Another Christmas story...

If you're prone to being judgemental, please don't read on. If you're open to having a portion of your perceived Christmas story tampered with, then read on.

I'm coming out of the closet...I don't buy the whole Christmas story. Mary the virgin...yes. Joseph...yes. Bethlehem...yes. Star, wisemen, shepherds...yes. Inn...nope. That's right...I don't buy the whole Mary-pulling-into-town-dialated-to-10-but-can't-find-a-motel thing...here's why...

Luke 2:7 reads, "...and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn." Seems simple enough, right? One word changes the imagery..."inn."

The greek word used there is "kataluma," which is translated most often as "guest room" or "upper room." The word which, in other places, is most often translated as "inn" is "pedoikemos" (see the story of the good Samaritan in Luke 10).

We're going to take an imaginary tour of a typical Bethlehem home from the time when Jesus was born.

Most homes were only one room. You walked in the front door to find yourself stepping on straw. Immediately to your right, you notice a set of about three or four stairs leading up to the main room (and often only room) of the house. That floor slopes gradually up toward the back of the house -- enough so that it was easier to sweep downward toward the door but not so much that a person would roll away in their sleep. Against one of the outer walls of the main room, there would be a fireplace used for warmth at night and for cooking.

From the main entrance, if you go straight instead of heading up the few stairs into the big room, you would be sharing space with a couple of sheep and maybe a goat -- no big animals, but a few of the small ones. You see, these few animals were worth about a year's wages, so you don't want to keep them outside in the cold overnight...you bring them in. The floor of the main room is about head-high to these animals. And carved into the floor, right by the drop-off into the animal's area, are a few troughs, also called mangers. Do you know where I'm going yet?

If a person had a little extra money, they would often put on an addition to their one-room home. At the "upper" end of the house, they would add a room that was usually only about 10x10 or so...not very large, but a great place for guests or for the master of the home to sleep in...away from the animals. This added room was called a "kataluma."

Here's a Christ-birth scenario for you...

Joseph and Mary are called back to Joseph's hometown for the census. The reason it was Joseph's hometown is because it was the location of his tribe (or family line) -- he as Jewish and was part of one of the tribes of Judah of which there were twelve.

Before heading back to Joseph's hometown, they find out she's pregnant. Before Joseph and Mary had to face the family with the news that Mary was pregnant prior to the actual wedding, Joseph was going to "put her away" quietly so as to not disgrace her. If they were going somewhere where they would be anonymous, Joseph would have worried less about the name of his betrothed.

They probably didn't come screeming into town with Mary fully dialated and pushing. And if they did, Bethlehem was a small village, not a major city -- small villages didn't have inns...they couldn't economically sustain them.

Instead, they probably arrived in town, stayed in a guest room with family (maybe even extended family). Then it was time...the baby started knocking on the door.

Birthing was a community event, especially in a small village. That being the case, several women probably came to the house to be a part of the event with Mary.

Because of issues of ceremonial cleanliness, Joseph and the other men would have been out of the house (blood made a person unclean...especially a woman's blood...'nuf said). It's my hypothesis that the men from the village took Joseph out to the pub then a round of golf while awaiting the news of his child's arrival (I'm being a little far-fetched here, in case you missed that;-))

Everyone in the family knew that this birth was a big deal. Remember when Mary and Elizabeth (who were cousins) met...they were both pregnant (Liz with John the Baptist) and the baby in Liz's womb lept with excitement in the presence of Mary's baby (Jesus...just so we don't lose track of him). You know how families are...they don't keep quiet. If Elizabeth knew that Mary's baby was special, that word would have spread through that family like wildfire.

The day has come. The baby is born. The area is clean again and Mary and the baby can have visitors. The family pours in. Some shepherds from the surrounding hillside come...they said something about angels and a king and a baby. The crowd grew...it grew too big for the 10x10 guest room where Mary was holed up.

In order for others to see and witness the birth of her son, who was announced by angels and fortold by God himself, she took the baby into the larger main room of the house. She wrapped him up in some cloths to keep him warm. They stoked the fire. And since there was no pakc-n-play, Mary put the baby in the next best place...right there in a bed of fresh straw in the manger, right near the fire to stay warm.

Read Luke 2:7 again, "...and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the 'kataluma (guest room).'"

So how did we get the tradition of the inn-keeper et al? King James of England had the Bible translated in 1610 into english. Where were the mangers in England in 1610? Out back in the stable. There is no mention in scripture of a stable...only a manger. hmmm...

Whether you buy this or not, it doesn't change the nature of Christ's birth -- he was born to a virgin named Mary. He was born in Bethlehem. And he was born as the King of Kings who would give his life as a ransom for the world. He was all God and all man.

This changes the Christma pageant a little, though. No more fun little songs about a greedy inn-keeper who wants just a little more money. No stories about the Son of God being born homeless.

Instead, we have a picture of the God-King being born within the context of community -- people who cared for his parents and him. Oh, don't worry, there will be plenty of rejection for him as he gets older. But for now...look at the baby. See the people who love him sitting there, talking, laughing, inviting others to come take a look. Could he be the one? The one we've been waiting and praying for since King David? Could he be the...?

****************************
I want to thank Dr. Bud Bence, at Indiana Wesleyan University, for being a rabble-rouser enough to share this story with his students.

To me, it makes sense. The pieces fit together. If you don't buy it, that's fine. I probably won't do any Christmas messages about the inn-keeper or the stable. But I also won't stand up in the middle of the kid's program to denouce the authors as heretical, either!

For what it's worth...

Whether in the stable or the living room, enjoy the presence of the Christ-child today. His birth changed the world. His death changed my life. And his resurrection changed our future.

Peace,

Matt