Christmas Eve

Merry Christmas Eve!  My advent calendar is done, 

and Cody and Brennan are on their way.   I got up this morning and made those snickerdoodles after all, figuring that if I didn't make the kids do it, they'd have more time to do their gingerbread houses if they wanted to.  

As for me, I have no idea what day it is.  Seriously, I checked the mail twice today before I remembered it's Sunday.  Oh well, the only day I'll need to remember  is January 2, because that's when I have to go back to work. 

This is going to be a bit short, because I want to get this published before the kids get here, but I'm about to upend everything we've ever thought about Christmas.  Why?  Because today's advent poster addition is the manger. 

And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.  Luke 2:7

Now, in this day and age, most of us have come to accept that Jesus wasn't born in a little wooden shed, like the ones we always put up every year in our nativity sets.  The reason we've always imagined the shed-like structure is because when Christianity began spreading into Western Europe -- England, France, and the like -- and the people there first heard about Jesus' birth, they pictured in their minds what they knew.  They imagined the wooden feed box and stable structure they were familiar with, and that's how it became part of popular culture.  

Back in the late 70s to early 80s, we began to accept that the stable was more likely to be a cave, because that's what they were most likely to use as a stable in first century Judea.  But what if I told you Jesus wasn't born in a cave, either?  

It says in the Bible, "While they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered"  (Luke 2: 6), but it doesn't say how long they had been there.  It's highly unlikely they would have just gotten there, because, it's only 70 miles from Nazareth to Bethlehem, and even if they only made five miles per day, it would have been a two week journey.  

I think if Mary had been that close to delivering, she wouldn't have gone.  The image of Joseph rushing around desperately looking for a room in an inn while Mary is already in labor then delivering the baby himself makes for good theater, but it isn't realistic.  

It's more likely that they would have stayed in the home of some of Joseph's relatives, which probably would have been crowded with other kin-folks coming for the census.  The word translated to "inn" was more likely the word for guest room.  The Complete Jewish Bible translation on my Bible app translates it as living quarters. 

From everything I've read and researched, the ground floor of the house was where the animals were kept, and the family slept on the upper floor. 

And so, because the family rooms were crowded with relatives, some of them would have had to stay on the ground floor where the animals were kept.  And that, friends, is probably where Jesus was born.  And where Mary laid him in a manger.  

Now I've got to finish up, as the kids will be almost here. 

Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!