Nativity of Jesus

The Nativity or birth of Jesus is found in the biblical gospels of Matthew and Luke. The two accounts agree that Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, that his mother, Mary, was engaged to a man named Joseph, who was descended from King David and was not his biological father, and that his birth was caused by divine intervention.

Many contemporary scholars do not see the Nativity stories as historically factual, regarding them as laced with theology and presenting two different accounts and genealogies, though they are considered to contain some useful biographical information concerning Jesus's birth during the reign of Augustus and his father's name. Some traditional scholars have maintained the historicity of the narratives. Matthew's account of the appearance of an angel to Joseph, the wise men from the East, the massacre of the innocents, and the flight to Egypt, do not appear in Luke, which instead describes the appearance of an angel to Mary, the census; the birth in a manger, and the choir of angels appearing to the shepherds.

The Nativity is the basis for the Christian holiday of Christmas and plays a major role in the Christian liturgical year. Many Christians traditionally display small manger scenes depicting the Nativity within or outside of their homes, or attend Nativity plays or Christmas pageants focusing on the Nativity cycle in the Bible. Elaborate Nativity displays featuring life-sized statues are a tradition in many continental European countries during the Christmas season.

The artistic depiction of the Nativity has been an important subject for Christian artists since the 4th century. Artistic depictions of the Nativity scene since the 13th century have emphasized the humility of Jesus and promoted a more tender image of him, a major change from the early "Lord and Master" image, mirroring changes in the common approaches taken by Christian pastoral ministry during the same era.