at the faithfulness that will bring so great things to pass.




IV. An Historical Event


The story starts with the place and time of the Saviour's birth. Jesus
was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of Herod the king. There are
many myths and legends floating through the world that are often
beautiful and useful, but they hang like gorgeous clouds in the air and
are ever changing their shape and place. They are growths of the
imagination and lack historic roots and reality. They are chary of names
and dates and hide their origin in far-away mists. However powerfully
and pathetically they may reflect the needs and hopes of the human
heart, they are unsubstantial as dreams and afford no foundation on
which to build our faith. Heathen religions are generally woven of this
legendary stuff. The Greek and Roman divinities were all mythical. But
the scientific spirit has swept these imaginary deities out of our sky
and rendered belief in them impossible. Our religion must be rooted in
reality and cannot live in clouds, however beautifully they may be
colored. We refuse hospitality to anything but fact. Give us names and
dates, is our demand.

The Bible responds to this requirement. Christianity is an historical
religion. The gospel narrative begins with no such indefinite statement
as "Once upon a time," but it starts in Bethlehem of Judea. The town is
there and we can stand on the very spot where Jesus was born. The
narrative places the time of his birth, in the days of Herod the king.