 7
And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. [KJV]
So, according to what we have read so far, there was Mary, Joseph and the new born Jesus. There is no mention of anyone yet. Let’s read on.
Luke 2:8-16
And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.
And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. [KJV]
You will notice here that along with Mary, Joseph and Jesus, we now have the shepherds that were told by the angel that Jesus had just been born. And those are all the people that are mentioned as being present at the birth of Jesus Christ. So where are the wise men? Well let’s next consider a record from the Book of Matthew.
Matthew 2:1
Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem. [KJV]
Note here that it says “when Jesus was born”, these men came from the east to Jerusalem. These men are also known as the Magi and would have been men who understood the celestial signs that led them to where Jesus was born. However, as we noted before, there was no mention of them as being present as the birth of Jesus.
Well, these men – and incidentally, there is no mention anywhere that there were only three of them – and in fact, in those days people generally traveled in caravans for protection – and especially since these men came from quite far away, there was most likely a large contingent. They visit King Herod and ask him if he knows where the King of the Jews had been born because they had seen his star in the east. We should also note that aside from these men, there is no indication that anyone else recognized any celestial occurrence regarding the birth of the Christ. The Christmas story of an exceptionally bright star leading everyone is just that – a story with no Biblical basis. The Magi were trained to recognize the movements of heavenly bodies and they are the only ones mentioned in the Bible has having seen noteworthy events in the heavens.
Matthew 2:7
Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, inquired of them diligently what time the star appeared. [KJV]
Note again that Herod had to ask them when the star appeared for only the Magi had seen it. Now note carefully what happened next.
Matthew 2:9-11
When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshiped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. [KJV]
So when they reached Bethlehem, we are told that they entered a “house” – not a manger, but an actual house. Mary and Joseph and Jesus were no longer at a manger – that was only for the actual birth. You will also note here that it says “they saw the young child” – not a baby that had just been born as in the case of the visit of the shepherds. And then the Magi proceeded to give Jesus some gifts. So at this point Jesus was no longer a baby but a young child and Mary and Joseph were living in a house.
After the visit of the Magi, Joseph was told by God to take the young child and his mother to Egypt because Herod would seek to kill him. Joseph obeyed and took Mary and Jesus to Egypt. Now look at what Herod did after this.
Matthew 2:16
Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men. [KJV]
What did he do? He killed all the children that were in Bethlehem and the coasts that were two years old and under – and it says that he did this according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men. So when he had asked the Magi when Jesus was born, they had told him that the young child was somewhere between 1 and 2 years old – which is why Herod had all the children that were 2 years old and under killed. Had he been a new born baby, he would just have had newborns killed. But Jesus at this point was not a baby but a young child. It was a young child that the Magi had seen when they came to visit Mary and Joseph.
So who was present at the birth of Christ? According to the Scriptures, it was only Mary and Joseph. Shortly after he was born, the shepherds arrived and praised God for the birth of his son. And those are the only ones that are mentioned in the Scriptures as being present at the birth. More than a year later when Mary and Joseph were living in a house in Bethlehem, the Magi paid a visit according to celestial activity that only they had recognized as being significant.