Why did Marie and Joseph go to Bethlehem?

Answer 1

In their nativity stories, Matthew's Gospel and Luke's Gospel each have Mary and Joseph going to Bethlehem, but in different circumstances.

Luke's Gospel says that Mary and Joseph went to Bethlehem because of a census during the time of Quirinius. That census is now known to have begun about 6 CE, more than ten years after the death of King Herod. Raymond E. Brown (An Introduction to the New Testament) says the best explanation is that, although Luke likes to set his Christian drama in the context of well-known events from antiquity, sometimes he does so inaccurately.

Matthew's Gospel says that Mary and Joseph were returning from Egypt to their home in Bethlehem after the death of King Herod but, being warned in a dream, turned aside and travelled instead to Nazareth in Galilee. In this account, they did not travel to Bethlehem before the birth of Jesus because Bethlehem was already their home town.

Answer 2

In their nativity stories, Matthew's Gospel and Luke's Gospel each have Mary and Joseph going to Bethlehem, but in different circumstances.

Luke's Gospel says that Mary and Joseph went to Bethlehem because of a census during the time of Quirinius. That census is now known to have begun about 6 CE, more than ten years after the death of King Herod. Raymond E. Brown (An Introduction to the New Testament) says the best explanation is that, although Luke likes to set his Christian drama in the context of well-known events from antiquity, sometimes he does so inaccurately.

Matthew's Gospel says that Mary and Joseph were returning from Egypt to their home in Bethlehem after the death of King Herod but, being warned in a dream, turned aside and travelled instead to Nazareth in Galilee. In this account, they did not travel to Bethlehem before the birth of Jesus because Bethlehem was already their home town.

Answer 3

Another answer from our community:

By the Law Augustus ordered a census, so everyone had to go to there home lands