The Rev. Amanda EimanThe 1st Sun after Christmas/The Holy NameJanuary 1, 2017Luke 2:15-21

The past few weeks in our Gospels, we have been hearing variations of the

familiar Christmas story. Two weeks ago we heard Joseph’s perspective -

how he had a dream, and in the dream an angel visited him, and told him to

take Mary as his wife, for the child conceived in her was from the Holy

Spirit.

Then last Sunday, Christmas Day, we heard the birth narrative from Luke –

Mary and Joseph returned to Bethlehem for the census, and while they

were there it came time for her to have her child. So she did, and she

wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger.

Today, we hear part of that story again, but this time, mainly the portion

about the shepherds. We hear that the shepherds reflect on their visit from

the angels who told them about the birth of the Messiah, and they decide to

go to Bethlehem to see this thing that has taken place. So they go with

haste and find Mary and Joseph and the child in the manger.

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But the thing about shepherds, which we don’t get simply from reading the

words of Scripture, is that shepherds, in first century Palestine were poor,

and rabbinic traditions label them as unclean. The shepherds, quite

possibly, would have been a little confused by an angel informing them, not

the high priests, kings, or wealthy people, about the birth of the Messiah.

They were outcast, and here they were, one of the first people to be

informed about this special birth.

But, even so, or maybe because so, after receiving the news, they decide

to go to Bethlehem to see this holy child, and in fact, they weren’t cast

away like the unclean people they were considered, but they were

welcomed in, welcomed among the holiness. They stayed to visit and then

as they left, they go about reporting their story and everyone is astonished.

As our Gospel puts it, they left “praising God for all that they had heard and

seen.”

Now of course what they had heard and seen was in one part the glorious

birth of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. And that in itself was worthy news to

share and about which to praise God. But also, largely due to our yearly

pageants, and perhaps other non-Scriptural sources and stories, most of us

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Christians have this idea that what the shepherds visited was a stable, or a

barn, and that that is where the Messiah was born. We believe that Joseph

was desperate to find shelter, any shelter because we think Jesus was

born the same night the holy family arrived. But, if we look closely, this is

nowhere in the text. All Luke writes is “While they were there, the time

came for her to deliver her child.” Perhaps Joseph had plenty of time to find

shelter, and that they were warmly welcomed by friends or relatives. – after

all this was Joseph’s hometown.

Yes, the child was lying in a “manger.” Mangers are in fact troughs from

which animals would eat. But most common Middle Eastern houses of that

period, and right up to the 20th century kept their animals inside their

houses at night, both for warmth and to prevent theft, not in a barn or a

cave.

Houses in Palestine typically had only two rooms. One for guests, the other

a “family room” where the whole family cooked, ate, slept and lived. Every

night the family cow, or donkey and sheep would be corralled into the far

end of that room, in the floors of which were often recessed mangers for

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feeding the animals. In the morning the animals would be driven outside

and tied up.

So, there may reason to understand that perhaps Mary and Joseph were

welcomed into a private home, and Jesus was laid in an indoor manger.

So, we may ask, where are all the unkind townspeople? and what does the

phrase “because there was no room for them in the inn” actually mean?

Well, in Greek the word used for “inn”, such as where the good Samaritan

takes the wounded man in the famous parable, is pandocheion. Literally, ‘a

place where all are received.” In this story the Greek word is katalyma

which means simply “a place to stay.” So its a katalyma that is crowded.

But what does this word mean?

The only other place in Luke it appears is Chapter 22 when Jesus tells his

disciples to enter a city and find a place for them all to eat together and

says, tell the householder, ‘The Teacher says to you, Where is the guest

room [katalyma] where I am to eat the Passover with my disciples?” This

precise meaning actually makes sense of this part of the story. Luke tells

his readers that Jesus was put in a manger in the family room because the

guest room was already full!

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So let’s go back to the shepherds. If they had found a stinking stable, and a

terrified young couple hovering over a newborn they would have said, “This

is outrageous! Come with us, our women will take care of you!” The honor

of the entire village would rest on their shoulders and they would have

acted.

Instead, the shepherds left the holy family giving thanks to God for Jesus’s

birth and for the quality of the hospitality in the house where he was born.

This is the message of the story- the child was born among common

people and for the likes of the shepherds—the poor, the lowly, the unclean.

Sinners just like you and me.

But it doesn’t end there, does it? Jesus also came for the rich, and the

wise, because “sometime later” (and next week we will celebrate this) the

revered Magi show up with gold, frankincense and myrrh. And, Matthew

tells us Magi enter “the house” where they see and give thanks for the holy

family.

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Unpacking this story a bit – and brining in some context around what the

shepherds may have actually found that day when they saw the child – can

help us more clearly understand this precious and holy story.

A member of the house of David was not shamed and rejected when he

brought his pregnant wife to his hometown. The people of Bethlehem

preserved their honor as a community. The shepherds were not a bunch of

guys refusing to help a family of strangers in need. And we, we are invited

to share this story with all – with our words, or by sharing this love with our

actions – to all people – rich and poor – alike us and different from us –

those with whom we see eye to eye, and those with whom we may

struggle.

Let me close with a quote from theologian Kenneth Bailey, who lived as a

priest in the Middle East for 60 years, and from whose book “Jesus through

Mediterranean Eyes much of this insight is drawn.

He says, “Jesus’ incarnation was complete. At his birth the holy family was

welcomed into a peasant home. These people did their best and it was

enough. At his birth the common people sheltered him. The wise men

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came to the house. When Jesus was an adult, the common people heard

him gladly. The shepherds were welcome at the manger. The unclean were

judged to be clean. The outcasts became honored guests. The song of

angels was sung to the simplest of all.”

Go and share this Good News.

Amen

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