At this time of the year, we celebrate the birth of Jesus. Most depictions of his birth include a manger scene to emphasize his lowly birth—there was no room for him in the inn. Even Jesus’ upbringing seems to emphasize his lowly estate; he was not a member of high society or even of the religious or political ruling class but instead he was known as a carpenter (Mark 6:3). The disciples who Jesus relied upon, James, John, and Peter were from the working class—fishermen.
However, as we discussed in the blog last December, there is reason to believe Jesus was born in a regular house for that time and not in a stable. Also the wise men from the East came from a long distance to worship him and left him gifts. As an adult, Jesus’ interaction with the religious leaders of his time was as an equal. Jesus was respectful but he was not afraid to challenge them (Luke 7:36-50). Pharisees were sneaking round at night just to see Jesus (John 3:1-15). He had rich people coming to him for advice (Matthew 19:16-22) and even climbing trees to see him (Luke 19:1-10). Jesus was not intimidated political leaders such as Roman governor Pilate. When Jesus was interrogated by Pilate, Pilate’s reaction was one of amazement (Mark 15:1-5). Another top Roman official, Herod, was absolutely dying to see Jesus (Luke 23:6-12). He thought, in the words of our time, that Jesus was a rock star.
I’m not sure why people emphasize the humble beginning of Jesus’ life. What we need to remember is that Jesus related well to everyone he met—the poor, the alienated from society, the middle class, the rich, and the well connected. One would not expect less of God’s son.
