Jesus

===Genealogy and nativity===
{{Main|Genealogy of Jesus|Nativity of Jesus}}

Jesus was Jewish,{{sfn|Vermes|1981|pp=20, 26, 27, 29}} born to [[Mary, mother of Jesus|Mary]], wife of [[Saint Joseph|Joseph]].<ref>[[Matthew 1]]; [[Luke 2]].</ref> The Gospels of Matthew and Luke offer two accounts of his [[genealogy]]. Matthew traces Jesus' ancestry to [[Abraham]] through [[David]].<ref>{{bibleverse|Matthew|1:1–16}}.</ref>{{sfn|Sanders|1993|pp=80–91}} Luke traces Jesus' ancestry through [[Adam]] to God.<ref>{{bibleverse|Luke|3:23–38}}.</ref>{{sfn|Brown|1978|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=ML1mnUBwmhcC&pg=PA163 163]}} The lists are identical between Abraham and David but differ radically from that point. Matthew has 27 generations from David to Joseph, whereas Luke has 42, with almost no overlap between the names on the two lists.{{efn|Compare {{bibleref2|Matthew|1:6–16|NIV}} with {{bibleref2|Luke|3:23–31|NIV}}. See also {{section link|Genealogy of Jesus|Comparison of the two genealogies}}.}}<ref>{{cite book |last=France |first=R. T. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ttTgacXnLV8C&pg=PA72 |title=The Gospel According to Matthew: An Introduction and Commentary |publisher=Eerdmans |year=1985 |isbn=978-0-8028-0063-3 |page=72 |language=en |author-link=R. T. France |access-date=15 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200229004519/https://books.google.com/books?id=ttTgacXnLV8C&pg=PA72 |archive-date=29 February 2020 |url-status=live}} "From David the two lists diverge, as Matthew follows the line of succession to the throne of Judah from Solomon, whereas Luke's list goes through Nathan, ... and converges with Matthew's only for the two names of Shealtiel and Zerubabbel until Joseph is reached."</ref> Various theories have been put forward to explain why the two genealogies are so different.{{efn|For an overview of such theories, see {{section link|Genealogy of Jesus|Explanations for divergence}}.}} 

[[File:Gerard van Honthorst - Adoration of the Shepherds (1622).jpg|thumb|left|''Adoration of the Shepherds'' by [[Gerard van Honthorst]], 1622|alt=A Nativity scene; men and animals surround Mary and newborn Jesus, who are covered in light]]

Matthew and Luke each describe Jesus' birth, especially that Jesus was born to a virgin named Mary in [[Bethlehem]] in fulfilment of [[prophecy]]. Luke's account emphasizes events before the [[Nativity of Jesus|birth of Jesus]] and centers on Mary, while Matthew's mostly covers those after the birth and centers on Joseph.{{sfn|Mills|Bullard|1998|p=556}}<ref name="marsh37">{{cite book |title=Jesus and the Gospels |last=Marsh |first=Clive |author2=Moyise, Steve |year=2006 |isbn=978-0-567-04073-2 |page=37 |publisher=Clark International |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ecHpPzDLkhcC&pg=PA37 |access-date=14 August 2015 |archive-date=7 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150907095218/https://books.google.com/books?id=ecHpPzDLkhcC&pg=PA37 |url-status=live }}</ref>{{sfn|Morris|1992|page=26}} Both accounts state that Jesus was born to [[Saint Joseph|Joseph]] and Mary, his [[betrothed]], in Bethlehem, and both support the doctrine of the [[virgin birth of Jesus]], according to which Jesus was miraculously conceived by the [[Holy Spirit]] in Mary's womb when she was still a virgin.<ref name="Jeffrey">{{cite book |last=Jeffrey |first=David L. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7R0IGTSvIVIC |title=A Dictionary of biblical tradition in English literature |publisher=Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing |year=1992 |isbn=978-0-85244-224-1 |pages=538–540 |language=en |access-date=8 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201008221946/https://books.google.com/books?id=7R0IGTSvIVIC |archive-date=8 October 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref>{{sfn|Cox|Easley|2007|pp=30–37}}<ref>{{cite book |title=Who's Who in the New Testament |last=Brownrigg |first= Ronald |year=2002 |isbn=978-0-415-26036-7 |pages=96–100 |publisher=Taylor & Francis}}</ref> At the same time, there is evidence, at least in the Lukan [[Acts of the Apostles]], that Jesus was thought to have had, like many figures in antiquity, a dual paternity, since there it is stated he descended from the seed or loins of David.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Lincoln |first=Andrew T. |date=2013 |title=Luke and Jesus' Conception: A Case of Double Paternity? |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/23487891 |journal=Journal of Biblical Literature |volume=132 |issue=3 |pages=639–658 |doi=10.2307/23487891 |jstor=23487891 |issn=0021-9231 |access-date=21 July 2018 |archive-date=20 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180720232133/https://www.jstor.org/stable/23487891 |url-status=live }}</ref> By [[Adoption in Judaism|taking him as his own]], Joseph will give him the necessary Davidic descent.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.thesevernforum.org.uk/palette/lecture_lincoln_2015.pdf |title=Lincoln, Andrew T., "Conceiving Jesus: re-examining Jesus' conception in canon, Christology, and creed", Th Severn Forum, 5 March 2015, p. 4 |access-date=2 July 2019 |archive-date=10 May 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200510100248/http://www.thesevernforum.org.uk/palette/lecture_lincoln_2015.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> Some scholars suggest that Jesus had [[Levite]] heritage from Mary, based on her blood relationship with [[Elizabeth (biblical figure)|Elizabeth]]. <ref>For example, {{citation |title=Carmen 18}}</ref>

[[File:Bellini-circumcision-NG1455-fm.jpg|thumb|alt=74.9 x 102.2&nbsp;cm|''The Circumcision'' by [[Giovanni Bellini]], {{Circa|1500}}. The work depicts the [[circumcision of Jesus]].]]

In Matthew, Joseph is troubled because Mary, his betrothed, is pregnant,<ref>[[Matthew 1:19]]–[[Matthew 1:20|20]].</ref> but in the first of [[St. Joseph's dream|Joseph's four dreams]] an angel assures him not to be afraid to take Mary as his wife, because her child was conceived by the Holy Spirit.<ref name="Talbert">{{cite book |title=Matthew |first=Charles H. |last=Talbert |year=2010 |isbn=978-0-8010-3192-2 |publisher=Baker Academic |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tbmoR2j0-sgC |pages=29–30 |access-date=8 October 2020 |archive-date=8 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201008221946/https://books.google.com/books?id=tbmoR2j0-sgC |url-status=live }}</ref> In [[Matthew 2:1]]–[[Matthew 2:12|12]], [[Biblical Magi|wise men]] or [[Magi]] from the East bring gifts to the young Jesus as the [[Jesus, King of the Jews|King of the Jews]]. They find him in a house in Bethlehem. [[Herod the Great]] hears of Jesus' birth and, wanting him killed, [[Massacre of the Innocents|orders the murders of male infants]] in Bethlehem and its surroundings. But an angel warns Joseph in his second dream, and the family [[Flight to Egypt|flees to Egypt]]—later to return and settle in [[Nazareth]].<ref name="Talbert" />{{sfn|Harris|1985|pp=272–85}}<ref>{{cite book |last=Schnackenburg |first=Rudolf |title=The Gospel of Matthew |year=2002 |isbn=978-0-8028-4438-5 |publisher=Wm.B. Eerdmans Publishing |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pvR39Z9O01kC&pg=PA9 |pages=9–11 |access-date=14 August 2015 |archive-date=7 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150907052207/https://books.google.com/books?id=pvR39Z9O01kC&pg=PA9 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In Luke 1:31–38, Mary learns from the angel [[Gabriel]] that she will conceive and bear a child called Jesus through the action of the Holy Spirit.<ref name="marsh37" /><ref name="Jeffrey" /> When Mary is due to give birth, she and Joseph travel from Nazareth to Joseph's ancestral home in Bethlehem to register in the census ordered by [[Augustus|Caesar Augustus]]. While there Mary gives birth to Jesus, and as they have found no room in the inn, she places the newborn in a [[manger]].<ref>{{bibleref2|Luke|2:1–7}}.</ref> An [[Annunciation to the shepherds|angel announces the birth to a group of shepherds]], who go to Bethlehem to see Jesus, and subsequently spread the news abroad.<ref>{{bibleref2|Luke|2:8–20}}.</ref> Luke 2:21 tells how Joseph and Mary [[circumcision of Jesus|have their baby circumcised on the eighth day after birth]], and name him Jesus, as Gabriel had commanded Mary.<ref>{{bibleref2|Luke|2:21}}.</ref> After the [[presentation of Jesus at the Temple]], Joseph, Mary and Jesus return to Nazareth.<ref name="marsh37" /><ref name="Jeffrey" />