Teaching: Christmas Bible Verses

About Christmas Bible Verses

The word “Bible” means book and specifically books within one book. Meaning, the Bible is one book that has 66 books in it. It mainly tells one overall story of God with a lot of details. When we read the Bible and the details, we can collect specific contexts that focus on certain details to the main, overall, and overarching storyline (i.e. metanarrative). Therefore, we can focus in on Bible verses that tells us about Jesus’ birth story later known as Christmas.

So the below Bible verses (passages or scripture references) provide a helpful guide on the traditional verses used during Christmas. For some, Christmas has become a mere holiday or vacation from work or potential for increases sales in economy. For others, Christmas is a depressing period of the year for all various reasons from loss of loved ones, loneliness, lack of belief in Jesus, or even a sincere hatred for God. Regardless of the issues, God is gracious and has provided a bread-crumb trail of truths from the past recorded and transferred throughout generations to reveal Jesus is the Christ.

“Christ” is a word that is not Jesus’ last name, but a prophetic title or role Jesus fulfills on the earth. There are synonymous words and phrases for Christ in the Old Testament, for the Israelites (Jews, Hebrew people) along with the world to recognize him when he comes (i.e. his birth and life recorded in the Bible’s New Testament):

1. Christ

2. Messiah

3. Promised One

4. Anointed One

5. Elect One

6. Chosen One

These are different from other descriptions of Jesus throughout the Bible like savior, redeemer, sacrifice, etc. though they all ultimately and accurately depict Jesus and what he was coming to do and fulfilled. “Christ” or “Messiah” are the main translations read in the Bible and the other are various ways to translate or infer from the contexts of the Bible. We recognize this especially in the Christmas birth story and family tree of Jesus, like in Matthew 1:16, “And Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ.“

There are certainly more Bible verses and passages that relate to Christ’s birth story, but these below provide the main helpful, clear, specific, and traditional passages to begin learning of God’s great redemption story unfolding in history and among humanity for the sake of hearts to repent and trust in him forever.

“And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.” (Luke 2:10 ESV)

Christmas in the Old Testament

1. Genesis 3:15 — Jesus’ birth into humanity promised and prophesied as destruction of Satan and sin while also salvation to those trusting him.

2. Genesis 12, 15, 17 (c.f. 17:8) — Jesus prophesied to come through the Israelite/Jewish family starting with Abraham and in Canaan (later renamed as Israel after the conquest recorded in Joshua).

3. Isaiah 7:14 — Jesus’ birth prophesied to be from a Jewish virgin in Israel.

4. Isaiah 9:6 — Jesus’ birth prophesied to come and be effective.

5. Isaiah 11:1 — Jesus’ birth prophesied to be from the family tree of Jesse and the indirect reference to Nazarenes/Nazareth.

6. Jeremiah 23:5 — King promised to be raised up from the Israelites.

7. Micah 5:2 — Jesus’ birth prophesied to be in Bethlehem, Israel.

8. Zechariah 9:9 — King from the Israelites coming and will ride on a colt (young donkey) in his later years.

9. Malachi 3:1 — Jesus’ forerunner, John the Baptist, prophesied.

Christmas in the New Testament

1. Matthew 1-2

   • 1:1-16 — Jesus’ family tree (genealogy) — mainly showing links to the Jewish throne of King David and Solomon.

   • 1:17-25 — Jesus to be born to Mary and Joseph and proven to be Immanuel, God in flesh.

   • 2:1-6 — Jesus’ prophesied birth being fulfilled in Bethlehem, Israel.

   • 2:7-23 — Jesus hunted by Herod and the Roman government’s genocide of all male babies under 2 years old.

2. Luke 1-3

   • 1:1-4 — Luke’s purpose in writing.

   • 1:5-25 — Jesus’ cousin and forerunner, John the Baptist (or Baptizer), parents (Zechariah and Elizabeth). Elizabeth was a cousin to Mary, Jesus’ earthly mother.

   • 1:26-80 — Jesus’ earthly mother, Mary, receiving the angels promise and her excitement.

   • 2:1-38 — Jesus’ birth (including the Roman government, shepherds, angels, and various details).

   • 2:39-52 — Jesus’ growing up years and before his adult public ministry (3 1/2 years) before his crucifixion death and resurrection.

   • 3:1-22 — Jesus and John the Baptist, mainly John’s ministry of preaching repentance to the Israelites from the desert and the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan to fulfill righteousness according to God’s law.

   • 3:23-38 — Jesus’ family tree (genealogy) — mainly showing his human relationship to the first created human, Adam (c.f. Genesis 1:26-28 and Romans 5:12).