By the reckoning of some historians, when it comes to the gospel accounts, we have two eyewitnesses, a scribe, and one contemporary historian who was able to collect the stories and put them in order. It makes a very comprehensive set of documents. They make our job a little more difficult, but why should it be easy?

Now, I have made this point before, but I have to make it again right here. Some people (whose elevator doesn’t go to the top floor) think that contradictions in the gospel accounts invalidate them. Ironically, rather than invalidate them, they confirm them. Let me explain. For the testimony of witnesses to be valid, that testimony must be independent of the testimony of others. The existence of inconsistencies between witness accounts are important because they establish the independence of the sources.

There are also differences that arise from the purpose of the author. Luke says up front that his purpose is to set these things in order—seemingly, chronological order. Matthew and Mark, however, may have no such intent, and they may group messages and events to make a greater point. So don’t play the fool by nitpicking. Try rather to understand what the witnesses want us to get about Jesus and his work and his message. Now, instead of consulting the scholars first, let’s consult Luke himself…

Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, […] the word of God came unto John the son of Zachariah 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 Isaiah the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth; And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.

Now on to one of my favorite stories in all the Bible.

And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar 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 Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.

I love this passage, because it underlines for me the reality of Jesus coming in the flesh. It underlines his utter dependence on Joseph and Mary. It underlines his complete vulnerability in the world. This is a really big event.