Old is new again

Date: 2025-12-18 AO: the-phoenix Q: wildturkey PAX: F3 Elsa, Blanks, Hawkeye, Roulette, midriff, SweetWater, war_eagle FNGs: None COUNT: 8 Today, we did a lot of running and some Christmas bible trivia. Time to dust off those bibles, boys!
1. The Bible never says there were “three” wise men We usually see three men in Nativity scenes because of the three gifts mentioned (gold, frankincense, and myrrh). However, the Gospel of Matthew simply calls them “Magi” (wise men) without specifying a number. There could have been two, or there could have been twelve!
2. The Wise Men weren’t at the manger Most Christmas plays show the shepherds and Wise Men together, but the Bible suggests the Wise Men arrived much later. Matthew 2:11 says they visited Jesus in a house, and by the time they arrived, Jesus is referred to as a “child” rather than a “baby.”
3. There is no mention of a “stable” or an “innkeeper” The Bible says Mary laid Jesus in a manger because there was no room in the katalyma. While often translated as “inn,” this Greek word usually refers to a guest room in a private home. Because the guest room was full, they likely stayed in the lower level of the house where animals were kept at night.
4. Jesus probably wasn’t born in December The Bible doesn’t give a specific date. However, it mentions shepherds were out in the fields “keeping watch over their flock by night” (Luke 2:8). In Israel, December is the cold, rainy season when sheep were typically brought under cover, suggesting Jesus may have been born in the spring or autumn.
5. Animals aren’t actually mentioned in the birth scene While we always see donkeys, cows, and sheep around the manger, the Gospels of Matthew and Luke don’t actually list any animals being present at the birth. We assume they were there because of the manger (a feeding trough).
6. The “Star of Bethlehem” wasn’t seen by everyone When the Wise Men arrived in Jerusalem, King Herod and his advisors were surprised by the news. If the star had been a massive, unmistakable fireball in the sky, they probably wouldn’t have needed the Wise Men to tell them about it.
7. Joseph never speaks a single word In the entire New Testament, there is not one recorded word spoken by Joseph. We see him acting on God’s instructions and protecting his family, but he is a silent figure throughout the narrative.
8. Jesus had some “surprising” ancestors The genealogy of Jesus in Matthew includes four women: Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and Bathsheba. In ancient times, genealogies almost exclusively listed men, and several of these women were foreigners or had “complicated” reputations, showing that Jesus came for all people.
9. An “army” of angels announced the birth The “heavenly host” that appeared to the shepherds (Luke 2:13) uses the Greek word stratias, which literally means an army or a military force. Instead of a small choir, it was a massive, powerful display of God’s glory.
10. The angels didn’t actually “sing” While many carols say “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing,” Luke 2:13 actually says the heavenly host was “praising God and saying.” While they may have been chanting or shouting in a melodic way, the text specifically describes it as speech.
At its heart, the Christmas story is a deeply human portrait of a family navigating a season of profound uncertainty. Long before the gold and the grandeur, it was simply a story about a young couple, far from home and far from their support systems, doing their best to care for one another during a time of great upheaval. Mary and Joseph faced the “darkness” of physical exhaustion, political tension, and the vulnerability of being strangers in a crowded town. Yet, in that humble setting, their bond became the foundation for something extraordinary, proving that the strength of a family isn’t found in their surroundings, but in their devotion to one another. When the precious baby was finally born, it represented a spark of pure, unblemished hope arriving in a weary world. That moment in the manger serves as a timeless reminder that even in our darkest or most difficult hours, new beginnings are possible. It is a story that celebrates the arrival of light when things seem most dim, showing us that love—especially the love found within a family—has the power to transform a cold, quiet night into a celebration of life and a promise for the future.