Subtitled "What the Gospels Really Teach About Jesus's Birth," this book looks at the birth stories in Matthew and Luke in the context of first-century Christianity and as a prologue to the rest of that particular gospel.
There are many similarities in the birth stories of Jesus and the Roman emperor. Borg and Crossan (the authors of The First Christmas) argue that the similarities are used to illustrate the contrast between the Roman Peace (peace through victory) and the message of peace Jesus brings (peace through justice).
In terms of prologue, one of the main themes in the Gospel of Matthew is that Jesus is the new Moses. Matthew includes elements in his birth story that emphasize the similarities between Jesus and Moses. Likewise, Luke's gospel emphasizes women, the marginalized, and the Holy Spirit, and all three of these elements are prominent in Luke's birth story as well.
I enjoyed this book very much and anticipate reading it again during future Advent seasons.
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