Lamb of God, by Murillo

Why was Jesus born in Bethlehem? Why Bethlehem? Because that is where the lambs were raised and prepared for the Temple in Jerusalem. Bethlehem shepherds were specially trained to select the firstborn male lambs, raise them carefully, and eventually send them to Jerusalem. So: where else could the Holy Lamb of God be born? And who else would receive His birth announcement, except those charged with preparing the precious lambs for atonement? The Holy Night of Bethlehem is far more significant than a young woman with her firstborn son. Dozens of prophecies were fulfilled as he took his first breath, and every detail of his life was carefully attended to by God.

• • Atonement,
  • Bartolome Esteban Murillo,
  • Bethlehem,
  • Holy Family,
  • Lamb,
  • lamb of God,
  • Mary and Jesus,
  • Nativity,
  • Temple Lambs,
  • Virgin Mary