The Gospel of Christmas from three camera stands

Gancs, Peter

This lecture examines the common and differing meanings Christmas is given in the Gospels of Matthew, Luke and John. The word 'evangelium' (gospel) did not originally mean 'biblical text', it meant 'good news' referring to the joyful news of the birth of Christ. In relation to the tory of salvation, Matthew places emphasis on the fulfilment of the prophesies of the Old Testament. For him, the birth of Jesus is marked by the Star of Bethlehem, which guides the wise men to the manger of the new king. Joseph, the humble carpenter and foster-father of the infant Jesus, plays an important role as he tells in great detail the story of Herod's hunt for the infant. Luke, the sensitive and educated physician-evangelist focuses more on precisely dating and historically placing the events. In his writings the angels first bring the Nativity gospel to the simple shepherds, peripheral actors in society. John the theologian-evangelist however, sheds light on great interrelations when he reveals the secret of incarnation in just one sentence, "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us." The joyful news of Christmas is that the love of God embodied in Jesus Christ can fill us, too.

About the lecturer