Issue 22 - O Come Let Us Adore Him, Anew
Biblical Understanding
Arguably the most iconic Christian image at Christmastime is the nativity scene, which shows Mary, Joseph, and Jesus, in a stable, surrounded by animals, shepherds, angels, and three wise men. However, some of this scene may be based on cultural tradition that has risen up around the events of Christmas rather than a literal interpretation of the Biblical account. These cultural traditions are not associated with any critical doctrine, so I think it’s all pretty harmless and helps keep Christmas rightly focused on Jesus. But for many of us, the nativity scene is so familiar that we never pause to assess exactly what the Bible does and doesn’t say. I think reflecting on the story with fresh eyes helps us to engage more deeply with God’s word, which ultimately will help us appreciate the story of Christ’s birth even more.
To be clear, most elements of the nativity are explicitly described in the Bible: Mary and Joseph; Jesus lying in a manger; visiting shepherds. Angels, though frequently included in the nativity scene, were not actually present at the site of birth (at least not visibly): they departed after telling the shepherds about Jesus’ birth (Luke 2:15).
As for occurring in a stable, apologist Alisa Childers has argued that this interpretation of events is likely incorrect. I summarize her argument as follows. The image of a stable primarily hinges on the fact that Jesus was placed in a manger (a feeding trough for animals), and that this happened because “there was no room in the inn” (Luke 2:7). The Greek word used for “inn” is best translated as “guest room” - in fact the other place it is used in the New Testament is to describe the upper room where Jesus and his disciples hosted the Last Supper (you’ll also see that some translations render “no room in the inn” as “the guest room was full” or “the living quarters were full”). Alisa also points to cultural evidence summarized by John McRay, which indicates that (a) somebody like Joseph traveling to where his family was from would be more likely to stay with relatives than a literal inn, and (b) animals at the time were frequently kept on the first floor of a dwelling to keep them warm and safe. Taken together, this evidence suggests that Mary and Joseph crashed on the first floor of a dwelling (because the upper living area was full), not that they were in a literal stable behind an inn (the Bible never mentions any interaction with an innkeeper). While the Bible doesn’t explicitly mention the presence of animals, either interpretation of the story (stable or bottom floor of a dwelling) strongly implies this detail. So if you’re committed to a historically accurate nativity scene, you can keep the sheep and cows with a clean conscience!
What is on even more solid ground is the fact that the wise men were not present at Jesus’ birth. Luke 2:22-24 says that Jesus was dedicated at the temple at the prescribed time (40 days after birth), while the wise men’s visit (described in Matthew 2) triggered an escape to Egypt that lasted until King Herod’s death (more than 40 days later). Moreover, the fact that Herod killed baby boys “two and under” (Matthew 2:16), and not “newborn babies” suggests that the information provided by the wise men left open the possibility that Jesus was a toddler. The Bible also never discloses how many wise men came to visit Jesus: we only know they brought three gifts. We don’t know their names, and they definitely weren’t kings.
So Jesus probably wasn’t born in a barn, and the wise men definitely weren’t present at his birth. None of this detracts from the incredible facts that are true about Christ’s birth. The apostle Paul says in Colossians that everything was created by and for Jesus, and that “in him all things hold together” (Colossians 1:16-17). We know that he is literally God (though distinct from the person of God the father). In Revelation 1:17, his best friend from earth fell to his face “as though dead” at the sight of him, such was his awe at Christ’s glory. This Jesus humbled himself to be born as a helpless baby. Whether this occurred in a barn or the most opulent palace, this fact alone should astound us.
Moreover, our perception of his birth as particularly humble by human standards remains correct. Jesus did spend his first night in a manger - probably in the presence of smelly animals. His parents really were poor (their sacrifice of two turtle doves when presenting Jesus at the temple was a concession in the law for those who couldn’t afford the normal sacrifice). He really was visited by working-class shepherds, and pagan astrologers really did come to worship him (just not at the same time).
And let’s not fail to appreciate the cosmic war occurring behind the scenes before, during, and after Christ’s birth - something depicted in the most overlooked and underrated Christmas story in the Bible.
So this Christmas season, feel free to be a pedantic killjoy and remind people that the wise men don’t belong in the nativity, and that it probably shouldn’t be in a stable. But don’t forget to read the Christmas story as though for the first time. Don’t let familiarity dampen your wonder over the fact that the creator, sustainer, and ruler of the universe came as a human baby, so that he could one day die to deliver us from the penalty of sin. In light of that incredible truth: come, let us adore him!
Merry Christmas from Christo et Doctrinae!