“And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.” —Luke 2:7
How might cultural insights impact our experience of the Christmas story? Middle East scholar Kenneth Bailey, in his book Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes, draws our attention to some of the ways Jesus’ birth narrative likely differed from our 21st-century understanding.
As a son of Bethlehem, Joseph would have had many relatives in town, ready and willing to host him and Mary on their visit—especially as she was about to give birth. In those days, a typical village house consisted of two rooms: a main room (where the family cooked, ate and slept) with an alcove for keeping the animals safe at night, and a guest room that remained empty unless the family had visitors.
Like some scholars, Bailey understood the “inn” (katalyma in Greek) to be a household’s guest room rather than a commercial inn. In that case, Mary and Joseph arrived in Bethlehem and were received into a relative’s or friend’s private home. Because other visitors already occupied the guest room, the Holy Family was lodged in the stable area of the family’s main room, where Jesus would soon be born.
This picture is vastly different from a typical Christmas pageant depicting a gruff innkeeper shouting, “No room at the inn!” Gracious hospitality, then and now, is a central practice of many cultures.
South Asian communities surround visitors from near and far with kindness, often opening their homes to travelers from neighboring cities and nations. Frontier Fellowship vision trip participants share that they are humbled and awed by the lavish gatherings that are prepared in celebration of their visit, an overwhelming expression of generosity and welcome.
How can these pictures of hospitality infuse your appreciation of the story of Jesus’ birth, inspiring you to welcome others into your life and home? Who in your community might need welcome this Advent season?
Join our global partners as they carry the hope of Jesus to their communities this Christmas: frontierfellowship.com/christmas
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