K
Kataluma
Most people think that Jesus was born in a stable behind the back of a hotel or inn as there was no room for the family inside the building. However, the Greek work which is translated into the English ‘inn’ is kataluma, a word which actually refers to the ‘lodging room’ or ‘guest room’ in a family home. We know that Mary and Joseph went to Bethlehem as it was his ancestral home, so it is more than likely that Jesus was born in the family house in Bethlehem surrounded by his grandmothers and aunts. |
But Luke tells us that Jesus was placed in a manger – an animal feeding trough. Why did the family have a manger in their house?
First century houses were very simple; generally they were only one or two rooms at street level and then a separate space towards the back at a lower level. If they could, a family might even build their home in the front of a cave or natural opening to make things easier.The family lived in the room at street level and the space toward the back of the house at a lower level was kept for the animals. Keeping sheep and goats in the house sounds odd to us, but it served two purposes: it kept the animals safe overnight and kept the family warm during the winter. (see diagram)
So, when Luke says that Jesus was born and placed in a manger because there was no room for he and Mary in the guest room, that fits perfectly with the customs of the day.
First century houses were very simple; generally they were only one or two rooms at street level and then a separate space towards the back at a lower level. If they could, a family might even build their home in the front of a cave or natural opening to make things easier.The family lived in the room at street level and the space toward the back of the house at a lower level was kept for the animals. Keeping sheep and goats in the house sounds odd to us, but it served two purposes: it kept the animals safe overnight and kept the family warm during the winter. (see diagram)
So, when Luke says that Jesus was born and placed in a manger because there was no room for he and Mary in the guest room, that fits perfectly with the customs of the day.