Exploring the Christmas Narrative: Using the Bible, Culture, and History to Separate Fact From Fiction 

The Christmas story holds a special place in the hearts of many. As the festive season of Christmas rolls in, it's enveloped in a rich tapestry of traditions, stories, and imagery. However, it's fascinating to note how certain elements of this story, as commonly told, are not explicitly found in the Biblical accounts. Here are five common elements that we should hold loosely. 

1. The Date: December 25th

The exact date of Jesus’ birth is not mentioned in the Bible. December 25th was chosen much later, during the 4^th century. The reasons for this choice are thought to be more related to aligning with existing pagan winter festivals.

2. The Number and Kingship of the Wise Men

We often hear about the "Three Wise Men" or "Three Kings." The Bible mentions wise men (or Magi) visiting Jesus but does not specify their number or refer to them as kings. The number three is inferred from the gifts they brought: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

3. The Inn and the Innkeeper

A frequent part of the story is Mary and Joseph being turned away by an innkeeper. The Bible mentions no innkeeper. In fact, the narrative of being turned away from an inn is based on poor translation of the Greek word “katalumatai.”

4. The Animals in the Stable

Nativity scenes often depict various animals surrounding the newborn Jesus. The Bible does not mention animals being present at the birth of Jesus. This imagery likely stems from an interpretation of the setting that included a manger (an animal’s feeding trough)  and from artistic renditions that developed over time.

5. The Star Led Wise Men Directly to Jesus’ Birth Cite at Bethlehem

A common belief is that the star led the wise men directly to Bethlehem and to the exact location where Jesus was born at the night of His birth. Modern nativity scenes picture shepherds, angels, and magi all together at the manger where baby Jesus was laid. But it was probably only shepherds (of those just mentioned.)  

Conclusion

Understanding these distinctions between the commonly told Christmas story and its Biblical narrative reveals the fascinating ways in which stories evolve as they are passed down through generations. It highlights how traditions and cultural practices can interweave with Scripture and be treated as absolute truth in our minds. (Everyone knows that Mary rode a donkey to Bethlehem, right?)  But regardless of all this conjecturing, the essence of the Christmas story - the message that the promised Messiah has come, in order to seek and save the lost, is by far, the best communication that has ever been humanly conveyed. 

This Sunday, which is Christmas Eve, we are going to present many truths and strong inferences that surround the Christmas narrative. It will be an attempt to have you consider some wonderful truths and Biblical, cultural, and historical inferences, along with their significance that you might not have ever pondered, as a means of kick-starting your celebration.

To help you prepare, here are some facts and corresponding questions that you might want to contemplate:

Bethlehem was where Joseph’s family was from. Prophecy pointed to it as the place of the Messiah’s birth (Micah 5:2). Is there anything else special about Bethlehem that foreshadows what Jesus would do?  

It is very unlikely that December 25 was the day on which Jesus was born. Since it was a pagan Roman holiday when it was selected (about 300 years later) to be our “Christmas day,” should we still use it?  Is there a special meaning for our celebrating Christ’s birth on this day? (I will propose a good reason for keeping it.)   

Why would important foreign dignitaries (Magi) put forth the time, energy, and expense to follow a star?  What did they know?  Where did they get their information? Why did they care enough to bring such expensive gifts?

Does Isaiah 7:14 really predict Jesus’ virgin birth?  Wasn’t Isaiah addressing a contemporary situation of his own day?  Do we have to ignore the context? How can we know that Isaiah’s prophecy looks down the centuries (in time) to Jesus’ birth? 

Why should we take notice that Jesus was wrapped in swaddling clothes? Does Luke have a purpose for us to see this, or is it an inconsequential detail?

Was the manger made from wood or stone?  Do we miss any significance if we have the wrong idea?

Why should we be encouraged by the role that shepherds have in the Christmas narrative? 

We will talk about these matters and possibly a question or two that you have, which are not mentioned in this blog. Be sure to join us this Sunday, in an intimate Christmas setting, for some possibly new and inspiring reasons for celebrating Christmas. (BTW – The Bible does not mention Mary riding a donkey.)