“lying in a manger”

Originally posted on December 24, 2009 – by Andre Piet

A sign

However slight most people’s Bible knowledge may be, virtually everyone knows that at His birth Jesus was laid in a manger. In Luke 2 this is mentioned no fewer than three times (:7,12,17). In verse 12 the shepherds are told that this was a “sign.” Of course, you can take that as an identifying mark for the shepherds: after all, babies are not normally laid in a feeding trough. Yet the word “sign” says more: it has significance (see, for example, Matt. 12:39). A manger is a feeding trough for animals. Well then, Jesus came into the world as the “Lamb of God.” Born to die. And He did indeed die precisely on the day the Passover lamb had to be slaughtered: 14 Nisan (or Aviv).

10 Nisan

But it does not stop there. Remarkable, namely, is that of the Passover lamb it is explicitly written that it had to be taken into the house on the 10th of Nisan. Could this be a hint to the moment that the Lamb of God would make His entrance into “the house of Israel”? Indeed, I think so. Unfortunately, in most translations it does not come through, but in Luke 2:42 we read (literally translated):

And when He BECAME twelve years old, they went up according to the custom of the festival.

When we take this as it stands, Jesus therefore had His birthday when the family set out for Jerusalem for Passover. A few days, therefore, before the 14th of Nisan! Not “in the middle of the winter night” but at the beginning of spring Jesus came into the world! And to shepherds this news was first announced and the sign was given of the child in the manger. As if it concerned a little lamb…

Eight Days Later…

By the way, if Jesus was indeed born on the 10th of Nisan, then we can also establish when He was circumcised. That was, after all, on the eighth day (Luke 2:21), and therefore on the 17th of Nisan. The circumcision of the foreskin refers to new life. Given as a sign to Abraham, whose deadened body would, nevertheless, bring forth life. And now the 17th of Nisan is precisely also the date on which Jesus, many years after His circumcision, would overcome death in order to bring forth new Life! Then He left behind the wrappings (John 20:7) in which He once lay wrapped at His birth.
That may truly be called de-velopment!

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More on this:
Jesus born just before Passover
days and dates around Passover (on the dating of Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection)

Delen: