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Questions Surrounding Jesus Birth

Ed. note: This article is based upon the transcript from programs produced by the John
Ankerberg Show. Additional material has been added for this print version.
Where Was Jesus Born?
Dr. John Ankerberg: If the four Gospels are anchored in real historical events, what
about
the birth of Jesus? At Christmas, Christians around the world look to Bethlehem as the
place
where He was born. But during the ABC Special, some scholars cast doubt on whether
Jesus
was ever born there. So next, we will travel to Bethlehem to investigate this question.
Weve come to Bethlehem to the Church of the Nativity. This is the traditional birthplace
of
Jesus. Some scholars claim that Jesus wasnt really born here and we wanted to get a
second
opinion. Others claim Matthew tells us Jesus was born in Bethlehem, while Luke implies
He
was born in Nazareth. Who is right?
First, lets look at the material that is questioned. In the Gospel of Matthew, we are told,
Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of Herod the king. Then, in the
Gospel of
Luke we read: And Joseph also went up from Galilee from the city of Nazareth to
Judea, to the
city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of
David, in
order to register along with Mary, who was engaged to him and was with child. And it
came
about that while they were there, the days were completed for her to give birth; and she
gave
birth to her firstborn Son. Now, doesnt it seem that both Matthew and Luke clearly
state Jesus
was born in Bethlehem?
Dr. Darrell Bock: I think He was born in Bethlehem. In fact, again, lets take the
alternative. What evidence is there that He was born in Nazareth and my response would be,
Silence. There is none.
Mrs. Claire Pfann: I think based on the Gospel accounts we can be sure of the fact that
Jesus was born in Bethlehem. This is evidenced in Matthew, in Luke, and also by implication
in the Gospel of John. The opponents of Jesus in John, in their smug attitude, say, How can
this possibly be the Messiah? Jesus is from Nazareth in the Galilee. We know that the
Messiah will be born in Bethlehem. And within Johns Gospel, rather than answering that
argument, he remains silent because his readers already know the fact that Jesus was born
in Bethlehem, a fact that his opponents, for all their smugness, are unaware.

Dr. John Ankerberg: One who disagrees about where Jesus was born is Marcus Borg,
the founder of the Jesus Seminar. He thinks Jesus was born in Nazareth, not
Bethlehem, since
in the Gospels He is called Jesus of Nazareth.

Dr. Claire Pfann: Well, I think that thats pretty much a silly observation. The fact that
Jesus was called Jesus of Nazareth tells us less about where He was born than about
where He came from as a young adult when He started His ministry. It tells us that He was
known as Jesus of Nazareth because thats where He lived during His adolescence. It
doesnt tell us where He was born. He was born in Bethlehem.
Dr. Ben Witherington: Well, the only Gospel that actually makes a point of telling us
exactly where Jesus was born is the first Gospel in the canon, Matthews gospel, who tells
us that a pilgrimage was made, by the family of Joseph, Joseph and Mary, to Bethlehem, to
be registered in a census in Bethlehem, and that this was where Jesus was born. Only
Matthew really makes a point of that. Luke does not say, And by the way, Jesus was not
born in Bethlehem. He doesnt say that. I mean, its an argument from silence to say Luke
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proves that Jesus was born in Nazareth. Silence can be read in a lot of different ways. The
question is whether the silence is pregnant, or whether the silence really is just silence and
you shouldnt read too much into it.

Dr. John Ankerberg: To get the whole story of Christmas, we do have to put the two
accounts
together. Matthew and Luke each present additional facts about what happened. But
because they supply additional facts that are different, should we conclude that we have
two
contradictory reports?
Dr. Darrell Bock: Well, the key combination is the idea: Different equals Contradictory.
And thats not the only way to look at it. You can have different accounts of the same event
and they can have differences in them and not be contradictory at all. I often joke with my
kids that if you listen to my wife and I tell a story about the same event, were not going to
pick the same details. Now, some of it will overlap and some of it will be different. And part of
what she tells you is going to be part of the story and part of what I tell you is going to be part
of the story, too. And actually, theres great value in having those different accounts because
they each penetrate the story at a different angle and in that difference of penetration you get
more insight into the character and into the event. And its not contradictory at all.
Dr. Claire Pfann: I think, again, we have to remember that Luke and Matthew are each
choosing what they want to tell about Jesus. Very important in Lukes Gospel is the fact that
Jesus is coming to be the shepherd of the sheep, and he is coming, in particular, to call
people who are poor and outcast and marginalized in society. And in his day, shepherds were
looked down upon. They were marginalized people. So how significant in the Gospel of Luke
that the first people who should hear the good news of the birth of the Lamb of God,
happened to be shepherds, sitting in their fields by night. Its such an important moment in
the Gospel of Luke that theres an angelic announcement. What is happening is so important
for salvation history that, for a brief moment, heaven breaks forth into the earthly sphere and
we get to see a glimpse of this ladder between heaven and earth, of the angels announcing
the good news of the Lamb of God, who will one day be the shepherd of the sheep. Its a
beautiful, poetic, way of depicting a theme that will run through Luke in terms of Jesus care
for the poor and downcast.
Dr. John Ankerberg: Is there anything we can know for sure about the birth of Jesus?
Dr. Claire Pfann: Well, I think I would say the things Im certain about concerning the birth
of Jesus are certainly the things that both Matthew and Luke share in common and tell us. He
was born of the family of David. He was born to a woman named Mary who was a virgin,
betrothed (or engaged) to a man named Joseph, and yet who had not yet come to live with
him. His birth was announced through an angelic visitation. His conception was unique and
divine in human history. His birth took place in Bethlehem. It was accompanied by unique

signs. And the family later moved to Nazareth and made their home there.

Dr. John Ankerberg: Now, Peter Jennings stated that much of the information we have
from this part of the world does not support either Matthew or Lukes account of Jesus
birth.
We wondered if scholars agreed.
Dr. Claire Pfann: I dont agree. I dont think that the Gospels present a false picture of
Jewish life in the first century in the Holy Land. I think, if anything, Luke in particular
endeavors to show us the norms of Jewish life.
Dr. John Ankerberg: Luke presents both John the Baptist and Jesus as children who are
circumcised on the eighth day in fulfillment of the Abrahamic covenant. Mary and Joseph are
pictured as observant, pious Jews who bring Jesus up according to the Law of Moses, and
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present Him in the temple. Luke also tells us that, as a family, they went up to the great
pilgrimage feasts in Jerusalem, such as the time of Passover.
Dr. Claire Pfann: Later in Jesus life, its reiterated time and again, that it was his practice
to go to the synagogue on Shabbath, on the Sabbath, and that he was pious and observant
of Jewish traditions. I think that we see an enormous amount of material that authentically
reflects Jewish life in the first century in the Holy Land in the Gospels.

Dr. John Ankerberg: We asked archaeologist Dr. Magen Broshi if he thinks information
from this part of the world supports what the Gospel writers say.
Dr. Magen Broshi: On certain things, they fit very well of what we know about the first
century Palestine. They fit very well because they give us a good picture of what was
happening here, and archaeology can prove it.
Dr. Craig Evans: Now, archaeology doesnt prove that Jesus was really Gods Son.
Source critical work and all that stuff doesnt prove those things. But what it does is, it shows
that there is a historical foundation on which confessions of faith...or in the light of which
confessions of faith make perfectly good sense.