9
Investigation of the further differences observable between the two genealogies would demand a lengthy article,
and as we are dealing with Luke's Gospel merely to get its general trend, such an examination would but distract.
Keeping in mind, therefore, the first point of departure observable between the two accounts, let us make another
comparison .
(2) The birth of Christ (Matt. 2. and Luke 2).- In Matthew's account the birth of the Saviour is heralded by wise
men, and in Luke's account by angels. Matthew makes no reference to the angels and the shepherds; Luke takes no
notice of the wise men. Is there a reason? There must be. Can we discover it? We can, if we compare the records:
`Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judæa in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men
from the east to Jerusalem, saying, Where is He that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen His star in the
east, and are come to worship Him' (Matt. 2:1,2).
`And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Cæsar Augustus, that all the world should
be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed,
every one into his own city ... and there were ... shepherds abiding in the field ... And the angel said unto them,
Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this
day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord ... good will toward men' (Luke 2:1-14).
Quite apart from the fact that here are two distinct events, the moment the reader passes from Matthew's account
to that of Luke he is conscious of a different atmosphere and point of view. This essential difference may be
expressed in the words of the wise men and of the angel:
`Where is He that is BORN KING OF THE JEWS' (Matthew).
`Unto you is BORN this day in the city of David a SAVIOUR' (Luke).
Everything else, also, in the two narratives is similarly differentiated:
`In the days of HEROD THE KING' is the dating of Matthew.
`A decree from CÆSAR AUGUSTUS' is the dating of Luke.
The first is local, the second is world-wide. The first harmonizes with the way Matthew, in his genealogy, fixes
upon Abraham and David, the second with the way Luke, in his, fixes upon Adam. The first insists that the Lord is
`King', the second that He is `Saviour'. The first speaks of `King of the Jews', the second speaks of `men', without
distinction.
In the days when Matthew wrote his Gospel the Jewish element was strong, and he had no need unduly to
emphasize the fact that Christ came first of all to Israel. Luke, however, takes the opportunity of recording the
testimony of another witness soon after the birth of Christ. This was the testimony of aged Simeon, who was
waiting for the consolation of Israel, and therefore had no bias toward the Gentile. Yet when he addressed God as
he took the young Child up in his arms, he puts the Gentile first: `A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of
Thy people Israel' (Luke 2:32).
Let us make another comparison.
(3)
The Forerunner (Matt. 3 and Luke 3):
`In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judæa, and saying, Repent ye: for the
kingdom of heaven is at hand. For this is He that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one
crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make His paths straight' (Matt. 3:1-3).
`Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Cæsar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judæa, and Herod
being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of Ituræa and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias
the tetrarch of Abilene, Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came unto John the son of
Zacharias in the wilderness. And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance
for the remission of sins; as it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of one
crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make His paths straight. Every valley shall be filled,