By Dr Oliver Tearle (Loughborough University)
The most detailed and influential account of the birth of Jesus Christ is found in the Gospel of Luke. But Luke’s account, as well as being much more informative than the one we find in the Gospel of Matthew, is the version of events which does the most to strain readerly credulity.
Details of the census which Joseph and Mary had to undertake to Bethlehem, not to mention the account of the birth of Jesus and his being laid in a manger, are found in the Gospel of Luke, so let’s take a closer look at what the Gospel says.