The Nativity… in the Bible
Spoiler: If you like the culturally popular version of the nativity, then read no further.
Picture a nativity scene in your head. Perhaps you have these figures on your coffee table at home. Most of us can quite readily offer up the details of that image without much thought. What do you see? Like me, do you see Joseph and Mary riding upon a donkey to the inn? Does the inn keeper send the pregnant couple outside to a small wooden shed called a “manger”? Is the manger out in the middle of a field somewhere? When you picture the scene, does it look like December 25th in Canada? Are the shepherds praising God near the corner of this small wooden structure with a goodly number of sheep in tow? Has someone set Jesus down in a soft nest of hay while three well-dressed kings stand near by or sit atop the camels they rode? What do the “kings” have in their hands? Does each of these men hold a beautifully wrapped gift – one each? Well… truth be told, that picture may not be all that accurate.
From what the Bible tells us, It is true that Joseph and Mary had to travel from Galilee to the Bethlehem (the hometown of Joseph’s forefathers). But, just how they got there is actually unknown. It is however, very doubtful that Joseph could ever afford a large financial expense like a donkey. Seeing Mary on a donkey is kind of like picturing her in a new Cadillac. Most likely, the very pregnant Mary had to walk the whole way, though it is also possible that she sat in a small cart (kind of like a wheelbarrow or a rickshaw) which Joseph would have had to pull.
The popular vision of the “inn” is also not likely accurate. Joseph would have gone first to the home of a family member as was custom in that region. This was not the countryside but rather the city. So, the nativity sets we have should probably include a large cluster of buildings much like a modern-day ghetto. The family might have had a guestroom for travelers upstairs, which was commonplace during that time, but it was apparently full with others from Joseph’s family. At this point, one of Joseph’s relatives would have sent him to the backyard to use a carved-out cave (with door), or a stone structure of some kind for shelter. Usually this would be used to house one or two animals from time to time. In any case this structure was called a “stable”.
As for the manger, this word has confused a great many. Another word for “manger” is “trough” as in a food trough for animals. This would have likely been a very slim and very long structure that was attached to the side of a wall. It definitely would not have fit the baby well nor would it have been even remotely comfortable.
Now, on to other issues: the shepherds and the kings. I highly doubt that the shepherds (who would have come from just outside town) would have taken any sheep from the sheep-fold to bring with them to the city for a baby visit. However, the “three kings” is a much bigger issue. These men were actually “magi” and not kings at all. And, they arrive quite a bit later in the story. In fact, we are told, that they visit the “toddler” Jesus, and not at a stable at all but in a “house”. As for the number three, the Scriptures do not tell us how many there were, but only that they (plural) did bring three kinds of gifts. Gold was a common gift for royalty. Frankincense had a lot of significance as anointing oil and was also an offering made in the Temple. Myrrh is the strangest of these gifts by far. Myrrh was used to dress the dead. It was a kind of embalming fluid of the day. As many see it these gifts are not that joyful at all but are more likely a kind of foreshadow for what’s to come. As far as the number of magi it has sometimes been assumed that there were three just because three distinct gifts are mentioned but that was probably not the case. It is often suggested that there would have been around seven visiting Magi but that number, like three, is just an educated guess; we actually have no clue. And, as for them wearing crowns, nice clothing, and riding on camels - the Bible simply doesn’t say. If I had to guess though, I’d say they walked like just about everyone else in their day. There are, of course, other issues like the date of the star, the historicity of the voyage, illusions to the Exodus, and the presence of a holy angel (who appeared much earlier in the story) but, all in all, I think you get the picture.
So, perhaps the image that popular culture gives us today is not that biblical. Perhaps the scene we see should just be Mary and Joseph in a small stone building, or a cave in the backyard of a city-dwelling relative. Perhaps no snow would be on the ground. Perhaps it was April. Perhaps the shepherds would stand about while several magi just begin their journey; not to arrive for some time. But then again… perhaps the vision we see in our heads or on our coffee tables isn’t really about the magi or the donkey. Perhaps what is really important is just the birth of Jesus, who is Emmanuel (God is with us).
Merry Christmas everyone
