Sunday, December 9, 2012

The Great Christmas Quiz - Day 9

Yesterday's question was:   What is a manger?  (Bonus: What is it made of?)

Did you say a feeding trough made out of wood?  You would be right on one part, but not the other.

(1) A manger is a feed trough found in a stable. In Bible times mangers were made from clay mixed with straw or from stones held together with mud; sometimes they were carved in natural outcroppings of rock.

(1) This information was gathered from http://www.padfield.com/1999/manger.html

That poor babe (Our Lord Jesus) was laid in such a hard place.  I always thought (as you probably did) that he had a  nice straw bed.  Take a minute and go to the above referenced site and take a look at the photo of what he was probably laid in.

The reference for this is Luke 2:7


Day 9 Question:

In what type of structure was Jesus born? 


Saturday, December 8, 2012

The Great Christmas Quiz - Day 8

Day 7 you were asked what exactly are swaddling clothes.


(1)It was a common belief of the day that in order for a newborn infant's arms and legs to grow straight and strong they needed to be tightly wrapped at birth. Babies were wrapped from their shoulders to their feet with long strips of cloth 4-5 inches wide and 15-20 feet long. The act of wrapping the child up so tightly and completely was called "swaddling"; and the strips of cloth were called "swaddling clothes".
Ironically, these same strips of cloth used to wrap the limbs of babies were also used for wrapping the bodies of the dead. How appropriate that Jesus' life on earth would begin this way...

(1) http://copiosa.org/christmas/swaddling.htm


Day 8 Question:

The lay him in a manger.  What is a manger?  (Bonus: What is it made of?)

Friday, December 7, 2012

The Great Christmas Quiz - Day 7

Day 6 you were asked what sign the shepherds were to look for.  Did you get it right? My first answer was wrong as I was not thinking, I was just trying to answer the question quickly.

The correct answer is a babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.  Luke 2:12

I was too quick to answer this and said a star...oops!

Day 7 Question:

When Jesus was born, he is wrapped in swaddling clothes.  What are swaddling clothes?



Thursday, December 6, 2012

The Great Christmas Quiz - Day 6

The question from yesterday was: What is a heavenly host?

The answer: A heavenly host means an army of angels.  I personally can't imagine being a shepherd out in the field and being approached by an angel in the first place.  But then after the angel speaks a host of angels shows up and starts talking....WOW!  I think I would have fainted dead away.


Day 6 Question:  What sign are the shepherds to look for?


Wednesday, December 5, 2012

The Great Christmas Quiz - Day 5

Day 4 Question: Why do Mary & Joseph go to Bethlehem?

Answer: Luke 2:1-5  Caesar Augustus sent out a decree that all should be registered. So everyone had to return to their own city to be counted for the census.


Day 5 Question:

A heavenly host appears to the shepherds watching their flocks in the fields.  What is a heavenly host?

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

The Great Christmas Quiz - Day 4

Answer to Day 3

When Mary becomes pregnant, what relation is she to Joseph?

Betrothed - Matthew 1:18  & Luke 1:26-27

I really didn't understand the concept of engaged vs. betrothed vs. married so I have done some research.  The most easily understood page that I came across was: www.ecclesia.org/truth/betrothed.html

Basically it says that you are beyond engagement but not yet officially married.  Betrothment could last anywhere from one month to one year or more depending on what the family decides.  For all intents and purposes they were married but not yet living together and they had not consummated the relationship.  This time was set aside while they decided where to live, what occupation they would have, what dowry (if any) was to be given.

To read more on the subject, I would refer you back to the link above.  Today I definitely learned something.


Day 4 Question: (this one should be easier)

Why do Mary & Joseph go to Bethlehem?


Monday, December 3, 2012

The Great Christmas Quiz - Day 3

First the answer to yesterday's question:

When Elizabeth sees her cousin Mary, the baby inside of her leaps for joy.  Who is the baby that Elizabeth is  carrying?

John the baptist - Luke 1:41-44,60,63


Question for Day 3

When Mary becomes pregnant, what relation is she to Joseph?

Sunday, December 2, 2012

The Great Christmas Quiz - Day 2

First the answer to yesterday's question:

The angel Gabriel appears to three people associated with the Christmas story:

Mary - Luke 1:26-38
Joseph - Matthew 1: 20-23
Zacharias - Luke 1: 11-17



Today's question:

When Elizabeth sees her cousin Mary, the baby inside of her leaps for joy.  Who is the baby that Elizabeth is carrying?

Saturday, December 1, 2012

The Great Christmas Quiz - Day 1

Welcome to the Great Christmas Quiz!

The angel Gabriel appears to three people associated with the Christmas story: Mary, Joseph, and who else?