Jesus' Birth: Did We Get the Story Straight?
Mistletoe, shiny lights, and snow! It's Christmas time again, and this year the major motion picture The Nativity Story, which depicts the story of Jesus Christ's birth, was released Dec. 1. We turn to Robert Miller, the Rosenberger Chair of Christian and Religious Studies at Juniata College and author of Born Divine: The Births of Jesus and Other Sons of God, for more insight about the historical legitimacy of the tale we know today as the Christmas Story.
Question
How much of the Nativity Story is based on fact?
Answer
The short answer is very little. Historically there is almost nothing to confirm the story of the Gospel stories about the birth of Jesus. There are many indications that these stories are not meant to be interpreted in a literal way. Only two of the four Gospels contain birth stories of Jesus; Matthew and Luke. Almost nothing remains common between the two Gospels. Just one example among many is the lack of agreement between the Gospels as to why Jesus' birthplace was Bethlehem. In Luke, Jesus' parents take a journey to Bethlehem in order to be counted in a census; whereas in Matthew, Jesus' family already resides in Bethlehem.
Q
What historical evidence makes the Gospels credible?
A
All biblical scholars, excluding fundamentalists, recognize that the Gospels contain real historical memories about Jesus along with embellishments. The Gospels were not written until decades after Jesus' death. The stories were told, interpreted, and retold countless times, therefore very different stories arose. It is comparable to "whisper down the alley" for 50 years. Many Christians just say they simply believe it, which is not the same as examining the narration from a historical perspective.
Q
What aspects of the Christmas story are similar to other religions?
A
- A Star: Many different religions have nature signaling the birth of different leaders.
- Dreams: An angel appeared in Joseph's dreams. Many religions have a god or messenger make a presence during a person's sleep.
- No Human Father: Jesus is born without a human father. This is common in Greek and Roman religions. Men who have accomplished tremendous feats were not considered to be entirely human and were thought to have had a divine father. For example, people of ancient times considered Apollo to be the father of Plato as well as of Caesar Augustus. In ancient times, people expected the story of a hero to have a human mother with a divine father.
Q
What was the original message of the Christmas Story?
A
For ancient readers the message would have hit them between the eyes. Jesus, the Son of God, was born under the emperor Caesar Augustus, who himself claimed to be the son of a god. This challenged the people of Jesus' day. Who do you think is Son of God? A mighty emperor or baby Jesus? Where is God's power? In the military might of Caesar, or in the message and life of Jesus, which was devoted to non-violence, compassion for the poor and powerless, and healing for the sick and broken?
- Sara Hernandez '09, Student Reporter