Cultural Anthropology and the Christmas Story

So what does culture have to do with the Bible?  Like everything in communication one must consider the context.  Take, for example, the nativity scene.  Typically, historically the story of Jesus birth conjures up an image of Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus in a barn.

 As the story goes (Gospel of St. Luke 2:1-7), Joseph and Mary traveled to Bethlehem to register for taxation.  Mary was due to give birth and because there was no there was no room in the “inn,” (conjuring up an image of a hotel), they were given a place in a stable where at the time of birth Jesus was placed in a manger (feeding stall for animals).

Kenneth Bailey, in his book, Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes: Cultural Studies in the Gospels,  takes us back to first century Palestine.  He argues, from a cultural perspective that, in a society of extended families, Joseph no doubt had many kin in which to call upon for lodging.  To suggest that they were alone and unable to find a place for Mary to have her baby flies in the face of culturally accepted norms.  Because Bethlehem had many out-of-town visitors at that time, perhaps the guest rooms of relatives were occupied.  But Joseph and Mary were given accommodations at the lower end of the house, by the mangers, which was inside the house near the stable, which was attached to the house. 

“People of great wealth would naturally have had separate quarters for animals. But simple village homes in Palestine often had but two rooms. One was exclusively for guests. That room could be attached to the end of the house or be a ‘prophet’s chamber’ on the roof, as in the story of Elijah (1 Kings 17:19). The main room was a ‘family room’ where the entire family cooked, ate, slept and lived. The end of the room next to the door, was either a few feet lower than the rest of the floor or blocked off with heavy timbers. Each night into that designated area, the family cow, donkey and a few sheep would be driven. And every morning those same animals were taken out and tied up in the courtyard of the house. The animal stall would then be cleaned for the day” (page 28, 29).

I observed a similar house set-up like this when visiting southwest China several years ago.  Though the family dwelling was upstairs, the stable was below allowing easy access to feed their animals as well as protection from the weather for their cattle, pigs and chickens. 

Therefore, in context of first century Palestine, the nativity scene makes sense --- No Jewish village would ever turn away a young Jewish girl about to have a baby; it is unthinkable that Joseph would not be welcomed in Bethlehem, the city of David in which he could trace his kinship lineage.  A better rendering of “no room in the inn,” would be, “no space in the guest room.”

What’s important about culture?  Just about everything.  MERRY CHRISTMAS!