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WHY DO THE GOSPELS CONFLICT CONCERNING WHERE JESUS WAS BORN?

Answer for yourself: Was Yeshua from Bethlehem or Nazareth?

Answer for yourself: Were you aware that the Gospels conflict with each other in this regard?

Matt 1:1-2:23

1 The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.
2 Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judas and his brethren;
3 And Judas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar; and Phares begat Esrom; and Esrom begat Aram;
4 And Aram begat Aminadab; and Aminadab begat Naasson; and Naasson begat Salmon;
5 And Salmon begat Booz of Rachab; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse;
6 And Jesse begat David the king; and David the king begat Solomon of her that had been the wife of Urias;
7 And Solomon begat Roboam; and Roboam begat Abia; and Abia begat Asa;
8 And Asa begat Josaphat; and Josaphat begat Joram; and Joram begat Ozias;
9 And Ozias begat Joatham; and Joatham begat Achaz; and Achaz begat Ezekias;
10 And Ezekias begat Manasses; and Manasses begat Amon; and Amon begat Josias;
11 And Josias begat Jechonias and his brethren, about the time they were carried away to Babylon:
12 And after they were brought to Babylon, Jechonias begat Salathiel; and Salathiel begat Zorobabel;
13 And Zorobabel begat Abiud; and Abiud begat Eliakim; and Eliakim begat Azor;
14 And Azor begat Sadoc; and Sadoc begat Achim; and Achim begat Eliud;
15 And Eliud begat Eleazar; and Eleazar begat Matthan; and Matthan begat Jacob;
16 And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.
17 So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations.
18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.
19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily.
20 But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.
21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
22 Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,
23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, G-d with us.
24 Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife:
25 And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name Yeshua

CHAPTER 2

1 Now when Yeshua was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,
2 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.
3 When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.
5 And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet,
6 And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.
7 Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, inquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.
8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when you have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.
9 When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.
10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.
11 And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.
12 And being warned of G-d in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.
13 And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.
14 When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt:
15 And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.
16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men.
17 Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying,
18 In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.
19 But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,
20 Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child's life.
21 And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel.
22 But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of G-d in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee:
23 And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene.

We all heard the story before. Matthew tells us that Yeshua was born in Bethlehem. After he is born King Herod heard of the birth of this Jewish-would-be Messiah, and to get away, Joseph is warned to flee to Egypt because Herod is seeking to kill the baby. Once Herod is dead his son takes the throne (Archelaus) and the angel tells Joseph he can return to Israel (Bethlehem). Yet in verse 22 he returns to other than Bethlehem. He goes not to Judea but to Galilee. He goes to Nazareth.

Answer for yourself: Why does the writer of the Gospel of Matthew write that Joseph returns to Nazareth?

Matthew would have us believe that such a return to Nazareth is a fulfillment of prophecy.

Matthew states in chapter 2:23 that “he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that is might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene.”

Answer for yourself: Is this really a fulfillment of prophecy?

In the footnotes in your Bible the book of Judges 13:5 is given as a reference for “He shall be called a Nazarene.” If you look up the reference for yourself you will see that the original intention of the writer of the book of Judges was to prophecy of the birth of Sampson. The divinely promised child was to be a Nazarite, one separated from the world and consecrated to the Lord. Obviously the writer of the book of Matthew, who we are supposed to believe was a Jew and a follower of Yeshua, confused these two “n” words…..Nazareth a city and Nazarite a separated individual who removed from himself the use of wine and also refrained from touching a dead body or cutting his hair. The reference to Nazarite has absolutely nothing to do with a city. Again we are led astray by the writer of the Gospel of Matthew.

Answer for yourself: Can we say that the Holy Spirit anointed the writer to make such an error? Can you possibly think of any scenario whereby a Jew, if he wrote this, could possibly get this wrong?

Being called a Nazarene and being a Nazarite have nothing in common at all. Needless to say the prophets spoke of Nazarites but never prophesied that Yeshua or the Messiah were to be called Nazarenes. It is hard for me to conceive how a Jew, if he was the writer, let alone commissioned by the Holy Spirit to write, could make such a mistake in these two concepts.

There is no prophecy recorded anywhere in the Jewish Scriptures where the Messiah or Yeshua was to be called a Nazarene.

LUKE HAS A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT STORY...WHY?

To Further Complicate Things We Find That Luke Paints A Completely Different And Conflicting Story

Luke 2:1-39

1 And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.
2 (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)
3 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.
4 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:)
5 To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.
6 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.
7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising G-d, and saying,
14 Glory to G-d in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.
16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.
17 And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.
18 And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.
19 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.
20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising G-d for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.
21 And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
22 And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord;
23 (As it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord;)
24 And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.
25 And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him.
26 And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ.
27 And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law,
28 Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed G-d, and said,
29 Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word:
30 For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,
31 Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people;
32 A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.
33 And Joseph and his mother marvelled at those things which were spoken of him.
34 And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against;
35 (Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.
36 And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity;
37 And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served G-d with fastings and prayers night and day.
38 And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem.
39 And when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city Nazareth.

If we can believe Luke we find that Mary and Joseph was not living in Bethlehem as Matthew had said but in Nazareth (their home town). Mary was pregnant in Nazareth. According to Christian theology the Messiah has to be born in Bethlehem (in a previous article we saw that this is not necessarily so). But make no mistake about it Luke has Joseph and Mary living in Nazareth. Luke contrives an incredible scenario. There was a census for taxation purposes taken during the year Yeshua was a baby. We know for a fact that this census occurred in 6 A.D. yet Matthew has Yeshua being born in 4 B.C.E. in the year that Herod dies. That would make Yeshua a 10 year old "baby." Something is desperately wrong with these "inerrant and infallible passages in the New Testament."

That is another problem for another day. The rules of the census was that you have to be counted in the city you were born. This was never the Roman custom. If we think about this just for a second this is entirely off the wall and the difficulties would be enormous. Besides this the whole idea is stupid for the whole purpose of the census is to tax them where they make their money and that would be in the city in which they lived and worked (not the city of their birth). Who cares where a family came from? Besides this, there is no historical evidence that this was the custom back then.

Luke has to get Yeshua and his family from Nazareth to Bethlehem to agree with the Christian tradition that the Messiah was to come from Bethlehem. As shown in the prior article this "understanding" comes from a total lack of understanding of Micah and no Jew would make such a mistake, let alone under the anointing of G-d no less. In v 4 Luke records that Joseph goes up to Judea from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to register at the city of David, called Bethlehem, because he was of the house of David by descent, and with him went Mary who was betrothed to him. The baby is born in the right city thanks to the help of Luke. They stayed in Bethlehem until after Mary’s purification (v22) in accordance with the Law and only then did they bring Yeshua to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord. Next they returned to Nazareth.

THERE ARE SEVERAL PROBLEMS MOST HAVE NEVER NOTICED:

What is their home town…..Bethlehem as Matthew says or Nazareth as Luke says?
In the book of Matthew just as the baby is born they have to flee to Egypt, but Luke omits the trip to Egypt. Luke has them going from Nazareth to Bethlehem, from Bethlehem to Jerusalem, and from Jerusalem to Nazareth. There is no mention of any trip to Egypt.

What we have here is two garbled stories.

JESUS OF BETHLEHEM OR JESUS OF NAZARETH?

Answer for yourself: What is Yeshua called through out the NT?

Yeshua of Nazareth. Yeshua is never called “Yeshua of Bethlehem” which he would have been if the writer of Matthew was correct as well as if others alive at the time knew for certain he had come from Bethlehem.

There seems to be a lack of clarity about where Yeshua was from.

John 1:44-46

44 Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.
45 Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Yeshua of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.
46 And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see. (KJV)

People who came from Galilee were looked upon in the first century stupid people. “Can any good thing come out of Galilee” was a saying common in the first century. You see the Jews knew what the Christians don’t. The Messiah can come from any city. He need not be restricted to Bethlehem. But the Messiah will come from one (David) who came from Bethlehem. So Yeshua coming from Nazareth was not meant to be a disqualification. It was only doubted that someone as important as the Messiah would come from such a common and humble beginning. Now you know the truth!

John 7:41-43

41 Others said, This is the Christ. But some said, Shall Christ come out of Galilee?
42 Hath not the scripture said, That Christ cometh of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was?
43 So there was a division among the people because of him. (KJV)

There was division among the people if Yeshua could be the messiah because he came from the wrong town. So without a doubt we see that those alive at the time knew of Yeshua's ancestry and were full aware that somewhere other than Bethlehem was know to be Yeshua's place of birth. But we would only have known that if we looked at the Gospel very closely as we have in this article. Shalom.

Bennoah1@verizon.net