Christmas more accurately

A few more days and it is Christmas! As I gaze at the figures in the Christmas crib, I notice that there are three sheep, a donkey, a camel and a cow. There are also two young shepherds, one of whom is carrying a sheep on his shoulder. Then there are the three magi or kings. And of course, Mary and Joseph are there looking lovingly at the child in swaddling clothes lying in a manger. But did the magi actually visit the new born Messiah at the same time as the shepherds?

Our sources of the Christmas Story are the Gospel of Matthew and the Gospel of Luke. But the two Gospels describe two very different versions of what is known as the Infancy Narrative. The Gospel of Matthew relates the visit of the wise men from the East guided by a star, their encounter with Herod, and their finding Jesus in a house in Bethlehem: On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother (Mt 2:11). The infancy narrative ends with a description of the escape to Egypt, the massacre of the infants, and the Holy Family’s return from Egypt.

The Gospel of Luke, on the other hand, begins with the Roman census which brought Joseph and Mary from Nazareth to Bethlehem where Jesus was born in a manger because there was no place for them in the inn. It then relates the angelic announcement to the shepherds and the shepherds finding “Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in the manger” (Lk 2:16). The narrative continues with the naming of Jesus, his presentation at the temple, the family’s return to Nazareth, and the finding of the boy Jesus in the temple in Jerusalem.

In the narrative of Matthew, there are no shepherds, only the magi from the East who find Jesus in a house rather than in a manger. In the narrative of Luke, there is no mention of any star, no mention of wise men or magi. And the shepherds find Jesus in a manger.

The noted Bible scholar, Fr. Raymond Brown, in his book A Coming Christ in Advent, observes that Matthew’s narrative implies that Mary and Joseph live in Bethlehem and have a house there. The coming of the magi causes Herod to slay children at Bethlehem and the Holy Family to flee to Egypt. The fact that Herod’s son rules Judea after he dies makes Joseph afraid to return to Bethlehem. Thus he takes his family to Nazareth, obviously for the first time.

On the other hand, Luke narrates that Mary and Joseph lived at Nazareth and went to Bethlehem only temporarily to register during a Roman census. The statement that there was no place for them in the inn implies that they have no house in Bethlehem. Finally, Luke’s detailed description of the peaceful return of the Holy Family from Bethlehem to Jerusalem and finally to Nazareth leaves no room for the coming of the magi or a struggle with Herod.

In his monumental work, the 750-page commentary on the Infancy Narratives The Birth of the Messiah, Fr. Raymond Brown stresses that while it is not possible to historically harmonize the two accounts, there are however many points shared by the two infancy narratives although they were written independently of each other. These common points are: the parents of Jesus are Mary and Joseph; Jesus is of the house of David through Joseph, thus Jesus is Son of David; Mary conceived Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit, thus Jesus is Son of God; an angel proclaims the identity of Jesus as Savior; and Jesus was born in Bethlehem but grew up in Nazareth.

The Christmas story tells us that while the Bible is based on historical events, it is not history. It is Good News. While there are differences in the two infancy narratives, the theological message is exactly the same — that Jesus is truly the Son of David and truly the Son of God. This is the Good News. And this Good News must not be kept to oneself. It must be shared with others. In Matthew, this Good News is shared with the Gentile magi. In Luke, it is shared with the Jewish shepherds. The message is — the Good News must be shared with everyone, Gentile or Jew.

The Christmas story tells us that Jesus, the Good News, will not be accepted by all. In Matthew, he was rejected by Herod and the chief priests and the scribes. In Luke, Simeon warned that the “child is destined for the falling and rising of many in Israel.” By revealing Jesus’ identity and foretelling his rejection, the Christmas story becomes the whole Gospel — Bethlehem’s manger lies under the shadow of Calvary’s cross.

This Christmas, let us ponder on the authentic Christmas message — that Jesus, the Son of God, has come to save us. Let us be part of those who will accept this Good News. And upon accepting it, share it with others. This is the real meaning of gift-giving during Christmas. But we must share the Good News not just by saying, not just by giving, but, more importantly, by living. This is Christmas more accurately.