The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Dear Grands,

Luke 2:1-7, “Now it came about in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth. 2 This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 And all were proceeding to register for the census, everyone to his own city.

4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, 5 in order to register, along with Mary, who was engaged to him, and was with child. 6 And it came about that while they were there, the days were completed for her to give birth. 7 And she gave birth to her first-born son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.”

A census had been ordered that included all of Palestine. It was not in itself a taxation, but set in motion a future taxation, to be sure. The census required everyone in all of Palestine to register.

Joseph was Mary’s intended husband, and he was in the lineage of David. Mary was undoubtedly a teenage girl of the purest extraction. She was akin to Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist, and also had a sister named Mary (Jn. 19:25). Bethlehem to Nazareth was a distance of 97 miles, no easy journey in those days. There were inns along the way where travelers rested on these long journeys.

Whether Joseph and Mary rested at one of these inns, we do not know. But when they came to Nazareth, the crowd was such that there was no room for them in any inn. Clarke notes, “In ancient times, inns were as respectable as they were useful, being fitted up for the reception of travelers alone.” Still, there were hundreds, maybe thousands, of people there to register, leaving only an animal stable for Joseph and Mary. And it was there in this humble place that the Savior of the world was born.

Barnes says, “When a child among the Hebrews was born, it was washed in water, rubbed in salt, and then wrapped in swaddling clothes; that is, not garments regularly made, as with us, but bands or blankets that confined the limbs closely… There was nothing special in the manner in which the infant Jesus was treated.” Further, there was nothing overtly prestigious about the Child, even as He grew into adulthood. “…the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head” (Mat. 8:20b).

All of this speaks to the need for us to be humble in the sight of God and our fellowmen. We are never to “think more highly of (ourselves) than (we) ought to think” (Rom. 12:3). I can recall someone once saying, “It’s amazing to me how so many ‘high-and-mighty’ people claim to be followers of the lowly Nazarene.” But, as you and I are inspecting others in this regard, we need to remember that others are inspecting us in the same way.

We love and pray for you every day; please remember us in the same way,

Nana & Dado III

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”