Luke 2:12 This will be a sign to you

[mikbone]

Disclaimer:  I'm not a facebook fan.  But this morning my wife shared with me a Pearl. 

There is a perspective that the shepherds whom received the revelation of the birth of Jesus were very special shepherds.  These shepherds cared for the flocks that produced the unblemished lambs to be used in the Temple ceremonies.  And because these lambs were so special and precious - when they were birthed, they would be wrapped in swaddling clothes, and placed in a special manger.   The same manger where Jesus was born.  Thus after the angelic announcement, they knew where to run...

https://www.faithwire.com/2017/12/14/the-incredible-significance-of-baby-jesus-being-wrapped-in-swaddling-clothes-after-his-birth/

 

 

Merry Christmas

Edited December 24, 2018 by mikbone

[GaleG]

Did other women besides Mary also use swaddling clothes when their children were born?
If no, what did they use?

Thank you,

Gale

[mikbone]

12 hours ago, GaleG said:

Did other women besides Mary also use swaddling clothes when their children were born?
If no, what did they use?

Thank you,

Gale

Of course they did.

But this new (to me at least) interpretation, relates that Jesus was found in the same manger in the which the Passover lambs were kept...  

This gives the sign some significance.  

Edited December 26, 2018 by mikbone

[Traveler]

The passage in Luke references the Greek work "sparganoo" and is generally meant strips of cloth.  The concept of swaddling in English is a reference to tightly binding of newborn infants both to restrict movement and the help a newborn child adjust to being outside the confines of the womb.  I personally think that the concept of swaddling the baby Jesus has significance somewhat lost to some "Biblical" scholars and in reality has more to do with the parenting methods of Mary and Joseph.  In essence I believe this in part blows holes in the concept that the baby Jesus did not cry.  I believe this is in part a reference to the humanity of the Christ child rather than something not human or super human.

I also believe that the "swaddling" of ritual lambs was more for restrictions than what we think of as sacred - especially in our "organic" crazy society that is concerned how animals are restricted in order to produce higher quality table meat.  I believe that by modern standards such practice would be considered inhumane.  

Something else about ritual animals - we have learned from the Dead Sea Scrolls that the "Shepards" that watched over ritual animals were priest of Levitical decent.  It was considered an honor to tend ritual animals and that priests were assigned such duty for a short duration and in a round-robin manner.  I would say much like callings in a ward.  The animals - in this case sheep - were of a specific breed that were considered pure and not with any impurities from cross breeding with regular sheep.  DNA tracing indicates that the ancient breed of ritual sheep, goats and other animals has disappeared without a trace.  I think this may say something about animal sacrifice - in that there are no animals suitable for sacrifice in our time.  I could say more about this - but I am not sure this is the place.

One last comment about the video in the first post of this thread.  It is my personal opinion that the video had little or nothing to do with telling any story of Jesus.  I thought that historically it was grossly inaccurate - spiritually on par with the modern fantasy stories of a Santa Claus that rewards all good children with gifts and bad children with a lump of coal - and doctrinally on par with run of the mill paganism that dominates Traditional Christian story telling that often replaces what is told in scripture.   I am sorry if this expression comes across as harsh but I have become somewhat put off by the artistic licence often used to subvert the sacred nature of scripture - especially when depicting the nativity.

 

The Traveler 

Edited December 26, 2018 by Traveler