2:1–2 Luke recounts Joseph and Mary’s journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem in order to comply with census regulations (Joseph was a descendant of David, who was a son of “Jesse of Bethlehem,” 1 Sam. 16:1); Matthew simply states that Jesus was born in the town of Bethlehem in Judea (there was another Bethlehem within the territory assigned to Zebulun, Josh. 19:15). The name Bethlehem means “house of bread.” It was nestled in a fertile countryside some six miles south of Jerusalem, and its history was long and illustrious. It was there that Rachel died (Gen. 48:7) and there that Ruth lived after her marriage to Boaz (Ruth 1:22). Bethlehem was most important, however, as the city of David. Thus it was from Bethlehem that Israel expected David’s greater son, the Messiah, to come (Mic. 5:2). So, …