why you think what you do about the Bible...

[Gail]

But that is getting

[Kevin H]

yup, I have to admit that I was leading off topic to get to this point. Partially wanted to talk about this topic, but also since tis the season, wanted to get off the topic to the thought of the season.

Luke gives two stories about Jesus coming to his own. Jesus came to Mary's family and was welcomed. Jesus came to Joseph's family and there was no room in the Kataluma. It took strangers, the shepherds, to come and let them know about their own family. The Unborn John the Baptist was told by the Holy Spirit and told Mary's family who this was, and the Shepherds came and told Joseph's family. An angel in person told Mary, but an angel in a dream told Joseph. Jesus came to his own and some accepted him, others rejected and strangers, the gentiles, have to tell some of Jesus' people who their relative is.

In Jesus' day people lived in what was called "Insula" which was usually about 20 to 40 rooms and court yards. When the "Fool" wanted to tear down his barns and build bigger ones" it was not some guy living out in the country with a barn that Grandma and Grandpa had. No it meant that he was going to throw out his family and neighbors to make room for his stuff.

Anyway, part of an Insula was the room known as the Kataluma, which was for visiting family. It is NOT a public inn. It was specifically a room in a private home for family members who lived in that house.

Now, we don't know why there was no room in the Kataluma. On the one hand he may not have been welcomed. They may have felt the scandal of Mary and Joseph only being engaged and not yet married when she was giving birth. On the other hand they may have been welcome, but with all the kin folk over, and little Moshe constantly tugging on someone's clothes to say that he was thirsty, and little Mariam asking every 2 minutes "Is the baby born yet?" they may have just gone to the stable for some privacy to give birth. Maybe there was a little bit of both.

Anyway, we claim to be the family of Jesus. But are we more like Mary's relatives or like Joseph's relatives? Is Jesus welcomed in our hearts Kataluma? Maybe he is welcome but we are so full of other things going on that there is still not room for him in the kataluma of our heart.

[Gibs]

Kevin, it is the context of Luke 2:7-14 proves the reason for the Babe to be in a manger and that was prophesied, so it was not exactly wrong, any other would only be supposition!

1Jo 4:4 ¶ Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.