It is thought that Jesus Christ was born around 4 – 6 BC in Bethlehem, about six miles from Jerusalem. His parents, Joseph and Mary, took him to Egypt to avoid a massacre of infant boys ordered by King Herod. The family returned to their home in Nazareth in what is now northern Israel after King Herod’s death.

Although born in Bethlehem, according to Matthew and Luke, Jesus was a Galilean from Nazareth, a village near Sepphoris, one of the two major cities of Galilee (Tiberias was the other). He was born to Joseph and Mary sometime between 6 bce and shortly before the death of Herod the Great (Matthew 2; Luke 1:5) in 4 bce.

Jesus was circumcised at eight days old, was baptized by John the Baptist as a young adult, and after 40 days and nights of fasting in the wilderness, began his own ministry. He was an itinerant teacher who interpreted the law of God with divine authority and was often referred to as " rabbi ". [ 23 ]