Nativity of Jesus - online puzzles

The nativity of Jesus or birth of Jesus is described in the gospels of Luke and Matthew. The two accounts agree that Jesus was born in Bethlehem in the time of Herod the Great to a betrothed virgin whose name was Mary. They also differ slightly in content, because they are two separate accounts, given by two individuals, thus each includes some details that the other chose to omit; however, this fact does not strongly evidence contradiction (as some believe) and the differences are not major. Matthew does not mention the census, annunciation to the shepherds or presentation in the Temple, does not give the name of the angel that appeared to Joseph to foretell the birth. In Luke there is no mention of Magi, no flight into Egypt, or Massacre of the Innocents, and the angel who announces the coming birth to Mary is named (as Gabriel ). While it is possible that Matthew's account might be based on Luke, or Luke's on Matthew, the majority of scholars conclude that the two are independent of each other, and therefore offer independently opted details, much the way no two individuals today would give an identically worded account of a past event, at separate times to separate audiences (a statistical improbability)

In Christian theology the nativity marks the birth of Jesus in fulfillment of the divine will of God, to save the world from sin. The artistic depiction of the nativity has been an important subject for Christian artists since the 4th century. Since the 13th century, the nativity scene has emphasized the humility of Jesus and promoted a more tender image of him, as a major turning point from the early "Lord and Master" image, mirroring changes in the common approaches taken by Christian pastoral ministry.

The nativity plays a major role in the Christian liturgical year. Christian congregations of the Western tradition (including the Catholic Church, the Western Rite Orthodox, the Anglican Communion, and many Protestants) begin observing the season of Advent four Sundays before Christmas, the traditional feast- day of his birth, which falls on December 25.