The Bible has four gospels but, only two of them contain the nativity story. The two gospels that have the nativity story are the Gospel of Matthew and the Gospel of Luke. Both are similar on a literary level which can be explained by the synoptic problem. The Gospel of Mark and the source “Q” were the basis of these two gospels. Matthew and Luke shared sources but, they had their individual sources too. The genealogy, the nativity, and the childhood of Jesus played significant roles within the respective gospels. All components helped both authors generate a unique message to their audience. Also, they provided an insight of the beginning of Jesus’s journey and his mission on Earth.
First, background information needs to be given about the …show more content…
This gospel “want[ed] to stress that Jesus sums up and fulfills the history of the Jewish people in the manner of latter-day Moses and David figures” by “bring[ing] the hope of a Jewish kingdom on earth (to which Gentiles will also be admitted).” In other words, the author wanted to solidify to the people that Jesus was, in fact, the son of God that was written in the Old Testament prophesies. Also, Jesus was the fulfillment of Moses’s law. Jesus was the fulfillment of Jewish law because the circumstances of his genealogy, birth, and young childhood follow Old Testament prophesies. The Gospel of Matthew parallels the lives of Jesus and Moses effortlessly. By creating these connections, “the infancy narrative portrays Jesus’ origins as a resonating echo of the ancient origins of the people Israel.” This connection further implied that Jesus was the promised Messiah that will lead the Jewish people to …show more content…
The main similarities between the nativity stories include Mary and Joseph as Jesus’s parents. Jesus was a descendant of Abraham and David, but there are discrepancies between the two accounts as to how he is. A great example that shows the similarity between the two narratives is an angel delivering the message of Jesus’s virginal conception. In Matthew, the message was delivered to Joseph and the angel quoted from an Old Testament prophet by saying “[l]ook, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel’” (Matt 1:23). However, in Luke the message was delivered to Mary and the angel said the “Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy” (Luke 1:35). Of course, there are other similarities including Bethlehem being the birthplace of Jesus, the ruler Herod the Great, and the holy family settling down in
First, background information needs to be given about the …show more content…
This gospel “want[ed] to stress that Jesus sums up and fulfills the history of the Jewish people in the manner of latter-day Moses and David figures” by “bring[ing] the hope of a Jewish kingdom on earth (to which Gentiles will also be admitted).” In other words, the author wanted to solidify to the people that Jesus was, in fact, the son of God that was written in the Old Testament prophesies. Also, Jesus was the fulfillment of Moses’s law. Jesus was the fulfillment of Jewish law because the circumstances of his genealogy, birth, and young childhood follow Old Testament prophesies. The Gospel of Matthew parallels the lives of Jesus and Moses effortlessly. By creating these connections, “the infancy narrative portrays Jesus’ origins as a resonating echo of the ancient origins of the people Israel.” This connection further implied that Jesus was the promised Messiah that will lead the Jewish people to …show more content…
The main similarities between the nativity stories include Mary and Joseph as Jesus’s parents. Jesus was a descendant of Abraham and David, but there are discrepancies between the two accounts as to how he is. A great example that shows the similarity between the two narratives is an angel delivering the message of Jesus’s virginal conception. In Matthew, the message was delivered to Joseph and the angel quoted from an Old Testament prophet by saying “[l]ook, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel’” (Matt 1:23). However, in Luke the message was delivered to Mary and the angel said the “Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy” (Luke 1:35). Of course, there are other similarities including Bethlehem being the birthplace of Jesus, the ruler Herod the Great, and the holy family settling down in