Bah, humbug.
That’s probably one of the most well-known lines in literary (and now, cinematic) history. Everybody immediately recognizes the curmudgeonly voice of Ebeneezer Scrooge as he pours cold water all over our Christmas spirit.
And his point is still made today by some, albeit in different words. It’s that the Christmas story just isn’t true. It’s rubbish. It’s made up. It’s all in our heads.
While now is not the time for a full-scale defense of the historicity of the Christmas story, Scrooge’s skepticism does prompt us to wonder whether we’ve gotten the story right. Are we telling the story that really was, or are we just telling the story that we want to tell? Are we just telling the story in our heads?
It might be useful, then, to reflect on a few common misconceptions about the Christmas story. The best way to validate the Christmas story to the Ebeneezer Scrooge’s out there is to make sure we’ve got it right ourselves. Here are five of them.
1. There Was a Star the Night Jesus Was Born
It’s difficult to find a nativity scene (or Christmas play) without a star over the manger. Indeed, this might be the quintessential symbol of the birth of Jesus.
The problem is there’s no indication the star hovered over the manger on the night Jesus was born. On the contrary, when the angels announced the birth of Jesus to the shepherds watching their flocks by night (Luke 2:8–11), they weren’t told to look for a star. They were told to look for something else: “And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger” (Luke 2:12).
The star was given not to the shepherds but to the Magi (Matt. 2:2), who appear to be visiting Jesus at a later time period. How much later is unclear, but the fact that Herod commands all the babies in the region younger than 2 years old to be killed suggests Jesus may have been in Bethlehem for some time.
2. There Were Three Wise Men
Speaking of the wise men, in both art and in song (“We Three Kings”) we get the undeniable impression there were three of them (also called “Magi”). The problem, however, is that this number is found nowhere in the biblical accounts.
Matthew simply tells us, “Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem” (Matt. 2:1).
The idea of three wise men likely came from the fact that Matthew mentions three gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh (Matt. 2:11).
3. There Was No Room for Them in the Inn
Another staple of modern nativity plays is the scene at the inn. Joseph and his wife, Mary—who is on the verge of giving birth—are cruelly turned away by the innkeeper who shows them no compassion.
Here is another popular misconception. The Bible never mentions an innkeeper. In fact, it’s possible there was never even an “inn” at all.
A recent study by Stephen Carlson makes the case (a compelling one, I think) that the Greek word normally translated as “inn” (καταλύματι) in Luke 2:7 is best translated as “place to stay.” So the passage isn’t saying there was no room in the inn, but rather there was no room for baby Jesus in the place they stayed. In what place were they staying? Carlson argues it was probably in the home of Joseph’s family in Bethlehem, perhaps in an adjacent guest room (which would have been small).
4. Jesus Was Born in a Barn or Stable
Since Joseph could find no spot in the inn, the reasoning goes, he must have been forced to stay in the stable. Indeed, every nativity scene ever created places Jesus in a barn of sorts.
But the text doesn’t say he was born in a barn. It only says Mary “laid in him in a manger” (Luke 2:7). Although that might seem to suggest a barn, it was common for mangers to be kept in the main room of village houses during this time period. Why? Because the animals were often housed just a few feet away in an adjacent room.
It seems likely, then, that Mary gave birth to Jesus while they were staying at the home of Joseph’s relatives in Bethlehem. But the room in which they stayed—likely a tight guest room or hastily added chamber—couldn’t accommodate a birth. So, Mary had to give birth in the larger family room and lay Jesus in the nearby manger.
5. Jesus Was Born on December 25
If we celebrate Jesus’s birthday on December 25, it’s logical to think this was the day on which he was born. But the precise date of Jesus’s birth is uncertain. A variety of options have been suggested throughout church history, including March 21, April 15, and May 20.
So how did December 25 become the date? It’s commonly thought Christians took over the pagan holiday of Sol Invictus (“Unconquered Sun”), which was on December 25. But there’s little evidence to back this up.
Instead it seems early Christians may have reasoned from the supposed date of Mary’s conception, which was thought to be March 25—the same day Jesus was thought to be crucified. Fast forward nine months and you land on December 25 for his birth.
These five misconceptions remind us that sometimes our picture of scriptural stories is shaped more by popular perceptions and modern retellings than by the text itself. But when we take a closer look at the biblical clues, a wonderful—and hopefully more accurate—picture emerges of what happened that night nearly 2,000 years ago.
And what happened that night still stands as one of the most monumental events in human history. God became a man and entered our dark, cold world to redeem a sinful people.
And that is a story that should transform our “Bah, humbug” into a hearty “Merry Christmas.”
Note: A version of this article originally appeared on The Gospel Coalition website.
Holly says
The misconception – if it is a misconception – that Jesus was born in a stable because Joseph and Mary could not find lodging in Bethlehem were housed is actually a very, very old one. In Justin Martyr’s ‘Dialogue with Trypho’, from the mid-2nd century, Justin states: “But when the Child was born in Bethlehem, since Joseph could not find a lodging in that village, he took up his quarters in a certain cave near the village; and while they were there Mary brought forth the Christ and placed Him in a manger…”
Over the years, I have wondered if the source of some of these supposed misconceptions may actually be the filling in of details from Old Testament prophecies. For example, in the modern day, it is often pointed out that they were Magi, not kings, who brought gifts to Jesus (incidentally, Justin Martyr places the Magi at the cave where the nativity took place). But, two Messianic prophecies in the Old Testament may have provided the concept of the Magi being kings:
Psalm 72, “The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents: the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts” (v. 10) ;
and Isaiah 60, “The multitude of camels shall cover thee, the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; all they from Sheba shall come: they shall bring gold and incense; and they shall shew forth the praises of the Lord” (v. 6).
The early church, to judge by the staggering level of Scripture quotation in their writings, were very familiar with the content of Old and New Testament and they often integrate the two sources to draw connections in a way that modern scholarship, which can be quite compartmentalized, does not.
Sam says
Michael, what do you think of this and its sources?
https://www.patheos.com/blogs/standingonmyhead/2018/12/yes-jesus-really-existed-and-he-was-born-on-december-25.html
Misti Craver says
Yes. I found this article by John Schoenheit last Christmas, which gives a lot more detail concerning the misconceptions above. He points out how much more loving the narrative is that Mary & Joseph had family that took them in vs a community that did not. http://www.truthortradition.com/articles/the-birth-of-christ
James Kief says
Greetings Misti,
I have not read Schoenheit’s article, but a word of caution. John was once involved in the anti-deity of Christ- – -anti-Trinitarian , “Way International”. The organization he belongs to also denies these two cardinal teachings of the Christian faith. Truth or Tradition has many articles “VEHEMENTLY ASSAILING” the Jesus of the Bible.
Onetruth says
I checked that site Truth or Tradition.https://www.truthortradition.com/category/articles/doctrine Complete Heresy! Woe unto them
Scott Davis says
Thank you Dr. Kruger, very interesting.
Merry Christmas
Ranger says
Coulda
Woulda
Might have been
Hmmmmm Merry Christmas Ebenezer 🙂
Drew Warner says
Kenneth Bailey deals with Jesus’ birthplace in depth with a load of both scriptural and cultural analysis in his book “Jesus: Through Middle Eastern Eyes.” He is in agreement with your assessment here but offers even more background and detail. It’s a fascinating read and highly recommended.
Darlene Fitzhenry says
Thanks Michael.
Doug says
An interesting read.
“Sol Invictus” should be “Unconquered Sun” rather than “Unconquered Son”.
Johan Mortensen says
Or, in my opinion, even better, “Invincible Sun” – although “unconquered” isn’t wrong.
Robert Wanamaker says
While taking part in an archeological project in Israel, I enjoyed a lecture given one evening, describing another archeology project in Bethlehem. The speaker confirmed that mangers were found on the first floor of large homes there on either side of a kitchen area. There was also evidence of an ‘upper room’ where prime guests would stay. He also mentioned the Greek word used for a ‘dwelling place’ was used when Jesus asked Disciples to reserve a place to celebrate Passover. At least this time He got that ‘upper room’ even though He was about to complete His ministry at Calvary.
Robert Quist says
* Why do Christians reject the Passover “commandment” of God to keep their Easter “tradition?” Mark 7:9 NKJV
* The most monumental moment in mankind’s history happened on the 14th of Aviv about 1,993 years ago.
* It was “preparation day” for God’s appointed sacred feast of Passover lamb and unleavened bread.
* The “lamb of God” was blood sacrificed on that day.
* Yeshua asked that we memoralize His broken body and shed blood sacrifice and feast on Him as Pesach lamb using unleavened bread and wine.
* His sacred feast begins at midday evening twilight on the 14th.
* The sacred Passover feast on 15th is Yah’s commanded holy day, but Easter Sun Day and ChristMass holiyday “traditions” are not. Woe
Robert Tucker says
Jesus told his disciples & He was talking to Jewish men who only took the story of Christ to other Jews. Nowhere in the first four gospels or anywhere else in scripture did Jesus ever say for the 12 to take the gospel to the whole world but only to the Jews of the world. Therefore the meal was given to Jewish men to pass on to Jews alone. Paul is the apostle to the gentiles. He received the revelations or the mysteries that no one else from Adam to Peter had ever heard. He did not teach about the passover because that was a Jewish tradition & not a gentile one or for the church. One can’t mix scripture that was mainly for the Jews alone (with a few exceptions) which is the majority of the bible today. Paul’s ministry started on the road to Damascus,(in the book of Acts), & he received a divine apostleship from the risen Jesus Christ to go to the gentiles. We can see that after he received this apostleship he “DIDN’T” go up to Jerusalem or to Peter or the 12, but went away into Arabia. Paul wrote his letters through Philemon (& possibly Hebrews) mainly for “the gentiles” & of course after the fall of Israel in 70 AD it was the message to the whole world until the rapture of the church, which hasn’t happened yet.
PCulbert says
You might find this useful:
https://www.psephizo.com/biblical-studies/when-was-jesus-really-born-spoiler-not-in-december/
Peter