Jesus: Born In A Barn?

[Webers_Home]

.
For most of my life I was led to believe that Jesus was born in a barn. But
now I'm not so sure because it appears to me that he wasn't. Nor does it
appear to me that Mary was forced to shelter her baby in a stable because
the inn had no vacancy.

Here's how my mind was conditioned to think:

"She delivered her baby in a stable because there was no vacancy at the
inn."

In point of fact, we're not told where Mary delivered; we're only told where
she sheltered her baby.

"She laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn."

What we're looking at there is a lack of adequate space for a new mom to
tend her baby. Inns in those days usually didn't offer private rooms. They
often consisted of a multiple occupancy space, i.e. something like a bunk
house, but with no bunks.

Jesus' mom no doubt had brought along a bassinet because she was so close
to delivery, but conditions in the inn during the taxation likely provided little
opportunity for securing the infant's accouterments up off the floor. In other
words: Mary herself chose a stable for sheltering little Jesus because it was
safer.

The feed box was crude but actually a very suitable crib. It not only
protected little Jesus from people stepping on him, but it's sturdy wood
construction also prevented someone from accidentally bumping him over in
the dark.

It would seem that Mary was not only a conscientious mom, but also a very
practical girl.

There's an alternate scenario I think worth considering.

The Greek word translated "manger" also means "stall", for example:

• Luke 13:15 . . Does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his
donkey from the stall, and lead him away to water?

A stall would've provided Jesus' mom a measure of privacy during delivery;
and instead of having Joseph pick Jesus up and put him in a feed box, Mary
could've just laid him down right beside her on some straw; which means of
course that Luke 2:12 could be legitimately translated like this:

"This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying
in a stall."

In that scenario, Jesus would've been born in a barn instead of born in the
inn and then later transferred to a barn.
_

 

[Nancy]

.
For most of my life I was led to believe that Jesus was born in a barn. But
now I'm not so sure because it appears to me that he wasn't. Nor does it
appear to me that Mary was forced to shelter her baby in a stable because
the inn had no vacancy.

Here's how my mind was conditioned to think:

"She delivered her baby in a stable because there was no vacancy at the
inn."

In point of fact, we're not told where Mary delivered; we're only told where
she sheltered her baby.

"She laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn."

What we're looking at there is a lack of adequate space for a new mom to
tend her baby. Inns in those days usually didn't offer private rooms. They
often consisted of a multiple occupancy space, i.e. something like a bunk
house, but with no bunks.

Jesus' mom no doubt had brought along a bassinet because she was so close
to delivery, but conditions in the inn during the taxation likely provided little
opportunity for securing the infant's accouterments up off the floor. In other
words: Mary herself chose a stable for sheltering little Jesus because it was
safer.

The feed box was crude but actually a very suitable crib. It not only
protected little Jesus from people stepping on him, but it's sturdy wood
construction also prevented someone from accidentally bumping him over in
the dark.

It would seem that Mary was not only a conscientious mom, but also a very
practical girl.
_

I've read somewhere that Jesus was born in an actual house...I think there is scripture to back that too...

 

[Nancy]

Matthew 2:10-11
"10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.
11 And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense and myrrh."

Luke 2 4-7
"So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. While they were there,... (in Bethlehem, of course!)... the time came for the baby to be born, And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn."

Could this simply mean that while in Bethlehem (where else?? ) Mary came to term and gave birth in a house? And then they moved on? It does not say the actual birth took place in a manger, it just say's that she swaddled Him in blankets and set Him in a manger as, whatever house she was in when giving birth perhaps only allowed them to stay until birth, and asked to take their leave for room's sake? Then we see that the Inn is full so...where to take my Child?? Hmmm, obviously there are small details that are not revealed to us in the Word. So, if they are not really important...meh ¯\_(ツ)_/¯. :)

 

[amadeus]

Matthew 2:10-11
"10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.
11 And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense and myrrh."

Luke 2 4-7
"So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. While they were there,... (in Bethlehem, of course!)... the time came for the baby to be born, And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn."

Could this simply mean that while in Bethlehem (where else?? ) Mary came to term and gave birth in a house? And then they moved on? It does not say the actual birth took place in a manger, it just say's that she swaddled Him in blankets and set Him in a manger as, whatever house she was in when giving birth perhaps only allowed them to stay until birth, and asked to take their leave for room's sake? Then we see that the Inn is full so...where to take my Child?? Hmmm, obviously there are small details that are not revealed to us in the Word. So, if they are not really important...meh ¯\_(ツ)_/¯. :)

Our own history, perhaps as children, watching movies or even plays at school showing the birth of Jesus, too often showed the visits of the wise men and the shepherds as if they were all there at the same time. Those images in our own memories perhaps tend to confuse the issue in our minds. The two descriptions in Matthew and Luke without the input of our memories of Christmas plays or movies we have seen should help us sort it out

 

[Nancy]

Our own history, perhaps as children, watching movies or even plays at school showing the birth of Jesus, too often showed the visits of the wise men and the shepherds as if they were all there at the same time. Those images in our own memories perhaps tend to confuse the issue in our minds. The two descriptions in Matthew and Luke without the input of our memories of Christmas plays or movies we have seen should help us sort it out

That's for sure...plays, movies...and especially Hollywood these days take such liberties with the word of God. Even, if not more subtly so, do Christian movies...to an extent. Either by omitting certain dialog that we, as Christians would naturally reply to another or, adding or saying things like "All we can do now is pray" ( @Pearl )
We need "de-briefing" from the world!