1A: Jesus' birth Flashcards
1
Q
What are the two birth stories?
A
- Matthew 1:18-2:23
- Luke 1:26-2:40
2
Q
Jesus’ birth - Matthew 1:18 - 2:23:
A
- Mary was engaged to Joseph and lived separately in Bethlehem
- Mary became pregnant through the HS
- an angel reminds Joseph of a prophecy of a virgin birth and tells him to name his son Immanuel
- wise men visit Herod, searching for Jesus, having followed a star from the east
- they bring gifts to the house of the holy family
- a dream warns the magi not to tell Herod
- an angel visits Joseph in a dream telling him to flee to Egypt
- an angry Herod kills all children under the age of two in and around Bethlehem
- a dream tells Joseph that Herod has died and that they can return to Israel
- Mary, Joseph and Jesus make their home in Nazareth.
3
Q
Jesus’ birth - Luke 1:26 - 2:40:
A
- Angel Gabriel visits Mary and warns her of her pregnancy.
- Angel Gabriel also tells Mary about the pregnancy of Elizabeth or was old and barren
- Mary visits Elizabeth whose baby ‘leaps’ in the womb when it feels Jesus
- Mary sings the Magnificat
- Elizabeth gives birth to John the Baptist
- John’s father (Zachariah) sings the Benedictus
- there is a decree from Augustus of a census and therefore Mary and Joseph travel to Bethlehem to register
- when in Bethlehem Mary delivers her baby and lays him in a manger in a stable due to there being insufficient room at inns.
- angels inform shepherds of the birth who visit Jesus
- Jesus is circumcised and presented at the Temple.
- Simeon sings the Nunc Dimitus and Anna prophesises Jesus as the redeemer of Jerusalem
- Family then return to their home in Nazareth
4
Q
Similarities between the two accounts:
A
- birthplace as Bethlehem and residence in Nazareth
- Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit
- Mary was a virgin engaged to Joseph
5
Q
Differences between the two accounts:
A
- Luke focuses on Mary’s role while Matthew’s account is focused on Joseph’s role
- In Luke’s account shepherds visited Jesus while Wise Men visited in Matthew. It is possible that they both paid a visit
- Luke’s account tells about the circumcision and presentation in the Temple whereas Matthew’s tells about the flight to Egypt and Massacre of the innocents.
- Jesus was born in a house (Matthew) whilst it was implied he was born in a stable and placed in a manger in Luke’s account
- Luke’s account includes hymns, songs and appeals to history whereas Matthew’s contains scriptural prophecies.
6
Q
Issues with credibility:
A
- the two accounts tell different stories
- miraculous elements are less convincing today
- Luke’s historicity can be questioned - Quirinius was not a governor of Syria during the days of Herod.
- no other evidence of Quirinius holding an enrolment for his census
- the three hymns from Luke predate his account and may be a literary device
- massacre of the innocents is an unverified story.
7
Q
What is harmonisation?
A
- some argue that it is possible to harmonise the two birth narratives or make them work together as they do not directly contradict each other despite having differences.
8
Q
Harmonisation:
A
- both stories support the doctrine of incarnation
- holy family could have been visited by both Magi and shepherds
-flight to Egypt may not have happened immediately and could have been up to 2 years after the presentation in the Temple - both agree on Bethlehem being the location of the birth and residence at Nazareth
- both agree on Mary’s virginity, betrothal to Joseph and conception through HS.
9
Q
What are the difficulties with harmonisation?
A
- little similarity between the two stories
- authors were not eyewitnesses to these events
- timescales do not correspond. Luke’s account has M+J returning to Nazareth sooner than Matthew.
- Matthew they originate from Bethlehem and settle in Nazareth however in Luke’s they come from Nazareth and return home.
- Luke appears ignorant of some Jewish historical culture.
10
Q
Redaction criticism defintion:
A
- a critical method of studying scripture that views authors as editors rather than original authors of scripture
11
Q
What is redaction criticism?
A
- considers the way that Matthew and Luke selected and adapted materials from several sources to make their own theological points to their audience.
- Gospel of Mark seems to have been used by both Luke and Matthew as one of their sources. However there are no birth stories in Mark and therefore Luke and Matthew have added to and redacted Mark’s account to fit their own ideologies.
- another source in common appears to be ‘Q’ and have individually drawn from other sources too.
- some believe the birth narratives are a later addition to ensure Jesus’ birth was in Bethlehem.
12
Q
Emphasis of Matthew:
A
- aimed at Jewish readers
- includes extensive genealogy to demonstrate Jesus’ heritage and connection with King David
- includes multiple examples of prophecy that Jesus fulfilled
- emphasises Jesus’ authoritative nature through visiting noblemen and threat to Herod.
13
Q
Emphasis of Luke:
A
- aimed at gentile readers
- dedicated to ‘Theophilus’, either a Greek nobleman or any gentile followers of Jesus
- quotes in Greek from Septuagint, not Hebrew scriptures
- emphasises Jesus’ humble nature through shepherds’ visit, meagre sacrifice in the temple and stories from women
14
Q
What is the incarnation?
A
- means that at a particular moment in history God was made flesh.
- based upon the Latin word - ‘carnis’ meaning flesh.
- struggle to understand this has brought controversy.
15
Q
Incarnation - God is …
A
- fully human and fully God
- united in the person of Jess (hypostatic union)
- eternal and perfect
- experiencing life like other humans
- begotten, not created by the Father.
