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The Nativity Scene O Little Town of Bethlehem

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The Nativity Scene O Little Town of Bethlehem By Gary A Byers ZHQWXSIURPWKHWRZQRI1D]DUHWKLQ*DOLOHHWR-XGHDWR %HWKOHKHP WKH WRZQ RI 'DYLG EHFDXVH KH EHORQJHG WR WKH KRXVHDQGOLQHRI'DYLG+HZHQWWKHUHWRUHJLVWHUZLWK0DU\ ZKRZDVSOHGJHGWREHPDUULHGWRKLPDQGZDVH[SHFWLQJD FKLOG:KLOHWKH\ZHUHWKHUHWKHWLPHFDPHIRUWKHEDE\WREH ERUQDQGVKHJDYHELUWKWRKHU¿UVWERUQDVRQ6KHZUDSSHG KLPLQFORWKVDQGSODFHGKLPLQDPDQJHUEHFDXVHWKHUHZDV QRURRPIRUWKHPLQWKHLQQ (YHQ D FXUVRU\ UHDGLQJ RI WKH WH[W LQGLFDWHV WKHUH¶V QR PHQWLRQRIDEDUQRUTXRWHIURPWKHLQQNHHSHU,QIDFWWKHUH¶V QRLQQNHHSHUDWDOO$QGE\WKHHQGRIWKLVDUWLFOH,KRSH\RX¶OO This silhouette represents a pretty standard Nativity scene. DOVRXQGHUVWDQGWKHUHZDVQ¶WDFWXDOO\DQ³LQQ´RUKRWHOHLWKHU $WWKHFHQWHULVDVWDEOHZLWKEDE\-HVXVO\LQJLQDPDQJHUÀDQNHG by Mary and Joseph. To the left are two shepherds with their animals and to the right are three wise men (or the traditional O Little Town of Bethlehem three kings) led to the event by the star seen above the stable. We’re only missing the angels who announced to the shepherds /XNH WHOOVXV-RVHSKDQG0DU\WUDYHOHGIURP1D]DUHWKWR and the innkeeper who made the stable available! %HWKOHKHP)LYHPLOHVVRXWKRI-HUXVDOHP¶VZDOOHGFLW\DQGHDVW RIWKH-HUXVDOHP+HEURQFHQWUDOPRXQWDLQURDGVDW%HWKOHKHP The Nativity Scene /RFDWHG DW WKH HDVWHUQ HQG RI D ULGJH WKLV ELUWKSODFH RI .LQJ 'DYLGUHPDLQHGDVPDOOWRZQLQ-XGDK VHH0LFDK 0RVWRIXVNQRZKRZD1DWLYLW\VFHQHVKRXOGORRN DQGWKHVWRU\EHKLQGLW7KHQLJKW0DU\DQG-RVHSK DUULYHG LQ %HWKOHKHP VKH ZDV UHDG\ WR JLYH ELUWK -RVHSKWRRNKHUWRWKHYLOODJHLQQEXWWKHLQQNHHSHU VDLG³7KHLQQLVIXOODQGZHKDYHQRURRPEXW,KDYH DVWDEOH\RXFDQXVH´%HIRUHLW¶VRYHUZHKDYH0DU\ -RVHSK DQG EDE\ -HVXV LQ D VWDEOH VXUURXQGHG E\ DVVRUWHGEDUQ\DUGDQLPDOVVKHSKHUGVDQGZLVHPHQ $ IDPLOLDU VFHQH DQG UHIUDLQ ZH¶YH JURZQ FRPIRUWDEOHZLWKWKHVWRU\DQGLWVPHVVDJH<HWWKLV ZULWHU SURSRVHV WKDW DQ KRQHVW ORRN DW WKH ELEOLFDO WH[W DQG DUFKDHRORJLFDO HYLGHQFH FDOOV IRU D VOLJKW DGMXVWPHQWWRRXUXQGHUVWDQGLQJ 7KHVWRU\RI-HVXV¶ELUWKLQ%HWKOHKHPLVIRXQGLQ /XNH± 1,9HGLWLRQ Gary Byers ,QWKRVHGD\V&DHVDU$XJXVWXVLVVXHGDGHFUHHWKDW The Way of the Patriarchs was the ancient north/south road along the central mountains of Israel. Starting from Beersheba in the south, the road DFHQVXVVKRXOGEHWDNHQRIWKHHQWLUH5RPDQZRUOG passes by Hebron, Bethlehem, Jerusalem, Bethel, Shiloh and Shechem. 7KLV ZDV WKH ¿UVW FHQVXV WKDW WRRN SODFH ZKLOH $QFLHQW URDGV GLG QRW SDVV WKURXJK FLWLHV EXW RQ WKH ÀDWWHVW PRVW OHYHO 4XLULQLXV ZDV JRYHUQRU RI 6\ULD $QG HYHU\RQH ground possible. The walled cities came later, built along the roads, on ZHQWWRKLVRZQWRZQWRUHJLVWHU6R-RVHSKDOVR higher ground near perennial water sources and arable land. Bible and Spade 29.1 (2016) 5 DQFLHQW 1HDU (DVW DQ H[WHQGHG IDPLO\¶V FRQQHFWLRQ WR LWV KRPHWRZQZDVDOZD\VLPSRUWDQW 6R ZKHQ -RVHSK DSSHDUHG LQ %HWKOHKHP DQG VDLG ³, DP -RVHSKVRQRI-DFREWKHVRQRI 0DWWKDQWKHVRQRI(OHD]DU´ 0W ± VSDFH ZRXOG FHUWDLQO\ KDYHEHHQPDGHIRUKLPLQRQHRI WKHWRZQ¶VKRPHV 7KH 0RVDLF /DZ FDOOHG IRU IDPLO\ ODQG WR EH D SHUSHWXDO LQKHULWDQFH VHH 1P ± DQG %HWKOHKHP ZDV ZLWKLQ WKH WULEH RI -XGDK¶V LQKHULWDQFH %RD] WKH JUHDWJUDQGIDWKHU RI .LQJ 'DYLG 5X ± OLYHG WKHUH²'DYLG FRXOG HYHQ KDYH EHHQERUQLQKLVKRXVH7KHPHQ RI%HWKOHKHPODWHUUHWXUQHGIURP WKH %DE\ORQLDQ FDSWLYLW\ (]U 1HK DQGSUHVXPDEO\ WKH+RXVHRI'DYLGZHQWEDFNWR LWVSHUSHWXDOODQGKROGLQJ 7KH DQFLHQW FXVWRP RI UHFHLYLQJ JXHVWV ZRXOG KDYH EHHQVXI¿FLHQWWRSURYLGH-RVHSK DQG 0DU\ DSSURSULDWH ORGJLQJ² HYHQ PRUH VR IRU UHWXUQLQJ IDPLO\$QG -RVHSK ZDV QRW MXVW D%HWKOHKHPLWHKHZDVD³UR\DO´ IURPWKHOLQHRI.LQJ'DYLG 7KLV 'DYLGLF FRQQHFWLRQ ZDV HYLGHQWO\ VR VWURQJ LQ %HWKOHKHP WKDW LW ZDV VWLOO FDOOHG ³WKH FLW\ RI 'DYLG´ /N WKH WRZQ RI 'DYLG¶V ELUWK HYHQ WKRXJK HYHU\RQH NQHZ WKH +HEUHZ 6FULSWXUHV UHIHUUHG WR -HUXVDOHP DV ³WKH &LW\ RI 'DYLG´ WLPHV http://www.soniahalliday.com/category-view3.php?pri=IS506-2-36.jpg VWDUWLQJ ZLWK 'DYLG¶V FDSWXUH RI The cruciform Church of the Nativity (lower left center), the traditional birthplace of Jesus, sat upon the western summit of the OT tell (view from northwest). Herod the Great’s fortress of -HEXVLQ6DPXHOWR1HKHPLDK¶V Herodium can be seen to the southeast (skyline at the center). UHGHGLFDWLRQRI-HUXVDOHP¶VUHEXLOW ZDOOV LQ 1HKHPLDK $ PHPEHU RI WKDW IDPRXV DQG UR\DO 17 %HWKOHKHP H[WHQGHG ZHVW RI WKH 27 WHOO WRZDUG WKH IDPLO\-RVHSKVKRXOGKDYHEHHQZHOFRPHDQ\ZKHUHLQWRZQ +HEURQ5RDG:KHQ+HURGWKH*UHDWEXLOWIRUWVDW+HURGLXP ,WZRXOGKDYHEHHQQDWXUDOIRUDZRPDQDERXWWRJLYHELUWK PL>NP@VRXWKHDVW DQG0DVDGD%HWKOHKHPRYHUORRNHGWKH WREHRIIHUHGVSHFLDODWWHQWLRQ&KLOGELUWKZDVHYHQDQLPSRUWDQW FRQQHFWLQJ URDG WR ERWK DQG DFTXLUHG QHZ LPSRUWDQFH:KLOH FRPPXQLW\HYHQWLQWKHDQFLHQW1HDU(DVW²ZLWKRWKHUZRPHQ DOZD\VLQ-HUXVDOHP¶VVKDGRZLWFRQWLQXHGKDYLQJVLJQL¿FDQFH DVVLVWLQJ UHJDUGOHVV RI WKH FLUFXPVWDQFHV 7KH SHRSOH RI XQGHU5RPDQJRYHUQRU3RQWLXV3LODWHZKRGLYHUWHGZDWHUIURP %HWKOHKHP QR GRXEW PDGH WKHPVHOYHV DYDLODEOH WR SUHJQDQW KLV-HUXVDOHPDTXHGXFWWR%HWKOHKHP 0DU\DQGKRPHWRZQ-RVHSKRI'DYLG¶VUR\DOIDPLO\ %HVLGHVRQO\VL[PRQWKVHDUOLHU0DU\KDGYLVLWHGUHODWLYHV The Royal Family of David QHDUE\LQWKH³KLOOFRXQWU\RI-XGHD´ /N ,I%HWKOHKHP KDG EHHQ LQKRVSLWDEOH -RVHSK FRXOG KDYH WDNHQ KHU WR VWD\ 7KH FHQVXV /N VHQW -RVHSK EDFN WR WKH YLOODJH RI KLV ZLWKWKHP$QGWKHWH[WPD\HYHQVXJJHVWWLPHWRPDNHVXFK RULJLQ:KHWKHUKHZDVDFWXDOO\ERUQWKHUHRUQRWDVDGHVFHQGDQW DUUDQJHPHQWV²EHFDXVH-HVXVZDVERUQ³ZKLOHWKH\ZHUHWKHUH´ RI.LQJ'DYLG%HWKOHKHPZDV-RVHSK¶VDQFHVWUDOKRPH,QWKH /N 6 Bible and Spade 29.1 (2016) Martin Lightner Overlaid on a modern map of Bethlehem are the Hebron Road (left), OT and NT Bethlehem (right) and Constantine’s Church of the Nativity (326 AD). 7DNHQWRJHWKHULW¶VKLJKO\XQOLNHO\-RVHSKDQG0DU\FRXOG “Domestic Stables” RQO\¿QGD%HWKOHKHPEDUQLQZKLFKWRORGJH$QGUHPHPEHU²D EDUQ¶VQRWHYHQPHQWLRQHGLQWKHWH[W 2I FRXUVH SRUWDEOH ZRRGHQ PDQJHUV OLNH ZH NQRZ IURP 1DWLYLW\VFHQHVZRXOGQRWKDYHVXUYLYHGLQWKHDUFKDHRORJLFDO Away in a Manger UHFRUGRYHUPLOOHQQLD<HWQXPHURXVSHUPDQHQWVWRQHFDUYHGRU SODVWHUHGVWRQHEXLOWPDQJHUVKDYHEHHQLGHQWL¿HGRQWKHJURXQG 6RLI0DU\DQG-RVHSKZHUHLQDIDPLO\KRPHLQ%HWKOHKHP ÀRRURIGRPHVWLFVWUXFWXUHVIURPELEOLFDOWLPHV+LVWRULDQVDQG ZK\GRZHDOZD\VWKLQNRIDEDUQ",WLVEHFDXVHRIWKHSURPLQHQFH DQWKURSRORJLVWVKDYHDOVRQRWHGWKHRQJRLQJSUDFWLFHRINHHSLQJ RIWKH³PDQJHU´LQWKHVWRU\ ,QRXUWKLQNLQJWKDW DQLPDOVLQWKHKRXVHWKURXJKRXWKLVWRU\GRZQWRWKHSUHVHQW VXJJHVWVDEDUQ 7KHUH¶VHYHQDQDUFKLWHFWXUDOWUDGLWLRQIRU³GRPHVWLFVWDEOHV´ %XW ERWK WKH 27 +HEUHZ DQG 17 *UHHN WHUPV WUDQVODWHG LQWKH+RO\/DQG²VWUHWFKLQJDOOWKHZD\EDFNWRWKHWLPHRIWKH ³PDQJHU´ ebus DQG phatne FRPH IURP YHUEV ³WR IHHG´ RU ,VUDHOLWHVHWWOHPHQW,QWHULRUKRXVHZDOOVFRQVWUXFWHGDVDURZRI ³WR HDW´ %DE\ -HVXV ZDV ODLG LQ D GRPHVWLF DQLPDO¶V IHHGLQJ VWRQHSLOODUVZHUHDSSDUHQWO\GHHPHGPRVWHI¿FLHQWLQGHDOLQJ WURXJKDQGLQWKHELEOLFDOZRUOGWKDWZRXOGKDYHEHHQZLWKLQWKH ZLWKDQLPDOVZLWKLQWKHFRQ¿QHVRIDIDPLO\KRPH6RPHWLPHV FRQ¿QHVRIDKRPHLQ%HWKOHKHP EHWZHHQWKHVHSLOODUVPDQJHUVKDYHEHHQLGHQWL¿HG 7KHRQO\RWKHUXVHRI phatne PDQJHULQWKH1HZ7HVWDPHQWLV 6XFK SLOODUHG LQWHULRU ZDOOV WRRN RQ WKH DSSHDUDQFH RI DOVRPDGHE\/XNH ,WGRHVQ¶WPHQWLRQDÀRFNRIVKHHS IHQHVWUDWHGRU³ZLQGRZ´ZDOOVE\1HZ7HVWDPHQWWLPHV,QIDFW RU JRDWV EXW D VLQJOH ³R[´ RU ³GRQNH\´²YDOXDEOH LQGLYLGXDO DW$%5¶V.KLUEHWHO0DTDWLUH[FDYDWLRQPL NP QRUWKRI ZRUN DQLPDOV ZKLFK ZRXOG KDYH EHHQ NHSW DQG IHG VDIHO\ DW -HUXVDOHP PL>NP@QRUWKRI%HWKOHKHP ZHXQFRYHUHG KRPH D1HZ7HVWDPHQWHUDKRXVHZLWKMXVWVXFKDQLQWHULRUZDOO²DQG :KLOH ebus PDQJHULVQRWXVHGLQ2OG7HVWDPHQWDFFRXQWVRI DGRPHVWLFVWDEOH 6DXOYLVLWLQJWKHZLWFKDW(QGRU 6P RU-HSKWKDK¶VYRZ :KLOHÀRFNVZHUHNHSWLQVKHHSIROGVRXWLQWKH¿HOGV QRWH WRVDFUL¿FHWKH¿UVWWRFRPHRXWRIWKHGRRURIKLVKRXVH -JV WKH VKHSKHUGV /N VSHFLDO DQLPDOV²R[ GRQNH\ VLFN RU ERWKDOVRSRLQWWRDQLPDOVEHLQJNHSWLQWKHKRPH SUHJQDQWVKHHSRUJRDWVDQGWKHLU\RXQJ²ZRXOGEHNHSWLQWKH KRXVHRYHUQLJKW7KLVNHSWWKHDQLPDOVDIHIURPERWKKDUPDQG Bible and Spade 29.1 (2016) 7 Leen Ritmeyer Leen Ritmeyer Reconstruction drawing of a typical OT Israelite house , Reconstruction drawing of a typical NT house excavated in featuring two interior walls composed of pillared supports. Such Capernaum . Rooms were located around a central courtyard with LQWHULRUFRQVWUXFWLRQZDVDSSDUHQWO\FRQVLGHUHGTXLWHHI¿FLHQWIRU a water cistern. The main living quarters were upstairs (including GDLO\IDPLO\OLIHLQFOXGLQJWKHFDUHRIDQLPDOVZLWKLQWKHFRQ¿QHV a kataluma JXHVWURRP ZKLOH JURXQG ÀRRU URRPV ZHUH XVHG IRU of the home. storage and daily household activities. Note the domestic stables behind a fenestrated (“window”) wall where fodder was placed. WKHIW DOVR DOORZLQJ VSHFLDO DFFHVV WR WKHP DV QHHGHG ,Q WKH :LWKWKHRQO\RWKHU1HZ7HVWDPHQWXVHRIWKHWHUPFOHDUO\ PRUQLQJWKH\ZHUHSUREDEO\OHGRXWVLGHIRUWKHGD\ LQGLFDWLQJ DQ XSSHU URRP LQ D -HUXVDOHP KRPH , VXJJHVW WKH kataluma LQQ RI VKRXOG EH XQGHUVWRRG VLPLODUO\ ,Q IDFW No Room in the Inn WKH 1,9 HGLWLRQ QRZ WUDQVODWHV WKLV YHUVH DV ³WKHUH ZDV QRJXHVWURRPDYDLODEOH´3UHVXPDEO\WKHXSVWDLUVJXHVWURRP 6RWKLVUHFRQVWUXFWLRQRIWKH&KULVWPDVVWRU\KDV0DU\DQG RI-RVHSK¶VDQFHVWUDOKRPHZDVDOUHDG\IXOORIJXHVWVPD\EH -RVHSK DUULYLQJ DW KLV DQFHVWUDO KRPH LQ %HWKOHKHP :KLOH UHVSHFWHGHOGHUIDPLO\PHPEHUV2U0DU\HYHQGHVLULQJVRPH WKHUH0DU\JLYHVELUWKWR-HVXVDQGODLG+LPLQDPDQJHURQWKH SULYDF\PLJKWKDYHZHOFRPHGWKHJURXQGÀRRUGRPHVWLFVWDEOH JURXQGÀRRURIWKHKRXVH%XWZKDWDERXWWKH³LQQ´²WKHZKROH DQGVRPHVROLWXGH UHDVRQIRUXVLQJWKHPDQJHU" /XNHNQHZDERXWWKHSXEOLFLQVWLWXWLRQRILQQVFDUDYDQVHUDLV² /XNHVDLG³WKHUHZDVQRURRPIRUWKHPLQWKHLQQ´7KH KH WROG WKH VWRU\ RI WKH *RRG 6DPDULWDQ ZKR WRRN WKH KDOI WH[WGRHVQ¶WVD\WKHUHZDVQRW³DURRP´DYDLODEOHLQWKHLQQMXVW GHDGPDQWRDUHDO³LQQ´ pandocheion ,WHYHQKDGDQ QRDYDLODEOHVSDFH topos 7KH*UHHNZRUGWUDQVODWHG³LQQ´² LQQNHHSHU pandocheus ,I/XNHZDQWHGXVWRXQGHUVWDQG kataluma ²LVXVHGLQRQO\RQHRWKHU1HZ7HVWDPHQWHYHQW,Q WKH³LQQ´RIWKH&KULVWPDVDFFRXQWZDVVXFKDSXEOLFVWUXFWXUH /XNH DQG LWV SDUDOOHO LQ 0DUN
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