Luke 2:1-7 - The Christmas Story – The Baby Born
Doug Partin – The Christian Church – Dec. 17, 2017
There are a few things you may not know about the Christmas Story. Ralphie says that he wants a Red Ryder BB Gun 28 times, if you were to spread them out evenly through the movie, he would ask for one every three minutes and 20 seconds. And yes, it is possible to get your tongue truly stuck on a piece of cold metal, Mythbusters tested it in their Christmas special, so don’t dare anyone to do it. And … What… that’s not the Christmas story you were thinking about?
Me neither. The story we read earlier from Luke’s account is what the vast majority of people think of as “The Christmas Story.” And from it we learn a few important things, like the historical reason why Joseph and Mary traveled from Nazareth to Bethlehem, and that while they were there Mary gave birth to baby Jesus. Wenot only learn about the humble beginnings of God’s Son, but we are taught, once again, that God He keeps His promises.
Yet there are many people who feel that like the movie I referenced, the story Luke tales is fanciful. So, rather than just recalling the familiar events, I want point out a few interesting facts that confirm that Luke’s Christmas story describes an historical event that took place over 2000 years ago.
Some critics used to say that Luke was making things up because Caesar August never took a census of the entire known world. However, it has been confirmedinnon-biblical sources that Caesar Augustus did take a census of his “oikoumen,” which is the word that Luke uses. In fact, these were takenon a regular basis, about every 14 years, and regional only ones, where population change was suspected, were taken more often.
“Oikoumen” is a Greek term that when literally rendered simply means “dwelling.” But when it was used by the Emperor everyone understood it as referring to his empire, or some portion of it. Caesar August was interested in having a census taken, especially in Syria, a Roman designation for the region that included Judea at the time, because it generated the numbers used to estimate how much tax revenuecould be expected. It took a lot of money to build roads, finance armies, and construct public theaters, bath houses, and stadiums; and, depending upon the numbers, a tax rate would be determined for each region of His empire. Then, the tax collectors would be turned lose to gather it.
It also used to be argued that Quirinius was not governor of Syriauntil well after Jesus was born, not until about 6AD. Skeptics still use this point to argue that Luke’s gospel is fanciful,that it cannot be trusted about historical events, so it certainly can’t be trusted about religious ones.
However, archeologist have since uncovered an interesting piece of evidence that indicates that Luke was right after all. They found an ancient Roman coin with micro inscriptions that named Quirinius as “consul” during the time when Joseph and Mary would have been influenced by a census. Notthe later census of 6AD that led to the revolt mentioned in Acts 5:7, but another, earlier census, a “first” census, as Luke mentions.
Either there were two Quirinius’ or this person was involved in both census efforts, which is more likely, but he would not have been governor during both of them, which is interesting because Luke referred to Quirinius as a “hegemon.” A term that simply means to rule, and was used of governors, but also of consuls, proconsuls, and even procurators; positions that those who became governors worked up through. Andwould describe the kind of position that Quiriniuswould have held at the time mentioned by Luke. And, if you didn’t know, a procurator was the person put in charge of handling imperial revenues, which seems to fit the circumstances quite well as Luke described them.
And since we are talking about dates, you may recall that it was prophesied that the promised Messiah would be born in Bethlehem some 700 years before these events unfolded; and what Luke records as the reason for their heading to that city affirms what we were told to remember every time we see a rainbow - that God always keeps His promises. It may not be in the time or way that we envision, but it will be at the right time and in the right way.
As we learned last week, it was because of Gabriel’s revealing work that Mary and Joseph understood that the child she carried was God’s Son, but they didn’t go to Bethlehem to “fulfill” ancient prophecy, they went because of the census.They ended up going to Bethlehem, as Luke indicates, because that is where Joseph’s family was to be counted.There are some skeptics who say that this is not how ancient Rome took a census. That they didn’t make people return to their home towns.
But historians found an official governmental order dated A.D. 104. GauisVibius Maximus, Prefect of Egypt says in it: “Seeing that the time has come for the house to house census, it is necessary to compel all those who for any cause whatsoever are residing out of their provinces to return to their own homes, that they may both carry out the regular order of the census and may also attend diligently to the cultivation of their allotments.” So, one again, Luke’s story fits how they really did things back then.
I find it astounding that God managed to bring everything together in just the right place, and at just the right time. It seems too good to be true. And while some people just can’t bring themselves to believe that it really happened this way, the evidence points to Luke’s story as being accurate; and for those of us who believe, it confirms what we find throughout the Bible, our God brings about the impossible.
When I read Luke’s account, I like it that we discover thatMary and Joseph headed south when they left Nazareth for Bethlehem, but their doing so is described by Lukeas “going up.” Skeptics used to argue that Luke’s account was not reliable because up should mean north, and Luke says that they went south. But, when you look at all the uses of Luke’s “up” or “down” references, it is discovered that Luke was always talking about elevation. It is just one more indication of Luke’s historical accuracy in describing these events. Weshouldn’t really be surprised at this, after all, he was an investigative reporter.
There is also that interesting reference to the inn being full. Given the context of a census being conducted, this makes sense, but you may have noticed that Luke does not mention an inn keeper who shows up in nearly every children’s play. Luke simply comments that the inn being full was the reason they ended up somewhere else. Our only clue as to where that might be is Jesus being laid in a manger, a feed trough. Luke doesn’t actually tell us that they were in a stable, we assume that from the context, but where else would you find a manger?
Where ever this manger stood, it was a humble beginning for the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Had those in the inn known what Joseph and Mary knew about the child she carried, they would gladly have made room for him. ButJoseph and Mary did not reveal Jesus’ identity to them, that would come later. Having a place, even one in which a manger was the best option to lay a baby, was enough.
Luke does mention that before placing her child in the manger, Mary wrapped him in clothes. A curious custom of the time, which again, indicates Luke’s historical accuracy. Why mention this little fact? It certainly creates a connection between how we treat newborns today with how they did it back then. We take babies and wrap them up tight in a blanket, making a baby burrito out of them. They did the same, only with strips of cloth; had Luke said that only a blanket was used, we’d know that he was taking a later practice and inserting it into history, which he didn’t do. And besides, knowing that Mary did so helps us realize that Jesus was a real baby and was being cared for as would any Mother for her child.
Luke’s description of these things makes me wonder whoLuke talked to in order to get all of these details, these historical facts. Luke wasn’t one to make up stuff, he was commissioned to discover the truth about what Theophilus had been taught about them. He was supposed to bring back the truth, a record of what really happened. SoLuke had to get his information from someone who was there. Was it Mary or Joseph? Or both? They would still have been alive when Luke was investigating. Who else would have known what really took place that night?
Can you imagine being in Luke’s shoes? Hearing the Christmas story from the lips of Joseph or Mary?He probably heard more than he wrote down, but what he gives us is enough. At the end of this chapterLuke mentions that Mary treasured the things that took place in her heart. How would he know this unless she was willing to pour forth the truth from that storehouse?
As much as I like hearing the Christmas Story proclaimed by Linus when asked about the true meaning of Christmas in the Charlie Brown Christmas special; having heard it from Jesus’ Mom would have been even better.And while we don’t get to hear her voice, we do, because of Luke, get to hear her story.
We are blessed by Luke’s investigative efforts, for by them we have thereal Christmas story. Not some fanciful fairytale, but a narrative of that which really took place. A story that we can share with confidence with anyone who wants to know the truth about Jesus’ birth.
He did come, just as was promised, and he came with a purpose, to save not only us, but the whole world. So why talk about Luke’s historical accuracy? Because, as Paul said about His resurrection, “If Jesus was not born, our faith is worthless, and we are still in our sins;” but since He was born, we have a Savior.
Prayer: Lord, Thank you for preserving the truth. Amen.