DATE

EVENT

September / October, 6 B.C.

Gabriel announces to Zechariah the coming birth of John the Baptizer.

March / April, 5 B.C.

Gabriel announces to Mary the coming birth of Jesus. Mary goes to Elizabeth’s house in Hebron.

June / July, 5 B.C.

Mary returns to her home in Nazareth. John is born.

January, 4 B.C.

Jesus is born in Bethlehem.

February, 4 B.C.

40 days after his birth, Jesus is taken to the temple in Jerusalem to be “presented” to the Priests. Simeon and Anna see him there at the temple. After a day or two, Mary and Joseph return to their house in Bethlehem.

March, 4 B.C.

The Magi visit and worship the child. Mary and Joseph live in a house now. Being warned in a dream, the holy family flees to Egypt. Herod slaughters all children in Bethlehem who are under 2 years old.

April (last week), 4 B.C.

Herod dies in horrible agony. (This date is pretty certain.)

March or April, 3 B.C.

After the mad scramble following Herod’s death, which probably took months to be settled, Joseph takes his family back to Nazareth. Herod’s son Archelaus is now ruler of Judea. He will reign for about ten years.