Hi,
[FONT="]I have, like most Americans, heard the Christmas story of the birth of Jesus, the stable, wise men, angels, shepherds, king Herod etc. countless times. But I never really read them until a couple weeks ago. The story of Jesus birth is told in the gospels of Matthew and Luke. When I read them both they were two completely different stories that seem to contradict each other. The more I read them the more different they became. One account has Joseph fleeing to Egypt in the middle of the night just after the birth of Jesus and remaining there till the death of Herod. Joseph was afraid to return to Jerusalem even after the death of Herod.[/FONT]
[FONT="] In Lukes account they are in Jerusalem at least 41 days after the birth with all Jerusalem knowing about it. Then they return home to Nazareth but make the trip back to Jerusalem every year to celebrate Passover. To save space I summarized what each book says. Please read it in your bibles and tell me what you think. [/FONT]
[FONT="]Matthews account:[/FONT]
[FONT="]1.[/FONT][FONT="]Jesus was born in Bethlehem during the reign of King Herod. Matthew 2:1[/FONT]
[FONT="]2.[/FONT][FONT="]Wise men from the east came to King Herod seeking the newborn king of the Jews Matthew 2:2[/FONT]
[FONT="]3.[/FONT][FONT="]All Jerusalem was aware of this. Matthew 2:3[/FONT]
[FONT="]4.[/FONT][FONT="]Herod told them to find the new king and tell him so he could also worship him. Of course he was jealous and wanted to kill Jesus. Matthew 2:8[/FONT]
[FONT="]5.[/FONT][FONT="]The wise men left King Herod and saw the star standing over where Jesus was born. Matthew 2:9 (Bethlehem is only 4 to 5 miles from Jerusalem and King Herods palace and soldiers)[/FONT]
[FONT="]6.[/FONT][FONT="]The wise men worshiped Jesus and presented him gifts. Matthew 2:11[/FONT]
[FONT="]7.[/FONT][FONT="]Then they left and were warned in a dream of Herods plans. They went back to their own country another way. Matthew 2:12[/FONT]
[FONT="]8.[/FONT][FONT="]When they departed an angel warned Joseph of Herods plan in a dream. Matthew 2:13[/FONT]
[FONT="]9.[/FONT][FONT="]Joseph took Mary and Jesus in the middle of the night and fled to Egypt and remained there till the death of Herod. Matthew 2:14&15[/FONT]
[FONT="]10.[/FONT][FONT="]After Herod died Joseph, Mary and Jesus returned to the land of Israel Matthew 2:19-21[/FONT]
[FONT="]11.[/FONT][FONT="]Upon his arrival in Israel Josephs learned that Herods son Archelaeus was reigning on his fathers throne over Judea (the southern region at Jerusalem) and was afraid to go there so he went to Nazareth (in the north and not under Archaleuss control.) Matthew 2:22&23[/FONT]
[FONT="]Lukes account [/FONT]
[FONT="]1.[/FONT][FONT="]There was no star, wise men, King Herod or slaughter of the innocents.[/FONT]
[FONT="]2.[/FONT][FONT="] Angels and heavenly hosts appeared to shepherds on the night of Jesus birth who made widely known the saying which was told to them by the angels concerning Jesus. Luke 2: 17-18[/FONT]
[FONT="]3.[/FONT][FONT="]After 8 days Jesus was still in Bethlehem or Jerusalem and was circumcised and named. Luke 2:21[/FONT]
[FONT="]4.[/FONT][FONT="]After Marys purification was complete they brought Jesus to the temple in Jerusalem to present Him to the lord. This was 41 days after the birth as commanded in Leviticus 12:1-8. [/FONT]
[FONT="]5.[/FONT][FONT="]Anna and Simeon saw him in the temple at Jerusalem 41 days after His birth and spoke widely of Him to all who looked for redemption. Herod had to have known this.[/FONT]
[FONT="]6.[/FONT][FONT="]When Joseph and Mary had performed all things commanded by the law they left Jerusalem and departed for Nazareth at least 41 days after His birth. Luke 2:39. (BTW Nazareth is about 65 miles north of Jerusalem which probably took 3 to 5 days travel. The bible doesn't say whether Mary and Joseph stayed in Bethlehem after the birth or returned to Nazareth and came back to the temple for the forty first day in the temple at Jerusalem.)[/FONT]
[FONT="]7.[/FONT][FONT="]Every year Mary and Joseph went back to Jerusalem to celebrate Passover. [/FONT][FONT="]Luke 2:21[/FONT]
danny
[FONT="]I have, like most Americans, heard the Christmas story of the birth of Jesus, the stable, wise men, angels, shepherds, king Herod etc. countless times. But I never really read them until a couple weeks ago. The story of Jesus birth is told in the gospels of Matthew and Luke. When I read them both they were two completely different stories that seem to contradict each other. The more I read them the more different they became. One account has Joseph fleeing to Egypt in the middle of the night just after the birth of Jesus and remaining there till the death of Herod. Joseph was afraid to return to Jerusalem even after the death of Herod.[/FONT]
[FONT="] In Lukes account they are in Jerusalem at least 41 days after the birth with all Jerusalem knowing about it. Then they return home to Nazareth but make the trip back to Jerusalem every year to celebrate Passover. To save space I summarized what each book says. Please read it in your bibles and tell me what you think. [/FONT]
[FONT="]Matthews account:[/FONT]
[FONT="]1.[/FONT][FONT="]Jesus was born in Bethlehem during the reign of King Herod. Matthew 2:1[/FONT]
[FONT="]2.[/FONT][FONT="]Wise men from the east came to King Herod seeking the newborn king of the Jews Matthew 2:2[/FONT]
[FONT="]3.[/FONT][FONT="]All Jerusalem was aware of this. Matthew 2:3[/FONT]
[FONT="]4.[/FONT][FONT="]Herod told them to find the new king and tell him so he could also worship him. Of course he was jealous and wanted to kill Jesus. Matthew 2:8[/FONT]
[FONT="]5.[/FONT][FONT="]The wise men left King Herod and saw the star standing over where Jesus was born. Matthew 2:9 (Bethlehem is only 4 to 5 miles from Jerusalem and King Herods palace and soldiers)[/FONT]
[FONT="]6.[/FONT][FONT="]The wise men worshiped Jesus and presented him gifts. Matthew 2:11[/FONT]
[FONT="]7.[/FONT][FONT="]Then they left and were warned in a dream of Herods plans. They went back to their own country another way. Matthew 2:12[/FONT]
[FONT="]8.[/FONT][FONT="]When they departed an angel warned Joseph of Herods plan in a dream. Matthew 2:13[/FONT]
[FONT="]9.[/FONT][FONT="]Joseph took Mary and Jesus in the middle of the night and fled to Egypt and remained there till the death of Herod. Matthew 2:14&15[/FONT]
[FONT="]10.[/FONT][FONT="]After Herod died Joseph, Mary and Jesus returned to the land of Israel Matthew 2:19-21[/FONT]
[FONT="]11.[/FONT][FONT="]Upon his arrival in Israel Josephs learned that Herods son Archelaeus was reigning on his fathers throne over Judea (the southern region at Jerusalem) and was afraid to go there so he went to Nazareth (in the north and not under Archaleuss control.) Matthew 2:22&23[/FONT]
[FONT="]Lukes account [/FONT]
[FONT="]1.[/FONT][FONT="]There was no star, wise men, King Herod or slaughter of the innocents.[/FONT]
[FONT="]2.[/FONT][FONT="] Angels and heavenly hosts appeared to shepherds on the night of Jesus birth who made widely known the saying which was told to them by the angels concerning Jesus. Luke 2: 17-18[/FONT]
[FONT="]3.[/FONT][FONT="]After 8 days Jesus was still in Bethlehem or Jerusalem and was circumcised and named. Luke 2:21[/FONT]
[FONT="]4.[/FONT][FONT="]After Marys purification was complete they brought Jesus to the temple in Jerusalem to present Him to the lord. This was 41 days after the birth as commanded in Leviticus 12:1-8. [/FONT]
[FONT="]5.[/FONT][FONT="]Anna and Simeon saw him in the temple at Jerusalem 41 days after His birth and spoke widely of Him to all who looked for redemption. Herod had to have known this.[/FONT]
[FONT="]6.[/FONT][FONT="]When Joseph and Mary had performed all things commanded by the law they left Jerusalem and departed for Nazareth at least 41 days after His birth. Luke 2:39. (BTW Nazareth is about 65 miles north of Jerusalem which probably took 3 to 5 days travel. The bible doesn't say whether Mary and Joseph stayed in Bethlehem after the birth or returned to Nazareth and came back to the temple for the forty first day in the temple at Jerusalem.)[/FONT]
[FONT="]7.[/FONT][FONT="]Every year Mary and Joseph went back to Jerusalem to celebrate Passover. [/FONT][FONT="]Luke 2:21[/FONT]
danny