Good poker players know to watch closely the other players at their table in order to decipher each ones’ tell. The “tell” is an unconscious movement or mannerism displayed by an individual whenever they are bluffing. Or confidant, or perhaps confused. A “tell” is a tug on the lip, drumming fingertips, scratching the nose, something that “tells” what is on the mind of the player.

Each gospel writer revels their own “tell” at the beginning of each of their unique renditions of the story of Jesus. The birth narratives, or lack thereof, are especially “telling.” While Mark says nothing about Jesus’ parentage and birth, moving immediately into mission and message, Matthew provides an extensive genealogy and pre-history concerning Jesus. John’s genealogy isn’t even biological; it is cosmologic…