A Word to the Reader: Thinking a dreaming over the reality of the first Christmas and how Jesus of Nazareth came to be born in Bethlehem, I was given this story. It does not claim to be a historical record. It is a picture drawn by imagination looking for the truth. But there is nothing here that is out of harmony with the Gospels, nothing that does not belong to the holy land and time when these things came to pass. I know the long trail between Galilee and Judea by foot and heart. Thus the story seems to me true.

The Story of Christmas from the Read and Share™ Bible is a colorful retelling of the birth of Christ and the events surrounding it. Based on the International Children’s Bible, this book begins with the birth of John the Baptist. Next comes the angel appearing first to Mary, then to Joseph, the trip to Bethlehem, the birth of Jesus, the angel’s announcement to the shepherds, the wise men and their gifts, fleeing to Egypt, and at last heading home to Nazareth. The “Can You Retell the Story” activity at the end of the book is a fun way for children to learn to tell the story themselves. The animated DVD includes a 15-minute story plus coloring pages and other bonus features.

Seven Hundred Years to Bethlehem: The Story of the Magi and the Birth of Jesus of Nazareth In his Gospel, Matthew briefly mentions wise men from the east who followed a celestial ray of light to Bethlehem. They were Magi. As in the case of all biblical passages, a little investigation into this one opens brand-new windows of insight into the past, and historians and other scholars regularly climb through these windows to verify truths and uncover new mysteries. They study, analyze, and speculate not only on the significance of scriptural words and syntax but also on the stories that lie hidden between the lines. In his new book, Seven Hundred Years to Bethlehem, Charles J. Caes follows after them to bring together the story of the Magi and their search for a promised savior. Part 1 draws on lay and biblical stories to present a tribal history of the Magi. It covers the seven hundred years from the time ancient wise men arrive on the Iranian plateau until their descendents spot a strange light in the sky and follow it to a stable-cave in Bethlehem. Part 2 draws from canonical and other sources to tell of events surrounding and including the birth of Jesus of Nazareth, the Magis arrival in Bethlehem to find the Holy Family, and the special courage of the Magi. A final chapter summarizes the life of Jesus and draws from non-canonical texts and other sources to speculate on what may have become of Mary, Joseph, and the Magi.

Each Christmas, adults and children alike delight at the story of the kings from the East who followed the star to Bethlehem to offer gifts to the newborn Christ. While this familiar tale is recorded in the Gospel of Matthew, another little-known version later emerged that claimed to be the eyewitness account of the wise men. This ancient manuscript has lain hidden for centuries in the vaults of the Vatican Library, but through the determined persistence of a young scholar, Brent Landau, this astonishing discovery has been translated into English for the very first time as the Revelation of the Magi. Everything we know about the wise men is based on only a few verses from the Bible. With the Revelation of the Magi, we can now read the story from the Magi's perspective. Readers will learn of the Magi's prophecies of God's incarnation from the beginning of time, their startling visitation in the form of a star, the teachings they receive from the baby Jesus, and the wise men's joyous return to their homeland to spread the good news. This ancient version of the Christmas story is guaranteed to astonish and delight. It will also raise larger questions of the significance and meaning of Christ's birth, and the mission to spread the good news to every corner of the globe. All the drama and intrigue of the brief description of Jesus's birth in the Bible is filled out in greater, more colorful detail, offering for the first time the complete story of these beloved characters.

You've heard the story a thousand times: glorious angels, lowly shepherds, brightly shining star, three Wise Men, and wee babe in a manger. But have you ever wondered about everyone else in tiny Bethlehem on that marvel of nights? What did they think? What did they do? How would you have responded? In these funny and touching tales, you'll meet a stable boy, a serving girl, an honest spy, an astounding clerk, an empty innkeeper, a mighty ship of the desert, and many others as they share their amazing "Tales from Bethlehem."

"Three leading biblical scholars from the Jewish, Catholic, and Protestant faiths show how a critical approach to the Bible can complement religious readings"--Page [2] of jacket.