The Nativity: Jesus in Manger
The Adoration of the Shepherds, by François Boucher, circa 1760. Photo from BiblePlaces.com.
What is the nativity? What does it look like for Jesus, God incarnate, to be laid in a manger in a household stable?
God gave his only-begotten Son, who took our nature upon himself, and was born of a pure virgin. Saint Athanasius said, "Christ became what we are so that He might make us like Him."
The Gospel of Luke tells us, "And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn." (Luke 2:7, ESV).
A manger is a long carved limestone open-topped feeding trough for livestock and agricultural and domesticated animals.
Jesus, The Bread of Life, was born in Bethlehem, which means "House of Bread," and was laid in a manger, a feeding trough, after he was born.
The word "inn" in Luke 2:7, in the English Standard Version, can also mean guest room, from the Greek word kataluma. The New International Version translates the second-half of Luke 2:7 "because there was no guest room available for them."
Doug Greenwold, in his chapter, The Glorious "Shameful" Birth of Jesus, from The Rest of the Story, said, "Those who would argue that kataluma could also mean “inn” in this verse lose the thrust of their argument when the cultural contexts of first-century “inns” is examined."
Doug makes the case that the room where Mary birthed Jesus was a lower-level stable in the home for keeping animals.
The manger in the basement stable of this home was the sign God gave the shepherds who would seek the savior of all of humanity-including them.
Luke tells us the angel said to the shepherds, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” (Luke 2:10-13, ESV).
The birth of Jesus is about unlikely people finding an unlikely messiah, born in an unlikely place, a stable for animals, among unlikely parents, and placed in an unlikely package—a manger made for feeding animals.
May we see the nativity of Jesus differently this year as we consider the context he was born into, and by receiving the gift of Jesus' birth for our salvation in the current context of our lives.
A Collect for The Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ: “Almighty God, you have given your only-begotten Son to take our nature upon him, and to be born this day of a pure virgin: Grant that we, who have been born again and made your children by adoption and grace, may daily be renewed by your Holy Spirit; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom with you and the same Spirit be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen.” (Book of Common Prayer, 2019).
Begin each month with a #dailydevotional. I have created a #devotional book for each month, a devotional for every day of the year, and offering them for #free by subscribing. Get a link to #Cultivate365: #January2023—A #Daily Devotional here: www.robbiepruitt.com.
The Adoration of the Shepherds, by François Boucher, circa 1760. Photo from BiblePlaces.com.
