“And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. “Luke 2:7 ESV
If you have more than a few Christmas seasons under your belt, you’re probably familiar with the scripture regarding Jesus’s birth. We get the big picture- born in a stable, angels announce his birth to local shepherds, and a star leads the Wise Men to Bethlehem. But what about the rest of the story?
Last year I explored what his manger might have looked like. Turns out it was a stone trough for holding sacrificial lambs. Not the wooden hay manger we see in Nativity scenes. Sacrificial…consider that.
The 2nd chapter of the gospel of Luke says that he was wrapped in “swaddling clothes” and laid in a manger. In fact, even hospitals today use a cloth that they call a “swaddling” cloth. Unfortunately, it’s a misnomer that will soon be over 2,000 years old, because “swaddling clothes” have nothing to do with a child being born! So where did Mary get clothes to swaddle Jesus?
These were two destitute peasants that couldn’t even find a room for the night. Were the swaddling clothes hidden in the stable? And why were these shepherds picked to hear the news of his birth first?
For these shepherds, there was great significance in finding the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes. See, these weren’t just any shepherds. They were Levitical shepherds. And the sheep? They weren’t just any sheep. They were sheep that were being raised to be offered as sacrifices in the temple.
In biblical times newborn lambs that were destined to be sacrificed in the Temple, were wrapped in cloth strips (swaddling) to protect them from harm (sacrificial lambs could not have blemishes). The Angel Gabriel came to the shepherds and told them they would recognize the newborn savior as he would be wrapped in swaddling. Jesus was the lamb of God, sacrificed for humanity’s sins.
If the swaddling clothes weren’t already in the stable, is there any feasible source the couple had for something to “Swaddle “ him in?
In the Middle East, people traveling long distances were often met with many hardships and trials on their journeys. In the event of a death in travel, the body could not continue to be transported for many days. For that reason, travelers wrapped a thin, gauzelike cloth around In the Middle East, people traveling long distances were often met with many hardships and trials on their journeys. In the event of a death in travel, the body could not continue to be transported for many days. For that reason, travelers wrapped a thin, gauzelike cloth around their waist many times. If someone died on the journey, the others would use this cloth, referred to as “swaddling clothes” to wrap the corpse in before burying them. Could Joseph have been wearing his own burial shroud?
Clearly, there can be many deeper meanings read into the significance of Swaddling Clothes. Whether all are accurate, or simply a part of our tendency to romanticize and look for deeper meaning, I’m not sure, but I thought that each of these was worth sharing. The King of Kings and Lord of Lords came into this world in a lowly manger and was wrapped with burial clothes – in truth, He was born to die. To die for the sins of all mankind.