Religious Education Quiz - Christianity - The First Christmas (Questions)

This KS3 RE quiz takes a look at the first Christmas in Christianity. The popular view of Christmas involves presents, turkey, sparkly lights and crackers. What do Christians celebrate on Christmas?

If you have ever seen a Nativity play, you will probably have seen the Angel Gabriel appear to Mary, telling her that she will give birth to God's son, who will be named Jesus; Joseph and Mary making their way to Bethlehem for the census, but finding there is no room in the inn and staying in a stable for the night; Mary laying the newborn Jesus in a manger; the angels singing to the shepherds, who then visit Jesus; and the Magi, or "wise men", following a star until they arrive at the stable, where they present the new king with precious and prophetic gifts.

This narrative combines the events as they are told in two Gospels, Matthew and Luke. Matthew focusses on the genealogy of Jesus, to show that he is the Messiah, descended from David, and tells how wise men travelling in search of this new king naturally checked the palace first, making Herod, the king at the time, angry that someone might try to usurp his throne. Luke, on the other hand, focusses on how Mary and her cousin Elizabeth were both miraculously pregnant (Elizabeth with Jesus's cousin, John the Baptist) and how Jesus was born in a stable, the most humble of places, and was visited by humble shepherds. Nativity plays, Christmas cards and Nativity scenes often stage all of these events drawn from two of the Gospels in one grand pageant.