A Deeper Explanation for Parents

The purpose of this note is not to provide extensive evidence for the information in this book; however, I will attempt to provide some clarity on a few specific issues. For further information on the historical, cultural, and linguistic context surrounding the birth of Jesus, I invite you to do your own study and research.

Why does this story portray Jesus as being born in a house?

You know the story we’ve been told throughout our tradition: Joseph and Mary travel to Bethlehem for a census and right when they arrive, Mary is in labor. Joseph is frantically looking for a place for them to stay, because they’re just visiting. He goes to the big hotel down the road. The innkeeper slams the door in an inquiring Joseph’s face and tells him that there’s no room left in this hotel. Too many travelers have come to Bethlehem for the census and they must have arrived much faster than Joseph and Mary.

But what if this version of the story is built upon an imperfect translation of one Greek word? What if there was no inn?

In some translations, Luke 2:7 says, “And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn,” (English Standard Version). But other translations have begun to change their translation of this word over the years.

The word traditionally translated as “inn” in Luke 2:7 is the Greek word kataluma. The same Greek word is used by Luke in chapter 22, verse 11. Jesus had told the disciples to prepare the Passover for them all to share together. He tells them to ask the owner of the house, “The Teacher asks you, ‘Where is the guest room [kataluma] where I can eat the Passover with my disciples?’” (CSB, emphasis added). Guest room. Jesus tells them that the owner will show them a large upper room to use.

In the story of the Good Samaritan found in Luke chapter 10, the author uses a different word for “inn” – pandocheion. If he intended “inn,” then why not use this word in the account of Jesus’ birth? In addition to all of this, Bethlehem was a small town, and very close to the large city of Jerusalem where there would have been an inn or a place for travelers to lodge.

Understanding and considering all this, we could replace “inn” in Luke 2:7 with “guest room” and get a different interpretation. As mentioned above, many translations have changed “inn” to various other words.

Additionally, in Luke 2:6 it says that “While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born,” (NIV). It does not say, “The second they showed up in Bethlehem, Mary’s baby was already coming!” It is quite possible and even likely that Joseph and Mary had already been in Bethlehem for some time before Jesus was born.

By now you’re probably full of questions. What about the manger? Why wasn’t there room for them then? Where would Mary and Joseph have stayed? You’re right to ask these things.

When we consider the culture of the time, it’s likely that they would have stayed with family members, or Joseph may have already owned property in Bethlehem. After all, that’s where Joseph was from and he had relatives there! If they were staying with family, it’s quite possible this guest room upstairs was small. It’s possible that other family members also traveled to Bethlehem and were staying in the space as well. It’s possible Mary would have had midwives there to assist in the birthing process. That would have been a lot of people crammed into a very small guest room upstairs. There had to be somewhere else for Mary to give birth. There was just no room for everybody in the guest room.

What then? Let’s consider context, culture, and history again. Back then, animals were often kept inside, at the bottom of the house. This kept them safe from the elements as well as from those who might want to steal them. This provides the perfect context. Mary was given private space to birth, downstairs, with the animals. This is where we get the manger.

Why are there so many magi? Why aren't they at the manger with the shepherds?

We've learned, from our songs and traditions that there were "three kings" who visited Jesus, shortly after the shepherds or maybe even at the same time; however, tradition once again has potentially filled in the wrong blanks. 

We admittedly don't know a lot about the magi. We don't know exactly how many of them there were. We don't know exactly what "magi" means. We can take educated guesses, but still, they're informed assumptions. Even though this is true, it's equally true that the magi themselves were not likely kings... or necessarily "wise men." They may have been astronomers, astrologers, or even royal court officials. In Our (un)Expected King, I chose to leave the title "magi," to reorient us to what the text says, while also leaving room for some ambiguity. 

As far as how many of them there are... we also don't know this. People have, over the years, assumed that there were three magi, due to the fact that there were three gifts. Still, nowhere in the text does it indicate that there were only three people following a star to the King. Realistically, if they anticipated that they were giving gifts to a king, they would have brought more than a measly pouch of coins, a small bottle of perfume, etc. They would have likely had chests or large jars of these gifts. After all, they expected to find someone very important on the other side of that star. But, if they were, in fact, traveling with such large amounts of gifts, then it would be unlikely that three people would have done that alone. They would have needed security - bodyguards - people who would protect the gifts and the group from thieves. It was likely a caravan of people!

Plus, considering that they wanted to see the king of Judea - Herod - a few people walking into town would have hardly demanded an audience with the king. But a whole group of people? That would have drawn his attention. 

Finally, we see no indication in Scripture that the magi came on the night that Jesus was born. Nowhere in Luke's account of Jesus' birth are magi mentioned. In fact, when the magi didn't come back to tell Herod where the king could be found, Herod did the math. He remembered when the magi said the star had shown up, and figured out this up-and-coming king could be two years old. It is quite possible, and even likely that Jesus was a young toddler when the family fled Bethlehem and went to Egypt. 

Putting it all together...

Studying the Bible through the lens of culture and history gives greater meaning and depth to our understanding of God. Without being willing to look deeper into what the Bible said for people in that time, in that place, we are at risk of misunderstanding not only the Bible, but God himself. When we consider the language used, cultural customs, and background information, we can better understand the backdrop to the stories and passages we read. Then we have a fuller picture of God, his people, and the story of the Gospel.

Though understanding the story in this way changes our tradition, it doesn’t change what matters. King Jesus came. He came as a human being just like us. He knows what it is like to walk in our shoes. To suffer in this life. In becoming human like us, he also opened the door for us to begin to understand that we have a God who isn't just like us, but is also with us. And what good news that is for us. We don't have a King who is lofty and above, unable to sympathize with our pain and struggles. We have a high King - the Most High - who is with us now and forever. No matter how we understand this story, the good news of that does not change.