No Inn, But Plenty of Room for Jesus

In which gospel does the innkeeper tell Mary and Joseph that he has no rooms available for them? Trick question; Luke simply writes that Jesus was laid in a manger because there was no room for them in the inn. No innkeeper is ever mentioned. But what if there wasn’t even an inn? Kenneth E. Bailey, in Jesus...

The Grace of Remembering No More

When there’s a fuss over what to name a baby, something is going on. In Matthew 1, while Zechariah was serving his priestly rotation at the Temple, the angel Gabriel appears and announces that, in spite of their advanced years, they will have a baby boy, and Gabriel is very clear about his name. “You will...

The Messiah: A Nobody from Nowhere?

Why does Matthew write that the prophets say the Messiah will come from Nazareth when there is no such reference anywhere in the Old Testament? In Matthew’s birth narrative, Joseph is warned to flee to Egypt to escape the murderous plans of King Herod. After Herod dies, Joseph is told to return with his...

Advent: Creation and Consummation

The season of Advent brings to mind not just the birth of Jesus but also his triumphant return—the first and second Advents. These twin poles remind us that the story of Creation is not static but was designed with an end in mind and that God is active in our world, moving that story forward. Creation...

When It’s Hard to Believe in Immanuel

The people who need the most to hear the news of Immanuel—that God is with them, are the people who have the least reason to believe that he is. When you live in relative comfort, it’s easy to believe in Immanuel.  God is with us?  Well, of course he is.  The evidence is all around!  We have life, liberty,...

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