Program Notes
(Read this together first)
Bethlehem was the ancestral home of the descendants of David. Joseph’s genealogy is recorded in Luke (3:23-38), and the natural assumption is that early in the first century at least some of his ancestors were either resident or remembered in Bethlehem. To such relatives Joseph could turn for help in time of need. Barring that option, Mary had relatives in a nearby village.
During her pregnancy Mary visited her cousin Elizabeth “in the hill country of Judea” and was warmly welcomed by her (see Luke 1:39-56). Bethlehem is the center of the hill country of Judea. Thus, at the time of the birth of Jesus, Mary had family in a village near Bethlehem, and Joseph’s ancestors were well-known in Bethlehem itself.
Luke’s Gospel records that Jesus was born, wrapped (as was the custom) and laid in a manger. From the time of David (around 1000 B.C.) up to modern times, simple village homes in the Holy Land often consisted of two rooms. The main room was the family living space. A second room was reserved for guests. (Such simple homes were often an extension of a small cave if one was available.) At one end of this family room there was always a small space either blocked off with heavy beams or constructed about four feet lower than the floor of the family. The family cow, donkey and a few sheep were brought into that space every night and taken out each morning. Naturally, such an “animal stall” contained mangers. If needed, a wooden manger could easily be lifted out of that space reserved for animals and placed in the larger family room.
Writing in Greek, Luke tells his readers that the baby Jesus was placed in a manger “because there was no space for them in the katalyma.” In the West this Greek word has usually been translated as “inn.” However, katalyma is the word that both Mark and Luke used to describe the “"upper room” where the Last Super was instituted. This usage makes clear that for both Gospel writers the word katalyma refers to a guest room in a private home, not to a commercial inn. The common word in Greek for an inn was pandocheion (a word that appears in the story of the Good Samaritan, Luke 10:34). Thus, Luke tells his readers that Jesus was born in a room where a manger was available (ie. the family room) because there was no space for them in the guest room (katalyma), In short, Jesus was born in a simple, two-room peasant home. That room had mangers at one end. The guest room (katalyma) was not used because it was too small or was already full of other guests. This understanding of Luke 2:6-7 is the setting for our play.
Instructions: Assign everyone a role to play. Then, click on the assigned roles below so that everyone has their own script to read from. Gather everyone together, and then perform the play!
Actors and Actresses: Read (and perform) your roles with enthusiasm!
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