An Ox, an Ass … a Dragon? Sorry, there were no Animals in the Bible’s Nativity Scene

[rangerrebew]

 20 December, 2017 - 02:00 ancient-origins
An Ox, an Ass … a Dragon? Sorry, there were no Animals in the Bible’s Nativity Scene
 

From nativity plays to crèche sets to Christmas cards, animals are ubiquitous in our vision of the birth of Christ – but according to the Bible, not a single animal was there. Where did all these animals come from, and why are they now so central to the story?

Only two parts of the Bible talk about Jesus’ birth: the Gospels of Luke and Matthew. Mark and John skip over Jesus’ infancy and head straight to his adult life. So how similar are the narratives of Matthew and Luke to the version familiar to anyone who has attended a Christmas church service or children’s nativity play? Christmas carols such as ‘ Away In A Manger ’ sing about the cattle lowing – and in ‘ Little Drummer Boy ’ they keep time. There’s even a song called ‘ Little Donkey ’ about the beast that carries Mary to Bethlehem in our vision of the Christmas story. But do these images appear in the actual Gospels?

http://www.ancient-origins.net/history-ancient-traditions/ox-ass-dragon-sorry-there-were-no-animals-bible-s-nativity-scene-009313

[jmyrlefuller]

Talk about splitting hairs!

[Polly Ticks]

Ok.  But the For King and Country version of The Little Drummer Boy is awesome!

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[Smokin Joe]

...and the camel you rode in on! (and your little ass donkey, too!)

[TomSea]

Cows and other animals eat from mangers.

The Shepherds were told of Jesus' birth and went to see the newborn babe.

Pretty shallow analysis in this article.

[Smokin Joe]

Cows and other animals eat from mangers.

The Shepherds were told of Jesus' birth and went to see the newborn babe.

Pretty shallow analysis in this article.

Similarly, having fellows walk there carrying gifts on their backs? Or did they park their beasts of burden nearby? Herd animals would likely accompany any group on a trek, for food if nothing else (refrigeration being what it wasn't), so I would expect all sorts of critters in the vicinity.

[RoosGirl]

LOL  All of my beliefs are completely turned on their head because it doesn't specifically say that Mary rode a donkey.  I mean, how silly to think that a girl almost 10 months pregnant wouldn't have waddled that whole distance to Bethlehem.

[Restored]

A stable is never mentioned in the account.

[Smokin Joe]

A stable is never mentioned in the account.

Where else would one find a manger?

[TomSea]

Where in the Bible does it say everything is in the Bible? Nowhere.     

[Texas Yellow Rose]

20 December, 2017 - 02:00 ancient-origins
An Ox, an Ass … a Dragon? Sorry, there were no Animals in the Bible’s Nativity Scene
 
http://www.ancient-origins.net/history-ancient-traditions/ox-ass-dragon-sorry-there-were-no-animals-bible-s-nativity-scene-009313

From the article: 
All of our stable and manger imagery actually comes from just one Gospel – Luke’s.

In Matthew’s Gospel, Mary and Joseph seem to already live in Bethlehem, and Jesus is born in a house . The magi – the three wise kings – visit Jesus in this version.

Luke, however, gives us an account of the long journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem – and the visit of the shepherds.


aaaa Not exactly: Matthew does not say that Jesus was born in the "house" and Luke does not say the "magi" visited Jesus in the manger. 

G5336 From Strong's Concordance: manger
φάτνη
phatnē
fat'-nay
From πατέομαι pateomai (to eat); a crib (for fodder): - manger, stall.
Total KJV occurrences: 4

G3097 From Strong's Concordance: wise men
μάγος
magos
mag'-os
Of foreign origin [H7248]; a Magian, that is, Oriental scientist; by implication a magician: - sorcerer, wise man.
Total KJV occurrences: 6

What were the stalls/mangers for, if not for animals??  Where else would you put a stall/manger, if not in a stable?? 

Stables:  http://www.ritmeyer.com/2014/12/14/bethlehem-the-inn-and-the-manger/

[Neverdul]

TimHawkins_Christmas Songs

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