Matthew and Luke both devote chapters to Jesus' birth, differing on some details but agreeing on the main points. They describe Mary and Joseph as Jesus' parents, with Mary remaining a virgin. An angel announces Jesus' birth to Mary and Joseph in Bethlehem, with shepherds and later magi visiting. Jesus is named as the Messiah and Savior. Both genealogies trace Jesus' lineage back to King David to assert his credentials as Messiah. The accounts highlight Jesus' divine and human natures through the virgin birth and his growth as an obedient child.

1. THE BIRTH OF CHRIST;
THE NATIVITY
The virgin birth and
the genealogies of Matthew and Luke
Key passages: John 1:1-18, Matthew 1-2, Luke 1-2

3. Matthew and Luke both devote 2
chapters to the events around his birth
- they differ widely on what and how
they report
- probably they had different sources
- They agree on the main details
- Mary and Joseph are the parents,
conception took place through the HS
whilst Mary was a virgin, in the time
of Herod, an angel announces and
names the baby, birth was in
Bethlehem but they settle in Nazareth.

4. Matthews Genealogy (Matt 1:1-17)
is dealt with from a Jewish
perspective - he is the Christ,
descended from King David (and
also Abraham, through whom all
nations would be blessed).
5 women are mentioned: Tamar,
Rahab, Ruth, Uriah’s wife
(Bathsheba) and Mary - all had
questionable sexual backgrounds.
Matthews Account

5. The OT mentions other
ancestors but Matt chooses
three groups of 14, David being
the 14th.
(The numerical values of the
consonants in David was 14,
D=4, V=6.)
The phrase “to beget”, NIV,
“was the father of ” could mean
“to be one’s ancestor” - hence
leaving names out was not a
problem.

6. Matt 1:16 uses the feminine
form and so appears to make
it clear that Jesus had one
biological parent,
...and Jacob the father of Joseph,
the husband of Mary, and Mary
was the mother of Jesus who is
called the Messiah.

7. Matthew uses 5 OT texts which are fulfilled in the
birth of Christ. Some of these can be taken literally
and are seen as having come to pass. Others are more
typological. Some mix both.
Blomberg defines typology as,
“the recognition of a correspondence between OT and NT
events, based on a conviction of the unchanging nature of the
principles of God’s working, and a consequent understanding of
the NT event in terms of the OT model”

9. The conception of Jesus
Matt 1:18-25
- being pledged to one another
(betrothal) was a binding contract
- marriage would take place a
year or so later
- young Jewish women married in
their teens to men several years
older than them

10. - Joseph is shown as “righteous”
- not sinless but a man who
would obey the oral Torah and
yet still protect Mary from
public humiliation
- Jesus is a Greek translation of
the Hebrew Joshua, meaning
“Yahweh saves” or “Yahweh is
salvation”

11. Birth in Bethlehem, visit of Magi Matt 2:1-12
- the Magi are not shown to be
wise men
kings or
3 in number
- they did bring three gifts fit for royalty
- Magoi were Persian astrologers, attempting to
understand and predict the future by the stars

12. The journey of the Magi, James Tissot, 1894

13. Flight to Egypt
Matt 2:13-15
- Jesus became a “refugee”
- timespan of a few months to a
few years could have elapsed

14. Massacre of the babies
Matt 2:16-18
(Jeremiah 31 was fulfilled)
“A voice is heard in Ramah,
weeping and great mourning,
Rachel weeping for her children
and refusing to be comforted,
because they are no more.”
- Bethlehem was small so maybe
20 or so babies (2 and under) killed
- verse 16 implies the Magi arrived
up to 2 years after Christ’s birth, so
maybe shepherds and magi not
together

17. Return to Nazareth
Matthew 2:19-23
- there is no OT reference
saying, “He will be called a
Nazarene”
- maybe it is a general
interpretation of Isa 11:1
and Num 24:17-19 in
building up this argument

18. Return to Nazareth
Matthew 2:19-23
- there is no OT reference
saying, “He will be called a
Nazarene”
- maybe it is a general
interpretation of Isa 11:1
and Num 24:17-19 in
building up this argument
Matthew is not writing as an
historian but a theologian
- sees Christ as the fulfillment of
OT Messianic hopes from the
line of David.
- Jesus is the hope of Israel
- through Jesus blessings will be
extended to the Gentiles
- Jesus is the legitimate king and
ruler, not Herod, the priests or
any other earthly authorities

19. Preface Luke 1:1-4
- written in highly literary Greek
- same pattern as other histories /
biographies of the day
- shows Luke as a historian and
theologian
- orderly means structured not
chronological
Luke’s Account

20. Preface Luke 1:1-4
- written in highly literary Greek
- same pattern as other histories /
biographies of the day
- shows Luke as a historian and
theologian
- orderly means structured not
chronological Theophilus London
is an Trinidadian-
born American
rapper from, New
York
Luke’s Account

21. Birth stories Luke 1:5 - 2:52
- possibly as the information is
detailed it might have come from a
close relative, Elizabeth, or even
Mary
In his infancy narrative Luke aims
to do two things:
1. Provide an overview of salvation
2. Show similarities / differences
between JTB and Jesus

22. - the birth of JTB is foretold, then the birth of Jesus
- Mary and Elizabeth are then set alongside each
other
- the birth and growth of each boy is related
- both are seen as heralds of a new age
- both are born to Jewish parents who experienced
miraculous conceptions
- angels are in both stories
- fear and disbelief of the parents turns to
acceptance and praise to God
- Luke does portray Jesus as greater than JTB, virgin
birth, Saviour, Lord etc.

23. Birth of JTB foretold Luke 1:5-25
- JTB of a priestly family
- 18,000 priests at that time, so small
chance of selection to minister in
temple
- not drinking alcohol was not
common in OT
- being filled with HS from his
mothers womb was unheard of
- JTB has a prophetic role in calling
to repentance / preparing the way for
the Messiah

24. Birth of JTB foretold Luke 1:5-25
- JTB of a priestly family
- 18,000 priests at that time, so small
chance of selection to minister in
temple
- not drinking alcohol was not
common in OT
- being filled with HS from his
mothers womb was unheard of
- JTB has a prophetic role in calling
to repentance / preparing the way for
the Messiah

25. Announcing the birth of Jesus
Luke 1:26-38
- the angel Gabriel comes to announce
the impending birth to Mary
- Mary is highly favoured, literally
“having been given grace” or “having
been treated graciously”
- there is nothing special about Mary, it
is God’s initiative
- Son of the Most High is a Davidic,
messianic title
- Mary questions - but then graciously
accepts Gabriels explanation

26. Announcing the birth of Jesus
Luke 1:26-38
- the angel Gabriel comes to announce
the impending birth to Mary
- Mary is highly favoured, literally
“having been given grace” or “having
been treated graciously”
- there is nothing special about Mary, it
is God’s initiative
- Son of the Most High is a Davidic,
messianic title
- Mary questions - but then graciously
accepts Gabriels explanation

27. Mary visits Elizabeth
Luke 1:39-56
- as Mary arrives Elizabeth (who is
older) repeats Gabriel's blessing
- Elizabeth is filled with the HSp
- JTB in the womb leaps for joy -
also in the power of HS
- Mary is never called the “mother
of God”
- Mary’s own prayer (hymn?) is
similar to that of Hannah in
1Samuel 2:1-10

28. Mary visits Elizabeth
Luke 1:39-56
- as Mary arrives Elizabeth (who is
older) repeats Gabriel's blessing
- Elizabeth is filled with the HSp
- JTB in the womb leaps for joy -
also in the power of HS
- Mary is never called the “mother
of God”
- Mary’s own prayer (hymn?) is
similar to that of Hannah in
1Samuel 2:1-10
- other hymns follow in the story,
proclaiming salvation for Israel and
a light for the Gentiles (2:32,
1:54-55)
- Mary declares she is blessed, but
only because of what God has done
for her (1:49)
- Mary’s song is often called The
Magnificat (from the first word in
the Latin translation)

29. The birth and growth of JTB
Luke 1:57-80
- JTB is born and named (not after
father or relative) John, means “the
Lord is gracious”
- Zechariah regains his voice is filled
with HS and praises God
- promises physical rescue, spiritual
restoration, fulfilment of the
covenant with Abraham
1:80 summarises JTB so far:
And the child grew and became strong in
spirit; and he lived in the wilderness until
he appeared publicly to Israel.

30. Birth and growth of Jesus
Luke 2:1-52
- around 6BC, 6 months after
JTB was born
- the census registration links
Joseph (Jesus) with Davids line
- Nazareth to Bethlehem was 85
miles - on foot 15-18 miles/day
- the manager = feeding trough
- delivery took place amongst the
animals
- inn (2:7) was a guest room (Lk
22:11, Mk 14:14)

31. - probably they had made arrangements to stay with
relatives but due to the census so had many others
- the house would have been 1 or 2 rooms, where the
animals were was separated from the raised part of
the house by the manager
- Mary and Joseph would have been with friends /
family - but it was crowded and so the feeding
trough was the only place to put the baby
- One apocryphal story has Jesus being born in a
cave (protoevangelium of James)

32. - shepherds were looked down
upon; nomadic lifestyle and a
reputation for theft
- M/J were poor enough not
to be able to offer a sheep
(2:24 / Lev 12:8)
- yet God sent his angels to
these shepherds to proclaim
- Saviour is the most distinctive
title for Jesus in Luke, Lord is
used in Acts

33. - the ministry of Jesus will also
bring division, and Mary is
told how her own heart will be
pierced (see also 12:51-53)
- Jesus is taken to the temple
for rituals
- Simeon is met - he had been
promised he would see the
Messiah and now can die in
peace
- the prophetess Anna appears

34. The only event recorded between
birth and adult ministry of Jesus
is in the Temple aged 12
- possibly a forerunner to the bar
mitzvah (son of the
commandment ceremony) where
13 y.o. boys read and expounded
the Law for themselves and came
of age spiritually speaking
- Jesus called the temple “my
Fathers house”
- knowledge of special relationship
with God was arguably present

35. - in apocryphal literature Jesus
makes clay sparrows, miraculously
extends wood to make a bed
balance and withers up a belligerent
playmate (Inf. Gosp. of Thomas)
- we have no good historical
evidence to cover this period of
Jesus’ life
- Jesus does nothing miraculous
here
- Jesus was a normal child, obedient
- Luke shows his humanity and
growth intellectually, physically,
socially

37. Genealogy Luke 3:223-28
Luke goes back to Adam “the son of God”
- stresses humanity and universal significance
- Blomberg argues that in the positioning of the
genealogy Luke is emphasising that Jesus is the Son
of God
- it is between his baptism and temptation, in both
Jesus demonstrated his sonship
- names differ to Matthews list, why?
* Luke gives Mary’s genealogy (Matt uses Josephs)
* Luke gives human genealogy through Joseph
where Matt gave legal and royal ancestry through
Joseph

38. Blomberg concludes stating
the different stories of Matt
and Lk reveal the same theme
but in different ways,

39. “Jesus is the Davidic Messiah coming
as the consolation of Israel, but he is
also “a light to enlighten the
Gentiles.” He will be both Saviour
and Lord bringing spiritual and
socioeconomic liberty, with special
compassion for women, the poor, and
other social outcasts...as Luke and
Acts unfold it will be clear that Luke’s
greatest interest includes universal
Gentile themes and that Jesus is
clearly “a man for all people”.”

40. The virgin conception and birth are nt
accepted by some who say God can’t
perform miracles
Historical Factors
- there is no evidence of the writers
“fixing” the OT scriptures to match
their ideas - they looked at the OT for
parallels but did not manipulate the text
- the style of writing suggests sources
lose to the events - Luke with Mary (or
her family) and Matthew with Joseph’s
Virgin Birth

41. - it seems very unlikely that the
early Christians would have
made up the events of the virgin
conception / birth
* it is simply the HS
overshadowing her
* the myths would say that
Alexanders mother was
surrounded by a serpent on the
night of her conception, so the
father could not approach her,
other stories have the gods
appearing to copulate with
humans

42. - it seems very unlikely that the
early Christians would have
made up the events of the virgin
conception / birth
* it is simply the HS
overshadowing her
* the myths would say that
Alexanders mother was
surrounded by a serpent on the
night of her conception, so the
father could not approach her,
other stories have the gods
appearing to copulate with
humans
*Luke creates no pious legend he
gives simple detail
*little (if anything) is made of this in
the rest of the NT
* The early church included this -
they had good historical reasons to
do so
Theologically the virgin birth
does not prove the incarnation
- but it does emphasise both
Jesus’ deity and humanity - so
he is an adequate substitute
and adequate representative in
his work

43. “Today the historic Christian faith finds
itself usually combatting those who deny
Christ’s deity...but how many Christians
really believe in Christ’s full humanity?
The number of people who have fallen
into prolonged or pronounced sin and then
protest that Jesus could not possibly relate
to them or forgive them suggests that
docetism is not far from any of us.”

44. Another day, another
presentation, the end of
another class. But do not fear
little ones for there shall be
(unless Jesus comes again)
more classes, more notes,
tests, quizzes and much more.
Until then - goodbye and have
fun!