Nativity Stories

NATIVITY STORIES

A Christmas Bible Study

We start with the Gospels …

The Four-Source Hypothesis: Mark, Q (Quelle), M, & L.

Mark 1:1-12—In media res. John as Elijah, Jesus as Messiah, Son of God, Davidide.
   But no Nativity narrative. Jesus’ ministry begins with His Baptism.

Matthew 1:1-17—Davidic genealogy. Israelite history.
   1:18-25—Another dreaming Joseph. Virgin Birth.

   2:1-12—The Magi. The Star. (Are they Three Kings?) Flight into Egypt.
   2:13-18—Slaughter of the Innocents (Childermas). Two years old?
   2:19-23—Another dream. Nazareth of Galilee.

Luke 1:1-4—A very classical introduction.
   1:5-25—Conception of John the Baptist.
   1:26-39—The Annunciation. Focus on Mary.
   1:39-56—The Visitation and the Magnificat.
   1:59-80—The Nativity of John the Baptist and the Benedictus.

   2:1-7—A confused timeframe: Herod, Quirinius, census.
   2:8-20—Shepherds keeping watch by night. The Glorificamus.
   2:21-40—Circumcision. Presentation. Nunc Dimittis.

   3:23-38—A rather different genealogy. Marian? Universal?

John 1:1-5—“Hymn to the Logos,” the Word of God who is God.
   1:6-13—John the Baptist testifies to the Light, who makes us the children of God.
   1:14-18—The Incarnation.

Mark and John include no Nativity narratives. Mark might not have known of any. John almost certainly did. Matthew and Luke agree on certain key features—Mary and Joseph, Virgin Birth, Bethlehem to Nazareth, Davidic line—but do not appear to know of one another. Different traditions, often harmonized, yet reminiscent both of Hebrew midrash and of Greco-Roman understandings of divine parentage.

Further finds in Scripture …

Philippians 2:5-11—Early Christian hymn. Kenosis. Paul has a very high Christology, but doesn’t seem to know of the Nativity narratives.

Galatians 4:4—“Born of a woman” is a common Jewish idiom.

Isaiah 7:14—Immanuel, “God with us.” Hebrew “almah” means young woman. But Matthew and the Septuagint both use Greek “parthenos.”

Revelation 12:1-6—Is this a Nativity narrative? Who is the woman clothed with the sun? Interpreted as Israel, and Mary, and the Church. A vision caused Satan to fall?

Wisdom 18:14-15—“For while gentle silence enveloped all things, and night in its swift course was now half gone, your all-powerful word leaped from heaven, from the royal throne, into the midst of the land that was doomed.” Midnight.

Isaiah 1:3—"The ox knows its owner and the donkey its master’s crib, but Israel does not know; my people do not understand.” A Nativity scene staple.

Genesis 3:15—The Protoevangelium. “Seed of a woman,” and all that. Interpreting all things through the lens of Jesus.

And now a bit farther afield …

Infancy Gospel of James—A second-century Christian midrash.
   The miraculous conception of Mary.
   Mary as a consecrated Temple virgin (Exodus, 1 Samuel, 2 Maccabees, Talmud).
   Joseph as an old widower with sons and a miraculous rod.
   Mary becomes pregnant at age 16, which was actually young for the time.
   Mary and Joseph drink the “water of conviction” (Numbers 5:20-28).
   Mary rides to Bethlehem on an ass, and gives birth in a cave.
   Midwife sees time stand still; Salome tests Mary’s perpetual virginity.
   The events of Matthew’s Nativity occur immediately: Magi, Childermas.
   Elizabeth and John the Baptist are miraculously hidden by a mountain.
   High Priest Zacharias is slain at the altar; Simeon becomes the new High Priest.

Infancy Gospel of Thomas—Jesus as a terrifying pagan god-child from ages five to 12.

Infancy Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew—A much later seventh-century combination of James and Thomas, along with a miraculous Flight into Egypt narrative that includes Jesus taming dragons and sporting panther bodyguards. It is the first known inclusion of an ox and ass at Jesus’ Nativity: Jews and Gentiles.

Revelation to the Magi—Third-century Syriac. 12 Magi, Sons of Seth. Books holding the mysteries of Adam as High Priest of Eden. Star enclosing the Christchild.

The Nativity as history, theology, literature and liturgy …

    The oldest Nativity icon in the world. Seventh century, St Catherine’s Monastery at Sinai.