The Birth of Jesus
The Birth of Jesus: Two Gospel Narratives is an online, self-paced tutorial written and narrated by Philip A. Cunningham, former Executive Director of Center for Christian-Jewish Learning at Boston College. It is a collaborative project of the Center and C21 Online.
1 Introductory Materials
The tutorial begins by exploring how the Catholic tradition and recent biblical scholarship understand the origins of the Gospels and their proper interpretation.
2 The Gospel of Matthew's
Infancy Narrative
These commentaries discuss the unique literary features and religious insights of Matthew's account of Jesus' birth. Special attention is paid to the structure of the Matthean narrative, the prominence of Joseph, and the journey of the magi.
3 The Gospel of Luke's
Infancy Narrative
These commentaries discuss the unique literary features and religious insights of Luke's account of Jesus' birth. Special attention is paid to the parallels drawn between Jesus and John the Baptist, the prominence of Mary, and the distinctive canticles woven into the Lucan narrative.
4 Conclusion
This concluding section considers the two infancy narratives in relation to what is known historically about the late Second Temple period, their similar theological lessons, and some reflections on how they inform the Christian faith in our world today.
