Book II Chapter V.-A Statement of the Manner in Which
Luke's Procedure is Proved to Be in Harmony with Matthew's in Those Matters
Concerning the Conception and the Infancy or Boyhood of Christ, Which are
Omitted by the One and Recorded by the Other.
14. After the enumeration of the generations, Matthew proceeds thus:
Now the birth of Christ51 was on this wise. Whereas His mother Mary was
espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child
of the Holy Ghost.52 What Matthew has omitted to state here regarding the
way in which that came to pass, has been set forth by Luke after his account
of the conception of John. His narrative is to the following effect: And
in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee
named Nazareth, to a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of
the house of David: and the virgin's name was Mary. And the angel came
in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art full of grace,53 the Lord is
with thee: blessed art thou among women. And when she saw54 these things,
she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation
this should be. And the angel said unto her: Fear not, Mary; for thou hast
found favour with God. Behold, thou shall conceive in thy womb, and bring
forth a son, and shall call His name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall
be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God shall give unto Him
the throne of His father David: and He shall reign in the house of Jacob
for ever; and of His kingdom there shall be no end. Then said Mary unto
the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the angel answered
and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of
the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which
shall be born55 shall be called the Son of God;56 and then follow matters
not belonging to the question at present in hand. Now all this Matthew
has recorded [summarily], when he tells us of Mary that "she was found
with child of the Holy Ghost." Neither is there any contradiction between
the two evangelists, in so far as Luke has set forth in detail what Matthew
has omitted to notice; for both bear witness that Mary conceived by the
Holy Ghost. And in the same way there is no want of concord between them,
when Matthew, in his turn, connects with the narrative something which
Luke leaves out. For Matthew proceeds to give us the following statement:
Then Joseph, her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her
a public example, was minded to put her away privily. But while he thought
on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream,
saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy
wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she
shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call His name Jesus; for He shall
save His people from their sins. Now all this was done that it might be
fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold,
a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son; and His name
shall be called57 Emmanuel, which, being interpreted, is, God with us.
Then Joseph, being raised from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord had
bidden him, and took unto him his wife; and knew her not till she had brought
forth her first-born son;58 and he called His name Jesus. Now when Jesus
was born in Bethlehem of Judaea, in the days of Herod the king, and so
forth.59
15. With respect to the city of Bethlehem, Matthew and Luke are at one.
But Luke explains in what way and for what reason Joseph and Mary came
to it; whereas Matthew gives no such explanation. On the other hand, while
Luke is silent on the subject of the journey of the magi from the east,
Matthew furnishes an account of it. That narrative he constructs as follows,
in immediate connection with what he has already offered: Behold, there
came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, saying, Where is He that is born
King of the Jews? for we have seen His star in the east, and are come to
worship Him. Now, when Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled.60
And in this manner the account goes on, down to the passage where of these
magi it is written that, "being warned of God in a dream that they should
not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way."61
This entire section is omitted by Luke, just as Matthew fails to mention
some other circumstances which are mentioned byLuke: as, for example, that
the Lord was laid in a manger; and that an angel announced His birth to
the shepherds; and that there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly
host praising God; and that the shepherds came and saw that that was true
which the angel had announced to them; and that on the day of His circumcision
He received His name; as also the incidents reported by the same Luke to
have occurred after the days of the purification of Mary were fulfilled,-namely,
their taking Him to Jerusalem, and the words spoken in the temple by Simeon
or Anna concerning Him, when, filled with the Holy Ghost, they recognized
Him. Of all these things Matthew says nothing.
16. Hence, a subject which deserves inquiry is the question concerning
the precise time when these events took place which are omitted by Matthew
and given by Luke, and those, on the other hand, which have been omitted
by Luke and given by Matthew. For after his account of the return of the
magi who had come from the east to their own country, Matthew proceeds
to tell us how Joseph was warned by an angel to flee into Egypt with the
young child, to prevent His being put to death by Herod; and then how Herod
failed to find Him, but slew the children from two years old and under;
thereafter, how, when Herod was dead, Joseph returned from Egypt, and,
on hearing that Archelaus reigned in Judaea instead of his father Herod,
went to reside with the boy in Galilee, at the city Nazareth. All these
facts, again, are passed over by Luke. Nothing, however, like a want of
harmony can be made out between the two writers merely on the ground that
the latter states what the former omits, or that the former mentions what
the latter leaves unnoticed. But the real question is as to the exact period
at which these things could have taken place which Matthew has linked on
to his narrative; to wit, the departure of the family into Egypt, and their
return from it after Herod's death, and their residence at that time in
the town of Nazareth, the very place to which Luke tells us that they went
back after they had performed in the temple all things regarding the boy
according to the law of the Lord. Here, accordingly, we have to take notice
of a fact which will also hold good for other like cases, and which will
secure our minds against similar agitation or disturbance in subsequent
instances. I refer to the circumstance that each evangelist constructs
his own particular narrative on a kind of plan which gives it the appearance
of being the complete and orderly record of the events in their succession.
For, preserving a simple silence on the subject of those incidents of which
he intends to give no account, he then connects those which he does wish
to relate with what he has been immediately recounting, in such a manner
as to make the recital seem continuous. At the same time, when one of them
mentions facts of which the other has given no notice, the order of narrative,
if carefully considered, will be found to indicate the point at which the
writer by whom the omissions are made has taken the leap in his account,
and thus has attached the facts, which it was his purpose to introduce,
in such a manner to the preceding context as to give the appearance of
a connected series, in which the one incident follows immediately on the
other, without the interposition of anything else. On this principle, therefore,
we understand that where he tells us how the wise men were warned in a
dream not to return to Herod, and how they went back to their own country
by another way, Matthew has simply omitted all that Luke has related respecting
all that happened to the Lord in the temple, and all that was said by Simeon
and Anna; while, on the other hand, Luke has omitted in the same place
all notice of the journey into Egypt, which is given by Matthew, and has
introduced the return to the city of Nazareth as if it were immediately
consecutive.
17. If any one wishes, however, to make up one complete narrative out
of all that is said or left unsaid by these two evangelists respectively,
on the subject of Christ's nativity and infancy or boyhood, he may arrange
the different statements in the following order:-Now the birth of Christ
was on this wise.62 There was, in the days of Herod the king of Judaea,
a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia; and his wife was
of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth. And they were both
righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of
the Lord blameless. And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren,
and they both were well stricken in years. And it came to pass, that while
he executed the priest's office before God, in the order of his course,
according to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to burn incense
when he went into the temple of the Lord: and the whole multitude of the
people were praying without at the time of incense. And there appeared
unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of
incense. And when Zacharias saw him he was troubled, and fear fell upon
him. But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is
heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shall call
his name John. And thou shall have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice
at his birth. For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord: and be shall
drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy
Ghost, even from his mother's womb. And many of the children of Israel
shall he turn to the Lord their God. And he shall go before him in the
spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,
and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people perfect63
for the Lord. And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this?
for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years. And the angel,
answering, said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God;
and am sent to speak unto thee, and to show thee these glad tidings. And,
behold, thou shalt be dumb,64 and not able to speak, until the day that
these things shall be performed, because thou hast not believed my words,
which shall be fulfilled in their season. And the people waited for Zacharias,
and marvelled that he tarried in the temple. And when he came out, he could
not speak unto them: and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the
temple: and he beckoned unto them, and remained speechless. And it came
to pass that, as soon as the days of his ministration were accomplished,
he departed to his own house. And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived,
and hid herself five months, saying, Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in
the days wherein He looked upon me, to take away my reproach among men.
And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city
of Galilee, named Nazareth, to a virgin espoused to a man whose name was
Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. And the
angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art full of grace,65
the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women. And when she saw him,
she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation
this should be. And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast
found favour with God. Behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring
forth a son, and shall call His name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall
be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God shall give unto Him
the throne of His father David: and He shall reign in the house of Jacob
for ever; and of His kingdom there shall be no end. Then said Mary unto
the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the angel answered
and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of
the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which
shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.66 And, behold, thy
cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this
is the sixth month with her who is called67 barren. For with God nothing
shall be impossible. And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be
it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her. And
Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into
a city of Juda; and entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth.
And it came to pass, that when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary,
the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost:
and she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. And whence is this to me, that the
mother of my Lord should come to me? for, lo, as soon as the voice of thy
salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. And
blessed art thou that didst believe,68 for there shall be a performance
of those things which were told thee from the Lord. And Mary said, My soul
doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. For
He hath regarded the low estate of His handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth
all generations shall call me blessed. For He that is mighty hath done
to me great things, and holy is His name. And His mercy is on them that
fear Him, from generation to generation. He hath made69 strength with His
arm; He hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their heart. He
hath put down the mighty from their seat, and exalted them of low degree.
He hath filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He hath sent empty
away. He hath holpen70 His servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy:
as He spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever. And Mary
abode with her about three months, and returned to her own house.71 Then
it proceeds thus:-She was found with child of the Holy Ghost72 Then Joseph
her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example,
was minded to put her away privily. But while he thought on these things,
behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph,
thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which
is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son,
and thou shalt call His name Jesus: for He shall save His people from their
sins. Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken
of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child,
and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call His name Emmanuel; which,
being interpreted, is, God with us. Then Joseph, being raised from sleep,
did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife,
and knew her not.73
Now74 Elisabeth's full time came that she should be delivered, and she
brought forth a son. And her neighbours and her relatives75 heard that
the Lord magnified His mercy with her; and they congratulated her. And
it came to pass, that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child;
and they called76 him Zacharias, after the name of his father. And his
mother answered and said, Not so; but he shall be called John. And they
said unto her, There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name.
And they made signs to his father, how he would have him called. And he
asked for a writing table, and wrote, saying, His name is John. And they
marvelled all. And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue, and
he spake and praised God. And fear came on all them that dwelt round about
them: and all these sayings were noised abroad throughout all the hill
country of Judaea. And all they that had heard them laid them up in their
heart, saying, What manner of child, thinkest thou, shall this be? For
the hand of the Lord was with him. And his father Zacharias was filled
with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying, Blessed be the Lord God of
lsrael; for He hath visited and redeemed His people, and hath raised up
an horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David; as He spake
by the mouth of His holy prophets, which have been since the world began;
(to give) salvation from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate
us: to perform mercy with our fathers, and to remember His holy covenant,
the oath which He sware to Abraham our father that He would give to us;
in order that, being saved out of the hand of our enemies, we might serve
Him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him, all our days.
And thou, child, shalt be called the Prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt
go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways; to give knowledge of
salvation unto His people, for the remission77 of their sins, through the
tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited
us, to give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the way of peace. And the child grew, and waxed
strong in spirit, and was in the deserts until the day of his showing unto
Israel. And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree
from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.78 This first
taxing79 was made when Syrinus80 was governor of Syria. And all went to
be taxed,81 every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee,
out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which
is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David,
to be taxed82 with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. And
so it was, that while they were there, the days were accomplished that
she should be delivered. And she brought forth her first-born son, and
wrapped Him in swaddling-clothes, and laid Him in a manger; because there
was no room for them in the inn. And there were in the same country shepherds
watching and keeping the virgils of the night over their flock. And, lo,
the angel of the Lord stood by them, and the glory of the Lord shone round
about them; and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear
not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be
to all people. For unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a Saviour,
which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you: Ye shall find
the babe wrapped in swaddling-clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly
there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God,
and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men of goodwill.83
And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven,
the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and
see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto
us. And they came with haste, and found Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying
in a manger. And when they had seen it, they understood84 the saying which
had been told them concerning this child. And all they that heard it, wondered
also at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept
all these things, and pondered them in her heart. And the shepherds returned,
glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and
seen, as it was told unto them.
_________________
51 [The omission of "Jesus" is an early variation of
the Latin text of the Gospel.-R.]
52 Matt. i. 18.
53 Gratia plena. [Comp. Revised Version margin.-R.]
54 Quae cum vidisset. Others read audisset, heard. [The
better Greek Mss. omit the clause. The variation in the Latin text here
was probably due to the later gloss of the scribes.-R.]
55 Various editions insert ex te, of thee; but the words
are omitted in three Vatican Mss., and most of the Gallican. See Migne's
note. [Omitted in the Greek text, according to the best authorities.-R.]
56 Luke i. 26-34. [Ver. 34 is differently rendered in
the text of the Revised Version. The Latin of Augustin would perhaps admit
of the same sense, but is more naturally explained as above.-R.]
57 Vocabitur. The Mss. give vocabunt, they shall call;
one Ms. gives vocabis, thou shalt call. [The proper reading is probably
vocabunt; at all events, this accords with the Greek text. The variations
can be accounted for by the presence of vocabitur and vocabis in previous
part of the paragraph.-R.]
58 [The best Greek Mss. read "a son" in Matt. i. 23.
In Luke ii. 7 "first-born" occurs.-R.]
59 Matt. i. 19-21.
60 Matt. ii. 1-3.
61 Matt. ii. 12.
62 Matt. i. 18; Luke i. 5. [In this extended citation
from the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, the Latin text given by Augustin
is in many cases, more closely reproduced in the Revised Version than in
the Authorized. The translator has, as usual, taken the language of the
latter, except in a few places, where the difference seemed more important
and striking.-R.]
63 Perfectum.
64 [Tacens; the fair equivalent of the original Greek
phrase properly rendered "silent'" in the Revised Version.-R.]
65 Gratia plena.
66 [Compare above on § 14.-R.]
67 Vocatur.
68 Beata quae credidisti.
69 Fecit.
70 Undertaken-suscepit.
71 Luke i. 5-36.
72 Matt. i. 18. [The discovery of Mary's condition probably
occurred, as the order of Augustin implies, after the return of Mary from
the visit to Elizabeth. But it is altogether uncertain whether it preceded
the birth of John the Baptist.-R.]
73 Matt. i. 18-25. [The last clause of ver. 25 is omitted
here, but given in §14. Possibly the variation was intentional.-R.]
74 Luke i. 57.
75 Cognati.
76 [Vocabunt, "would have called," answering to the Greek
imperfect of arrested action.-R.]
77 In remissionem.
78 Describeretur, registered. [Revised Version, "should
be enrolled."-R.]
79 Descriptio prima [This is now the accepted sense of
the phrase in Luke ii. 2; Comp. Revised Version.-R.]
80 Reading praeside Syriae Syrino; in some Mss. it is
a praeside, etc., and sub praeside also occurs.
81 Profiterentur, to make their declaration.
82 Profiteretur, make his declaration.
83 Hominibus bonae voluntatis. [Comp Revised Version.-R.]
84 Cognoverunt.
