It's occurred to me (after years of exploring the Christmas stories in the Bible every year) that if each unique gospel writer had one word for Christmas, they might be these words. May it bless you and your family during this holiest of weeks.
LINEAGE - Matthew's Christmas word might be just that, "lineage." Generally speaking, his gospel gift is summed up in his favorite phrase,"this was done in order to fulfill what was said by the prophets ..." His gift is to show us how Christmas, and Jesus in general, fulfills Old Testament longing. Unlike the other gospels, he starts with the genealogy of Jesus (outlining 14 generations from Abraham to David, 14 generations from David to the Babylonian exile, and 14 generations from the exile to the Messiah). His point is it was clearly the plan of God that Christ would come and fulfill the prophecy of being a Messiah from the house and lineage of King David. He quotes scripture about how the virgin birth fulfilled prophecy. Unlike the other gospels, he also has the story of the magi (I hate to mess with your Christmas decor, but we don't know that there were three of them and they didn't make it to the manger, they came to the house they were staying as late as a couple of years later). Again, this is about fulfillment of prophecy. Matthew's Christmas story is all about that.
LAUNCH - If Mark has a Christmas word, it might be "launch." Why? He launches right into the message of John the Baptist, who prepared the way for Jesus to show up in ministry. Yes, it's true ... he doesn't even talk about Christmas at all. This makes sense, in light of the general impetus of Mark. His favorite word in the gospel seems to be "immediately." Jesus is always going and doing, and the kingdom of God is ushering in. So it's not just that he launches into the message of John and Jesus without a single story about Christmas, he believes that Jesus is launching the kingdom of God into our midst without delay.
LOWLY - If Luke has a Christmas word, I suppose it would be "lowly." Ah, yes, most of the Christmas narrative is here in Luke, because of his general concern for the least, the last, and the lost ... for the oppressed and neglected (from woman to Gentiles to Samaritans, plus parables such as the lost sheep and the lost coin). It's no accident, then, that he would be the one to tell the story of the shepherds being visited by the angels, not to mention the details about the poverty and lack of influence of Joseph and Mary, and the fact that Jesus was born in a stable out back. All that is meant to point to something about God's favor for the poor and needy. Even the canticles (the songs of Elizabeth, Mary, Zechariah, and Simeon) are about both fulfillment of prophecy and about God's regard for the oppressed and the lowliness of his servants. For Luke, every aspect of the narrative is about this.
LOGOS - Well, if we are going to stay with the "L" theme it's obvious what John's Christmas word would be. It would be logos, the Greek New Testament word for, well, "word." He tells of Christmas as a poet, not a storyteller. We don't get from John details such as stables, local politics, or taxes, and there are no wise men or shepherds. Instead, it's rich and beautiful theology that has shaped our spirituality on every level. He starts out, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." Theologically, he describes how Christ is the very word God spoke to set creation into being. He muses on how this life was the light that shines in the darkness, which will never overcome it. John the Baptist is a "witness to the light," Then he says, "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us," theologizing on the incarnation and the humanity/divinity of Christ. John's version of Christmas takes a deep theological plunge, even if it doesn't help with setting up your manger scene!
So, if you had a word for Christmas, what would yours be?
May you have a wonderful, wonder-full Christmas.
