[Propertalk] Fwd: Fwd: Gospel Notes - Luke 2:1-20 [Christmas] - Part 2A

[Joe Parrish]

THE PLACE OF THE BIRTH
 
We are told that the baby is laid in a φάτνη (phatnē). This word only occurs in Luke (2:7, 12, 16; 13:15). Traditionally this has been translated “manger,” and the word does refer to a trough for feeding animals. Interestingly, in English, the word “crib” refers both to a type of container for animal feed and a place for infants. Both are structures with bars on the side.
 
The word φάτνη (phatnē) can also refer to a “stall” for tying up animals. Such a stall may be indoors or outdoors. This seems to be the meaning in Luke 13:15 where an owner will untie an ox or donkey from the φάτνη (phatnē) to lead it to water.
 
In the birth narrative, φάτνη (phatnē) is in contrast to κατάλυμα (katalyma). Properly a κατάλυμα (katalyma) was a place where a traveler “lays down” (καταλύω - katalyō) his baggage = a place of rest, lodging. The same word is used in Luke 22:11 (par. Mk 14:14) to refer to the “guest room” where Jesus will eat the Passover with his disciples. The verbal form is used in Luke 8:12 & 19:7 to refer to finding lodging or being a guest (i.e., where one puts down baggage). It is also used in Luke 21:6 with the more literal meaning of “to throw down”.
 
The φάτνη (phatnē) becomes a sign for the shepherds (2:12, 16). It is how they recognize this baby as the one in the angel’s declaration. (It was normal to wrap infants in strips of cloth.)
 
THE FIRSTBORN
 
Brown (The Birth of the Messiah):
 
      

 
Although prototokos, “firstborn,” is sometimes clearly equivalent tomonogenes, “only born,” some would take this to mean “first born among many.” And so, since the time of Helvidius (A.D. 380), this verse has played a role in the dispute among Christians as to whether Jesus was Mary’s only child (because she remained a virgin), or she had other children, born after Jesus (the brothers and sisters of Jesus, mentioned in Mark 6:3) .... In the second century A.D. the Cynic Lucian of Samosata (Demonax 29) proposed a dilemma about a philosopher who claimed to be the first and only: “If the first, not the only; if the only, not the first”; and many have seen fit to quote that here. More subtly, Plummer, Luke, 53, argues that the evangelist would not have used “firstborn” of Jesus if he knew that Mary had no more children, so that at least in Luke’s time there was no well-known tradition that Jesus was an only child. However, the use of prototokos rather than monogenes proves only that Luke had no interest in presenting Jesus as Mary’s only son. Others have seen in “firstborn” an implication of special affection; yet when Luke wants to imply that, as in the case of the widow of Nain, he uses monogenes(7:12; also 8:42; 9:38). [p. 398]

 
There may another reason why Luke uses πρωτότοκος (prōtotokos) for Jesus. That became part of titles given to him: “the firstborn of all creation” (Col 1:15); “thefirstborn of the dead” (Col 1:18; Rev 1:5); the firstborn (Rom 8:28; Heb 1:6).


    
   
 
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