Luke's History Mary's Story

ADVENT and time to think about the Xmas Story.
and yes links to the influence of Greek literature

So how do I explain the differences between Matthew and Luke's versions of the Xmas Events.

Matthew's descriptions suggest stories he heard from people who were in Jerusalem at the end.
He talks about the visit to Herod's court of the 3 Magi and the disturbances that caused.

Luke however ...

Luke seems to be influenced by reading Greek History.

He starts with a prologue declaring his method and intents like a Greek History writer however he needs his readers apart from Theophilos will include Hellenized Jews so he includes a genealogy like Matthew and emphasizes Mary's links to Priestly families before he gets to the Birth.

Unlike a certain Christmas carol Lukes says PLACE NOT ROOM in the inn and focuses on the Shepherds and I do wonder could he have had a relative working as a scribe or some kind of official  in Bethelhem who was an eyewitness or interviewed the shepherds?

We also have verification of a later tradition that Luke had some kind of connection to Mary.

Luke 2:19 says that Mary .."all she remembered the events these thinking about them in her heart

suneteerei and sumballoo are the verbs.

If you're teaching Greek here's a great opportunity to show how adding sun as a prefix changes the meaning of a verb!

So Mary thought about what happened and how to tell the story later.

We have Mary's version  but also someone apparently talked to the innkeeper and the shepherds hence Luke's saying he used eyewitnesses.

Your choice if you think its all fiction but what a story!