Since we have been looking at a number of the most commonly misquoted and misapplied verses in the Bible the past several newsletter articles, I thought it only be appropriate to focus on those involving the account of Christ’s birth this month since Christmas is on its way. We could call these the “Inigo Montoya verses” of Christmas. “You keep quoting that verse. I do not think it means what you think it means.” Many of these misunderstandings have been perpetuated for years through film adaptations, plays, pageants, songs, and several sermons of well-meaning pastors. As always, our goal is to go back to Scripture to see what it actually says so that we don’t fall prey to some of these misinterpretations. Or to correct any we may already unwittingly hold to.
No Room in the Inn? How many times have you heard about the cold-hearted inn-keeper who could not, or would not, find any room for Jesus? He is pictured at the doorway shaking his head "no" and pointing Mary and Joseph away from there. And the countless sermons which have been preached about how we should not be like Him but instead to make room in our hearts for Jesus? However, the only problem with this is that there probably wasn't an inn-keeper. That’s because it wasn't an inn they were turned away from. The Greek word used for this place in Luke 2:7 is not the one typically for an inn but rather a guest room in someone's home. In the parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10:34 where Jesus speaks of the Samaritan taking the man ambushed and beaten by the robbers to an inn, a different word is used in the Greek. This same word though is found in Luke 22:11 regarding Jesus instructing His disciples to ask for the guest room of the man's house for holding the Passover meal. It was common during a census in that day where one would have to travel back to their hometown for relatives in the area to host them in their homes. More likely, this was the home of one of Joseph's relatives who unfortunately had all of their guest rooms filled up by others who needed a place to stay while in for the census. The best that they could do was to have them stay in the cave next to the house with all of the animals.
The Birthplace of Jesus. Here's another misquoted and misunderstood part of the Christmas story by the way. The idea that the birth occurred in a stable. It was typical back then for the animals to be housed in a cave next to a person's home. Don't think of Jesus' first earthly accommodations being a nice size modern day barn with a roof and door. Picture a dark, damp, smelly cave instead. Even more of a humble scene of our Lord's entering into this world.
Hark! the Herald Angels SAY? A Christmas Carol we love to sing, and my personal favorite I might add, is "Hark! the Herald Angels Sing." This is probably the most theologically deep and accurate older hymn of our Lord's birth. The writer, Charles Wesley, really did his homework! But when you read Luke's Gospel concerning the angels appearing to the shepherds that first Christmas night, you don't find it telling us that this multitude of angels were SINGING "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased." But they were SAYING this (2:13). While it is certainly a possibility that these angels were indeed singing these words, Luke doesn't explicitly say that. We don't know for sure. Praising and singing do go together but the Bible shows us that there are more ways of praising God than just singing to Him. That is one among a number of them. Of course, "Hark! the herald angels say" doesn't rhyme as well with "glory to the newborn king." (Please know that I am not trying to ruin or pick on any of your favorite Christmas Carols. I only want to be biblical. I will still gladly join you in singing this one loudly throughout the month!)
The Appearance of Angels. While we're on the angels, isn't it interesting that in just about every Christmas play and pageant, they are portrayed by girls instead of boys? Yet, every angel we ever encounter in the pages of Scripture has male pronouns. And the only ones we have the names of are masculine ones; Gabriel and Michael. Maybe women just appear to be more angelic than men do. (I won't go any further with that!) And don't get me started with the little cute cherubs and their tiny exposed bottoms. I don't have any idea where they came from but I know it wasn't from Scripture!
The Mysterious Wise Men. Perhaps the group associated with the Christmas story who takes the cake for the most misquoted and misunderstood ideas developed about them would be the magi or wise men. Much of this is due to the beloved Christmas Carol, "We Three Kings of Orient Are." First off, we are not sure that there were only three of them. There may have been many more. The text of Matthew 2 doesn't specify any specific number. Just that they were magi plural and brought three gifts. It is hard to imagine that just three of them would have caused as much of a stir as described. And I have no clue where the names Gaspar, Melchior, and Balthasar came from to call them. Scripture never gives us any of their names. For that matter, nothing is said about them being kings either. The word "magi" means "great or powerful ones" and often alluded to those with a high status or influence. These ones probably were astrologers who studied the stars and tried to interpret the future by them. That's why they take such a special notice to this unique star that showed up which others may have just passed over in their causally gazing into the night sky. They made it their practice to examine the stars. The group would not have had crowns on their heads but their eyes on the sky. "We unspecified number of astrologers of Orient are" would be quite a mouthful to sing though.
And when it comes to their arrival, just about every single manger scene gets it wrong. The magi would not have been there at the same time as the shepherds. In fact, they would not have been at the manger at all. Matthew doesn't say that they came to the cave to find the baby or infant but "into the HOUSE" where "they saw the CHILD" (2:11). It probably was a good year or a year and a half before the magi arrived to meet Jesus. We know that it had been close to two years from when they first noticed the star and talked to King Herod about it to when the king realized that they weren't coming back. Hence, why he ordered all the male children two years old and under to be slaughtered (v. 16). So, Jesus would have been one or one and a half at the time of their visit and well out of the manger.
A
Manger Without a Cross. One of the most dangerous of these misinterpretations
is presenting the manger without the cross. Speaking and viewing it without
being in Calvary’s shadow. One thing we notice in
Scripture is that the nativity is never presented to us as an isolated event
but is always connected to the cross. It is never just about the birth of the
Messiah. For instance, in her song following the announcement that she had been
chosen to bear the Christ child, Mary exclaims that God "has given help to
Israel His servant, in remembrance of His mercy" according to the promise
that God made to their ancestors (Luke 1:54-55). That "help"
ultimately being in the sense of salvation. Zacharias, right after the birth of
his son, John the Baptist, acknowledges that with the coming of the One whom
his son had been designed to point to, God "has visited us and
accomplished redemption for His people, and has raised up a horn of salvation
for us in the house of David His servant" (Luke 1:68-69). The name
"Jesus" itself speaks of the reason for the child's birth which finds
its fulfillment in His death on the cross. As the angel Gabriel told Joseph in
the dream, "you shall call His name Jesus, FOR HE WILL SAVE HIS PEOPLE
FROM THEIR SINS" (Matthew 1:21). The shepherds were specifically told that
the One who had been born that very night was "a Savior, who is Christ the
Lord" (Luke 2:11). And the old man, Simeon, who sees the baby Jesus in the
temple, recognizes that in laying his eyes upon Him that he is looking at the
very One who will accomplish salvation for God's people (Luke 2:30). An
accomplishment we know that will occur through His death and resurrection which
Simeon indicates with him prophetically telling Mary that "a sword will
pierce her own soul to the end that thoughts from many hearts may be
revealed" (v. 35). What greater sword could pierce a mother's soul than
watching her son being brutally and painfully crucified? Interestingly enough,
one of the gifts of the Magi was myrrh which was often used in embalming and
symbolized bitterness, suffering, and affliction. Again, connecting us to His
crucifixion where He would suffer and die for the salvation of His people. The
Ball Brothers have communicated this so well in one of their songs. “It's not just about the manger /
Where the baby lay / It's not all about the angels / Who sing for him that day
/ It's not all about the shepherds / Or the bright and shining star / It's not
all about the wise men
Who travelled from afar / It's about the cross / It's about my sin /It's about
how Jesus came to be born once / So that we could be born again / It's about
the stone / That was rolled away / So that you and I could have real life someday
/ It's about the cross.”
So, as we go about celebrating our Savior’s birth this month, let’s be sure to recognize these misquotations and misunderstandings surrounding it and stick to just what Scripture says. Hope you and your family are blessed with a wonderful season with a focus not on the reason for the season but the reason He came.
Love in Christ,
Pastor Lee
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