Christmas: Celebrating the birth of Jesus
Most Christians are woefully uninformed of the biblical facts concerning one of the most important foundations of their faith.
There are only two stories in the Bible giving distinctly contradictory accounts of this most significant event.
One begins in Matthew Chapter 2 verse 1 and ends at verse 23. As Matthew tells the story, Magi are led by a star which signifies the birth of Jesus. They go to Jerusalem where Herod is alerted to their quest to see the newborn king. The star guides them to the house in Bethlehem where they give their gifts to the baby Jesus. An angel warns them not to go back to Herod, an angel also warns Joseph in a dream to take Mary and the child to Egypt because Herod is seeking to kill him. The holy trio escapes in the night to Egypt where they stayed until Herod is dead. They do not go back to Bethlehem but to Nazareth so that the prophecy can be fulfilled that Jesus would be called a Nazarene.
Herod had all the male children two years and under in Bethlehem killed.
Matthew has no census or tax, Joseph and Mary are living in a house in Bethlehem, no journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem with Mary riding a donkey, no shepherds in the fields, no hark the herald angels, no stable, no animals, and no manger.
Luke tells the other story beginning also in his Chapter 2 verse 1 and ends at verse 39.
Luke starts his story with a tax or census depending on which Bible version you read. J and M travel from Nazareth to Bethlehem donkey style, no room in the inn, Mary gives birth in a stable, lays Jesus in a manger. Angels notify shepherds who come to the stable. Eight days after his birth Jesus is circumcised, Mary has to complete her days of purification (33 more days from Jesus' circumcision, see Leviticus 12:1-6) then they take Jesus to Jerusalem (6 miles) to present him to the Lord (a law) then they return to Nazareth.
Luke has no magi, no guiding star, no house in Bethlehem, no Herod, no escape to Egypt, and no slaughter of children.
Do not remain uninformed. Read for yourself and think for yourself.
Oren Piper
Siloam Springs
Editorial on 12/12/2018