Jesus’ Birth from Gospel of Luke
The story of Jesus’ birth as told in the Gospel of Luke.
In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. Each went to their hometowns to fulfill their obligation. Joseph, descended from David, went from the town of Nazareth to Bethlehem, which is known as the city of David.
After traveling 80 miles in four days or more, Mary and Joseph arrived. However, they were not worried about finding housing, because this was Joseph’s hometown.
“Joseph ben Heli! Welcome to our home,” they are greeted by their relatives. “And Mary, look at you. When are you due?” “A few weeks still to go.” “Good, you’ll have the baby while you’re here.” “We’re crowded, what with Caesar causing this mess, having everyone go somewhere else. The guest room is full. But no problem. We’ll make room.”
Time out for a bit of historical background.
According to Biblical scholar, Kenneth Bailey, as quoted by Meg Barnhouse, hospitality is the highest value of the Palestinian culture, and that has been so for thousands of years. Mary and Joseph would not have been refused a place to stay. To deny anyone, stranger, family, or even foe, hospitality would have brought shame upon the town. We heard in the Lukan passage as it was read earlier, that there was no room in the “living space.” But we all know the tradition that says there was no room in the inn. However, Bethlehem was so small at the time, it would be unlikely that a commercial inn even existed there. Also, the word used by Luke to indicate where there was no room is kataluma for which guest room is a better translation. A peasant home of the time had two rooms, one of which was the guest room. The manger was also part of the dwelling. Their animals would have been brought in at night, and would feed from the manger.
A typical peasant’s home at the time of Jesus.
Back to the story.
It came to pass, while Mary and Joseph were visiting Bethlehem that Mary, attended by the women of the family, gave birth to a baby boy. Since there was no space in the guest room for them, a place was made in the manger for the newborn babe. Much celebration ensued with many a Mazel Tov. Even the shepherds from the fields came to join the celebration.
Thus the child who grew up to be lauded as the anointed one was born in the midst of the people for whom he came.
http://clgonline.org/christmas-myths/
https://www.uuworld.org/articles/bethlehems-hospitality
https://archive.archaeology.org/0511/abstracts/jesus.html
http://www.christdescendedfromjoseph.com/19---two-bethlehems.html
http://atheistforums.com/index.php?topic=4932.15 (did Nazareth exist)?
One potential concept for the misaligned statement was referring to various prophecies that Jesus would be a Branch of David, Jeremiah 33:15 "In those days and at that time, I will raise up a righteous branch from David’s line, who will do what is just and right in the land." The Hebrew term for branch is ne·tser and the book of numbers, chapter 6, denotes becoming a nazirite to consecrate yourself to God. This is supported by the note that no pre-christian texts denote a town of Nazereth at all, and the etymology in the name originates from that Hebrew word ne·tser.