Theological Thursday --- Mistakes in the Nativity

This time of year, many people put up a nativity scene like the one above to reflect the birth of Christ...but there are several things that may not be theologically accurate in the way we think about Christ's birth and the events and time-line surrounding it. Consider:

1) The Season --- Although we celebrate Christ's birth on December 25th, the day was only selected to give Christians a reason to worship the true God back in the 4th century while Pagans had celebrations for theirs (which was around 12/25). We know that shepherds would not have been out at night during the winter, and since Luke 2:8 says they were the night Christ was born, we know He wasn't born in the winter. Many scholars place the month as either April, or more likely, September. So there would not have been snow as indicated by the nativity in the above picture!

2) The Wise Men Part A --- Nowhere does the Bible say that the visitors bringing gifts of gold, incense, and myrrh where men. It only calls them "Magi" which is probably a sect of priests (which would make them men), but Magi could also refer to "Medes" so we can't be sure none of them were women. So if your nativity scene has all men surrounding the birth, it may be theologically inaccurate.

3) The Wise Men Part B --- Nowhere does the Bible say that there were 3. Church tradition named the Magi as Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar, but that is nowhere in the Bible, and even if those names are accurate, there is no telling if they were the only 3 Magi there. We know they brought the 3 gifts, but those gifts could have been brought by 2 Magi, 50 Magi, 17 Magi, etc, etc...we really don't know. So if your nativity scene has exactly 3 Magi, it may be theologically inaccurate.

4) The Wise Men Part C --- Nowhere does the Bible say that the Magi were even at the birth of Christ (it actually says the opposite). Matthew chapter 2 starts out by saying, "After Jesus was born" the Magi went to King Herod in Jerusalem. King Herod then decrees that all infants under the age of 2 should be killed (Matthew 2:16) which indicates that Jesus was no longer a newborn and at least several months have past. So if you have the Magi in your nativity scene at all, it is most likely theologically inaccurate as they didn't come until several months later.

5) The Wise Men Part D --- Nowhere does the Bible say how much of each gift was brought to Jesus by the Magi. Although each gift does have theological significance (which maybe Jen will talk about on her blog), they are also very valuable. But why is that important? Well, in Matthew 2:13-18 we find Joseph, Mary, and the infant Jesus running to Egypt to avoid Herod's child killing decree (which lasted until Herod died about 2 years later). How in the world could a poor family like Mary and Joseph afford to hide in Egypt for 2 years? Those gifts were important!!! Though very valuable, to survive on them for 2 years would require a lot. So if your nativity scene has the Magi holding only "tiny" gifts, it may be theologically inaccurate.

6) The Outdoor Manger --- Nowhere does the Bible say what the "manger" was like. The phrase, "There was no room for them in the Inn" (Luke 2:7), is very much misunderstood. The Greek word used in this verse is κατάλυμα and the only other place in the Bible it is used is Luke 22:11 and is the "guestroom" being prepared for Jesus and His Apostles for the Last Supper. An "Inn" is used in the story of the Good Samaritan (who put the injured man up with his own money) and that story uses a different Greek word --- πανδοχεῖον. So most likely Joseph and Mary were denied a stay in a guestroom (not an Inn like the Super 8) and had to stay in a separate part of the house with the animals (hence the manger) --- which Mary would have been required to be separated from the others due to her "uncleanliness" from bleeding from childbirth (Leviticus 12:1). In any case, if your Nativity has a shabby log shack like the one above, although they were still a far cry from deluxe accommodations, your nativity may be theologically inaccurate.

So just some thoughts about what we traditionally think about the birth of Christ vs. what the Bible says. But one thing is clear in both the Nativity Scenes we use today and what the Bible says...there was a baby born that day that would change the world (and that's what is really important to this story!!!). Come back next Thursday (Christmas) and find out who was born and why He was so special.

Anything I missed? Disagreements? This is my longest post...anyone actually read this far?