The third is given by the Evangelist John the Theologian in his divinely enlightened view of the mystery of the incarnate economy. This introduction to the Gospel story is dogmatic. Here is the seed of all Christian theology.

All of them have a special place in front, as befits introductions or prefaces.

The Hidden Life of the Lord the Savior

The events that took place here are established in their own order, as has already been noted, by their own nature and by the indications of the legends. It remains only to retell them.

The beginning of the Gospel events is laid by the Archangel's announcement to the righteous Zachariah the priest of the birth of the Forerunner of the Lord, John, who, after this, is conceived.

Six months after this, the same Archangel announced to the Most-Pure Virgin Mary the birth of the Son of God and God from Her.

The rejoicing Holy Virgin hastens to share this joy with Her kinswoman, the eldress Elizabeth, the matter of the Forerunner, who is the first to confess Her to be the Mother of God. From here the Virgin Mother of God returns to Her home after three months.

After this, St. John the Baptist was born, circumcised and received a name with wondrous prophecies about him from the lips of his father Zachariah.

Meanwhile, in Nazareth, Joseph, confused by perplexities, received a revelation about the birth of the Son of God from the Virgin Mary and calmed down.

The time has come for Him to be born. The census brings the righteous Joseph and the Most-Pure Virgin to Bethlehem, where the Lord is born, as it was predicted long ago.

The newborn Lord is glorified by the Angels and accepts worship from the shepherds.

Then He is circumcised, and as a man receives the name foreordained from above, and in due time He is placed before the Lord in the temple with the testimonies and prophecies of the righteous Simeon and Anna the prophetess.

They had to make this return from Egypt, when the danger from Herod had passed with his death. Then, having received a command from above, they returned to their city of Nazareth with the Eternal Infant in their arms, without entering Jerusalem.

Here the Lord then dwelt, hiding His Divine greatness in humble humanity, until the time of His manifestation to the world as the God-man. Only once, when He was twelve years old, when He was with His parents in Jerusalem at the feast of the Passover, in the temple of the learned Jews He amazed them with His extraordinary wisdom, and announced to His parents that He had another Parent, in whose spirit and intentions He must abide and act.