Welcome to “Ehrman Errs,” a blog series devoted to using our conversational AI to refute each alleged biblical contradiction that is posed in the article on Bart Ehrman’s website: 50 Contradictions in the Bible: The Biggest, Most Shocking Differences.
Today’s alleged contradiction:
#25 – Who Visited Baby Jesus?
The visitors who come to see baby Jesus differ significantly between Matthew and Luke. In Matthew’s account, magi (wise men) from the East follow a star to Bethlehem, bringing gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh to honor the newborn “King of the Jews” (Matthew 2:1-12). Luke, on the other hand, introduces humble shepherds who are visited by an angel announcing the birth of the Savior. The shepherds then go to Bethlehem to see Jesus, glorifying and praising God for what they had witnessed (Luke 2:8-20). This difference but also other contradictory elements are analyzed in depth by Raymond E. Brown in his magnificent and enormous book The Birth of the Messiah. For those ready to immerse themselves in all the nuances and details of the birth narratives, it is a must-read.
How Does Ehrman Err?
Bart Ehrman’s challenge about who visited baby Jesus—whether shepherds (Luke 2) or magi (Matthew 2)—is a long-standing question that often surfaces in discussions about the reliability of the Gospel accounts. The key to resolving it is careful attention to context, authorial intent, and chronology. When these are regarded properly, there is no contradiction at all—only complementary detail.
1. Each Gospel Has a Different Purpose and Audience
Matthew and Luke write from distinct perspectives and for different reasons:
- Matthew emphasizes Jesus as the promised Messiah and King of the Jews. That’s why he records the visit of the magi, men from the East (Gentiles) who recognize Jesus as King of the Jews (Matthew 2:1–12). Matthew wants to show how Gentiles come to worship the Jewish Messiah even as Herod and Jerusalem reject Him.
- Luke, on the other hand, focuses on the humble origins and universal accessibility of the gospel. He highlights the shepherds—poor, ordinary people—to show that Christ came for all (Luke 2:8–20).
So each Gospel writer includes details suited to his theological theme and audience. Selectivity is not the same as contradiction.
2. The Visits Happened at Different Times
The timing of these visits also resolves the apparent tension.
According to Luke 2:16, the shepherds found “Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger.” The Greek word for “baby” here is brephos, meaning a newborn. This visit occurred on the night of Jesus’ birth, while He was still in the manger.
Matthew 2:11, however, says the magi “entered the house and saw the child with Mary his mother.” The Greek term paidion is used here, meaning “young child,” not “infant.” As explained by Precept Austin’s commentary on Matthew 2, this linguistic distinction indicates that the magi saw Jesus at a later time—perhaps months or even up to two years after His birth. This corresponds with Herod’s order to kill boys “two years old and under” (Matthew 2:16), suggesting that Jesus was no longer a newborn when the magi arrived.
Therefore:
- Shepherds = night of birth, in the manger.
- Magi = months later, in a house.
Two different groups of visitors, two different times, no contradiction.
3. Differences in Detail Reflect Complementary Testimonies
If two witnesses to the same event give identical accounts, we usually suspect collusion; natural truthful testimony includes differing details that emphasize various aspects. Matthew and Luke’s accounts complement one another—they fill in the fuller picture of Jesus’ early life rather than negate each other.
Tim Barnett explains it this way: “While Matthew and Luke give some different details, it’s not clear that this amounts to a genuine contradiction. For this to be a genuine contradiction, the reader must assume two things: (1) silence about an event is denial of an event, and (2) that both accounts intend to tell the exact same sequence of events.” Neither of these assumptions holds true.
4. Scripture Harmonizes Naturally When Read in Context
Taking the two accounts together gives us this reasonable sequence:
- Jesus is born in a manger in Bethlehem (Luke 2:7).
- Angels appear to shepherds, who visit that same night (Luke 2:8–20).
- Later, Joseph and Mary move into a house in Bethlehem (Matthew 2:11).
- The magi, guided by the star, visit the child Jesus (Matthew 2:1–12).
- Warned in a dream, they depart; then Joseph is told to flee to Egypt (Matthew 2:13–15).
- After Herod’s death, the family returns to Nazareth (Matthew 2:19–23; Luke 2:39–40).
This sequence allows all the details to fit perfectly—each Gospel highlighting a different phase of the nativity story.
5. Theological Harmony in Diversity
The two narratives together proclaim one truth: Jesus is both Savior of the lowly and King of all the nations.
- The shepherds remind us that God’s grace reaches the humble and forgotten.
- The magi remind us that even the learned and powerful must bow down before the Christ.
As Paul later wrote:
“At the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth.” (Philippians 2:10, ESV)
And as Luke records the angel saying:
“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:11, ESV)
And Matthew confirms:
“Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” (Matthew 2:2, ESV)
There is no contradiction here—only a multifaceted and beautiful testimony to the same divine event.
In summary:
Bart Ehrman’s objection relies on forcing the Gospel writers to provide an identical, complete chronology, when in reality they present complementary perspectives guided by distinct theological purposes. As both Scripture and careful harmonization show, the shepherds and the magi visited Jesus at different times and in different settings—affirming, rather than contradicting, the truth that God entered our world in the person of His Son, the humble Savior and the divine King.
Luke focuses on Jewish ritual obligations following Jesus’ birth — the purification rites and the presentation of the child in the temple, as required by the Mosaic Law (Leviticus 12:1–8).
After this, Luke writes:
“And when they had performed everything according to the Law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth.” (Luke 2:39, ESV)
Luke doesn’t say they went immediately to Nazareth—it simply records that their home was in Nazareth, and eventually, that is where they went. Luke omits the events in Egypt, but omission is not contradiction. The purpose of Luke’s narrative is to show Jesus as the fulfillment of Israel’s hope and the Law; therefore, details about Herod or Egypt were not relevant to Luke’s theme.