Christmas Letter: Why did the Gospel mention that swaddling baby Jesus and lying in a manger a Sign for The Messiah? Dr. Phil Chan

Swaddling Clothes in a Manger - a Sign.

https://www-images.christianitytoday.com/images/65274.jpg?w=614

Fernando Ortega: What Child Is This.

YouTube Video: coram deo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIaS1PuOkOU

Dear Andy,

Thank you very much for your greetings.

You are a treasured friend who ask honest questions. My thoughts to your question are given below.

a) At Christmas season, we modern Christians tend to talk about the signs of Christmas Star or wisemen/gifts etc but why did the Gospel mention that swaddling baby Jesus and lying in a manger a Sign of The Messiah. I shared this Christmas scripture a few years ago to a Christian group. Luke 2:7-12 :  and she (Mary) gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped Him in cloths and placed Him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.  And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; He is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” 

Jesus was a carpenter.

https://www.philipchircop.com/post/117878790887/the-carpenters-son-when-jesus-finished-telling

b) The possible clue may come from Micah 4:8: “And you, O tower of the flock, hill of daughter Zion! To you it shall come: the former dominion shall be restored, the reign of daughter Jerusalem”. (this place/tower in OT Hebrew is Migdal Eder … also mentioned in Gen 35:21 A place/tower where Jacob set up camp after the death of Rachel). This verse tells us baby Jesus’ announcement is related to the Tower of the flock. Migdal Eder is a place/tower in the fields of Bethlehem where shepherds care for baby sheep or select unblemished sheep for sacrifice/passover. As selecting unblemished sheep was the duty of priests, these shepherds are likely to be also priests (this is not surprising; Jesus and Paul were “spiritual teachers” who also had a second profession … Jesus was a carpenter and Paul was a tent-maker). New fawns are carefully wrapped with cloth (taken from shepherd-priest clothes) stay warm as in the womb and put into a manger so that the baby lambs will not be trampled on. Thus, when these shepherd-priests went into Bethlehem, they immediately recognised the baby Messiah.

Away In A Manger - YouTube by The SBFII

Susan Boyle.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4l05A4c0bZA

c) Jesus was born to die to save the world.  Interestingly, in the middle eastern culture, when someone goes on a long desert journey he will bring along special strips of cloth that was used for swaddling dead body for burial in case he dies. Some translations are more explicit about the strips of cloth, e.g. ESV translation of Luke 2: 7 “ She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger”.

Luke 2: 15-20 : When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen Him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

Indeed, great is the Lord and greatly to be praised !

Wishing you and your family, a wonderful Christmas, good health and a Blessed New Year 2022 !Best Regards,

Phil.

A Christmas Letter: 

Prof. Dr. Phil Chan

Thanks Phil for this illuminating and interpretive explanation.

Images: Google 

Video: YouTube