[bell ringing]
The story
of the first Christmas,
we, um
We revisit it every year.
Thank you.
Maybe you Maybe you know
a little bit about it.
Maybe you know a lot.
I used to think that I did.
But like many of you, I was
a kid when I first started
to learn about the Bible,
its stories, the miracles.
But it was the first Christmas
that always seemed
to be bigger than all of it.
I think I was about [sighs]
I think I was
about four years old
when I was selected
to be a shepherd
in our church's
yearly production
of the Nativity.
It would be my acting debut,
and I would
have one line. "Hark."
And I knew it well leading
into that evening, but I kept
I kept missing
my cue of the star reveal
because my oversized turban
kept falling
across my eyes. [Sighs]
The play kept going, of course,
but I refused to let
my big acting moment go.
And regardless of where
we were at, I pointed upward,
and I yelled my line
just about as loud as I could,
bringing the play
to a momentary stop.
I'm guessing that
my mother was mildly amused.
My father, not not
not so much.
But the play continued,
and I'd done my part.
The next year,
they made me a Wise Man,
but this time
I couldn't pronounce
the gift we gave the Baby Jesus.
[mumbles] Frankincense.
It just didn't seem to...
It still doesn't.
It doesn't roll off my tongue.
But I never
But I never forgot
those evenings
and the chance
to be in those plays.
[Pensive instrumental music playing]
Those songs we belted out,
they're forever a part of me.
You know, it's easy
to think of Christmas
as the busiest shopping season
of the year.
Things seem to move so quickly.
We think of Santa Claus,
reindeer,
decorating the house,
packages under the tree,
family and friends celebrating.
There's a lot to like
about this time of year.
But let's
let's not forget the Christ
in Christmas.
Over one-third
of the world's population
believe that Jesus Christ
was one of the most
important persons
that ever lived
and have called him Savior
and Lord
for over 2,000 years.
But how did it all start?
What's the real story?
The story is often portrayed
as a baby born
in a cozy barn,
surrounded by animals.
But there's another version.
One that starts with a pregnant,
unwed teenage girl,
a shamed lover,
a treacherous journey
followed by a harrowing birth
inside a dark cave.
How Jesus came into
this fallen, broken world
is far from what
the people of the day expected,
and it's far
from the version I played
as a four-year-old.
So whether you're a believer
or a skeptic,
or just curious
about the real story
behind the tradition,
I invite you to journey with me
all the way back
to the first Christmas.
[Music fades]
[wind whooshing]
[soft instrumental music playing]
[Kevin] Our story begins
in the obscure backwater
of the Roman Empire.
Life was simple,
and it centered
around tradition and family.
Nazareth was a small village,
just a couple of hundred people.
It wouldn't be a surprise
to believe
that Mary and Joseph
probably grew up together.
But now
these two childhood friends
are taking a bigger step.
It's not a marriage ceremony,
but almost as important.
- [Music fades]
- [Kevin] An engagement.
And who asks for the betrothal
to my daughter Mary?
It is I, Joseph, son of Heli,
descendant of the House of David.
And what, Joseph, son of Heli,
is the bride price
for this betrothal?
Two hundred and ten
silver shekels of Tyre.
- [bag jingles]
- [indistinct murmuring]
I, Joachim
Father of Mary
[Soft instrumental music playing]
- accept!
- [crowd cheering]
[music turns joyous]
[horn blowing]
Mary, the Blessed Mother,
must have been young,
childbearing age, obviously.
[crowd cheering]
[Jodi] In Judaism
in that period,
probably the marriage age
for women was quite a young age,
at the age of 12
or the age of 14.
And so when a woman
becomes betrothed,
there's an actual contract
that is signed.
[Kevin] This couple today
would not be old enough
to legally vote,
but back then,
you had to grow up fast.
Joseph was expected to provide
and protect his bride-to-be.
The engagement period was a time
where he had to prove
that he could.
[Music fades]
[Kevin] It feels certain
that these two were in love.
[Soft sentimental music playing]
Were you nervous?
Um, well, I guess a little,
but, you know,
I've practiced many times, so
You practiced aloud? For me?
That's so sweet.
Mary, can we
just get married already?
[Mary] Joseph, look around you.
Everyone's working so hard
to prepare
for our wedding feast.
Wine won't be ready
for at least three months.
Three months?
We don't need wine
for our wedding.
You waited a year
to save for my dowry.
You can wait three more months.
Exactly, a whole year.
Patience leads
to abundant understanding,
but impatience leads
to stupid mistakes.
There is no version of us
that is a mistake.
[People singing in Hebrew]
[Upbeat instrumental music playing]
[All singing in Hebrew]
[Kevin]
The small Hebrew nation of Judea
was just one of the many nations
- under the boot of mighty Rome
- [trumpet blowing]
- led by Emperor Caesar Augustus.
- [horse neighs]
[Kevin] This vast empire
of 45 million people
is known to have sprawled all the way
from modern-day Britain in the west
to present-day Iraq in the east.
They were the most powerful force
the world had ever known.
[Tense instrumental music playing]
By decree of Caesar Augustus,
emperor of the Roman Empire
[horse neighs]
all citizens shall register
at their ancestral town
for the Census of Quirinius.
Registration begins at dawn.
[grunts]
[Lynn] Rome periodically needed to count
how many people were in their region.
It was a monumental undertaking,
but they wanted to get an accurate number
so they could get more taxes.
Rome allowed people to worship
any god that they want to,
as long as they acknowledge
that Caesar is lord.
[Kevin] The half-Assyrian,
half-Jewish people
known as the Samaritans
were used
as local law enforcement.
The Jews and Samaritans
hated each other.
Ah, the famous Galilean wine.
This wine is spoken for, sir.
[chuckles] It would seem, boy
You are in need of a lesson.
- [Tense instrumental music continues]
- [Panthera clicks tongue]
- [horse whinnies]
- Shh!
A good citizen of Rome
should be generous
with the state
In all of his blessings.
- [chuckles]
- [indistinct murmuring]
[clicks tongue]
Let's take a little ride.
- [Mary] No, no! [Screams]
- [indistinct clamoring]
- [Music intensifies]
- [Joachim] Hey! Hey! Hey!
- Release my daughter!
- [crowd screaming]
- Panthera! Enough!
- [music softens]
- [indistinct murmuring]
- [officer] Stupid beast.
No wonder these people
hate your kind.
Now go supervise
the tally! [Grunts]
[spits, clicks tongue]
- [breathes heavily]
- [wind whooshing]
[thunder rumbling]
[Ominous instrumental music playing]
[Kevin] Judea had been
conquered and ruled
by other foreign invaders,
but none had ruled
the Jewish nation for this long.
Judea was ruled
by a puppet king,
tolerated by the Romans
because he was willing
to do their dirty work.
The king of the Jews
named himself Herod the Great.
[Lynn]
Herod was king of the Jews,
but he wasn't
an independent king
the way we might think
of monarchs today.
He was what you might call
a client king.
Rome really had all the control.
[Kevin] Herod is tasked with
suppressing the Jewish people
through intimidation
and cruelty.
Herod was cynical
down to his bone.
That is, that he had no feeling
of reverence at all
for any of the gods,
whether it's the God of Israel
or whether
it's pagan Roman gods.
[indistinct chatter]
[Kevin] Herod was a builder
of great structures,
who brought wealth
to his Roman masters.
Josephus wrote
that it was quite possible
that Herod was insane.
Herod was a walking culture
of death.
[Kevin] Known for his oversized
ego and golden crown,
he suffered from chronic pain
that some say affected
his mental state.
Paranoid and brutal,
Herod is a ruler willing
to do anything
to retain his throne.
The most dangerous kind
of survivor.
[Tense instrumental music playing]
Father you summoned me.
Antipater.
Good.
Come.
Join me, son.
Father, is there some way
I can be of service?
Yes. [Chuckles softly]
Actually, there is.
I heard whispers
Of a plot to poison me.
Father, that's not true.
How can I assure you my loyalty?
There is in fact one way
that you can give me reassurance.
Anything. Please.
[groaning]
Stupid boy.
[pants softly]
[Tense instrumental music continues]
[Jodi] Herod was paranoid.
[knife clatters]
[Jodi] And Herod's sister, Salome,
who was pretty pernicious, actually,
started to spread rumors.
No!
What have you done?
What have you done?
[Jodi] And so Herod comes to believe
that two of his sons by Mariamne,
who were really sort of
the leading contenders
to inherit his throne,
were trying to sort of
push him out and take over.
[sobs] He is our son!
Your son
[Somber instrumental music playing]
Your own flesh and blood!
[Kevin] Augustus is quoted as saying,
"It's better to be Herod's pig
than his son."
- [door opens]
- [wind whooshing]
- [light instrumental music playing]
- [officer shouting in distance]
[Kevin] The name Mary
was the most common
for Jewish women of her time.
A low-income teenage girl
who was just going about
an ordinary day.
But this day
was far from ordinary,
and she was anything
but just another Mary.
[wind whooshing]
[light instrumental music continues]
[door rattling]
[Music builds]
[Dramatic instrumental music playing]
[Gabriel] Greetings, Mary.
The Lord is with you.
[Father Sean] The angel Gabriel
was sent from God
to deliver the message
to the Blessed Mother.
[Gabriel] Don't be afraid, Mary,
for you have found favor with God.
This was an extraordinary moment
because in salvation history,
whenever a human being
would come into contact
with an angel,
the human being
would exhibit reverence
towards the angel
because the angel
is resplendent with grace
because the angel
sees God face-to-face.
It's okay.
[Teo] In Scripture,
you see Gabriel, specifically,
would come in
and bring a message.
And there's always
this storyline
of the Lord's gonna work
in a way
that is counter-intuitive,
it's counterculture.
And so when
angel Gabriel shows up
to Mary, you know,
you're looking at a teenager
receiving this news
that will change humanity.
[Uplifting instrumental music playing]
You will conceive
and give birth to a son.
You will call him Jesus.
He will be very great,
and he will be known
as the Son of the Most High.
The Lord God
will give him the throne
of his ancestor David,
and he will reign
over Israel forever.
His kingdom will never end.
But how can this happen?
I am a virgin.
The Holy Spirit
will come upon you,
and the power of the Most High
will overshadow you,
so that the baby to be born
will be born holy
and will be called
the Son of God.
[Mary] I am the Lord's servant.
May everything you have said
about me come true.
[thunder rumbling in distance]
[Lynn]
Mary herself kind of wonders,
"Why, God, did you choose me?
'Cause I'm
I'm just your humble servant."
"There's nothing special
about me."
"I'm not a queen."
"I don't come
from an important family."
All the kind of
what we might call worldly values
that show success,
Mary doesn't have any of those.
But what she does have
is a willingness
to follow whatever God
has for her.
[Pensive instrumental music playing]
Mary is the most sublime
and pure human being.
After the angel greeted her,
she didn't say, "This can't be."
She said, "How can this be?"
And the angel Gabriel tells her
the power of the Most High,
the Holy Spirit,
will overshadow you.
This is the fulfillment
of the prophecy in Isaiah
of the virgin conceiving
and bearing the Son of God,
Immanuel the Christ.
And this is the turning point
in human history.
[Teo] There was a separation
between God and humanity.
And as God is desiring
to reach humanity,
uh, there is a gap.
And that gap would have
to be filled or connected
through a bridge.
Now, that bridge
is a human being.
And that bridge is God the Son.
[Francis] God wanted to show us
what He was like.
So as we're, like,
trying to prove
how great we are, God's saying,
"But I use the lowly."
[Mary] Oh, how my soul praises
the Lord.
[Ethereal vocal music playing]
[Francis] This is so massive.
I mean, you're talking about
for the first time,
God being inside of a person.
[Mary] My spirit rejoices
in God my Savior.
[Lynn] Mary believes that God
is fulfilling His promise
to deliver His people
through the Messiah.
And having a baby who grows up
to be Messiah,
the Anointed One, the King,
is a promise of Scriptures.
[Ethereal vocal music continues]
[heart beating]
[Vishal] This willingness
to surrender everything to God,
she was the right person
in the sense
that she believed that God
can do what is impossible.
[Kevin] Mary didn't ask to be
the mother of the Son of God,
but she was available to God.
God saw her servant heart,
her faithfulness,
and she chose to obey.
But obedience
can come with a price.
And for Mary, that price
would mean her reputation,
her future marriage to Joseph,
and even her life.
- [thunder rumbling]
- [rain pattering]
- [Music fades]
- [indistinct chatter]
[Lynn] The Roman Empire,
their reach
into these other populations,
those populations could,
a lot of times,
keep their own language,
keep their own local customs,
but they needed to pay taxes
[chuckles] always taxes,
back to the central government,
which grew quite rich.
- [Tense instrumental music playing]
- [Panthera grunts]
[indistinct chatter]
Straight line!
[soldier 1]
Straight line, everyone!
[Panthera] Get them in line!
[Kevin] Mary had received word
that her cousin Elizabeth
had also recently
become pregnant,
and she rushed to help.
[soldier 2] Get over here.
The Blessed Mother
is the great example
of discipleship,
in terms of what did she do
as soon as
the angel Gabriel visited her?
She went in haste
through the hill country
to visit Elizabeth
and to help her.
To serve Elizabeth
in her pregnancy, as well.
[Soft emotional music playing]
- Mary!
- [thunder rumbling]
Mary!
Joseph.
Where are you going?
I'm going to visit my cousin, Elizabeth.
[Joseph] Now?
But what
of our wedding preparations?
Everything has changed.
Changed?
What's changed?
I cannot say.
Not yet.
Mary, I don't understand
what's happening,
but I will escort you.
It's not safe to journey alone.
Let me tell my father,
and I'll join you.
[Mary] Joseph!
I am traveling with others.
I must take
this journey without you.
I pray the Lord will reveal
to you why.
[Music turns tense]
Get in line, boy!
My family is not from Nazareth.
Well, you and your family need
to get your asses
to wherever that is and register
by the end of the consular year.
[Joseph breathes heavily]
[thunder rumbling]
[water trickling]
[Solemn instrumental music playing]
[Kevin] After Mary spends
the first part of her pregnancy
with her cousin, Elizabeth,
she returns home to Nazareth.
She has a child inside her,
and a story
about how it got there.
There was a recognition,
both of, "God will work it out."
That's clear what she says
in the Magnificat.
She knows, "All generations
will call me blessed."
That's what she says.
But I think
she also recognizes
"If people don't believe me,
then I will be seen
as having committed a sin."
[Teo] From a Jewish perspective,
in the ultra-conservative
society that they lived in,
under Pharisaic law,
if she would be condemned
as an adulterous woman,
you would be judged
in a way and condemned
that you would be stoned,
put to death.
But she's a young woman
that is very convinced,
"This is what
I have to go through,"
and this is my part to play
"to the fulfillment
of the Word of God."
[Solemn instrumental music continues]
[exhales heavily]
Mary, what have you done?
I will explain.
[Kevin] If a teenage girl
told you that she was pregnant
with the Son of God
and still a virgin,
would you believe her?
Her mother, her future in-laws,
and her future husband
all had to face
that same question.
The stakes could not be
any higher for this young woman,
not to mention for Joseph
and both of their families.
I do not want
to disgrace you publicly.
I will not openly accuse you
of unfaithfulness.
I will end
our betrothal quietly.
I'll do my best
to protect your reputation.
[door opening]
[thunder rumbling]
[Kevin] The Bible says
that Joseph was a good man,
but good men can have
their hearts broken too.
These two teenagers
were meant to be together.
God not only chose Mary,
he also chose Joseph.
[wind whooshing]
[Kevin] They both cried out
to the same God
with the same prayer,
"Reveal yourself, O Lord."
And God was faithful
to answer them both.
[Music builds]
[thunder rumbling]
[Dramatic instrumental music playing]
Joseph, son of David,
do not be afraid
to take Mary as your wife,
for the child within her
was conceived
by the Holy Spirit.
She will give birth to a son,
and you are to name him Jesus,
for he will save his people
from their sins.
Look.
[Pensive instrumental music playing]
[Joseph pants]
Joseph. What are you doing
here at this hour?
[Joseph] Sir, I need
to see Mary.
I need to see her.
I know.
- You know what?
- [Joseph] I know.
Joseph?
Dearest Mary,
you are the love of my life,
mother of my Savior.
The Messiah?
The Son of God?
Will you honor me by giving me
your hand in marriage?
I will commit
to taking care of you
and the child
all the days of my life.
[chuckles softly]
[Kevin] Joseph and Mary
were most likely quietly wed.
They probably did not have
the typical
large Jewish wedding.
A bride showing her pregnancy
on her wedding day
would have been
the source of rumor.
Joseph did not want Mary
to suffer through it.
Joseph is the one
that God chose to be entrusted
with not only caring
for the Blessed Mother
and protecting her,
but caring for
and protecting Christ Jesus.
And so this is
a remarkable responsibility.
[Kevin]
Months after the wedding,
Mary and Joseph set off
on the 90-mile journey
to his ancestral home
of Bethlehem,
where they were to register
for the Roman census.
Joseph needed to travel
to his hometown
within a certain time frame
in order to register.
[Pensive instrumental music continues]
[Vishal] There in Bethlehem,
nobody would know
whether the baby being born
is Joseph's baby or not.
They would assume
that this is a married couple,
and it's his baby.
So there will be no gossip
and no humiliation,
which would have been there
if the baby had been born
in Joseph's home.
Joseph, be sure you feed Mary
- twice a day.
- Of course.
And be sure
she drinks plenty of water.
Yes, understood.
Joseph, be careful out there.
And please take care
of my daughter and my grandson.
On my life, sir.
[Kevin] Unlike what
is usually shown
in most portrayals
of Mary and Joseph
making the 90-mile journey alone
on a single donkey
It's more plausible
that they would have traveled
in a group for protection.
[Dramatic instrumental music playing]
[Kevin] There was good reason
for Mary and Joseph's families
to be concerned
about the voyage.
There were bands of outlaws
on the road.
Lions and bears roamed
the wild lands around it.
And the Roman soldiers
who patrolled
were known for committing
random acts of violence,
simply because they could.
[Dramatic instrumental music continues]
[cart rattling]
[Kevin] The smaller,
more remote communities
were especially vulnerable
to random acts of violence.
[woman sobbing]
[Kevin] One false accusation by
a rogue unit of Roman soldiers
could be catastrophic.
[cries, sobs]
[Somber instrumental music playing]
Roman soldiers accused
this village
of harboring rebels.
The Romans k*lled everyone
but her.
[traveler] We must leave now.
Go. Let's go.
[cries]
[sobs]
[Kevin]
Living in modern society,
it is really nearly impossible
to imagine how barbaric
they were.
Often just leaving one witness
to keep the threat alive.
But things that were maybe
considered normal for that time,
if you saw them today,
it's unlikely
you would get over it.
Life was not kind or easy.
[Soft instrumental music playing]
How are we doing?
We are good.
All right.
He moved again!
See, can you feel him move?
I can.
[Lynn] They knew that
if people didn't believe them
about this truth that God
had done in their lives,
that they would
then be ridiculed or worse.
And so,
in recognizing all of that,
I think we can maybe
better appreciate
both Mary
and Joseph's commitment
to raising Jesus,
even though they didn't know
what all this would entail.
[Father Sean] Joseph
is the model for every man.
To be a good protector,
to love the Blessed Mother
with the highest form of love,
which is "agape."
[Soft instrumental music continues]
[wind whooshing]
I should probably warn you
about my cousins in Bethlehem.
Okay, please do.
Well, this cousin, Asher,
he's a talker.
Yap, yap, yap.
His words as welcoming
as an annoying old maid
yapping about food
during the Yom Kippur fast.
Joseph, be kind.
I am being kind.
To you. I'm warning you,
don't get cornered by him.
[all speaking Hebrew]
[lively instrumental music playing]
[Kevin] At a certain point,
Mary and Joseph did separate
from their group,
heading out on their own,
towards his family's home,
the village of Bethlehem,
the ancestral home
of King David.
- [gasps]
- Did he move again?
No. This is something else.
We're nearly there.
A few more steps.
Joseph. What is that?
[Music turns somber]
[Jodi]
The Romans reserved crucifixion
as a method of execution
for serious charges,
like sedition slash treason.
And the reason why
crucifixion was chosen
is because it was
a method of execution
that was long and painful
before death occurred.
[Kevin] There were many
who claimed to be the Messiah,
who were going
to overthrow the Romans
and free the Jewish people
once and for all.
They were all hunted down
and made examples of.
There will be no mercy
shown to anyone
who dare challenge
the mighty Roman Empire.
[screams]
- [screams]
- Joseph!
- [thunder rumbling]
- It's okay, Mary.
[Mary pants]
- [Joseph] It's okay, we're nearly there.
- [screams]
- [screaming echoes]
- [thunder rumbling]
[Tense instrumental music playing]
[Joseph] Just breathe.
Deep breaths.
[Music fades]
When my kids were small,
we used to put out
our Nativity set
above the fireplace,
on the mantel.
And sometimes below the tree
in a bed of cotton.
[Soft instrumental music playing]
And together,
we'd look at the carved figures
of the Baby Jesus wrapped
in a blanket,
the shepherds
and three Wise Men kneeling,
while the cute angels
and animals looked on.
It's a great way
to tell our kids
about this amazing story.
And a great reminder
for all of us.
But if any story
is worth going deeper,
it's this one.
You know, I've learned
I've learned to appreciate
in a new way
what it must have taken
for this teenage couple
from nowhere
to be the parents
of the Son of God,
what it must have taken
for Mary and Joseph
- just to keep him alive.
- [music turns somber]
[rain pattering]
[thunder rumbling]
[Kevin] Life back then was brutal,
right from the very beginning.
[Mary pants]
[Kevin] Childbirth was extremely
dangerous at the time.
Please! Open! Please!
[Mary groans]
- Cousin Joseph!
- [Joseph] Cousin Asher!
- My wife! She's in labor!
- [Asher] Whoa, my...
Get in here.
Get out of the rain.
Raya! Raya! Raya!
Raya, come quick!
[Kevin]
The mortality rate of infants
was about 20 times greater
than today.
Boys, enough of that now.
Behave yourselves.
[Kevin] Not to mention
the extremely high rate
of mothers dying in childbirth.
[Mary groans]
Her water's already broken.
Where can we bring her?
Follow me.
[Kevin] And if the baby
did survive birth
[Raya] More water.
Rachel, get linens, blankets.
about one half would die
within their first year.
The small town of Bethlehem
was isolated and poor.
Unlike the Christmas carol about
there being no room in the inn,
it's questionable
whether Bethlehem even had one.
[indistinct chatter]
[Kevin] It's more likely
that Joseph was planning
on staying at a relative's home.
[lively instrumental music playing]
Hospitality in the ancient world
among Jews, and also the Romans,
everyone really
valued hospitality.
If there was a visitor coming
into your town,
it was really important
that you gave them a meal,
that you gave them a place
to stay.
So when Mary and Joseph arrived,
what they find is that
there are a lot of other people
who have had to go back
to Bethlehem to register.
So all these extra rooms
are taken.
[Asher] Okay. Careful.
- Just follow me. Down here.
- [thunder rumbling]
[Kevin] Bethlehem is known
for its limestone caves.
These caves under the houses
acted as a basement of sorts.
They also were a kind of barn
- to keep the animals safe at night
- [Mary groans]
and, in a pinch, for guests.
Mary couldn't just give birth
in a crowded room.
She needed to be set apart
from the others,
not only for religious reasons,
but also for practical ones.
Back then, you made do.
Shelter of any kind
was valuable.
Unlike some modern accounts
suggest,
this young couple in crisis
was not just being pushed
into the night
by uncaring people.
[Mary] Joseph!
[Asher] Come on,
watch your steps, all of you.
- [sheep bleating]
- We're almost there.
[Joseph] We're almost there,
just a few more steps.
[Raya] Keep breathing
through it.
- Deep breaths.
- [Mary groaning]
[groans, pants]
[Father Sean]
There are different theological
speculations made
about the birth of Jesus
and how the Blessed Mother
was affected.
[Gentle instrumental music playing]
[Father Sean]
There is one point of view
in Christianity
that posits the idea
that she would have been
in pain,
had gone through labor
as any other mother
goes through labor.
However, there's another idea
that because the Blessed Mother
was not affected by original sin
and did not suffer the effects,
perhaps she didn't go through
the pain of childbirth.
We can get mired in the details,
or we can speculate
about this or that.
What matters most
is Jesus Christ was born
of the Blessed Mother.
Here, here. Bring her back here.
- There, near the top.
- [horse neighs]
[Lynn] For a long, long time,
and I'm talking centuries,
the women having their babies,
and afterwards,
was really the responsibility
of other women.
[groans, pants]
[Jodi] So presumably,
there would have been
at least one midwife
involved in the process
of childbirth, maybe with
a couple of other women present.
[pants heavily]
[Raya] Here. Gently now.
[Kevin] It is believed that
it wasn't until the 17th century
that women gave birth
on their backs.
Before then, according
to reliefs and paintings,
it was in a standing, sitting,
or kneeling position.
Okay, just
[Kevin] In the Jewish tradition,
men could not touch
or be near the mother
during labor.
Every new father knows
the feeling
of being helpless during labor.
Joseph must have been
no different.
- [Rachel] You're okay.
- My name is Mary.
I am Raya.
You're most welcome, Mary.
This is Cousin Rachel.
Mary, you and your baby
are in good hands with Raya.
She delivered both of my sons
and most of the kids
in the village.
And you have already met
my husband, Asher.
Yes, yes, you are most welcome.
Thank you, Cousin Asher.
I've heard all about you
from Joseph.
[Asher] Good things, I suppose.
I can't believe Joseph
is going to be a father.
It seems like yesterday
when he was born.
- Celebrated for days.
- [groans]
Husband, enough chatter.
Start a fire.
We need this place nice and warm
for when the baby arrives.
Yes. Yes, of course.
[Soft instrumental music playing]
Rachel, check
on the boiling water.
We will need it soon.
[Mary groans]
Mary, it is time.
I will count with you.
- Ready?
- [pants]
Yes, I'm ready.
[pants, whimpers]
The ancient text says
that the birth of Christ
coincided with the birth
of a new star
that very same night.
So you don't have
to be a genius now to speculate
why we put stars
on top of Christmas trees.
The Scriptures go on to say
that yet another spectacle
was sent to the heavens
to celebrate the birth
of God's Son on Earth.
In the nearby hills
of Bethlehem,
a Christmas miracle rained down
on a group of shepherds.
[Pensive instrumental music playing]
[Francis] Shepherds were
the lower class,
ordinary people.
But God's saying,
"But I use the lowly."
And so it shouldn't surprise us
that God would say,
"You know, I'm going to reveal
myself to these shepherds."
- Son, be careful.
- [thunder rumbling]
[shepherd]
These are dangerous skies.
[Dramatic string music playing]
[lamb bleating]
[Music intensifies]
- [lightning cracks]
- [thunder rumbles]
[Gabriel] Do not be afraid.
I bring you good news
that will bring great joy
to all people.
- [Raya] Three, two, one.
- [Mary pants]
- [Raya] Push!
- [Mary groans, pants]
[Triumphant choral music playing]
- [lightning cracks]
- [thunder rumbles]
Imagine a chorus of angels.
Like, I don't think it was just,
like, this sweet, little song.
We're talking about
these heavenly beings
in unison, worshiping, singing,
celebrating Jesus.
[crying]
[Music intensifies]
[echoing] The Savior!
Yes, the Lord, the Messiah,
has been born today
in Bethlehem, the city of David.
You will recognize him
by this sign.
You will see a baby
tightly wrapped
in strips of cloth,
- lying in a manger.
- [cries]
[Gabriel] Glory to God, in the highest.
[herald] And on Earth peace,
and goodwill toward men.
- [Baby Jesus crying]
- [Joseph] He's beautiful.
- You're beautiful.
- [Baby Jesus crying]
Right now it just feels
like he's up there,
they're up there,
we're down here.
But it's like that layer
was, like, removed,
and now, suddenly,
Heaven and Earth are together.
And I think that's a picture
of the incarnation of Christ.
Heaven and Earth
are together now.
[Emotional instrumental music playing]
[young shepherd] We need to go.
Yes, we need to go to Bethlehem.
Let's see this thing
that the Lord has told us.
[indistinct chatter]
[sheep bleating]
- [water pouring]
- Joseph.
Shalom.
How can we help you, son?
Shalom.
He told us he would be here.
Just like that.
Who told you he would be here?
[shepherd]
The angel of the Lord.
There were a lot of them.
You should have seen it.
Please, come closer if you wish.
[Ethereal vocal music playing]
Is there a midnight gold auction
happening?
[Mary] It's okay, Raya.
They're most welcome.
Well, if mother says so.
Now, keep your dirty hands
to yourselves.
And keep your voices down.
[Ethereal vocal music continues]
According to scripture,
after seeing the Baby Jesus,
just as the angels
told them they would,
the shepherds would go on
to tell anyone who would listen
to their story
about the night's events.
And that fact alone,
that a host of angels,
not just one,
but a host,
would appear to common shepherds
and not emperors or royals,
must have said a lot
about the kingdom
that God was intending to build.
The kind of kingdom where faith
and humility were honored
over might and wealth,
an upside-down kingdom.
[Eerie instrumental music playing]
[Kevin] Hundreds of miles east,
a group of men called the Magi
noticed a new star
in the heavens as well.
They were likely
a religious sect of astrologers.
They were stunned
with what they were seeing
in the heavens.
[Jodi] When the Gospel account
is referring to Magi,
they're talking
about Zoroastrian priests.
That is, priests who were
from the area of ancient Persia,
who specialized in
the interpretation of dreams,
the interpretation of
the night sky, celestial bodies.
And who could, you know,
based on these things,
predict or interpret events.
[Kevin] The Magi
must have seen the new star
as a sign from above,
perhaps confirmed
by their ancient prophecies,
a sign that the Messiah
had finally come,
not just for the Jews,
but for all people.
[exclaims, pants]
[speaking ancient language]
[Eerie instrumental music continues]
[Kevin] A world away,
they were compelled
to follow the star
to wherever it was leading them.
They were willing
to travel treacherous terrain
for months to find
the new king of the Jews,
the Son of God.
[Mysterious instrumental music playing]
[Kevin] The Star of Bethlehem,
as it would later be known,
was their guiding light.
[Teo] The Magi kings
that came from the east,
they have no Jewish roots.
These are seekers,
they are mystics,
and they're coming from afar
to worship the king.
[Music fades]
In stark contrast
to the Heavenly Kingdom,
Herod's kingdom
was just the opposite.
- [Tense instrumental music playing]
- It was a mess.
A dysfunctional reign,
led by fear and distrust,
an evil mortal king
willing to do whatever it took
to retain power
as long as his ailing body
would allow.
But time was running out
for Herod,
and the writing was on the wall.
[grunts, pants]
[Kevin] Herod's inner court
was a complicated mess
of a situation.
His jealous sister, Salome,
had convinced the king that
Herod's favorite wife, Mariamne,
was having an affair
with Herod's young uncle.
At the same time,
Salome convinced her brother
that there was a plot
for the supposed lovers
to m*rder him
and take control of the throne.
Driven by fear and paranoia,
King Herod ordered
his favorite wife
to be put to death.
[pants] My love!
[Kevin] One account says
that Mariamne decided
to go out on her own terms,
sending Herod
into a new level of madness.
King Herod built a monument
- in memory of his queen.
- [music fades]
[Kevin] Mariamne Tower was yet
another of Herod's monuments
built on the backs
of Jewish people.
[Somber instrumental music playing]
[Kevin] According to the Talmudic passage
[Herod wails]
Herod preserved
his favorite wife's body
in a vat of honey.
It seems that Jesus was born
into a dark and lost kingdom.
Maybe the very reason
for his existence
was to bring light
into the shadows.
[Herod wails]
[Kevin] To uplift
a fallen world.
[Soft instrumental music playing]
[Music fades]
- [Upbeat instrumental music playing]
- [indistinct lively chatter]
[Kevin] Mary and Joseph
had to bring their son
to the capital city
of Jerusalem,
which was only about
five miles from Bethlehem,
to dedicate him before the Lord
at the Holy Temple,
as required by the Law of Moses.
So many people.
[Kevin] The Temple of Jerusalem
is legendary.
A massive structure
refurbished for the Jews,
but not out of some religious
dedication to the Lord.
King Herod, one of the most
hated men in the kingdom,
had greatly expanded
the spectacular temple
for his own glory.
[Lynn] The Temple of Jerusalem
was acres
and acres of courtyards.
Herod the Great
was a builder king,
kind of following
in the tradition
to display how great you are,
you do
a lot of building projects.
[soldier] Make way!
I said make way!
[Kevin] If the ancient streets
of Jerusalem could talk
[soldier] Make way for the king!
Imagine what they would say.
Herod the Great
did not know that day
who was in his kingdom.
Soon to be his biggest threat,
the true Messiah.
There was a Jewish custom
for a mother
to be baptized 40 days
after giving birth to a son
and before going into the temple
to give sacrificial offerings.
What a beautiful tradition.
[Music fades]
[Kevin]
But just outside the temple,
it's anything but sacred.
[indistinct clamoring]
[Kevin] It's a business.
[indistinct clamoring continues]
Sorry. No, no, no.
Hey. Hello.
- Hey. Can I Can I get two of those?
- Yes.
[Kevin] For millennia,
the Jewish people
would bring their sacrifices
to the altar of God,
out of a spirit of thankfulness
or for atonement for their sins.
[Soft instrumental music playing]
[Kevin] Mary and Joseph
were no different.
Little did they know
that someday their son
would be a living sacrifice
and that thousands
of years of tradition
would be forever changed.
- [indistinct chatter]
- [music turns tense]
[soldier] Make way for the king!
[Kevin] The Scriptures say
that Simeon
was a righteous and devout man.
Make way!
[Kevin] He was eagerly awaiting
the Messiah to come
and rescue Israel
from the oppressive Herod
and the Roman Empire.
I said make way for the king.
[Kevin] The Lord had told
the old man
that he would not die
before seeing the Messiah
with his own eyes.
So he went daily to the temple
to wait for that promise.
When you think of Simeon,
he was waiting,
he was anticipating,
he was hoping.
He didn't waver in his belief.
[Soft emotional music playing]
[Francis] When that time came,
he rejoices.
He knew what to do.
This is what
he had been waiting for.
[Simeon] Shalom.
Shalom. Sha... Oh! [Chuckles]
The child. [Chuckles]
The child. [Sniffles]
Oh! My soul leaps for joy.
Surely he is the Messiah.
Shalom.
- Yes, he is the one you seek.
- [Simeon laughs]
May May I offer a blessing
over the child?
- It would be our privilege.
- [exclaims, chuckles]
Oh. [Chuckles]
Oh.
Sovereign Lord,
now please let your servant die
in peace,
as you have promised. [Sniffles]
[chuckles] I have seen
your salvation,
which you have prepared
for all nations.
And he is a light to reveal God
to the nations.
And he is the glory
of your people, Israel.
[Soft emotional music continues]
[Simeon hums gently]
[chuckles, sniffles]
This child will cause many
in Israel to fall
and many others to rise.
He is a sign sent from God
But many will oppose him.
As a result
The deepest thoughts
of many hearts will be revealed.
- [sniffles, sobs]
- [Baby Jesus coos]
[Simeon] And a sword
will pierce your very soul.
[Music turns somber]
[Mary cries]
[Kevin] Simeon's prophecy
acknowledges that Mary
will experience intense pain
as the mother of Jesus.
For the assignment of the Son
of God was heartbreaking,
to sacrifice his perfect life
for us.
But the Lord will be with her
and her son through it all.
[Music fades]
- [Pensive instrumental music playing]
- [wind whooshing]
[indistinct chatter]
[Kevin]
Unlike the customary image
of the Wise Men showing up
at the birth of Christ,
along with the shepherds,
it was actually more
like two years after his birth.
Although we only know generally
where they came from,
or really how long
their journey was,
we do know that the Magi
eventually arrived in Jerusalem.
They believed
that the future king of the Jews
had been born
somewhere in the city,
most likely into royalty.
The Magi, they are seen as wise,
seen as important.
It's not unreasonable then
for King Herod
- to want to receive them.
- [music fades]
Now, to what do I owe
the privilege
of your esteemed presence
to our humble kingdom?
- [speaking ancient language]
- [Melchior grunts]
[speaking ancient language]
We are here
for one purpose only.
[Melchior speaking ancient language]
[interpreter] Where is the newborn
- [speaking ancient language]
- king of the Jews?
[Tense instrumental music playing]
[speaking ancient language]
We saw his star as it rose
[Melchior speaking ancient language]
and we have come
to worship him.
[speaking ancient language]
[interpreter] We thought that
he is here in your palace.
[speaking ancient language]
With you, the provisional king
of the Jews.
"Provisional king"?
Priests?
Where does it say
that this Messiah
is supposed to be born?
In Bethlehem, in Judea.
You may go.
The Magi come in thinking,
"Oh, everybody's going
to be celebrating this."
"Something momentous
has happened."
"There's been a birth
of a king."
Well [chuckles]
Herod's the king,
and he's pretty sure
there's no baby that's been born
that's going
to be following him.
He's worried there's a baby born
that's going to replace him.
[Herod chuckles]
[Tense instrumental music continues]
Go to Bethlehem
and search carefully
for the child.
It's not far from here,
and when you find him,
you come straight back,
and you tell me
so that I, too, may worship him.
[speaking ancient language]
Herod was madly,
jealously desirous
of holding on to his power.
And he used deception
with the Wise Men
to ascertain where the child,
the new king of Israel,
would be.
He wanted to find out
so he could k*ll Christ Jesus.
[Kevin] The mad king plots
to use the Magi
to find the baby.
A blessed child
that the stars have declared
to be the Messiah.
If it is true, Herod the Great
is now officially
what he's probably
always known himself to be,
- an imposter.
- [music fades]
[imitates sheep bleating]
- [both laugh]
- [roars playfully]
[Kevin] It must have been
strange for Mary and Joseph,
embracing that
their playful toddler
was in fact the Son of God.
And that those who believed
had traveled vast distances
to kneel at his tiny feet.
- [Gentle instrumental music playing]
- [growls, roars]
- [Moshe roars playfully]
- [child laughs]
[Raya] Joseph, Mary,
you have guests.
[Music fades]
[interpreter speaking in ancient language]
[indistinct chatter]
[Ethereal vocal music playing]
[Teo, in English] The idea that Jesus
is welcoming the seekers,
regardless if they would
consider themselves Christians
or Jewish,
and it's as if the Magi,
they would be attracted
to the light, to the truth.
That attraction, like a magnet,
would bring them
from so far away,
all the way until they come
to pay their homage
and to worship the King.
- [speaking ancient language]
- [man speaking ancient language]
[Kevin] As a kid,
I sang Christmas songs
about these gifts from the Magi,
or as we call them,
the Wise Men.
Gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
I knew what gold was.
That's about it.
Frankincense and myrrh
were highly valued incense
and perfumes.
- [speaking ancient language]
- [group chants in ancient language]
[speaking ancient language]
[Kevin] These gifts were seen
as fit for a king
and were rare in Judea.
Imagine what it was like
for these two teens
from the village of Nazareth
to receive such gifts.
[Tense instrumental music playing]
[Kevin] Herod had ordered
the Magi to return to Jerusalem
to report the location
of the new king.
But an angelic dream came
to the Magi
[group chants
in ancient language]
warning them to return
to their own country
by another route,
avoiding the mad king
at any cost.
[gasps]
[Kevin] Herod was furious
when he realized
that the Wise Men
had outwitted him.
But he wasn't going
to let the threat
to his throne go unchecked.
Fitting with the type
of leader he was,
he ordered soldiers
to k*ll every young boy
in and around Bethlehem.
Joseph had another encounter
with an angel
in his dreams.
The angel of the Lord said,
"Joseph, get up."
"Flee to Egypt with the child
and his mother."
"Stay there
until I tell you to return"
because Herod is going to search
"for the child to k*ll him."
[Tense instrumental music continues]
[horses neighing]
[horses neighing]
[Kevin] It's said
in the Scriptures
that the real battle
is not against flesh and blood,
but against the spiritual force
of evil.
- By ordering such a heinous act
- [screams]
it's fair to wonder
if Herod was being used
by an even greater force
of evil.
[Solemn instrumental music playing]
The evil that Herod would commit
towards defenseless,
innocent human beings
shows the lengths
that the human will go to
if they succumb to that desire
for earthly power.
And it shows
that God doesn't will evil.
He allows evil,
only that some greater good
can happen.
[horse neighing]
[Lynn] The k*lling
of these baby boys
by order of Herod
is such a tragedy.
Many people, though,
think of them as martyrs.
They're part of the story
- [baby babbling]
- Of God's ultimate redemption,
and thus their lives
were not in vain.
[Kevin]
Herod's death squad arrives
and shows no sign of mercy.
[people screaming]
[Kevin] No sign of humanity,
no shred of anything
besides pure, unfiltered evil.
[people screaming]
[Kevin] And they take evidence
as proof for Herod.
[villager 1 wails]
[people screaming]
- [villager 2] Stay back!
- [screaming continues]
[indistinct yelling]
No!
It's a terrible chapter
in this story.
A reminder really
of how cruel we can be
when we put our own interests,
our own survival
above God's will.
The ancient text reads
that a cry was heard,
and there was great weeping.
Rachel weeps for her children,
refusing to be comforted
because they're dead.
I don't think there's anything
more painful in this world
than a parent losing a child.
And thankfully,
that's not where the story ends.
The angel's warning had saved
the life of the young Jesus.
But many others were lost
at the command of Herod.
It is done.
Sire.
- Shoo!
- [horse neighs]
[door rattles]
[Kevin] Eventually evil turned
on its host,
further cannibalizing
Herod's mind and body.
[Jodi] Herod reportedly was
in a great deal of distress.
[Herod] Why didn't you tell me?
He reportedly was wandering
around, seeing ghosts.
[Herod sobs, mumbles]
[Dramatic instrumental music playing]
[Jodi] Everybody could see that
he wasn't in his right mind,
to the point where he actually
tried to k*ll himself.
[screams]
[Father Sean] Herod committed
these profound acts
of moral evil.
All of this was
about one thing, power.
He's a repulsive
historical figure.
[sobs]
[Lynn] The sorrow that happens
in the story
of the first Christmas can feel,
I think, at times,
like there's no justice.
It's all just about power
and the assertion of power.
But the Christmas story
starts a bigger story
that includes healing,
and miracles, and great joy.
[Soft instrumental music playing]
[Kevin] Mary, Joseph,
and young Jesus escaped
to the land of Egypt,
where they lived peacefully
for quite some time.
After Herod's death,
an angel appeared
to Joseph once more,
telling him
that it was safe to go home.
Eventually, the family did,
returning to the very place
our story started, Nazareth.
There, Jesus grew the same way
we all do, little by little.
His father taught him carpentry,
but beyond that,
the Scriptures offer
very few glimpses
into the lives of the family.
But like all good parents,
I'm sure Mary and Joseph
made all the sacrifices
parents do
to provide and protect
their children.
So while we may not know a lot
about Jesus's formative years,
his ministry years as an adult,
well, you'd need a few lifetimes
to count the words
written about that.
[Dramatic string music playing]
Just as Simeon had prophesied,
Mary's soul was pierced
as she watched her son, Jesus,
be ex*cuted on a Roman cross,
k*lled for crimes
he did not commit.
He was placed inside a cave,
perhaps very similar
to the one he was born in.
But many, including myself,
believe he didn't stay
in that cave for very long,
and that he rose from the dead,
saving those
who would believe in him.
Jesus's teachings
changed the world.
And those that followed him
became known
as Christ's followers
or Christians.
And while there
was plenty of hardship
and persecution
for the early Christians,
in time, even Rome
would declare itself
a Christian empire.
And the followers of Jesus
somehow would find a way
to spread his word
across the globe
to over 200 countries.
One of Jesus's teaching was
that we should love one another,
forgive our enemies,
take care of the poor,
champion the disenfranchised,
and live with humility
and kindness.
And underneath all the songs
and the wrapping paper
and the stars
on top of the tree,
I think that's really
what Christmas is about.
[Choir singing "Glory" repeatedly]
Merry Christmas, everybody.
[Singing continues]
[Singing concludes]
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Kevin Costner Presents: The First Christmas (2025)
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