When I was a child, Christmas Eve was my favorite day of the year. We were one of those weird families that celebrated Christmas and opened all of our presents on Christmas Eve. (I think it was so that we could wake up early and drive to my grandparents’ house on Christmas Day.) We had a lot of Christmas Eve traditions—many of which we still practice today—like eating chicken nuggets and waffles and doing a talent show.
And every year, as part of the talent show, my siblings and I would sit down in front of our fireplace and recite the Christmas story from Luke 2 from memory…in the King James Version. I can still remember every word.
“And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed…” (Luke 2:1, KJV).
It wasn’t until I was much older that I even realized there was another telling of the Christmas story in the gospel of Matthew. Maybe you’ve noticed this as well, and wondered why. Why are there two different tellings of the Christmas story in the Bible? And why are they so different?
The Story in Matthew
If you turn to the beginning of the New Testament, you will notice that there are four gospels: Mathew, Mark, Luke, and John. All four of these books of the Bible tell the same story—the story of Jesus’s life, death, and resurrection. Each of the books was written for a different purpose, and we need all four to get a complete picture of who Jesus is and all that He came to do for us.
Of the four gospels, only Matthew and Luke include the story of Jesus’s birth. These birth narratives both are used to illustrate Matthew and Luke’s broader purpose for writing their gospels the way they did.
Matthew was a Jewish tax collector who became a disciple of Jesus. He wrote his gospel to highlight the truth that Jesus was the long-awaited Messiah of Israel who had come to fulfill the promises and prophecies that had been made to the Israelites long ago. He begins his gospel with a genealogy that traces Jesus’s lineage back to Abraham—the father of the Israelites—and he regularly quotes and alludes to Old Testament prophecies about Israel and about the Messiah.
Since Matthew is written primarily for a Jewish audience, his birth narrative highlights many of the Jewish traditions of the day, and the central figure in the story is Joseph—a Jewish man from the line of David who heard from God’s messenger and followed his instructions.
The birth narrative in Matthew concludes with the story of the Magi from the East searching for the newly born King. This story highlights Jesus’s role as King, and through the conflict the Magi have with Herod, it specifically highlights how He is the true King of Israel.
The Story in Luke
Luke, on the other hand, was likely not a Jewish man. He was a Greek physician and intellectual who set out to record the story of Jesus. His intended audience was not Jews, but Greeks and other Gentiles. Luke highlights the fact that Jesus was the Savior of all people—Gentiles included.
In Luke’s genealogy in chapter 3, he doesn’t just trace Jesus’s lineage to Abraham, but all the way back to Adam—the father of all humanity. He shows us that although Jesus was the Messiah who was promised to Israel long ago, He came to save not only Israelites, but all people who place their trust in Him. He is the light that shines in the darkness (Luke 1:78–79).
The central figure in Luke’s telling of the story is Mary, the unlikely hero of this birth narrative. She was just a young girl who heard God’s call on her life and submitted to His will. And just like Mary, all people—Jews and Gentiles—can be used by God.
Luke’s birth narrative ends with the angels proclaiming Jesus’s birth to a group of shepherds outside of Bethlehem. These shepherds were smelly outcasts who slept outside of the city, but the angels came to them first to announce the Savior’s arrival—demonstrating how Jesus has come for all people, even those we might consider outsiders.
What These Stories Teach Us About Advent
Through reading and studying both Christmas narratives, we gain a full and complete picture of how it was that Jesus entered the world, and more importantly, why He entered the world. During the season of Advent, we reflect on the darkness of a world without Christ, and we wait and long for our coming King. Through these birth narratives, we see that God’s long-promised, long-expected King has finally come through Christ. And we see that this King has come for all humanity. He is the Light shining in the darkness of the world, and He has come to bring us out of darkness and into His marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9).
Additional Resources for Advent:
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With You Always | Teen Advent Bible Study |
Advent Collection |
Awakening Wonder | Advent Bible Study |
Blog: Why Advent Still Matters: Finding Hope in a Hurry‑Sick World |
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