The question of the historical accuracy of the gospels is a fundamental one in the understanding of Christian faith and perhaps no passages are more controversial than the infancy narratives. It is not simply a question of whether or not an event took place as the evangelical writers said it did, but of what additional awareness of the Messianic prophecies we can draw from an examination of the literary techniques to see beyond the purely biographical facts of Jesus' life. Their problem, the facts of Jesus' life being well enough known, was to show that these were in continuity with sacred history. And this could only be done by using literary forms that, while perfectly clear to the early converts, mean little to us unless a critical explanation is offered. The object of this book is to establish the historical facts and to explain certain literary and historical questions arising from the infancy narratives in Matthew and Luke. What are we to make of Christ's conception by the Holy Spirit? Mary's virginity? Jesus' relationship to Joseph and the circumstances of his birth? In language all readers can grasp Jean Danielou, a leading Scripture scholar, offers explanations of these questions as they are at present understood by his fellow exegetes. This book, therefore, presents the fruits of modern research in a way that enlightens faith and encourages our commitment to it.