The Christmas Story in the Bible
The Christmas Story is told in two books of the Bible. These are in the two 'gospel' books of Matthew and Luke (the four gospel books tell about the life of Jesus). There are different parts of the birth and early life of Jesus in these books. So why are they different and why don't they both have the same information?
Although both books tell us about the birth of Jesus, they include different parts of the story because Matthew and Luke wanted to tell people about different aspects of Jesus and his ministry.
The Christmas Story in Matthew
Matthew wanted to show that Jesus was born to be a leader and King, like the important historical Jewish figures of Moses and King David.
So he tells us about the Magi/Wise Men visiting Jerusalem and them explaining that they've seen new signs in the sky meaning that there's a new King born in Israel. Then the Magi find out that this baby will be born in Bethlehem, which is also known as the City of David.
Matthew also shows a parallel with Moses' life as there's an existing King wanting to kill a vulnerable baby. And there is also a mini Exodus with Joseph, Mary and Jesus escaping into Egypt and then returning to Nazareth.
The Christmas Story in Luke
Luke wanted to show that Jesus is a priest, like the important Jewish figure of Samuel, so he focuses more on Jesus's religious heritage and those parts of his birth and early life.
We learn from Luke about Zachariah and Elizabeth, Mary's priestly relatives. We hear about the amazing visit of the angels to the shepherds. These shepherds probably sold their sheep for the sacrifices at the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem. Luke includes the account of Joseph and Mary taking the newborn Jesus to the Temple to perform their religious duties, where they meet Anna and Simeon.
Luke also includes when Jesus visited the temple at 12 years of age; whereas Matthew goes straight from the story of the Magi to the ministry of John the Baptist, the Baptism of Jesus and the start of his adult ministry.
So both narratives tell us about different aspects of Jesus through different parts of his birth and early life - explaining that Jesus is both a King and a Priest.
If you'd like to know more about this topic, this is an excellent article which explains the differences between the accounts of Matthew and Luke in more detail, on the blog of theologian, Ian Paul.
The Christmas Story Bible verses in chronological order
Mary's Relatives Elizabeth & Zechariah and Their Baby
There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah. He had a wife of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. They were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord. But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they both were well advanced in years.
Now it happened, while he was performing the priest's office before God in the order of his division, according to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to enter into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. And the whole crowd of people were praying outside at the hour of incense. An angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense. Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your request has been heard, and your wife, Elizabeth, will bear you a son, and you are to name him John. You will have joy and gladness; and many will rejoice at his birth. For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and he will drink no wine nor strong drink. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb. He will turn many of the people of Israel to the Lord, their God. He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, 'to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,' and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."
Zechariah said to the angel, "How can I be sure of this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years." The angel answered him, "I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God. I was sent to speak to you, and to bring you this good news. And look, you will be silent and not able to speak, until the day that these things will happen, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time."
The people were waiting for Zechariah, and they were wondering why he was delayed in the temple. When he came out, he could not speak to them, and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple. He continued making signs to them, and remained mute. It happened, when the days of his service were fulfilled, he departed to his house. After these days Elizabeth, his wife, conceived, and she hid herself five months, saying, "Thus has the Lord done to me in the days in which he looked at me, to take away my disgrace among people."
An Angel Visits Mary
Now in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. Having come in, the angel said to her, “Greetings, favored one. The Lord is with you.”
But when she saw him, she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered what kind of salutation this might be. The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And look, you will conceive in your womb, and bring forth a son, and will call his name 'Jesus.' He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father, David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever. There will be no end to his kingdom.”
Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, seeing I am a virgin?”
The angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore also the holy one who is born will be called the Son of God.
And look, Elizabeth, your relative, also has conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For with God nothing will be impossible."
And Mary said, “See, the handmaid of the Lord; be it to me according to your word.” The angel departed from her.
Mary Visits Elizabeth & Zechariah and the Birth of John
Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Judah, and entered into the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. It happened, when Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, that the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. She called out with a loud voice, and said, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. Why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For look, when the voice of your greeting came into my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy. Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of the things which have been spoken to her from the Lord."
Mary said, "My soul magnifies the Lord. And my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked at the humble state of his servant girl. For look, from now on all generations will call me blessed. For he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. His mercy is for generations of generations on those who fear him. He has shown strength with his arm. He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He has put down princes from their thrones. And has exalted the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things. He has sent the rich away empty. He has given help to Israel, his servant, that he might remember mercy, As he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and his offspring forever."
Mary stayed with her about three months, and then returned to her house.
Now the time that Elizabeth should give birth was fulfilled, and she brought forth a son. Her neighbors and her relatives heard that the Lord had magnified his mercy towards her, and they rejoiced with her. It happened on the eighth day, that they came to circumcise the child; and they would have called him Zechariah, after the name of the father. His mother answered, "Not so; but he will be called John." They said to her, "There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name." They made signs to his father, what he would have him called. And he asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, "His name is John." And they were all amazed.
His mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue freed, and he spoke, blessing God. Fear came on all who lived around them, and all these sayings were talked about throughout all the hill country of Judea. All who heard them laid them up in their heart, saying, "What then will this child be?" The hand of the Lord was with him.
His father, Zechariah, was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying, "Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, for he has visited and worked redemption for his people; and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David (as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets who have been from of old), salvation from our enemies, and from the hand of all who hate us; to show mercy towards our fathers, to remember his holy covenant, the oath which he spoke to Abraham, our father, to grant to us that we, being delivered out of the hand of our enemies, should serve him without fear, In holiness and righteousness before him all our days. And you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to make ready his ways, to give knowledge of salvation to his people by the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the dawn from on high will visit us, to shine on those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death; to guide our feet into the way of peace."
The child was growing, and becoming strong in spirit, and was in the desert until the day of his public appearance to Israel.
An Angel Visits Joseph
Now the birth of Jesus Christ happened like this. His mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, and before they came together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. And Joseph, her husband, being a righteous man, and not willing to make her a public example, intended to put her away secretly.
But when he thought about these things, look, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to yourself Mary, your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins."
Now all this has happened, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, "Look, the virgin will conceive and bear a son, and they will call his name Immanuel;" which is translated, "God with us."
And Joseph arose from his sleep, and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took his wife to himself; and had no marital relations with her until she had brought forth a son; and he named him Jesus.
The Birth of Jesus
Now it happened in those days, that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be enrolled. This was the first enrollment made when Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to enroll themselves, everyone to his own city. Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David; to enroll himself with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him, being pregnant.
It happened, while they were there, that the day had come when she should give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son, and wrapped him with pieces of cloth, and placed him in a feeding trough, because there was no guest room available for them.
The Shepherds and the Angels
There were shepherds in the same country staying in the field, and keeping watch by night over their flock. And look, an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. The angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for see, I bring you good news of great joy which will be to all the people. For there is born to you, this day, in the city of David, a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This is the sign to you: you will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth, lying in a feeding trough.”
Suddenly, there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward humankind.”
And it happened that when the angels went away from them into the sky, the shepherds said one to another, “Let us go to Bethlehem, now, and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.”
They came with haste, and found both Mary and Joseph, and the baby was lying in the feeding trough. When they saw it, they made known the saying which was spoken to them about this child. All who heard it wondered at the things which were spoken to them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these sayings, pondering them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, just as it was told them.
Jesus as a New Born
When eight days were fulfilled to circumcise him, his name was called Jesus, which was given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb. When the days of their purification according to the Law of Moses were fulfilled, they brought him up to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, "Every male who opens the womb will be called holy to the Lord"), and to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the Law of the Lord, "A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons."
And look, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. He came in the Spirit into the temple. When the parents brought in the child, Jesus, that they might do concerning him according to the requirement of the Law, then he received him into his arms, and blessed God, and said, "Now you are releasing your servant, Lord, according to your word, in peace; for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared before the face of all peoples; a light for revelation to the nations, and the glory of your people Israel."
And his father and his mother were marveling at the things which were spoken concerning him, and Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary, his mother, "Look, this child is set for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which is spoken against. Yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul, that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed."
There was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher (she was of a great age, having lived with a husband seven years from her virginity, and she had been a widow for about eighty-four years), who did not depart from the temple, worshipping with fastings and petitions night and day. Coming up at that very hour, she gave thanks to God, and spoke of him to all those who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.
The Wise Men
Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, look, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is he who is born King of the Jews? For we saw his star in the east, and have come to worship him.”
And when King Herod heard it, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he asked them where the Messiah would be born. And they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written through the prophet, ‘And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are in no way least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come forth a ruler who will shepherd my people, Israel.’”
Then Herod secretly called the wise men, and learned from them exactly what time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, “Go and search diligently for the young child, and when you have found him, bring me word, so that I also may come and worship him.”
And they, having heard the king, went their way; and look, the star which they saw in the east went before them, until it came and stood over where the young child was. And when they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. And they came into the house and saw the young child with Mary, his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered gifts to him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Being warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they went back to their own country another way.
The Escape to Egypt
Now when they had departed, look, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, "Arise and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and stay there until I tell you, for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him."
And he arose and took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt, and was there until the death of Herod; that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, "Out of Egypt I called my son."
Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked by the Magi, was exceedingly angry, and sent out, and killed all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all the surrounding countryside, from two years old and under, according to the exact time which he had learned from the Magi. Then that which was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled, saying,
"A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation and weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children; and she would not be comforted, because they are no more."
Returning Home
But when Herod was dead, look, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, "Arise and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel, for those who sought the young child's life are dead."
And he arose and took the young child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in the place of his father, Herod, he was afraid to go there. Being warned in a dream, he withdrew into the region of Galilee, and came and lived in a city called Nazareth; that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophets, that he will be called a Nazorean.
Last Updated: | Sources Information | Written by: James Cooper