The Christmas Story

The Nativity

Those of us who celebrate Christmas as the birth of Jesus are quite familiar with what is known as The Christmas Story from the KJV. It begins with Luke 2:1 And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed through to Luke 2:18 And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.

Then we immediately go to Mathew 2:1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem. And read through to Mathew 2:15 And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.

Yet these two gospels were written by very different authors and for very different audiences. The Gospel of Mathew was likely written about AD 55-65, primarily for a Jewish Christian audience as extensive quotations from the Old Testament (62 times) show Jesus as the fulfillment of Jewish prophecies. The Gospel of Luke was written in about AD 60-80 primarily for Gentile converts to Christianity.

The authorship of the Gospel of Matthew has traditionally been attributed to Matthew who was one of Jesus' twelve disciples and a former tax collector. This attribution is supported by early church traditions and writings from church fathers such as Papias, Irenaeus, and Clement of Alexandria, who affirmed that Matthew wrote the Gospel based on his experiences and teachings of Jesus. Many contemporary scholars consider this attribution to be uncertain, suggesting that it was written by an anonymous Jewish Christian familiar with both Jewish law and Greek language. The Gospel was likely composed in Greek, possibly in Antioch, Syria, a major center of early Christianity.

Traditionally, the author of the Gospel of Luke is believed to be Luke, a physician and companion of Paul. Most critical scholars today believe it was composed anonymously. Two main possibilities for the author's background are proposed: 1. A Gentile Christian with knowledge of Jewish tradition, or 2. A Hellenized Jew living outside Palestine. The author assumed an educated Greek-speaking audience and focused on Christian concerns rather than broader Greco-Roman issues. The gospel was likely composed in a Hellenistic environment, possibly in Antioch or cities in Asia Minor like Ephesus or Smyrna. The author of Luke also wrote the Acts of the Apostles.

Whether this is important or not is hard to say. Likely not, as the tradition of The Christmas Story is more important than biblical historical precision.

But while we are at it, the Apostle Paul who created Christianity as we know it today wrote his letters to the churches before the Gospels and the Book of Acts, between AD 48 and 64. While scholars debate the authenticity of some letters, there is consensus on seven letters being genuinely Pauline:

• 1.      Galatians (c. 48 AD)
• 2.      First Thessalonians (c. 49–51 AD)
• 3.      First Corinthians (c. 53–54 AD)
• 4.      Second Corinthians (c. 55–56 AD)
• 5.      Romans (c. 55–57 AD)
• 6.      Philippians (c. 57–59 or c. 62 AD)
• 7.      Philemon (c. 57–59 or c. 62 AD)[6]

These seven letters, along with three others (Second Thessalonians, Colossians, and Ephesians) whose authorship is debated, were likely written before the Gospels. Therefore, at least 7 and potentially up to 10 of Paul's letters were written before the Gospels.