Endnote 9 – How Early Christians Viewed the Birth of Jesus

That John the Baptist was to drink no wine (Luke 1:15, 7:33) is reminiscent of the Nazirite vows promised for Samson and Samuel in Judges 13:4–5 and 1 Samuel 9:15. Mary’s Magnificat (Luke 1:46–55) echoes the song of Samuel’s mother Hannah in 1 Samuel 2:1–10. Mary brings Jesus to the Temple in Jerusalem (Luke 2:22) as Hannah brought Samuel to the tabernacle at Shiloh (1 Samuel 1:21–28). In the sacred precincts Mary encounters the aged Simeon much as Hannah had encountered the old priest Eli.