For many centuries Christmas has been the most celebrated occasion in the world. The events surrounding the birth of Jesus are told with remarkable simplicity in the Bible, but they have been obscured by myth, mistletoe, and tinsel. Now best-selling author and historian Paul L. Maier ( In the Fullness of Time: A Historian Looks at Christmas, Easter, and the Early Church) separates fact from fiction, stripping away Yuletide folklore and questionable traditions to tell 'how it really was' in the world of the Nativity. Delving into Jewish, Greek, Roman, and early Christian sources, he uncovers fresh and fascinating insights into the true, yet unfamiliar, story of the first Christmas. A captivating book answers many compelling questions, such as: Why did the Roman emperor Augustus order his famous census?What marriage customs applied to Mary and Joseph?When and where was Jesus born?Who were the 'Wise Men'?What was the Star of Bethlehem? |
