Lesson for December 19, 2021
Christmas Story as told by Luke and Matthew
Two of the four Gospels give us an account of the birth of Christ, Matthew, and Luke. They tell the story from their own perspectives without contradiction. By the examination of each account, we have a more complete story of Christ’s birth.
Matthew was a Jew and tells his story from the Jewish point of view. For example, Matthew, a Jew, traces the lineage of Jesus back to Abraham, the father of the Jewish race. Luke, a Gentile, on the other hand, traces the lineage of Jesus back to Adam, the father of the human race. Matthew breaks the lineage down into periods of fourteen hundred years, citing significant events in Jewish history, which would be of importance to the Jewish mind. Luke makes no mention of these time periods, as they would have been of no significance to the Gentiles. Matthew traces the legal line of Jesus from Joseph and Luke traces the birth line of Jesus from Mary. Both lines give Jesus the legal right and the birthright to the throne of David, which Christ will assume during His millennial reign.
By examining the two accounts, we can get the chronology of the birth of Christ. In Luke we are given the story of the announcement of the coming birth from the angel Gabriel. Mary, of course, was amazed at what Gabriel told her. (Luke 1:26-35) Matthew does not record this information but begins with the conception. Luke 2:1-7 gives us the reason that Joseph and Mary had to travel to Bethlehem. The reason was the census and determination of taxes to be paid to Rome. Roman law required everyone to return to the place of his birth for this census. Because of the great influx of people into Bethlehem, there were no rooms left in the inns. Thus, Jesus was born in the humble surroundings of a stable and placed in a feeding trough (manger). The clothes that He was wrapped in were the same type as people were wrapped in after death (swaddling clothes). All this was done in fulfillment of prophecies and a foreshadowing of events to come.
There were shepherds at the manger (Luke 2:8-10), but not the wise men. We also have no idea as to how many wise men there were. It could be 2 or 20. (Matthew 2:1-12) The Bible says that the wise men brought three gifts, gold frankincense and myrrh. It is more likely that since these were common currency items of value that each wise man, regardless of the actual number, brought a little of all three. We are not saying that there weren’t three, just that to say so is going beyond what is written.
The Magi were astrologers from somewhere in the east, most likely Persia. Most likely, the Magi knew of the writings of the prophet Daniel, who in time past had been in Persia. Daniel 9:24-27 includes a prophecy which gives a timeline for the birth of the Messiah. There is no evidence that the Magi were led to Jesus by a bright low hovering star. Such a star would have been quite noticeable by many people. The fact that Herod had to ask the Magi when the star first appeared proves that the star was extraordinary only to the trained eye. Only the Magi, who studied the stars, would have noticed it. Therefore, the idea of a very bright low hovering star shining over the stable where Jesus was born is wrong. On the other hand, the star the Magi were attracted by has no acceptable natural celestial explanation and it was clearly a special miracle to attract the Magi.
The wise men were not at the manger the night Jesus was born. The Bible says that the wise men came to Jesus’ house. It seems clear that the wise men came just prior to the time Herod issued his decree to kill all the children under two years of age. The star first appeared to the wise men when Jesus was born, but it led the wise men to Jesus’ house. (Matthew 2:11 “And they came into the house and saw the Child with Mary His mother“)
The Book of Luke
Luke 2:1-20, “Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth. This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all the people were on their way to register for the census, each to his own city. Now Joseph also went up from Galilee from the city of Nazareth to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, in order to register along with Mary, who was engaged to him, and was pregnant. While they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.”
In the same region (of Bethlehem) there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock at night. And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood near them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. And so, the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.’
And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army of angels praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among people with whom He is pleased.’ When the angels had departed from them into Heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, ‘Let’s go straight to Bethlehem, then, and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.’ And they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger. When they had seen Him, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child. And all who heard it were amazed about the things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them.”
The Book of Matthew
Matthew 1:18-25, “Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah was as follows: when His mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, before they came together, she was found to be pregnant by the Holy Spirit. And her husband Joseph, since he was a righteous man and did not want to disgrace her, planned to send her away secretly.But when he had thought this over, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a Son; and you shall name Him Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” Now all this took place so that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet would be fulfilled: “Behold, the virgin will conceive and give birth to a Son, and they shall name Him Immanuel,” which translated means, “God with us.” And Joseph awoke from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took Mary as his wife, but kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a Son; and he named Him Jesus.”
Matthew 2:1-12, “Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, ‘Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.’ When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They said to him, ‘In Bethlehem of Judea; for this is what has been written by the prophet (Micah 5:2): And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the leaders of Judah; For from you will come forth a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel.’ Then Herod secretly called for the magi and determined from them the exact time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, ‘Go and search carefully for the Child; and when you have found Him, report to me, so that I too may come and worship Him.’ After hearing the king, they went on their way; and behold, the star, which they had seen in the east, went on ahead of them until it came to a stop over the place where the Child was to be found. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. And after they came into the house, they saw the Child with His mother Mary; and they fell down and worshiped Him. Then they opened their treasures and presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And after being warned by God in a dream not to return to Herod, the magi left for their own country by another way.”