The Birth Narritives

The Birth Narritives

1. Matthew

   • Focus on Joseph
   • Magi/wise men follow star in the east
   • Born in a 'house'
   • Three gifts, not kings
   • Duped Herod
   • Herod kills all children in Bethlehem under 2
   • Jospeh and Mary flee to Egypt
   • un-named angel annunciation to Joseph

2. Luke

   • Focus on Mary
   • No Marriage
   • Mary visits cousin Elizabeth (pregnant)
     • Who expressed her joy singing the Magnificat
   • Eliz-John the Bap where huby Zechariah sings the Benedictus
   • Census called by Caesar Augustus
   • So Mary and Joseph travelled to Bethlehem to be registered
   • No room in the Inn so Jesus bron in a manger probs in a stable
   • Angel Gabriel tells Mary of pregnancy
   • Shepherd are informed and go immediately to Bethlehem to visit the Messiah!
   • 8 days after baby J presented in Temple of Jerusalem where mysteriously recogninsed by Simeon and Anna
     • Simeon speaks the hymn 'Nunc Dimittis'

3. Historicity

   • Matthew
     • Little historical detial
     • Mentions massacre of children
     • Not reported by any other contemporary historian
       • Just making it to establish link with Moses?
   • Luke
     • Chronology appears to be mistaken despite insisting on historical accuracy
     • Says it happened when Quirinius was govener of Syria but this was not until 6-12CE
     • Not Days of Herod who died 4CE
     • Potentially mixed up with Saturninus
     • All hymns mentioned already in use in Christian community before Luke attributed them to different characters

4. Supernatural events in the accounts

   • Matthew
     • Angel appears to Jospeh three times
     • Angel/Star appears to Magi
   • Luke
     • Angel Gabriel
     • Eliz's recognition
     • Shepherds visited by choir of Angels
     • Recognition by Simeon and Anna
   • Both born of virgin Mary and conceived of holy spirit

5. Harmonising the accounts

   • Differences likely to occur with two different accounts
   • Clear similarities like Virgin Mary, conceived of the Holy Spirit and she was betrothed to Joseph