Luke and The First Christmas

So far, this part of the Bible has been much more interesting than the first part. What I've liked most of it is the beginning. I had never actually read any Christmas stories other than Santa Claus, but this version of this nativity scene
Reading the New Testament is so different from reading the old testament. It's pretty obvious that there must be a difference between these two, but I didn't think it would be as direct as it turned out to be.

Ever since we began reading Genesis I've been wondering about Jesus. I'm hoping some of my questions get answered as I continue reading the Gospels. For example, what is it about Jesus that makes him so special? Also, what were the people around Jesus like? Some of these things are already beginning to answer themselves. In the first chapter, Joseph and Mary are told by Gabriel that they are to have a child. It is explained that they are "of the house of David". This makes me wonder if they follow David's religion or if they are his descendants. Either way, they both sound good enough reasons to justify God's choice to make Jesus his "son".

One of the things that caught my attention was the similarity I found between an ordinary Christmas song I've always known and the text in Luke's second chapter.
"And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. (7)I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. (11) For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.(12)" (Luke 2)These lines reminded me of the Christmas carols.I think it's very interesting that the song is based and inspired on what the Bible says. This is what I mean:
"In Bethlehem, in Israel,
This blessed Babe was born
And laid within a manger
Upon this blessed morn
The which His Mother Mary
Did nothing take in scorn
O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy"
(God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, Traditional Christmas Carol)
I always knew that the Christmas carols told the story of Jesus' birth, but I had no idea they would be so similar to the original texts.

Where did the three kings go? Did they get lost and were left out of Luke's gospel? They are obviously not a part of Luke's story so I wonder if they are included in another gospel. The three kings couldn't have come from nowhere so it must have been some other man who included them into the famous Christmas tradition. The three kings make Christmas complete, so how is it that Luke missed out on such an important part of this story? At least not much other than is changed. Everything is still happening in Bethlehem and Nazareth and Galilee just as I've been taught. Reading Luke's gospel changed my perception of Christmas and it's like I've been cheated on my entire life because what I thought was, actually isn't, according to Luke.

John appears in the first chapter as Jesus' older cousin. I wonder if it is the same John that wrote the other Gospel. If John was related to Jesus then I'm guessing that
Luke has a similar role in the story and appears in other Gospels as well.

I love how God has a small role in Luke's gospel. I don't mean that he doesn't appear at all, because he does, but at least all the focus of the story isn't set on him. This biography of Jesus and those around him leaves very little space for God's feelings to be included which makes it less monotonous and definitely more interesting than the other first half of the Bible. Although God isn't mentioned as much, there is a new character: The Holy Ghost in the shape of a "dove". Now, everybody seems to be getting "baptized". In the Old Testament all the boys were getting circumcised and now, they are all getting baptized. I must say that I much prefer getting baptized than having a circumcision, although it is quite impossible for me to get one. Anyways, during Jesus' baptism "a voice came from Heaven" and God said "Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased" (Luke 3:23) At least God is pleased with his "son", I mean what if he wasn't? Old Testament all over again. I suppose God better not mess it up again by choosing the wrong guy. Well, maybe the Old Testament's men all had good intentions but somehow they ended up in trouble, and this time, God is acknowledging that he is, for once, proud. This made me think that maybe, parents baptize their babies so that God is proud of them too, in a way.

The final sentences in chapter 3 are very long yet they are, somehow important. These sentences tell of Jesus' ancestry and how he is the descendant of God. I hadn't realized how close Jesus was to all those other Biblical figures. God seems to have chosen one family, that of Seth, to lead the entire Bible. It's fine, it's not like the entire world was left out but it makes the story a bit biased. What if it wasn't Seth's family that was chosen? Also, this made me think about Inherit the Wind. This movie is so intent on making one side right that the facts are ignored. If God did create the world, he didn't need time for evolution, but if evolution did happen, then there's very little space between Adam and Jesus.