In this series, I compare the story of Jesus’ nativity, as depicted on Christmas cards and in religious art, with what it says in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke.
Cosy images on Christmas cards contrast with Mary’s potentially scandalous and risky situation of being pregnant and unmarried. How scandalous was it?
The journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem can’t have been easy for pregnant Mary. She can’t always have been as serene as depicted on Christmas cards, or as lonely.
Christmas cards often show the newborn Jesus surrounded by farm animals. Was this really the case? And what is the significance of the “manger” mentioned three times in Luke chapter 2?
Was Jesus born on the 25th of December at the time of the winter solstice? Or was he born at the time of Spring lambing or even during the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles?
Most religious art portrays Mary as serene, shy, and even sombre. Are they accurate portrayals? Does the Bible teach that Mary remained a virgin?
Who were the magi, the wise men from the east who worshipped the Christ child? The writings of Herodotus, Philo, and others shed light on their identity.
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© 2022 Marg Mowczko