Four Views of the Birth of Jesus | Christmas 2025

Each New Testament Gospel presents a distinct but complementary view of the birth of Jesus. He is the Perfect King (Matthew), the Devoted Servant (Mark), the Caring Savior (Luke), and the Life-giving Word (John). This sermon was delivered by Bryan Craddock in celebration of Christmas 2025.

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What is your ideal Christmas dinner? When I was growing up, all my aunts, uncles, and cousins on my mom’s side of the family would gather with my grandparents for a huge meal. There was turkey with stuffing, ham, mashed potatoes with gravy, sweet potato pie, green bean casserole, potato salad, egg salad, plus pies, cookies, and homemade fudge. It was a ridiculous amount of food.

The challenge was how to fit it all on your plate. I am the sort of person who likes to keep my food separate. I don’t freak out if it’s touching, but I do enjoy the distinct flavors. Some of my relatives, on the other hand, would pile everything on their plate. As they ate it was like an archaeological excavation digging down through different layers.

From my perspective, you might as well throw it all in a blender at that point and call it a Christmas smoothie. You get all the same nutrients, and you don’t have to chew. But that’s disgusting, right? No one wants that! Those great flavors get lost.

I think that something similar happens to the Christmas story. Passages from different biblical books are blended into one familiar narrative. That makes it easy to digest, but it all ends up tasting the same, so some people are quick to lose interest. But if the story is not so processed, you are more likely to be impacted by its distinct flavors.

The New Testament includes four different accounts of the life of Jesus. We call them Gospels, and they are written by different authors for different audiences. So, while there is overlap, each Gospel contains unique material, particularly in their descriptions of the birth of Jesus. They take completely different approaches to telling the story. They do not contradict, but they each highlight a distinctly powerful truth about Jesus.

You might say that each account is spicy in its own way, but they go together as the perfect meal. So, I want to give you a taste of each one in its pure form. We’ll consider who each author is, what he brings to the table, and why his view of the birth of Jesus is significant for us.

Matthew: The Perfect King

We have all met people who are out to make a quick buck. They approach the world in a way that is pragmatic and cynical. They don’t hesitate to bend the rules or step outside the lines. Some are driven to it by desperation. They’ll do whatever they need to do to survive and get ahead, and they don’t care what people think about it.

Matthew was like that. He was a Jew who sold out his countrymen by working as a tax collector for the Roman Empire. Tax collectors earned their income by charging more than was required. It was like a mafia scheme. They used the power of Rome to extort money, and most of them took full advantage of their position to acquire significant wealth.

The Gospels of Mark and Luke refer to Matthew by a different name: Levi. That is the same name as the patriarch from whom the Jewish priestly tribe was descended. Perhaps that was Matthew’s heritage. It is very clear from his Gospel that he knew the Old Testament and its promises well.

To end up working as a tax collector, Matthew must have abandoned any hope in those old prophecies, but Jesus changed that. He proclaimed a compelling vision of the kingdom of God that would not come through political maneuvering or military might but through repentance, the forgiveness of sin, and the transformation of lives. That message cut through Matthew’s cynicism.

He came to see Jesus as the Perfect King. He does not describe the whole process of his conversion, but in Matthew 9:9-10 he says,

As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, "Follow me." And he rose and followed him. And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples.

Jesus specialized in reaching out to cynical people. The pretentious Pharisees couldn’t understand it, but these sinners were drawn to the genuine mercy and hope of Jesus and his message. He even chose Matthew to be one of his twelve apostles (Matt 10:1-4). Later Matthew wrote the Gospel that bears his name, and he seems to write it for other Jews.

So, where does Matthew begin the story? He starts with the genealogy of Jesus to show that he is the descendant of Abraham and of King David who will bring true blessing and justice (1:1-17). The genealogy leads to a man named Joseph who is betrothed to a woman named Mary. Joseph himself may have felt disillusioned when he discovered that Mary was pregnant. He was going to divorce her, but Matthew 1:20-23 tells us,

But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: "Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel" (which means, God with us).

The Immanuel prophecy was written over 700 years earlier and comes from Isaiah 7:14. It addressed immediate concerns in Jerusalem but also pointed forward to something far greater. Isaiah 9:6 says that the child would be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. He would reign on David’s throne, causing all warfare to cease. Isaiah 11 says that he will even bring an end to all hostility and violence in nature.

The world should have welcomed Jesus as Immanuel, and chapter 2 of Matthew tells us that wise men from foreign lands came to worship him as king. When they inquired in Jerusalem about the place of his birth, the scribes and priests pointed them to a prophecy about Bethlehem. But those Jews paid no further attention, and Herod, the tyrant puppet king of Rome, even tried to eliminate him by ordering the execution of infant boys throughout the area.

So, Matthew’s account of the birth of Jesus shows us the harsh reality of our fallen world. It is hostile and spiritually bankrupt, so it desperately needs the reign of Immanuel. Matthew goes on to present Jesus’ teaching about the kingdom in his Sermon on the Mount, his parables, and his end times prophecies. He recounts Jesus’ miracles as previews of his kingdom power, and tells us of his rejection by the Jews, his death on the cross, and his resurrection. Matthew’s aim is to persuade us to join him in following Jesus, waiting for him to return and reign as our perfect king.

Mark: The Devoted Servant

Some people can’t sit still. They are always on the move. They may be impulsive and quick to change their mind. They might speak and act without thinking things through, and that can lead to regrettable situations.

John Mark seems to have been that kind of person. The book of Acts tells us that he accompanied Paul and Barnabas on their first missionary journey (13:5). But part way through that trip, he left them to return home to Jerusalem. Barnabas wanted to take him on their next journey, but Paul refused. The New Testament does not mention Mark again until many years later in a few letters.

In 1 Peter 5:13, Peter says that Mark is with him. Peter understood Mark’s struggles well. He was just as impulsive. When Jesus foretold his death, Peter rebuked him (Mk 8:32). When Jesus said that the disciples would all fall away, Peter insisted that he would not, and then he did (Mk 14:27-31, 66-72).

Mark probably based his Gospel on Peter’s recollections. But there is one odd story that must have been his own. After describing the arrest of Jesus, he tells us in Mark 14:51-52,

And a young man followed him, with nothing but a linen cloth about his body. And they seized him, but he left the linen cloth and ran away naked.

So, what do the impulsive combo of Peter and Mark tell us about the birth of Jesus? Absolutely nothing! Mark skips over it and starts with the baptism and temptation of Jesus before launching straight into his ministry. Did he have a reason for neglecting such a significant part of Jesus’ life? I think that Mark’s silence about Jesus’ birth is part of portraying Jesus as a devoted servant.

Servants were common in the ancient world, and no one bothered to think about when, where, or how they were born. They were defined by what they did. So, Mark’s Gospel strings together a narrative of Jesus’ actions. He probably wrote it for Romans. He uses the word “immediately” 42 times. He also records more miracles than any other Gospel.

The actions of Jesus were not impulsive, however. From his birth, he was completely devoted to the fulfilment of a clear purpose. Mark 10:45 tells us that he expressed it by saying,

For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.

Mark spends about forty percent of his Gospel recounting the last week before Jesus was crucified. He served us all by paying the ultimate sacrifice. He died in our place to rescue us from sin and condemnation. Doesn’t that demand a response? Doesn’t it compel our impulsive hearts to stay faithfully devoted to him? It became Peter’s focus and Mark’s. Is it yours? As the devoted servant, Jesus deserves our devotion.

Luke: The Caring Savior

Most people in our society seem frustrated with our health care system. We want answers to all our ailments, or, at least, sympathy from our providers. But medicine is big business. So, even the most well-intentioned doctors and nurses seem to be under a lot of pressure to focus more on completing tasks than caring for people.

We might assume that it was better in times past, but people have always complained about doctors having high prices and questionable treatments. There are certainly exceptions, however, and one of them is a doctor that Paul mentions at the end of his letter to the Colossians. In Colossians 4:14, he includes a greeting from Luke the beloved physician.

Luke became one of Paul’s coworkers during his second missionary journey. He is traditionally considered to be the author of both the Gospel that bears his name and the book of Acts. Even though his name is not mentioned, when Paul leaves Troas for Macedonia in Acts 16, the author shifts from referring to Paul’s group as “they” and begins to refer to them as “we.”

As a beloved physician, I think it safe to say that Luke was a people person, and this is borne out in his Gospel. He introduces us to several people that the other Gospels fail to mention, particularly women. He begins his Gospel with the miraculous conception of John the Baptist whose mother, Elizabeth, was well beyond her child-bearing years.

Then Luke turns his focus to Mary. We would know almost nothing about her if it were not for Luke. He describes how the angel Gabriel announced her pregnancy. Then Luke 1:34-35 tells us,

And Mary said to the angel, "How will this be, since I am a virgin?" And the angel answered her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy--the Son of God.

This explanation is similar to the one in Matthew’s Gospel that was given to Joseph. But Luke reveals Mary’s response. She goes to visit Elizabeth, and Luke 1:46-55 tells us,

And Mary said, "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever."

Mary recognized that the child growing in her womb would do something radical. He would identify with and exalt the humble, and that is born out in Luke’s account of the birth of Jesus. He is the one who tells us that they were forced to go to Bethlehem, only to discover that there was no place for them in the inn. He says that Mary gave birth and had no other choice but to lay Jesus in a manger. Luke also recounts the angelic announcement to the shepherds, the sort of humble men that the world’s historians ignore.

It is no surprise then, that Luke’s account of Jesus’ ministry highlights his care for overlooked people. He tells us that Jesus raised a widow’s son from the dead and forgave a sinful woman who washed his feet with her tears. He records the parables about the good Samaritan, the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the prodigal son. He alone tells us about the thief on the cross who believed and about another despised tax collector named Zaccheus. As part of that story, Luke 19:9-10 tells us,

And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost."

So, Luke’s account of the birth of Jesus prepares us to see this side of his character. He was identified with humble people at his birth, and he continued to care for people like that throughout his ministry. He came to seek and save people who are willing to recognize their lostness. Is that you? Do you confess your desperate need of salvation? Look to Jesus as our caring Savior!

John: The Life-Giving Word

Parents often relate to the baby of the family in a special way. They do not love them more than their older children. But they might be a little less stern, showing an extra measure of compassion and affection.

I wonder if the Apostle John was the baby of his family. He is often mentioned in connection with his brother, James, and James is always named first. John also seems to have lived longer than the other apostles. Many think that his Gospel and letters were written around 50 years after the death and resurrection of Jesus. So, he was probably the youngest of the Twelve.

Perhaps that “baby of the family” dynamic contributed to Jesus’ special connection with him. In his Gospel, John identifies himself as, “the disciple whom Jesus loved.” He tells us that he was sitting next to Jesus and even leaning upon him during the Last Supper (Jn 13:23). When Jesus was on the cross, he even entrusted the care of his mother to John. 

So, John’s Gospel is all about having a personal relationship with Jesus, and he alone recounts several powerful metaphors that Jesus used. He is the living water that quenches our thirst (4:13-14); the bread of life that nourishes us (6:48); the light of the world that guides us (8:12); the good shepherd that knows us and lays down his life for us (10:14); the resurrection and the life that gives us hope beyond the grave (11:25); the way we take to be with God the Father (14:6); and the true vine that enables us to be fruitful (15:1-2).

So, what is John’s view of the birth of Jesus? He developed his own metaphor to explain the spiritual reality of what happened at the birth of Jesus and the way that this reality should shape our relationship with him. In John 1:1-3, he says,

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.

The account of creation in Genesis 1 tells us that God spoke things into existence in the beginning. John expands upon that idea by revealing that the Word already existed before the beginning. In some mysterious way, the Word is God but is also separate from God. So, the Word is actively involved in the work of creation. Then down in verse 14, John says,

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

The Word that made everything entered his creation. God the Son became human. In one sense his glory was concealed. He did not walk around with a halo as so many artists have imagined. He appeared to be a normal baby, but as he grew up his glory shined through his character. The Word made known the grace and truth of God.

So, just as the Word brought life into existence at creation, he can also give us spiritual life. If we back up a few verses to John 1:12-13, we read,

But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

Through becoming a baby, the Word made it possible for us all to be born again. You become the baby of the family, receiving a special relationship with God. The only condition is that you receive Jesus, turning from your sin to believe in him. Have you done that? If you have, are you fully enjoying the life that he gives in that special relationship?

__________

So, each Gospel brings its own distinct flavor to the feast of Christmas. Despite his cynical background as a tax collector, Matthew shows that Jesus was born as the perfect king of prophecy, who will one day bring true justice and blessing to our hostile world. With his impulsive personality, Mark skips over Jesus’ birth to focus on his deeds as the devoted servant who came to ransom us so that we can devote ourselves to following him in all that we do. Luke, the beloved physician, sheds light on the humble people at Jesus’ birth to help us see that Jesus is the caring Savior who came to seek and save the lost. Then John, the disciple whom Jesus loved, explains that Jesus is the life-giving Word who has always existed but became flesh so that we can be born again to a special relationship as children of God.

So, if you have never done so, I invite you to start believing in Jesus. If you want to learn more about him, Colossians 1 would be another good chapter to read. If you already believe, then worship him and tell others about him.

May the glory of Jesus shine through us!

Reflect

Which view comes to mind most often for you? Why?

Which view comes to mind least for you? How might focusing on that view more change your outlook?

Think of someone you know who needs to hear the gospel. Which view do you think would most appeal to them? How would you explain it to them?