The Nativity part 2- the setting

Question: When did the birth of Jesus take place?

Answer: It depends which story you are reading. Matthew says " during the time of King Herod." This Herod died approximately 4 B.C.E., so Jesus must have been born before then. According to the text, the baby could have been as much as two years old by the time Herod found out about him. ( chapter 2:16) This would mean Jesus could have been born around 6 B.C.E. Or even a year or two earlier. The text says Joseph and Mary took the child to Egypt and stayed there till Herod died. (2:14) We are not told how long that was.

The book of Luke starts off with the pregnancy of Mary's cousin Elizabeth,"In the time of King Herod." ( chapter 1:5) Six months later, Mary is pregnant with Jesus. (1:26). So far, so good. However, when we get to Jesus's birth, we are told it was when " Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census be taken of the entire Roman world. This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria." (2:1-3)

A problem arises because the historical records clearly show that Quirinius was not governor of Syria till 6 C.E., which is also when he began the census of the province of Judea. There was no Census of the entire Roman world at that time. Augustus taxed the citizens of Rome and the provinces in different ways. This would place Jesus's birth a decade after the death of Herod, who was supposedly alive when Jesus was conceived. Matthew's story does not mention Quirinius or a census.

Question: Where does the birth story take place?

Answer: Matthew's tale begins with the birth in Bethlehem of Judea, supposedly to fulfill Micah 5:2., which is a cryptic prophecy of a future ruler of Israel, similar to David. Then Jesus is taken to Egypt, supposedly to fulfill " Out of Egypt I have called my son." (Hosea 11:1) which is is merely a reference to the Exodus. After that, Jesus's family supposedly settles in Nazareth of Galilee to fulfill "he will be called a Nazarene," which is not an Old Testament prophecy at all. Plus, there is some question about whether a person living in Nazareth was called a Nazarene.  Matthew does not mention travel to Bethlehem from Galilee with or without a 9 months pregnant Mary on a donkey. There is no mention of registering for a census, a barn or stable, or a trip to Jerusalem to be consecrated.

Luke's story begins with Mary being visited by Gabriel in Nazareth of Galilee. Mary then goes to a town in the hill country of  Judea, where her cousin Elizabeth lived. Interestingly, Bethlehem was a town in the hill country of Judea. Mary stays three months, then returns home. Then Joseph also goes from Nazareth to Judea to register for the census with Mary, supposedly because he was from the house of David, but the Romans would not have cared who his jewish ancestors were. After Jesus's birth he was put to bed in a manger, but the text does not say he was born in a barn or stable. At least forty days after his birth, when Mary was ceremonially clean, Jesus was taken to the temple in Jerusalem to be consecrated to the lord. After that Joseph and Mary returned to Nazareth in Galilee. No mention is made of any side trip to Egypt or any prophecies.

Edited.