Introduction
In an attempt to bring some context to the nativity, I’ve written this narrative account of Jesus’ birth. I’ve tried to be historically accurate and to provide some semblance of what life was like in an occupied territory 2000 years ago.
One of the most significant challenges the Bible presents is interpreting its contents without present-day biases. Nothing in the Bible was written by people who thought they would have an audience 2000 years later. Because the authors wrote for their contemporaries, who understood the complex interplay of politics, economics, and religions in their era, much gets lost in the translation today.
One of the best examples of this missing background is in the nativity story. Luke reports that Quirinius ordered a census and that everyone was to return to their ancestral homelands to be counted. The Jewish historian Josephus (who actually worked for the Romans), however, reports a census in what we would consider 6 or 7 CE, and it did not require anyone to travel to their ancestral homeland. By the way, the Romans never ordered people to go home for a census. That defeats the point of a census, which is to find out who is where and how much to tax them.
Also, the Romans controlled the entire Mediterranean basin and had reach well into Asia. Can you imagine calling back a trade caravan from China just to take a census or the mass confusion on the roads as people traveled all over the Empire merely to be counted? It never happened. So Luke is either taking dramatic liberties to get Joseph and Mary to Bethlehem, or he just got his facts wrong, which is quite plausible.
Remember, for the Second Testament to work the way the authors set it up (Jesus is the Messiah born to die to save the world), Jesus has to be born in Bethlehem. But even this misbegotten notion only has to occur because the Gospel authors are, for some inexplicable reason, trying to mangle a passage from Isaiah into a prophecy about Jesus. Isaiah is not about Jesus. The First Testament is not about Jesus. The authors of the Second Testament knew this, which is why the machinations on the road to Bethlehem. The truth is, Jesus was probably born in Nazareth, and that’s okay.
However, for those like Luke, who insist Jesus must be born in Bethlehem, there is another reason Joseph might have risked the life of his young, frightened, pregnant wife: war. Again, because these stories were written for people who already knew what their world was like, the birth stories leave out any civic background. But Joseph and Mary lived in a dangerous time. War with Rome would come toward the end of their lives. The groundwork was already being laid.
I have done my best to add a bit of this historical narrative to the text, which I hope makes the stories more reasonable for a postmodern, post-mythology audience (which is you, if you’re reading this). I’ve based my Nazareth and the outlying skirmishes on accepted scholarship at this time, although, like Luke, I too have probably lifted Nazareth to a prominence it never had.
Finally, having a baby 2000 years ago was no easy feat under the best of circumstances. The Bible does not give Mary her due, probably, again, because other mothers in the audience at the time would have automatically felt her pain and anguish. I am a white male and understand the baggage and responsibility I carry. I apologize in advance if I’ve not indicated well enough just how powerful a human being Mary must have been. Also, these stories are intended to be read during a Christmas Eve service, so they are necessarily short, and that means, like Luke, I had to wrestle with how much to leave out. I hope I have made editorial decisions that bring you a sense of God’s presence and love.
Merry Christmas and Godspeed,
Pastor Michael
P.S. On Christmas Eve, I presented the story in five parts, preceded by a candle lighting and followed by a song or medley. If you’re interested in the entire liturgy, just send me an email or DM.
Part 1: The Light of Revelation
Mary was a quiet girl, shy and reserved around most people. Beloved for her discipline and known for her compassion, the community celebrated her engagement to Joseph, a local building contractor. Everyone in Nazareth thought Joseph and Mary were the perfect young couple. Studious Mary often uncharacteristically laughed out loud at Joseph’s devilish sense of humor, a sight her family cherished. And Mary’s faith centered Joseph, who, like many people, often found himself and the situation of his people at odds with the idea of an all-loving, all-powerful God.
Then, seemingly out of nowhere, Mary was pregnant. Joseph— and Mary were both heartbroken, their spirits crushed. Joseph was confused but also fiercely loyal and honorable. He decided to quietly call off the wedding to save both families from being shunned.
At that moment, he was blinded by a deafening flashbang of white-hot light and the room filled with smoke. He clasped his hands over his ears, and as his eyes reacclimated, Joseph saw the shadow of… of what? Something vaguely human-looking was hovering just a few feet off the floor in front of him. Massive wings, much too large for Joseph’s hovel, somehow spread far beyond its walls.
Joseph screamed in shock and instinctually went to run outside, but he was paralyzed–whether from fear or from the creature, he wasn’t sure. “Joseph! Son of David, do not be afraid!” The figure bellowed in a voice guaranteed to make Joseph afraid. That Joseph experienced the voice more than heard it was unnerving. Sensing Joseph’s discomfort, the angel softened its tone. “Joseph! I am here to tell you that Mary is carrying a special child, God in the flesh, Immanuel. Name the child Jesus and raise him as your own. He will grow into one of God’s chosen and help heal the world.”
When he heard this, Joseph recalled the prophet Isaiah, who had written, “Look! A young girl will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and they will call him Emmanuel.” Overwhelmed and now aware of to whom he was speaking, Joseph got on his knees and prayed:
“Great messenger of the Lord, I shall do everything God asks of me, now and forevermore. I will raise Jesus in the ways of our ancestors and teach him to love the Lord our God with all his heart, mind, and soul and to love everyone as himself.”
Seemingly pleased, the angel departed, without a word and without the light and sound extravaganza with which he had announced his arrival.
Shortly after, Joseph and Mary wed and began preparing for the birth of their first child Jesus.
Part 2: Lighting The Way
Nazareth cheerfully readied for Jesus’ birth in spite of the political strife endangering their lives. Judea, once a proud and mighty Jewish nation, had been a Roman territory for as long as Mary and Joseph could remember. The relationship had always been tenuous, at best.
Rome was oppressive, and the relationship recently went further south when Rome declared Judea an official province. This elevated status provided roads, public baths, and other amenities but came at the cost of a census and new taxes—plus an unexpected surprise. While many people could understand the taxes, they had a much more difficult time with another Roman plan, which would fundamentally change their identity. The Romans had decided the ancient, ancestral Jewish homelands of Judah and Israel, once part of King David’s United Monarchy, would now instead be called Syria.
And to further salt the Jewish people’s wounds, they would be ruled by a new, non-Jewish king, Herod.
The Jewish people were incensed. Riots broke out, and many of Mary and Joseph’s family joined a resistance movement, raising Roman suspicions about everyone in the household.
Skirmishes between rebel groups and Roman Centurions were commonplace. The newlyweds decided Bethlehem, Joseph’s home, would be safer than Nazareth. While he no longer had family there, Bethlehem was fortified and an excellent place to be when war with Rome came, which seemed inevitable.
The newlyweds weren’t the only people who thought it was a good time to head home. As they set out on their long journey, they met people from all over the province, also returning to their ancestral lands. The desert paths, now barely recognizable, were packed with caravans of camels, donkeys, horses, and humans, making the journey’s stench nearly intolerable. Especially for a pregnant young woman.
Mary felt every bounce of the donkey’s stride on the hard, uneven ground like a sledgehammer up her spine. Joseph did his best to make Mary comfortable, but the trip was as wretched as they had feared. They stopped in caves to avoid the afternoon rainstorms and traveled with others as often as possible to deflect thieves, both of which made travel slow. Eventually, they rode into Bethlehem, where they looked forward to a bed, a hot meal, and a bath.
Unfortunately, every hotel, inn, and bed and breakfast they checked was full because of the turmoil. Thankfully, one innkeeper had a barn with a manger filled with hay for the animals. Joseph and Mary went there to sleep in relative safety and warmth.
Later, while still living in the barn, Mary gave birth to Jesus. She wrapped him in a blanket, and she and Joseph held him in love until they all started dozing. Eventually, Mary put Jesus to bed in the manger, which made an excellent crib in a storm. Safe for now, the young family cuddled together and rested.
Part 3: Illuminating the World
Nearby, shepherds were guarding their flock at night. It’s a pretty dull gig, shepherding. Sheep are content with a fence and some grass. At night, they sleep. This gives Shepherds a lot of time to think, to stare at the stars and ponder the meaning of life. It’s tranquil, out there in the starlit darkness, alone with one’s thoughts. This is why the sudden shattering of the cosmos by the sound of a billion simultaneous thunder crashes and a light brighter than anything they’d ever seen shocked them to their knees, trembling in fear.
The angel said, “Shepherds! Do not be afraid! I bring you good and joyous news! Get up! WAKE UP! A savior is born for you today in David’s city, Bethlehem. God has anointed this child to bring you good news. You will find him wrapped in love, lying in a manger.”
Suddenly, thousands of singing angels appeared in the night sky, as if there were a voice for every star illuminating the heavens. The shepherds felt creation stirring through their souls as the angels sang “Glory to God in the highest! Peace on Earth and goodwill to all!”
And just as suddenly as they had appeared, the entire choir of angels vanished in an endpoint of light that vacuumed up the bone-shattering song of the angelic choir as
everything
went
black.
Shaking themselves into reality, their souls still ringing with the song of the universe, the shepherds immediately set out for Bethlehem. There, they found Mary, Joseph, and Jesus basking happily in the warm glow of newborn love so infectious, the shepherds couldn’t help but fall reverently to their knees.
Part 4: The Light of Cosmic Love
While the new family and their friends rested in Bethlehem, some Magi (astrologers and advisors to kings) from neighboring countries came to Jerusalem to talk to King* Herod. Announced as ambassadors looking for the new king of the Jews, Herod assumed they were coming to pay homage to him. Rome had recently crowned Herod King of Judea, even though Herod himself was not Jewish—adding to the tensions between the Empire and its people.
“Where is the newborn king of the Jews?” They asked. Herod said, “New born? You mean the new king of the Jews, I assume, and that is I.” Confused, the Magi said, “No, we understand your Roman position. But we have seen the star of a newly born, unifying king, in the east. He is the king of the Jews, and we have come to honor him. Do you know where to find him?” The Magi cuttingly asked.
Barely concealing his seething rage, Herod ordered his staff to make his visitors comfortable and excused himself. In his office, he gathered his chief priests and legal advisors for a consultation. After some time, they determined that a passage from the Jewish scripture of Isaiah provided the best clue as to the Magi’s intent: You, Bethlehem, land of Judah, by no means are you least among the rulers of Judah because from you will come one who governs, who will shepherd my people Israel.
Herod returned to the Magi and told them, “My experts believe the child was born in Bethlehem. Go and search for him. When you find him, let me know, will you? I also want to pay my respects. This is indeed a momentous occasion!”
The Magi followed the star to Bethlehem. They carried presents of gold and rare spices of frankincense and myrrh from their kings. When they arrived at the manger, they saw Mary holding the infant Jesus, bathed in divine light, surrounded by angels. The Magi fell to their knees to honor the entire family. “We give you praise and honor, mother, father, and child of God. Be wary, friends, King Herod is after you. You are welcome in our lands if you ever seek refuge.”
After some rest and storytelling, the Magi took their leave from Mary, Joseph, and Jesus, and returned to their own homes, as did our divine family. For a time, at least.
Part 5: We Are All a Part of the Same Thing
Jesus is often understandably called the light of God. But Jesus teaches that we, too, are incarnations of God’s love. We all have the ability to light the way to a peaceful, productive world. Jesus did that by recognizing he was absolutely One with God, which meant he was consciously aware of all the beings in all the realities we can imagine—aware of them as part of himself.
Can you imagine knowing and experiencing every molecule in the multiverse, coursing through the entirety of your being?
That’s our Christmas lesson. As we anticipate the birth of God’s light into the world, let’s remember that we, too, are God’s light embodied. So we, like Jesus, have a responsibility to our fellow human beings, especially those being discarded by an increasingly uncaring world.
These candles and glowsticks we light tonight represent God’s light—the Christ light—of love and compassion. Knowledge of our intimate connection to God already exists deep within our consciousness. We can all feel as closely connected to God and each other as Jesus. All we have to do is ask and receive. Just pray:
Please, God, make me an instrument of your peace. Make me compassionate. Make me humble. Make me a servant to truth and justice.
Make me a rebel, Holy One, like Jesus, who stood up to evil systems that persecute and imprison and demands we do the same.
God of all being, make your light shine through me as powerfully as it did through Jesus, so I too can change the world, one loving action at a time.
I pray we all perceive the undeniable presence of God in our lives and that, like Joseph, we too will be shocked into an utterly new reality, where God’s love nurtures and encourages us in the difficult days ahead. Amen.
