12 Days of Christmas - The Real Story (Day 4) - Travelling to Bethlehem
Luke 2:1-5
In those days, there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed.1 This is a challenging part of the real story of Christmas because we need to go back in history to understand the political landscape and the driving factors that caused Joseph and Mary to go to Bethlehem. There have been many differing proposals around these events, so let me do my best to make it very simple.
The word translated “taxed” here is used one other place in the new testament, Hebrews 12:23:
To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written G583 in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,
Some argue that this was not a taxing but rather a census. Whether money was collected at this time or not is not really the point. If you live in the United States, you have to “file” your taxes. If you do everything correctly, you hope to avoid the dreaded IRS audit. These are steps in the process of taxing in our modern day, and there were similar steps in place in the SPQR. From what I found in a cursory search of how taxes worked in the Roman empire, taxes started first with an assessment, which was followed by a selection of collectors via auction, which would be followed by the collection of money. This process could take years to complete.
It’s important to note that Luke 2 says specifically that this taxing was “first” made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.2 That is, this may not have been the most notable tax of the time. In fact, Luke references a taxing in Acts 5:37 that appears to line up with a more significant taxing mentioned by Josephus.3
And so the time came to return to his “own city” with all of his possessions and his betrothed, so that King Herod could carry out the assessment as ordered by the empire.4
The Roman empire built roads. Famous roads. Joseph and Mary would have traveled on these Roman roads as they made their way to Bethlehem.
As we learned yesterday, the route from Nazareth to Bethlehem, which we find the couple to be quite familiar with at this point in the story, began by going south-east toward the Jordan River. The first crossing they would have used is known as the northern border crossing, and is still active today. They would have proceeded down along the east side of the Jordan, stopping at night in the various towns that they came to. When they reached the area near Jericho, they would have crossed back over the Jordan river, made their way to Jerusalem, and then on to Bethlehem.5
It is most likely that Joseph had family in Bethlehem and so they were able to stay in the home of one of Josephs relatives, possibly his father Jacob. We will learn more about this situation tomorrow.
Bethlehem was a town of a similar size to Nazareth with a population of something like 300. The name Bethlehem means “House of Bread”, possibly so called from the harvest of wheat and barley in the surrounding lands. Grasses grew on the hills of the countryside near the town, and it is here that shepherds would graze their flocks.
The area was dotted with natural caves and the occasional tower where shepherds could shelter themselves and watch and tend to their flocks.6 There is evidence that these shepherds were raising their flocks for use in the temple, which is an important point a little later in our story.
As Joseph and Mary walked into this familiar town, the ‘house of bread’, I wonder what they were thinking. They knew their firstborn would be the very Messiah, the Savior of the world. But did they know that He would call Himself the Bread of Life?7 Did they know he would feed many thousands with bread and fish, that he would feed many more with His perfect words?
When we hunger, He is ready to give us bread. As He taught us, we should simply say to our Father, “Give us this day, our daily bread.”8
Luk 2:1 KJV - And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.
Luk 2:2 KJV - ([And] this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)
Act 5:37 KJV - After this man rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the taxing, and drew away much people after him: he also perished; and all, [even] as many as obeyed him, were dispersed.
Luk 2:3 KJV - And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.
Luk 2:4 KJV - And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)
https://www.jpost.com/christian-news/from-bethlehem-to-egypt-to-nazareth-jesuss-family-accepted-changes-around-them-413821
https://www.thechurchnews.com/history/2022/12/19/23512976/bethlehem-archaeological-insights-setting-jesus-birth
Jhn 6:35 KJV - And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.
Mat 6:11 KJV - Give us this day our daily bread.