We should believe
in facts and not fiction, especially if it relates to one of the essential
beliefs of Historic Christianity. Herein, The
Gospel Coalition details five common misconceptions Christians continue to
believe about the Christmas narrative:1
1. There Was a Star the Night Jesus Was Born
It’s difficult to find a nativity
scene (or Christmas play) without a star over the manger. Indeed, this might be
the quintessential symbol of the birth of Jesus.
The problem is there’s no indication
the star hovered over the manger on the night Jesus was born. On the contrary,
when the angels announced the birth of Jesus to the shepherds watching their
flocks by night (Luke 2:8–11), they weren’t told to look for a star. They were
told to look for something else: “And this will be a sign for you: you will
find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger” (Luke 2:12).
The star was given not to the
shepherds but to the Magi (Matt. 2:2), who appear to be visiting Jesus at a
later time period. How much later is unclear, but the fact that Herod commands
all the babies in the region younger than 2 years old to be killed suggests
Jesus may have been in Bethlehem for some time.
2. There Were Three Wise Men
Speaking of the wise men, in both art
and in song (“We Three Kings”) we get the undeniable impression there were
three of them (also called “Magi”). The problem, however, is that this number
is found nowhere in the biblical accounts.
Matthew simply tells us, “Now after
Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold,
wise men from the east came to Jerusalem” (Matt. 2:1).
The idea of three wise men likely
came from the fact that Matthew mentions three gifts: gold, frankincense, and
myrrh (Matt. 2:11).
3. There Was No Room for Them in the Inn
Another staple of modern nativity
plays is the scene at the inn. Joseph and his wife, Mary—who is on the verge of
giving birth—are cruelly turned away by the innkeeper who shows them no
compassion.
Here is another popular misconception.
The Bible never mentions an innkeeper. In fact, it’s possible there was never
even an “inn” at all.
A recent study by Stephen Carlson
makes the case (a compelling one, I think) that the Greek word normally
translated as “inn” (καταλύματι) in Luke 2:7 is best translated as “place to
stay.” So the passage isn’t saying there was no room in the inn, but rather
there was no room for baby Jesus in the place they stayed. In what place were
they staying? Carlson argues it was probably in the home of Joseph’s family in
Bethlehem, perhaps in an adjacent guest room (which would have been small).
4. Jesus Was Born in a Barn or Stable
Since Joseph could find no spot in
the inn, the reasoning goes, he must have been forced to stay in the stable.
Indeed, every nativity scene ever created places Jesus in a barn of sorts.
But the text doesn’t say he was born
in a barn. It only says Mary “laid in him in a manger” (Luke 2:7). Although
that might seem to suggest a barn, it was common for mangers to be kept in the
main room of village houses during this time period. Why? Because the animals
were often housed just a few feet away in an adjacent room.
It seems likely, then, that Mary gave
birth to Jesus while they were staying at the home of Joseph’s relatives in
Bethlehem. But the room in which they stayed—likely a tight guest room or
hastily added chamber—couldn’t accommodate a birth. So, Mary had to give birth
in the larger family room and lay Jesus in the nearby manger.
5. Jesus Was Born on December 25
If we celebrate Jesus’s birthday on
December 25, it’s logical to think this was the day on which he was born. But
the precise date of Jesus’s birth is uncertain. A variety of options have been
suggested throughout church history, including March 21, April 15, and May 20.
So how did December 25 become the
date? It’s commonly thought Christians took over the pagan holiday of Sol
Invictus (“Unconquered Son”), which was on December 25. But there’s little
evidence to back this up.
Instead it seems early Christians may
have reasoned from the supposed date of Mary’s conception, which was thought to
be March 25—the same day Jesus was thought to be crucified. Fast forward nine
months and you land on December 25 for his birth.
Real Christmas Story
These five misconceptions remind us that
sometimes our picture of scriptural stories is shaped more by popular
perceptions and modern retellings than by the text itself. But when we take a
closer look at the biblical clues, a wonderful—and hopefully more
accurate—picture emerges of what happened that night nearly 2,000 years ago.
And what happened that night still
stands as one of the most monumental events in human history. God became a man
and entered our dark, cold world to redeem a sinful people.
And that is a story that makes
Christmas worthy of being “Merry.”
Endnotes:
1 https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/5-popular-misconceptions-christmas-story/, last accessed on 23rd
December 2021.
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