AO1 Planning Sheet
Question: Explain how the birth narratives can be harmonised.
Introduction:
Theme Content Evidence
Both Matthew and Luke = Joseph and Council of Chalcedon
Mary were engaged but not married. “acknowledged in two natures
Both claim that Jesus was conceived
Virgin birth unconfusedly, unchangeably”
by the holy spirit and born of a virgin.
Therefore, he was human by virtue of
his mother but divine by virtue of “she was found to be pregnant
being conceived by God. through the Holy Spirit”
Miracle birth therefore there are Matthew
conflicting models and views around
how Jesus could be both human and “The Holy Spirit will come on
divine. you” Luke
Both agree that Jesus was born in Luke “in a manger”
Bethlehem when Herod was king “In Bethlehem in
Birth in Bethlehem of Judea and that the name of his Judea,” Matthew
and raised in mother was Mary who was
Nazareth. betrothed to Joseph.
Harmonization = understanding
the reasons they went to
Bethlehem in Matthews account
was for a census and in Luke’s
account for the decree of Caesar
Augustus.
The contradictions are minor and
does not mean that both accounts
contradictions cannot be true. Matthew may
have had access to information
that Luke did not have – vica
versa.
Luke = received his story
, directly from Mary herself
therefore explaining his account
of the annunciation, visit to
Elizabeth and presentation in the
temple.
Specialist Terminology:
Synoptic Links:
AO1 Planning Sheet
Question: Explain the arguments for and against the historical reliability of the birth
narratives.
Introduction:
Theme Content Evidence
Matthew and Luke present “Jesus was born in Bethlehem of
different chronologies of events Judea in the days of Herod the
Chronology surrounding Jesus’ birth, king” Matthew
including variations in the timing
of the census, the journey to
Bethlehem and the flight to
Egypt.
Matthew = Mary and
Joseph were in Nazareth
however when Herod
ordered the murder of the
infants and Jospeh had a
dream telling his this.
They took a flight to
Egypt then returned to
, Nazareth after the death of
Herod in 4BCE.
Luke says that Jesus was
presented in the temple
and then returned to
Nazareth.
Bart Erhman says how can there
be a month difference in between
the time that Jesus came back to
Nazareth in Matthew and Luke.
Luke’s account of the “in those days Caesar Augustus
census conducted during issued a decrees that a census
Rule of Quirinius + the times of Quirinius should be taken of the entire
hymns conflicts with historical Roman world” Luke
records as Quirinius is
known to have conducted
a census in Judea around
6-7 CE several years after
King Herold’s death.
Matthew and Luke both
agree Jesus was born
during the rule of Herod.
The census mentioned by Luke
is claimed to occur during the
governorship of Quirinius of
Syria (Luke 2:1-2). However,
according to the 1st century
Jewish historian Josephus,
Quirinius did not become the
governor of Syria and conduct
the census until 6 CE. This
means the census could not
have taken place during the
reign of Herod because Herod
died in 4BCE
The angelic announcements, the
Supernatural events virgin birth and the star of
Question: Explain how the birth narratives can be harmonised.
Introduction:
Theme Content Evidence
Both Matthew and Luke = Joseph and Council of Chalcedon
Mary were engaged but not married. “acknowledged in two natures
Both claim that Jesus was conceived
Virgin birth unconfusedly, unchangeably”
by the holy spirit and born of a virgin.
Therefore, he was human by virtue of
his mother but divine by virtue of “she was found to be pregnant
being conceived by God. through the Holy Spirit”
Miracle birth therefore there are Matthew
conflicting models and views around
how Jesus could be both human and “The Holy Spirit will come on
divine. you” Luke
Both agree that Jesus was born in Luke “in a manger”
Bethlehem when Herod was king “In Bethlehem in
Birth in Bethlehem of Judea and that the name of his Judea,” Matthew
and raised in mother was Mary who was
Nazareth. betrothed to Joseph.
Harmonization = understanding
the reasons they went to
Bethlehem in Matthews account
was for a census and in Luke’s
account for the decree of Caesar
Augustus.
The contradictions are minor and
does not mean that both accounts
contradictions cannot be true. Matthew may
have had access to information
that Luke did not have – vica
versa.
Luke = received his story
, directly from Mary herself
therefore explaining his account
of the annunciation, visit to
Elizabeth and presentation in the
temple.
Specialist Terminology:
Synoptic Links:
AO1 Planning Sheet
Question: Explain the arguments for and against the historical reliability of the birth
narratives.
Introduction:
Theme Content Evidence
Matthew and Luke present “Jesus was born in Bethlehem of
different chronologies of events Judea in the days of Herod the
Chronology surrounding Jesus’ birth, king” Matthew
including variations in the timing
of the census, the journey to
Bethlehem and the flight to
Egypt.
Matthew = Mary and
Joseph were in Nazareth
however when Herod
ordered the murder of the
infants and Jospeh had a
dream telling his this.
They took a flight to
Egypt then returned to
, Nazareth after the death of
Herod in 4BCE.
Luke says that Jesus was
presented in the temple
and then returned to
Nazareth.
Bart Erhman says how can there
be a month difference in between
the time that Jesus came back to
Nazareth in Matthew and Luke.
Luke’s account of the “in those days Caesar Augustus
census conducted during issued a decrees that a census
Rule of Quirinius + the times of Quirinius should be taken of the entire
hymns conflicts with historical Roman world” Luke
records as Quirinius is
known to have conducted
a census in Judea around
6-7 CE several years after
King Herold’s death.
Matthew and Luke both
agree Jesus was born
during the rule of Herod.
The census mentioned by Luke
is claimed to occur during the
governorship of Quirinius of
Syria (Luke 2:1-2). However,
according to the 1st century
Jewish historian Josephus,
Quirinius did not become the
governor of Syria and conduct
the census until 6 CE. This
means the census could not
have taken place during the
reign of Herod because Herod
died in 4BCE
The angelic announcements, the
Supernatural events virgin birth and the star of
