About 30 years after Pilate had Jesus of Nazareth crucified a group of Jesus’ friends gathered at a synagogue meal commemorating his life. Several had changed careers since the time they knew Jesus. Most were itinerant workers and belonged to the Galilee Laborer’s Union 777. They found that as itinerant workers they could preach the Gospel of Jesus throughout the area.
One of the younger members, named Luke who at one time was a Roman official, said that a written story of Jesus’ life would be useful to the preachers and the communities. All agreed and there was a consensus that Jesus’ story would have to connect to the law and the prophets that Jesus knew so well and often quoted. For example, he said the law insisted on loving God and neighbors including those that are strangers or enemies. Mary, the wife of Cleophas, interjected: “Will it tell about how you guys ran from the crucifixion and we three women stayed?” Matthew, Mark, and Luke said, “Ok, you were in the area.” And John said, “No, they were at the cross. I was there also.” James, Jesus’ brother responded, “Let’s not argue over details.” Peter’s eyes moistened and he turned away.
Then they all asked, where to begin? Luke and Matthew said the story should be a contrast with Caesar Augustus, Rome’s first Emperor, whom Jesus refused to accept as divine. Cornelius, a former Roman Army Officer, agreed. “It’s at the core of Jesus’ message.”
The Roman author Suetonius wrote that Caesar Augustus was born as the son of the divine with wealth and the inheritance of military power. Matthew and Luke insisted the story should begin with Jesus’ birth. Two disagreed. Mark thought the story should begin with the revolutionary, John the Baptist. Mark wanted to distinguish John the Baptist from Jesus by showing Jesus to be the more radical. John the Baptist preached the coming of the Lord while Jesus preached that the Kingdom of God was here and demanded action to bring the Kingdom to completion. John the Apostle thought the story should begin with a vision of the transcendent. The two that wanted to write a Christmas story also differed; Luke wanted to emphasize the contrast with Rome; Matthew wanted to emphasize the relation of Jesus to the Law and the Prophets. James the Just suggested that each write their own narrative.
The Christmas stories that we celebrate are from Mathew and Luke. Both say Jesus’ birth, like that of Caesar, was God’s miracle. Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary. To relate it to the Prophets, Matthew changes the wording from a passage from the prophet Isaiah to say that the Savior would be born of a Virgin. Jesus was probably born in Nazareth but both Luke and Mathew have Jesus born in Bethlehem to fulfill the Prophet Micah’s vision.
In order to get Mary and Joseph from Nazareth to Bethlehem for Jesus’ birth, Luke has them comply with a census ordered by the Emperor. Matthew inserts the Magi, the massacre of the Holy Innocents, and the flight into Egypt… all with a reference to the Prophets.
Luke gets to the heart of the matter – the power of the poor. The Roman Gospel or ‘good news’ was Peace through military conquest. Luke’s angel proclaims the Gospel developed from the Law and Prophets, Peace through justice and non-violence. At the top of the Christmas tree the angel proclaims, ‘Peace on Earth to all.’
The challenge to all is to recognize the mythical nature of the Christmas stories and not lose the meaning intended.
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