10 Inspiring Facts About Jesus

Here are some fun, engaging facts surrounding the various characters, places, and miraculous events around Jesus’ birth and childhood:

1. Bethlehem (Birthplace of the Lord): The name of the town (in Hebrew) can be broken into two words: “Beth,” meaning “house,” and “lehem,” which means “bread.” It’s hard not to see the significance here. Not only did the prophet Micah predict that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem, but Jesus frequently referred to himself as the “Bread of Life” (John 6:35, 48, 51).

2. His Virgin Birth: Mary, an ordinary young woman, found herself at the centre of God’s divine plan, chosen to give birth to Jesus (Matthew 1:18-24). The extraordinary virgin birth story, found in Matthew 1:18-25 and Luke 1:26-38, tells us that she conceived Jesus through the Holy Spirit, which fulfils Isaiah’s prophecy (Isaiah 7:14), proving Jesus is actually the Messiah.

3. Joseph’s Dream: Joseph received divine guidance through his dreams, including instructions to take Mary as his wife (Matthew 1:20-21) and to flee to Egypt to protect Jesus from King Herod (Matthew 2:13-15).

4. The Manger: Jesus was born in a manger (Luke 2:7) because the inns were packed out. It’s like the Creator of the universe saying, “I’ll make my grand entrance anywhere!”

5. Shepherds: Often overlooked in society, these shepherds became the VIPs of the night, receiving angelic news of Jesus’ birth and rushing to see Him (Luke 2:8-20). Picture the night sky bursting with a heavenly choir (Luke 2:13-14) singing “Glory to God in the highest!”

6. King Herod’s Fear: King Herod’s reaction to Jesus’ birth was intense, leading to the tragic massacre of infant boys in Bethlehem (Matthew 2:16-18).

7. The Wise Men: These men that travelled from afar were not three in number but brought three kinds of extravagant gifts—gold, frankincense, and myrrh—to baby Jesus (Matthew 2:1-12). The truth is that Scripture doesn’t tell us how many Magi travelled from the east to visit the young child.

8. Immanuel: “Immanuel,” meaning “God with us,” is a powerful title for Jesus, rooted in Isaiah 7:14 and echoed in Matthew 1:23.

9. Jesus had several (half) siblings: The Gospels tell us that Jesus had brothers (Matt. 12:46, Luke 8:19, Mark 3:31). Matthew even tells us the brothers’ names and mentions His sisters (Matthew 13:55–56).

10. Jesus discussed God with the Pharisees as a child: Joseph and Mary got separated from Jesus on their return home from celebrating Passover in Jerusalem. When they figured out He was missing, they rushed back to the ancient city in panic. They didn’t find Him for three days (Luke 2:46). And when they found him, they were astounded to find Him discussing deep things about God with the Pharisees (Luke 2:46–49). Isn’t the Lord just marvellous?