A Matthew Christmas Or A Luke Christmas

Last updated on: December 23, 2021 at 4:46 pm by C. Don Jones

A Matthew Christmas Or A Luke Christmas 2021-12-23T16:46:09-06:00 C. Don Jones

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Christmas. God bless it. Matthew and Luke have a lot to say about Jesus’ birth. John and Mark leave the topic alone. None of them speak of Christmas. It’s really too bad. I could use some guidance each year. Family Christmas is about food, presents, and reunion. Church Christmas is about traditional hymns, sacraments, and candles. Christ the light has come into the world and will shine until Good Friday. What is Christmas to me? Stories told and retold every year. I want to begin with looking at the first ones.

Matthew Christmas

The traditional Christmas pageant mixes Matthew’s story into Luke’s. The Magi come from the east and join the shepherds. A lot of thought goes into some kind of star shining over the whole scene. And that’s all we get.

Matthew’s story, though, is about Joseph. The betrothed husband of Mary is visited by an angel. Joseph, we read, is a righteous man. He decides to annul his betrothal to Mary who is pregnant with someone else’s child. Matthew tells us Joseph is of the line of David. He is not exactly royalty. But he is a keeper of the commandments. He will not add to Mary’s humiliation. God sends a messenger to tell Joseph something wonderful is taking place in the life of Mary. He should make her his wife.

Joseph is of the kingly line of David. Another man, Herod, is called “King of the Jews.” He is a man who sees threats before they are fully formed. When the Magi appear in Jerusalem, Herod is concerned and wants to find this newborn King. He is planning to destroy him.

Joseph is warned about this and flees with Mary and her son from Herod’s jurisdiction. When they return, Joseph is not warned but decides it is prudent to avoid Herod’s son Archelaus. Matthew’s story is about Joseph protecting the son of Mary

Luke Christmas

We get a different point of view is Luke. This story centers on Mary. Elizabeth declares her “the mother of my Lord.” Gabriel greets her as a “favored one” of God. Luke tells us about Mary’s inner thoughts about all of these events. She is both perplexed and joyful. Her song is one of hope. But Simeon tells her a sword will pierce her soul.

Luke tells us about choirs of angels and shepherds visiting. Herod is never considered. Magi from the east do not visit. Neither Luke nor Matthew ever mention animals. We interpolate their presence. I wish our traditional manger scenes showed some of the female cousins who would have helped Mary through giving birth. Luke’s story is bright, hopeful, and happy.

Matthew or Luke

Being a pastor during Advent and Christmas is never easy. Church members are either in Matthew or Luke mode. In many cases, they are confused because they are experiencing both. We are in between as well. Are we experiencing sadness or joy? Is there hope or just wanting to get it over with? I have been all over the map with these feelings over the years.

The Light

This year I am not trying to experience anything. The theme of Christmas for me this year is light. It is the only consistent theme in Matthew and Luke. “We have seen his star in the east,” the Magi say. “Then an angel of the Lord stood before (the shepherds) and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.” If the light terrified me at first, it would be worth it. I want to know that Light.

Legend has it St. Francis invented the creche – the manger scene we use for the Nativity. He did it to demonstrate the poverty into which Jesus was born. It is a lesson telling us where we may begin looking for light. We may look among the destitute. Or maybe we should look among those who are working during the holiday. Then again the light may just find us when we are not looking. Still, that is what I want. Let me be as serious as Joseph and as joyful as Mary. Let me be as bewildered and perplexed. I want to trust that love will prevail.

Advent

Biblical Interpretation

Christmas

About C. Don Jones

C. Don Jones is pastor of Sycamore Tree United Methodist Church in Maryville, TN. You can read more about the author here.

Previous Post

December 20, 2021

The Woman We Forget at Christmas

Next Post

January 3, 2022 Forgiveness and The Future Schism (Part 1)

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Addiction Advent Afghanistan Anxiety Ascension Sunday Baptism Barack Obama Biblical Interpretation Bigotry Book Banning BSA Buddhism Choice Christmas Church Discipline Community Conscience Conspiracy theories COVID-19 Culture Wars death cults deconstruction Devotional Divine Judgment Donald Trump Earth Day Election Day empathy Environmentalism Evangelism Exploitation of the Poor Faith False Claims fascism Fear Forgiveness Genocide government Grace Gun Violence Halloween Hate Health Hillbilly Elegy Hindu Holy Communion Holy Week Homelessness Hope Identity Integrity Islam Joe Biden John Hagee Kamala Harris Labor Lent Liberation Theology Lies Love Love as action Neurological disorders Non-Christian Religions Online Worship Original Goodness Pandemic Peace Pentecost Philosophy Preaching Progressive Christianity Racism Redemptive Violence Myth Resentment Saint's Days Satire Sobriety social media Spiritual Self Care Spirituality Technology The Kingdom of God The United Methodist Church Theology Transfigurations Sunday Transgender persons Truth Uncategorized Violence Wesleyan Working Class

Select a Month September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 March 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 September 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 January 2025 October 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 October 2018 September 2018 July 2018 February 2018 January 2018 August 2017 May 2017 November 2016 July 2016 June 2016 November 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 January 2015 November 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 June 2013 March 2013 February 2013 December 2012 August 2012 July 2012 May 2012 February 2012 December 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who was the first Judge of Israel?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Samson Deborah Othniel Gideon