Re: [asa] The Christmas Story

On Mon, 7 Jan 2008, David Campbell wrote:

> There's some textual debate about the exact governor name and timing
> ("when" or "before") for the census in Luke, on top of the difficulty
> of pinning down an exact time for a census hat would have taken some
> time to coordinate and implement. Even if we had precise
> administrative details from Judea, we don't know how far in advance of
> the deadline Joseph and Mary traveled, though the crowded inn suggest
> that they didn't beat the rush. Waiting until the last minute would
> run the risk of missing the deadline due to unforseen delays and being
> charged with taking leave of their census.

This last argument assumes the traditional understanding of the Christmas
story, which is supported by a questionable translation of one word in
Luke's account. In the version familiar to us and repeated in most Sunday
School Christmas programs, Mary and Joseph are turned away from the inn on
the day that they arrive in Bethlehem, and Jesus is born that night in a
stable or even a cave. However Luke says merely that Jesus was born while
they were there (in Bethlehem) without feeling the need to be more
precise. The word translated as inn is not the normal word (pandocheion)
for inn, which Luke uses in the parable of the Good Samaritan. Rather it
is katalyma, whose normal meaning is guest room, and is the word that Mark
and Luke use for the room whose location the disciples are supposed to ask
about so that they can prepare the Passover. Thus the nativity passage
could very naturally be translated to say that Mary placed Jesus in a
manger because there was no place for them in the guest room. It was
normal for animal sheds to be attached to houses and easily accessible
from within the house. (Cf. Judges 11:31.) The family was in a house when
the Magi arrived.

Gordon Brown (ASA member)

To unsubscribe, send a message to majordomo@calvin.edu with
"unsubscribe asa" (no quotes) as the body of the message.
Received on Mon Jan 7 20:17:39 2008