Why do Matthew and Luke
have differing accounts of Jesus' birth?

Why do Matthew and Luke
have differing accounts of Jesus' birth?

Q. According to Matthew Jesus was born in a house in Bethlehem (Matthew 2:11). After his birth Mary and Joseph take Jesus to Egypt to escape Herod's plot to kill him (verse 13). After a period of time they decide to return to Bethlehem, but soon change their mind and travel to Nazareth instead to avoid danger (Matthew 2:22-23).

According to Luke, however, Mary and Joseph were from Nazareth. They travel to Bethlehem because a census requires them to do so (Luke 2:4). While in Bethlehem Jesus is born, not in a house, but in a manger (verse 7). After Jesus' birth they wait for Mary to go through ritual purification, where afterwards they travel to Jerusalem to sacrifice two birds (verses 22-24). After the sacrifice they go immediately home to Nazareth (verse 39). Which record is correct?

(Submitted by: Charles)

A. As concerning your question about the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem and the seeming discrepancy between the accounts in Matthew and Luke, you asked which is the correct account. As always in the Bible, both accounts are correct because they speak of two different time periods. The Luke account is the actual event of Christ's birth in the manger (Luke 2:1-39) .

The sequence is as follows: Mary completed nine months of pregnancy and gave birth to Jesus in a manger (Luke 2:6), because there was no room in the Inn (verse 7). The shepherds were told by an angel (no star or wise men) to go to the birth with Mary and Joseph present (verse 16).

The shepherds came and saw Christ's birth and left rejoicing. On the eighth day, Jesus was circumcised, and after forty days as the Law required (Leviticus 12:1-8), they left for Jerusalem to make an offering for the birth of Christ. After that, they returned to Galilee to their own city, Nazareth (Luke 2:39). This completes the actual birth of Christ. No wise men there.

About a year or so later, Mary and Joseph were back in Bethlehem to complete the census. Notice Matthew 2:1. Jesus was already born. The wise men were led by a star, and they came to Herod, the king. Herod asked them what time did the star appear? It took them, from the actual birth of Christ in Luke 2, over a year before the wise men got to Herod (A totally different time period from the birth of Jesus). The wise men were not present at Christ's birth as pictures of Christmas contend.

Continuing the account: Herod told the wise men to notify him after they saw Jesus because he too wanted to worship Him. The star was still shining, and brought the wise men to Jesus who at this time was a young child and living in a house (Matthew 2:11). At the time of their meeting Mary was there with Jesus, but not Joseph (like he was at Jesus' birth in the manger) (Luke 2). After the wise men saw the young child Jesus (not a new baby), they gave him presents and departed another way and did not tell Herod.

At this point Joseph was told by an angel to go to Egypt until Herod died. Herod got angry and killed all children under two years old (verse 16) because he knew Jesus was already a young child and not a baby.

After Egypt, Joseph, Mary and Jesus went to Nazareth because Herod was dead. From there the life of Jesus resumes in Luke 2:40.

From this we can see that the scriptures talk about two separate events: One that discusses the birth of Jesus in the manger and the other two years later when Jesus is visited by the wise men with their gifts.