Wednesday, December 10, 2008
'Tis the Season
It is time once again for me to list my Christmas story pet peeves. These are traditions that have been handed down through the years that do not portray a correct understanding of the Biblical narrative of the birth of Jesus. Here they are in no particular order:
1. The LOCATION of Jesus' birth.
There was no hotel. Seriously. Mary and Joseph did not get turned away from an "inn" like as in a hotel or Holiday Inn. There was no room for them in the "upper room" (the word is "kataluma" same Greek word used later by Mark & Luke describe the place where Jesus invites his disciples to partake of the last supper and it is also the place Luke describes Jesus' followers meet after Jesus' ascension when the Holy Spirit falls upon them - not the "same" upper room - but it indicates a place within a family dwelling - like a living room)... so because of their lower status (their age and family status) they were in the "lower room" of his family home. If you know anything at all about middle-eastern hospitality you would not think that Mary & Joseph had to find a hotel room in a city where he was from (there were there for the census - his whole family was from Bethlehem) nor would you think they were forced to have the baby in a stable in the middle of some field somewhere. There were no barns. Not one. During this time large families lived together in multi-level houses and the "upper room(s)" were always given to the more senior (older) members of the family and the lower rooms often housed the animals that where brought INSIDE for the night to be kept safe. THIS is the sitiuation Mary found herself in when Jesus was born. She was in the "garage" (for lack of a better image) but still a part of the family home of Joseph's family.
2. The Magi numbered more than three and did not arrive AT Jesus' birth.
There were not three wiseman (find that in scripture, ya can't! - read Matthew 2:1) and they were not there WHEN Jesus was born (but came later - read Matthew 2:11). Jesus was a "teknia" (the Greek word for child) when the wiseman (many of them in a caravan) came to visit Joseph & Maryin a HOUSE. They probably didn't follow a star but an astrological sign of something big happening (you don't think God can move the stars into any formation he wants?).
3. Jesus' Birth Date
Jesus was not born on December 25 (or probably even in winter). This is the date the Roman Emporer Constantine I decreed it to be on, and before that Jesus's birth was not celebrated on that date.
1. The LOCATION of Jesus' birth.
There was no hotel. Seriously. Mary and Joseph did not get turned away from an "inn" like as in a hotel or Holiday Inn. There was no room for them in the "upper room" (the word is "kataluma" same Greek word used later by Mark & Luke describe the place where Jesus invites his disciples to partake of the last supper and it is also the place Luke describes Jesus' followers meet after Jesus' ascension when the Holy Spirit falls upon them - not the "same" upper room - but it indicates a place within a family dwelling - like a living room)... so because of their lower status (their age and family status) they were in the "lower room" of his family home. If you know anything at all about middle-eastern hospitality you would not think that Mary & Joseph had to find a hotel room in a city where he was from (there were there for the census - his whole family was from Bethlehem) nor would you think they were forced to have the baby in a stable in the middle of some field somewhere. There were no barns. Not one. During this time large families lived together in multi-level houses and the "upper room(s)" were always given to the more senior (older) members of the family and the lower rooms often housed the animals that where brought INSIDE for the night to be kept safe. THIS is the sitiuation Mary found herself in when Jesus was born. She was in the "garage" (for lack of a better image) but still a part of the family home of Joseph's family.
2. The Magi numbered more than three and did not arrive AT Jesus' birth.
There were not three wiseman (find that in scripture, ya can't! - read Matthew 2:1) and they were not there WHEN Jesus was born (but came later - read Matthew 2:11). Jesus was a "teknia" (the Greek word for child) when the wiseman (many of them in a caravan) came to visit Joseph & Maryin a HOUSE. They probably didn't follow a star but an astrological sign of something big happening (you don't think God can move the stars into any formation he wants?).
3. Jesus' Birth Date
Jesus was not born on December 25 (or probably even in winter). This is the date the Roman Emporer Constantine I decreed it to be on, and before that Jesus's birth was not celebrated on that date.
# posted by ErinW @ 3:58 PM 
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