Re: [asa] Re: star/Bethlehem

On Thu, 26 Nov 2009, William Hamilton wrote:

> Have any of you heard the following:
>
> The word translated "Inn" in Luke is kataluma, which means guest chamber as
> well as inn. James Martin, a missionary in Israel who presented a seminar  I
> attended a number of years ago theorizes that Jospeh (or his family) owned a
> house in Bethlehem, and many family members were staying there for the
> census. By the time Mary and Joseph arrived the guest room was full, so they
> stayed in the stable below the house.
>

Yes. I have heard something like this. Actually there is some question as
to whether katalyma really meant inn. A different word for inn is used in
the parable of the Good Samaritan. Luke uses katalyma for the room in
which the Last Supper took place. Translators seem to have been influenced
by legendary elements that have evolved. Luke says that Jesus was born
while his parents were in Bethlehem rather than implying that it was the
night they arrived. In the explanation that I heard, it was normal for the
animal shed to be atttached to the house and to be easily accessible from
within the house. If there was no space in the room to lay a baby, he
could be placed in a manger in what was almost like an extension of the
room.

Gordon Brown (ASA member)

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Received on Thu Nov 26 12:33:13 2009