The Accuracy of Christmas

Here we are celebrating and rejoicing yet again the birth of our Lord and Savior, even though many scholars say his real birthdate was in September! Christmas is a wonderful mixture of tradition, religion, and reality. Thanks to the “sanctified imagination” of artists, songwriters, and a long line of preachers and academics, we have what is called Christmastide or the Christmas Season. The politically correct have signs and cards that say “Happy Holidays,” forgetting that the word “holidays” comes from Holy Days! How blind and mixed up can the world get?

I’m one of “the people of the Book” as the Muslims call Christians and Jews, and when I go to the Book we call God’s Word, there is not a lot of detail in the Christmas story. Mark’s gospel doesn’t shed any light and John’s gospel gives the spiritual backstory and then simply says, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14 ESV). Matthew starts with a few verses at the end of chapter one on Joseph’s part in God’s plan and in one verse speaks of the actual birth. Then in chapter 2 his is the only gospel to record the visit of the wise men from the East. Luke gives us 20 verses on the actual birth in his chapter two.

With so little recorded facts of this world-changing event, it is no wonder that believers have attempted to fill the gaps, in art and song and ceremony. I’m not opposed to that; at least people are thinking about Jesus or hearing his name at this time of year. But when their imagination depicts something that is opposite of what the Word says, then I have to speak out.

As an example, let’s think of the Wise Men who came to worship Christ in Matthew chapter 2. “Behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem” (Matthew 2:10-11a ESV). Every year we get several cards depicting this incident. Some just show three wise men on camels in a desert scene, but others depict them on their knees in front of a manger (a feeding trough), in a stable with straw on the ground and domesticated animals like sheep and cattle standing around. So what’s wrong with that, you might ask.

Well, the various artists should read the text again. It clearly says in verses 9-11, “And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was… And going into the house…” not the stable! The Greek is clear, using the word oikia, an abode or residence. In a rare show of unity, all major translations and paraphrases use the word “house.” The word for “manger” or “stall” is very different — phatnei (Luke 2:7,12,16; 13:15). Another clue is the use of the word “child,” paidion, and not “newborn,” brephos (Luke 2:12).

Now for the important part that makes all the difference to a successful Christian life. Does any of this matter? Absolutely! If we are to live by “every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4, Luke 4:4), we must acknowledge the choice of words the divine Author used, as we do with any other author. It is not a case of nit-picking but of attention to detail. For example, in Galatians 3:16 we see a great statement pointing out detail: “Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, ‘And to seeds,’ as of many, but as of one, ‘And to your Seed,’ who is Christ” (NKJV). The noun used is not plural but singular, so the form of the word used was important to God and should be to us. Read what is written!

So by the time the wise men found the family by following the star, the census had been completed. Two possibilities exist: the family had moved into a relative’s house before returning to Nazareth, or more likely the family had already returned to Nazareth (Luke 2:39). After the interview with King Herod and the chief priests the wise men were sent to Bethlehem in Judah, where indeed Jesus had been born, but it doesn’t say they went there! “And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them