Clearing Up Christmas: A Political Thriller/Family Drama/Mystery Play

Picture this...

Mary and Joseph arrive in Bethlehem for Caesar's census. This was Joseph's hometown. They weren't looking for a Motel 6 with its "light on." Joseph was going home, to his people. But the whole family was home for this census, so every room was packed, including the kataluma or "guest room." This was not an inn and there was no door slamming inn-keeper. Nobody was rejecting Mary and Joseph this night. The guest room and likely all rooms were full in this house, much like the scene in the movie 16 Candles, where every room was filled with family members who came out for Samantha Baker's (Molly Ringwald) sister's wedding. This event was similar... There was simply no room in the main area of the house. What to do? 

No, the family didn't banish their loved one's to some outdoor feeding trough to freeze in winter with the animals. In fact, it's likely this event took place during warmer months, when the animals and shepherds were out in the fields. The manger was probably unused as was the room it was in. Yes, architecture in the area usually had the animal corals or barn attached to the house. In the cold months, the animals would be sheltered and would bring warmth to the home. 

These animal areas of the region's houses were actually common even in parts of Europe. But in the ancient Near East, these barns were sometimes built against cliff walls and into caves, with homes built out from the stone. It's no wonder that Eastern Orthodox icons of the Nativity show the manger inside a cave. But, it was likely a cave that was at one end of the house. 

These rooms served another purpose than just housing animals. We also know from residents of Palestine born in the early to mid twentieth-century, that before modern building materials were used, this was how their homes were constructed. Plus, since births were nearly always at homes -- well into the modern era -- these barn rooms were the place women would go to give birth. We would say it was unsanitary, but the animals in the biblical story would likely be out grazing, so it was probably sufficiently clean for the time and place. Plus, since blood accompanied birth, it was ritually unclean and not wanted in the main house (Leviticus 12). Regardless of the room Mary could have occupied in the house, this is where she would have given birth.

It must have been a hectic and busy season for this home. There were family members likely everywhere. It was probably very loud, with kids playing, fighting, and yelling... Grandpa's grumbling over how "in my day..." and food cooking all the time. It was family. It was Joseph's family. Plus, since a birth was occurring, midwives would likely also have been present. This was no isolated situation for the betrothed couple. Jesus was not born alone to a rejected mom and stepdad, but to a vibrant family. It was warm. It was a complete opposite from what would occur at the cross thirty-three years later, when disciples fled and denied him, and few stayed. This was a good birth.

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The Magi were Persian learned-men (from magush in Persian; an Indo-European language... Magi has the same root an English magic or magician). They were Zoroastrians. They were star-gazers, astrologers, scientists, poets, teachers, priests, and likely monotheists (monoltrous or henotheistic at least) . They knew of the world around them, including the Jewish promise of a Messiah. They followed the signs and knew the Messiah was born. It would take them weeks to months to travel the 400 miles to reach Jesus, depending on how they traveled. Some scholars date their arrival two years after Jesus' birth because of King Herod's actions below. Nonetheless, Jesus would become an active part of the life of the house by this time, being doted on by cheek pinching aunts and held by everyone in the house. 

The Magi miscalculated. Off course, they met up with King Herod the Great. Herod was a tool. He was descended of the Edomites and had been a client king of Rome in Judea. In assuming the throne over Judea, he had a tussle with the Parthians, who occupied Persia, Iraq and Afghanistan as carry-overs from Alexander the Great's day. They had tried to install a Hasmonean king over Judea (as there had been), but Rome beat them to the punch and set-up Herod as king. Herod had to go to Rome to appeal for help in settling the right of the throne, which caused a great kerfuffle between Rome/Judea and the Parthians. Rome won out, but Herod was insecure and so when the Magi -- from Persia/Parthia -- show up, the dude gets quite "conspiracy theory" sort of paranoid. Herod's stressing was especially volatile when they say that they came to  worship this proclaimed "King of the Jews" that had been born. In Herod's irrational insecurity, this baby was a political threat and was somehow aligned with the Parthians. No way, Jose! 

Herod pretended to be accommodating, sending the Magi along to find Jesus. All the while, Herod gave the order to snuff out babies and toddlers (toddlers suggest Jesus could be older than a newborn when the Magi arrive). In the ancient world, even children could assume the thrones of kings, but they would have a guardian -- often their mothers would serve as regent until the child comes of age (aka a Queen Mother; Psalm 45:9-10 is poignant to the fact the the Queen is at the Messiah's right hand in honor as Queen Mother, and at the same time is his daughter in the next verse... Hence Mary's perceived exaltation at Jesus' right hand in Church history, for she is both Queen Mother and a daughter of the King at the same time). Herod knew this... He didn't waste time. 

When the Magi arrived, they brought gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. These gifts are no mere niceties. First, they were all expensive and worthy as a gift or tribute to royalty. And Jesus is recognized as rightful king. Looking back we could understand the gold to denote his royalty, the incense his priesthood, and the myrrh his anointing as Messiah, as well as his sacrifice. Some commentators have suggested myrrh is related to the vinegar soaked water rag he drank from whilst upon the cross, plus it was used in embalming the dead. 

Well, the Magi left for home and avoided Herod in doing so, never revealing the location of Jesus. Jesus, Mary, and Joseph (no, that's not an Irish Catholic exclamation) fled Herod for Egypt and spent an exile period there before returning home. This is prophecy fulfilled as a type, for just as the Hebrews fled drought into Egypt for salvation, Jesus' family fled for safety. Just as Pharaoh killed Hebrew boys to protect his power, Herod did the same. For as Moses was saved unto a family not his own and made royal, Jesus was royal and came to an earthly family, adopted into Joseph's family. Then, for as the first born of Egypt were killed by God to force Pharaoh's hand to free the Hebrews, God's only begotten was crucified to free the nations. And, just as the spirit of death passed over the the Hebrews in judgement of Egypt, Jesus' death on the cross was around Passover and he will judge the world as king.      

The Christmas story is a multi-layered event. I can't even cover all the details without writing a book. Suffice it to say, our Western Christian narrative reads it in many inaccurate ways, like the Magi showing up on the night of birth and an outdoor manger in the middle of winter. We read verses that span large chunks of time as a quick succession of events and we anachronize from a Western European lens.   

Jesus was born to a real human family amidst the political turmoil between earthly powers that vied for authority; powers that were not cognizant that real authority had been born. Jesus entered the world in a very human way as fully human, and was recognized as royalty and divine, being the Messiah and God incarnate. But he would die lowly so that we the lowly should rise to new life, secured as he defeated death in his resurrection. The story is so worthy of celebration... Without Christmas, there is no Easter. Christmas is a foreshadowing of salvation... The preface to Easter. Forget the diatribes that claim Christmas to be merely a Christianized pagan holiday. Despite pagan holidays in the same month, there's evidence that Christmas was a theological isolate and not dependent on other faiths for the holiday. That's another story for a different blog. The Christmas I celebrate is purely biblical and a mystery of God stepping into his creation so that creation can step up to his presence, exalted. Glory! Glory! Glory! Amen!