The Gospels of Matthew and Luke have been the topic of conversation and dispute in biblical scholarship throughout the years, because although they are covering the same event the authors present their ideas in different ways. Each author have different styles, vocabulary, theological themes and intentions which vary from gospel to gospel. In this essay, I will establish Jesus’ lineage and significance as exemplified in the Gospel of Matthew 1-2 and Luke 1-2. In the Gospel of Matthew, the vocabulary and style builds to the identity of Jesus. Matthew stresses the noble and divine origin of Jesus by tracing the lineage of Jesus Christ to great men within the history of Israel, and through the use of trinitarian vocabulary. Matthew
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The angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to explain that Mary “ will bring forth a Son, and you, [Joseph], shall call his name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins”, and Joseph “fulfilled” the Lord’s commandment, took Mary as his wife,“and did not know her until she had brought forth her firstborn Son...called His name Jesus” . The idea of fulfillment again is exemplified when Joseph, Mary and Jesus “dwelt in a city called Nazareth” as it had once been prophesied that Jesus “shall be a Nazarene”. The idea of universalism is brought up in the Gospel of Matthew, much of this idea is attributed to the historical context during the time this gospel was written. The Gospel of Matthew dates after 70 AD, which indicates it was written during the destruction of Jerusalem and because the Babylonian Exile had already occurred, as noted in the genealogy of Jesus Christ “from the captivity in Babylon until the Christ are fourteen generations”. After the Babylonian Exile, people had become more open to the idea of universalism, leaving the idea of nationalism behind in the ruins, now anyone who worshiped the Lord could be led to salvation no matter their background. The universality of salvation can be observed in the magis, as the magis are not Jews.The magis belong to a different area and race than the people of Israel, yet the magis are portrayed as the ideal Christian who sought the Lord even from a distance, in their case the East, to worship. This idea of universality presents itself when the magis followed the “star which they had seen in the East” until they “stood over where the young Child was” and they “rejoiced with exceedingly great joy”, “fell down and worshiped him”. The Gospel of Matthew presents a more open relationship between religion and outsiders, something that introducing a new idea when compared to the other gospels where
The angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to explain that Mary “ will bring forth a Son, and you, [Joseph], shall call his name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins”, and Joseph “fulfilled” the Lord’s commandment, took Mary as his wife,“and did not know her until she had brought forth her firstborn Son...called His name Jesus” . The idea of fulfillment again is exemplified when Joseph, Mary and Jesus “dwelt in a city called Nazareth” as it had once been prophesied that Jesus “shall be a Nazarene”. The idea of universalism is brought up in the Gospel of Matthew, much of this idea is attributed to the historical context during the time this gospel was written. The Gospel of Matthew dates after 70 AD, which indicates it was written during the destruction of Jerusalem and because the Babylonian Exile had already occurred, as noted in the genealogy of Jesus Christ “from the captivity in Babylon until the Christ are fourteen generations”. After the Babylonian Exile, people had become more open to the idea of universalism, leaving the idea of nationalism behind in the ruins, now anyone who worshiped the Lord could be led to salvation no matter their background. The universality of salvation can be observed in the magis, as the magis are not Jews.The magis belong to a different area and race than the people of Israel, yet the magis are portrayed as the ideal Christian who sought the Lord even from a distance, in their case the East, to worship. This idea of universality presents itself when the magis followed the “star which they had seen in the East” until they “stood over where the young Child was” and they “rejoiced with exceedingly great joy”, “fell down and worshiped him”. The Gospel of Matthew presents a more open relationship between religion and outsiders, something that introducing a new idea when compared to the other gospels where