Luke and Matthew’s Gospels, Essay Example

In the Portrait:

1.  In the nativity scene painted by Caravaggio are Baby Jesus lying in a manger, his mother Mary and her husband Joseph, the three wise men and an ox.
2. Except for two wise men who are speaking with each other, everyone—including the ox!—are focusing on Baby Jesus. Joseph appears to be marvelling at the wonder of it all, the one wise man is looking very pleased and Mary, with love and tenderness  in her face, is in the process of wrapping up Baby Jesus in swaddling clothes.
3. The Baby is mostly in white; Mary is in a pink robe and head covering with a blue shawl; one wise man has a red shawl; the youngest wise man is dressed more like a modern- day     shepherd boy, with a hat and top shirt button undone. The remaining clothing is brownish.
4. In Matthew 2:1-12 the same characters that appear are the wise men, Baby Jesus and his mother.  Joseph is not mentioned, but if one were to read vs 13, one would realize that he was there because it is written, “When they had departed,…the Lord appeared to Joseph….”

At the beginning of Chapter 2, King Herod and the chief priests and scribes are mentioned.

In Matthew 2:1-12:            

5. The main characters are King Herod and the three wise men.
6. The three wise men, King Herod, chief priests and scribes all speak.
7. The focus is to find out where Baby Jesus will be born.
8. The atmosphere was that of a troubled King Herod and all of Jerusalem and also of conspiracy between King Herod and the three wise men to find Baby Jesus.

In the Portrait:

9. Not all of the characters in the nativity scene painted by Caravaggio appear in Luke 2:1-20. The three wise men have been replaced by three shepherds.  There is also no mention of an ox.

In Luke 2:1-20:

10. The angel of the Lord (and a multitude of heavenly host) and the three shepherds appear to be the main characters Luke 2:1-20.

11. The angel of the Lord (and the multitude of heavenly host)and the three shepherds all speak.

12. The angels were the first to speak, asking the shepherds not to be afraid because they were bringing them “good tidings of great joy” (vs. 10)…”because unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord” (vs.11). Then the heavenly host praised God and said, “Glory to God in the highest and on the earth peace goodwill toward men” (vs.14).  When the angels left, the shepherds spoke to each other and made plans to go and see what had occurred.  Once they saw the Blessed event, they went back from whence they came and praised and glorified God for all that they had seen and heard.

13. The atmosphere was definitely full of great joy, awe, and thankfulness.  A celebratory mood existed.  After all, a Saviour Christ the Lord had been born.