“It’s
about 2000 years ago, the evening of December 25. Mary rides into Bethlehem on
a donkey, urgently needing to deliver her baby. Although it’s an emergency, all
the innkeepers turn them away. So they deliver baby Jesus in a stable. Then
angels sing to the shepherds. Afterwards, they all join three kings with camels
in worshiping the quiet, newborn.” The problem is, this story may be almost
entirely wrong. The events surrounding the birth have been retold so many times
and in so many ways—in plays, poetry, books and movies—that
most people have a distorted view of the true events. The only accurate record
is found in the Holy Bible,
God’s Word.
Did Mary ride a donkey to
Bethlehem? Perhaps, but there are
various other possibilities. The Bible doesn’t say how she got to Bethlehem.
It only says that she came with Joseph. Did
Mary arrive in Bethlehem the night she gave birth? The Bible does not suggest this. They could have
arrived weeks earlier. God’s Word simply states, “while they were there
[in Bethlehem],
the days were accomplished that she should be delivered” (Luke 2:6).
Arriving in town well before her due date would make more sense. Did
Joseph or Mary talk to any innkeepers? Perhaps, but there is no solid, biblical reason to
believe that they did. Although innkeepers play a prominent part in many
Christmas plays, no innkeeper is actually mentioned in the biblical record
of Christ’s birth. Furthermore, it is likely that Mary and Joseph actually
stayed in a house with relatives, not behind some kind of Bible-times
hotel. Was
Jesus born in a stable? Or a barn? Or a cave?
The Bible does not mention any of these three places in connection with
Christ’s birth, only a manger.
Scripture simply reports that they laid Jesus in a manger because there
was no room for him in the guest room.
The Greek word used in Scripture is kataluma, and can mean guest chamber,
lodging place or inn. The only other time this word was used in the New
Testament, it means a furnished, large, upper story room within a private
house. It is translated guest chamber, not inn (Mark 14:14-15).
According to our Bible archaeology experts,
Jesus was probably born in the house of relatives, but outside (under) the
normal living and guest quarters. (Learn more: Was Jesus born in a stable? / What is a manger? / What is an inn
“Away in
a manger the baby awakes, but little Lord Jesus, no crying he makes.”
Although this is part of a beautiful song, we cannot be sure that Jesus did not
cry. The Bible does not report this.
Did
angels sing to the shepherds outside of Bethlehem? Perhaps, but the Bible
doesn’t specifically say that the angels
sang. It says that first an angel appeared and spoke, and then appeared “a
multitude of the heavenly host praising God” (Luke 2:13).
Were angels
present at the birth? It seems logical to assume that they were, however,
Scripture does not report it, and there is no evidence that angels were visible
to Mary and Joseph at this time.
Did three kings riding camels come to
Jesus’ birth? The Bible does not say that any kings or camels visited young
Jesus.
It does report wise men
(“magi”) came, but it does not say how many. None of
the early Church Fathers, suggested the magi were kings. Since the word “magi”
used in the Bible is plural, there were apparently at least two, and there
could have been more—even several more. The Bible simply mentions three costly
gifts they presented—gold,
frankincense
and myrrh,
but this does not necessarily indicate the number of magi. There is also no
proof of what country these men came from.
Also, the wise men
clearly did not visit Jesus
when he was still lying in the manger,
as is commonly shown on greeting cards and in plays. The magi
did not arrive until sometime after Christ’s
presentation in the Temple
in Jerusalem
(Luke 2:22-39).
At this time,
Scripture calls Jesus a “child,” not a “baby.” It is possible that little Jesus
was walking and talking by then. Based on the calculations of King Herod and
the magi (Matthew 2:16),
Jesus could been two years old or under.
Was Jesus born on December 25,
or in December at all? Although it’s not impossible, it seems unlikely. The
Bible does not specify a date or month. One problem with December is that it
would be unusual for shepherds to be “abiding in
the field” at this cold time of year when fields were
unproductive. The normal practice was to keep the flocks in the fields from
Spring to Autumn. Also, winter would likely be an especially difficult time for
pregnant Mary to travel the long distance from Nazareth to Bethlehem (70
miles). “A more probable time would be late September, the time of the annual Feast of
Tabernacles, when such travel was commonly accepted.
Thus, it is rather commonly believed (though not certain) that Jesus’ birth was
around the last of September. The conception of Christ, however, may have taken
place in late December of the previous year. Our Christmas celebration may well
be recognized as an honored observation of the incarnation
of ‘the Word made flesh’ (John 1:14).”“…The probability is that this mighty angel, leading the heavenly host in their praises, was Michael the archangel; this occasion was later commemorated by the early church as Michaelmas (‘Michael sent’), on September 29, the same as the date of the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles. It would have at least been appropriate for Christ to have been born on such a date, for it was at His birth that ‘the Word was made flesh and dwelt (literally tabernacled) among us’ (John 1:14).
The date was chosen by the Roman Catholic Church. Because Rome dominated most of the “Christian” world for centuries, the date became tradition throughout most of Christendom. The Church wished to replace the pagan festival with a Christian holy day (holiday).
Study to show thyself approved, 2 Tim. 2:15 Don’t just take a preacher’s word for anything, look it up yourself/
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