After Mass today I received a couple inquiries about an apparent inconsistency between today's Gospel reading (Luke 2:22-40) and the Gospel reading on the feast of Epiphany (Matthew 2:1-12). The concern seems to be that if one simply merges the two Gospel stories together there doesn't seem to be time for all the events and locations mentioned to occur.
First we need to recall that the Gospels were written by different persons at different time, for different audiences and provide different range of details about Jesus and his life. In regard to this concern we can eliminate two of the Gospels from our research since neither Mark nor John provide any detail about Jesus' childhood. Lets begin by diagramming the time line of Matthew's and Luke's childhood events. We will begin with the birth of Jesus since this is a common event in the two text.
| EVENT | TIME | MATTHEW | LUKE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birth of Jesus (Stable) | Day 1 (BC 2-3) | Mt 1:18-24 | Lk 2:1-14 |
| Shepherds visit | Day 1 | - - - 0 - - - | Lk 2:15-20 |
| Circumcision of Jesus | Day 8 | - - - 0 - - - | Lk 2:21 |
| Magi Visit (Scenario 1) | Sometime Day 8 to 40 | Mt 2:1-12 | - - - 0 - - - |
| Presentation of Jesus | After Day 40 | - - - 0 - - - | Lk 2:22-38 |
| Return to Nazareth | After Day 40 | - - - 0 - - - | Lk :39-40 |
| Magi Visit (Scenario 2) | After Day 40 before Yr 2 | Mt 1:1-2 | - - - 0 - - - |
| Flight to Egypt (Scenario 1 & 2) |
Sometime Day 40 to Yr 2 | Mt 2:13-15 | - - - 0 - - - |
| Massacre of Children | Sometime Day 40 to Yr 2 | Mt 2:16 | - - - 0 - - - |
| Return from Egypt | After death of Herod The Great (BC 1) |
Mt 2:19-23 | - - - 0 - - - |
| Jesus teaching in Temple | Year 12 (AD 11-12) | - - - 0 - - - | Lk 2:41-52 |
There appears to be two possibilities:
Scenario 1: The visit of the Magi occurs between day 8, when Jesus was circumcised, and day 40, which was the earliest day Mary could enter the Temple (Lv 12:2–8.). The family was no longer in the stable but in a house (Mt 2:11). After Day 40 they visit the Temple to dedicate their son to the Lord and continue on to Nazareth, their home town. Some days later upon hear about Herod's edict that all boys born in Bethlehem over the last two years are to be killed they depart for Egypt, returning when Herod dies (Mt 2:13-23).
Scenario 2: The visit of the Magi occurs after day 40 but before year 2 (Herod killed 2 yr old and younger boys), perhaps, during their annual Passover pilgrimage while staying in a house in Bethlehem just a short way from Jerusalem. Some days later upon hear upon about Herod's edict that all boys born in Bethlehem over the last two years are to be killed they depart for Egypt, returning when Herod dies (Mt 2:13-23).
Both scenarios will work with the narratives provided in the Gospels. However, if you consider them against the common calendar it turns out that Scenario 1 is most likely. Jesus was born in 2 or 3 BC and Herod The Great died just before Passover in 1 BC. If Jesus was 1 years old when Herod died the visit of the Magi had to have occurred earlier when Jesus was an infant. If Jesus was 2 years old when Herod died then Scenario 2 seems feasible but requires the Magi visit to occur near Passover BC 2 when Jesus was 1. It is unlikely that the a second family trip would would be undertaken with an infant just months after visiting the temple on the way home from Bethlehem. In either case the stay in Egypt was short, ranging from a few weeks to no more than a year.
Links to discussions of the calendar dates mentioned above are given below. Biblical references are give in the text and table above.
To read an analysis of what year Jesus was born click here.
To read an analysis of what year Herod the Great died click here.
