Editing Nativity of Jesus (section)

==Gospel accounts==
Only the Gospels of [[Gospel of Matthew|Matthew]] and [[Gospel of Luke|Luke]] offer narratives regarding the birth of Jesus.{{sfn|Edwards|2020|p=101}} Both agree that Jesus was born in Bethlehem in the reign of King Herod, that his mother was named Mary and that her husband Joseph was descended from King [[David]] (although they disagree on details of the line of descent), and both deny Joseph's biological parenthood while treating the birth, or rather the conception, as divinely effected.{{sfn|Robinson|2009|p=111}}
Beyond this, they agree on very little.{{sfn|Robinson|2009|p=111}} Joseph dominates Matthew's and Mary dominates Luke's, although the suggestion that one derives from Joseph and the other from Mary is no more than a pious deduction.{{sfn|Brown|1977|p=35}} 
Matthew implies that Joseph already has his home in Bethlehem, while Luke states that he lived in Nazareth.{{sfn|Robinson|2009|p=111}}
In Matthew the angel speaks to Joseph, while Luke has [[Annunciation|one speaking to Mary]].{{sfn|Brown|1977|p=35}} Only Luke has the stories surrounding the birth of [[John the Baptist]], the [[census of Quirinius]], the [[adoration of the shepherds]] and the [[presentation in the Temple]] on the eighth day; only Matthew has the [[Biblical Magi|wise men]], the [[star of Bethlehem]], Herod's plot, the [[Massacre of the Innocents]], and the [[flight into Egypt]].{{sfn|Brown|1977|p=35}} The two itineraries are quite different. According to Matthew, the Holy Family begins in Bethlehem, moves to Egypt following the birth, and settles in Nazareth, while according to Luke they begin in Nazareth, journey to Bethlehem for the birth, and immediately return to Nazareth.{{sfn|Scholz|2009|p=112}}{{refn|group=note|name=second|A more complete account of the similarities and differences between the two can be found in Raymond E. Brown, "Birth of the Messiah", pp.34-35, and in Barbara Shellard, "New Light on Luke: Its Purpose, Sources and Literary Context", pp.79-81.}} The two accounts cannot be harmonised into a single coherent narrative or traced to the same [[Q source]], leading scholars to classify them as "special Matthew" (or simply the [[M source]]) and "special Luke" (the [[L source]]).{{sfn|Scholz|2009|p=112}}

{{Nativity narrative comparison}}
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