America's foremost Scripture scholar, and the author of The Birth of the Messiah, explores the theological and spiritual meanings of the infancy narratives in Matthew and Luke. "Thus the Gospel infancy narratives go to the heart of the meaning of Christmas—no sentimental 'baby Jesus' language here. Rather, we find a clear emphasis on the conception and birth of the Savior King of the House of David and God's unique Son. This identity of Jesus is splendidly set in the context of the Old Testament echoes, to show that the God who is acting through Jesus behaves consistently with the way the God of Israel has acted in the past."