The normal telling of the story about Jesus’s birth has Him being born in a cave or a barn with the animals and then being laid in a manger. Scholars today have shown a different scenario in light of today’s knowledge about the culture and language of Bethlehem over 2000 years ago.
The Bible certainly teaches that Jesus was born in Bethlehem, but it does not state that Joseph and Mary arrived in that town just in time for her to deliver. In fact, this scenario is highly unlikely since it is doubtful that the two would attempt to make the arduous 70 mile trip from Nazareth in the final stages of her pregnancy. Also, Luke 2:6 implies that they were in Bethlehem for awhile before Jesus was born (“while they were there, the days were completed”).
The Bible makes no mention of any innkeeper who told them that the inn was full for the night. The reason we imagine this scenario is because the translators of most English versions have chosen the word “inn” to translate the Greek word (kataluma). Jesus used this same Greek word in Luke 22:11 to refer to a “guest room.”
The Greek language has a word for hotel or inn. In fact, Luke used it in Luke 10:34, when he wrote about the Good Samaritan who took the beaten man to the “inn” (pandocheion) and paid the “innkeeper” (pandochei) to care for the man. Joseph and Mary did not attempt to stay at an inn. The Bible states that there was no room for them in the kataluma, which would be better translated as “guest room.” Joseph and Mary returned to Joseph’s ancestral home of Bethlehem because of the census (Luke 2:1–4). As the census was proclaimed throughout the Roman Empire, many Jewish families would have needed to travel to Bethlehem during this time and they lodged with relatives who lived in the town.
Joseph and Mary probably stayed with Joseph’s relatives in Bethlehem, but because of the large influx of people, the house would have been crowded and the kataluma (guest room) was full. Consequently, Joseph and Mary would have been relegated to living in the lower level of the house. It is hard to believe that pregnant Mary would have been turned away from a relative’s home in a society that greatly valued familial ties.
Archaeologists have excavated first century homes from the Judean hill country. They have discovered that the upper level served as a guest chamber while the lower level served as the living and dining rooms. Oftentimes, the more vulnerable animals would be brought in at night to protect them from the cold, and theft. This sounds strange to many of us, since we wouldn’t dream of bringing some of our cattle into the house at night, but even today in some countries of Europe (Germany and Austria), the farmhouse and the animal quarters are often different parts of the same building.
This is where the manger comes into play. Mary likely gave birth to Jesus in the lower level of a crowded house, in which some of the animals had been brought in for the night. She then wrapped Jesus in swaddling cloths and laid Him in the manger (feeding trough).
This is a good example of where not knowing the culture or the language that the story was set in, hasn’t made one iota of difference to its meaning. In my almost seven decades of living, Christmas eve and Christmas day have always been joyous times for myself and for my children and grandchildren. It doesn’t make any difference whether Jesus was born in a cave, a barn, or a motel or a house, it only matters that we practice the peace that the angels promised would accompany His birth.
Mark Twain quote: “I have never let my schooling interfere with my education.” Faith is from the heart, not from the head. If you can reason it out, you do not need faith anymore. Jesus said we need to become as little children to enter the kingdom of God. Love a child and he/she will trust you with theirs. Children don’t use reason, they use their gut instinct of whether they are safe with you or not. As adults, we use our heads instead of our hearts. If we can’t line up all the answers, then we dismiss it as a myth, so our heart never knows the joy from trusting our gut, and proving ourselves right. Instead we use our heads to prove everyone else wrong, and reap alienation. No wonder we need to be like children. Jesus never violates our will, He is always the perfect gentleman, awaiting for us to open our hearts and allow our mouth to voice the invitation, before He makes His Spirit known to ours. Trust your gut, not your head, and maybe the myth will turn into a real personal experience for you too.
