Review of The Nativity Story (2006) by Leah T — 17 Nov 2011

This was a beautifully made movie and like most stories in the Bible very touching and inspiring. The movie begins with Zacharias entering the Temple where he is told that his wife Elisabeth will bear a child. This is consistent with the first chapter of Luke except in the New Testament it states that the angel Gabriel appeared to him in the temple and told him not to fear while in the movie it shows no angel, only a voice is heard. The Bible also says that after Elisabeth conceives that she hides herself for five months. This does not seem to be the case in the movie. When the child was born they name him John and this is questioned by the women until Zacharias finally speaks and says that the child's name is John. In the Bible they call him Zacharias after his father, but Elisabeth says no that he will be named John and Zacharias writes on a tablet saying the child's name is John.

During this time it is consistent with the Bible that Mary and Joseph are married and Mary sees an angel that tells her that she will bear a child that will be named Jesus and also informs her of her cousin Elisabeth bears a child. Mary then goes to stay with Elisabeth for a short while before John is born. Mary returns home to Nazareth to find that she must leave with Joseph to Bethlehem. According to the movie this is because of Rome's request for a census and that all men return to their home land while the story in the Bible says that they return to be taxed.

While in Bethlehem Mary has Jesus in a cave and lays him in a manger because there was no room for them in the inns or homes. The shepherds came to see Jesus but an inconsistency with the movie and the Bible is that in the movie only one angel spoke to the shepherd after Jesus was born where in the Bible there was a host of angels that the shepherds saw. In the movie the Magi also see baby Jesus while still in the manger which is inconsistent with the Bible which says the Magi or wise men find Mary and Jesus in a house.

Much of the movie shows how Herod is trying to find the prophesized Messiah to have him killed. He uses the Magi to try to do this. He asks them to let him know when they find this child so he can worship him too. Like in the Bible the Magi in the movie decide not to return to Herod with this information. The only difference is that in the Bible they are warned in a dream to not return to Herod.

This is a great movie. I think the writers, producers, etc. did a great job in keeping with the story in the Bible. It is a good movie for children, for anyone not familiar with the stories in the bible, or just for great family time.

The King James Bible. Diana Mecum, Publisher. 2009. Web.