My absence the last few weeks has been challenging. I had so many things I wanted to put to pen and paper. They were all worthy of my undivided attention; and that wasn’t available. So here I am on Christmas Day with no distractions. (The sun isn’t shining and it’s actually projected to rain all day in Punta Gorda. Okay, God. I get it.) I can’t claim credit for this idea. We attended Christmas Eve service last night and Jacob Bester spoke succinctly which left me hungry for more.
Luke 2:1-38 is the section of scripture most familiar to us regarding the birth of Jesus. (If you’re interested, I highly recommend going to the internet and searching for Linus reading during the Charlie Brown Christmas. BEST EVER. HANDS DOWN. Thank you Charles Schulz.) There’s no way for me to thoroughly navigate all of the absurdity wrapped in these verses. However, I want to contemplate a few and leave you curiously hanging and looking for more.
The first couple of verses reference a census which required Joseph (and Mary) to travel to Bethlehem (the origin of his family lineage). This was actually referenced in Micah 5:2 which was written approximately 700 years before Jesus was born. Timing is everything, right? Think about all of the details. Consider all of the things that were dependent on the precise description. For example, they were probably busy trying to get their own home and lives ready for this baby that was coming. Then suddenly she’s packing to leave Nazareth. Absurd!
Next we read about the birth. Did you ever ponder the nativity? I mean really, truly stop and give time to what that looked like. We see nativity scenes everywhere ~ the mantle over our fireplace, maybe the front porch or lawn, or even on the courthouse square. One day they just “appear”. But what did it actually look like? I’m guessing we got it mostly wrong.
For instance, when we read the word “inn”, we imagine them being turned away from the nearest Holiday Inn Express where they were guaranteed a fabulous night of sleep. Instead, we think they go out to some shelter for animals because it tells us they lay him in a manger (or some type of feeding trough). More study teaches us a few interesting details that I think add to the absurdity of the events.
First, Joseph likely still had family living in Bethlehem. It would’ve been customary for them to stay with a family member in their guest room. But because everybody came to town at the same time, there wasn’t room.
Second, homes were often built with what we might call a basement. This was often a cave or on a mountain side. Many times this is where the animals were kept. Therefore, the mention of the manger or feeding trough makes sense. But that’s where we find another interesting detail.
Trees were not (and are not) abundant in that region. So our image of the wooden manger is probably wrong. More often, animals were fed out of stone carved to suit the purpose. (I’m guessing there’s some correlation between his birth in a rock and his burial in a rock that isn’t on my radar today.) So we find ourselves with yet another absurd moment in this divine story. The king who came in flesh from his heavenly throne was placed in a disgusting, slobbery food bowl.
The last thing I want to propose is the absurdity of the announcement to a group of shepherds.. To know anything about the classification of people at that time is to know that not only were shepherds considered to be “bottom of the barrel”, but they were not even valued as witnesses. No one would listen to or believe anything they said (which also makes the life of David interesting, I think). But these shepherds probably understood the imagery and implication of finding the baby wrapped in swaddling clothes. They would’ve known that the “perfect” lamb from their flock was wrapped in clothes as it was taken to the temple for sacrifice.
The absurdity scale is off the charts on this one. We didn’t even touch on Mary being a virgin or the angel (and then angels) or Simeon or Anna. It’s all too much to believe. Right? Is that why we don’t defend it? Why we don’t talk about it? We simply sit and keep it wrapped nicely with the “bow” that we’ve been given. Because it’s absurd. Have we avoided the awe and wonder because (if we’re to be honest with ourselves) it seems more like a fairy tale? Well let me tell you something. If God fits into the “science” of only what we can understand and make sense of, that’s no God at all. I’ll be over in the aisle of absurdity. Christmas and Jesus is the perfect picture of the most absurd story. God came to be with us. Merry Christmas.