Nativity Scenes and the Infancy Narratives

Before long, many of us will be displaying a special Christmas decoration in our homes. For some of us, it's an indispensable tradition. I'm referring to the Nativity Scene. Sometimes it's called a creché, sometimes a stable, or a manger scene. Often, it is something that has become a family heirloom, handed down from our parents, and lovingly displayed each Christmas season. We all usually have special places to set it up: perhaps on the fireplace mantle, or in the middle of the dining table, or perhaps on it's own special table. My mother always set hers up on the floor under the Christmas tree.

I thought it would be interesting to examine the Nativity Scene in the light of what the Scriptures tell us about the birth of Jesus, and see where each of the elements of the traditional display come from.

Only the Gospels of Matthew and Luke tell us of the events of His birth. The parts of those two Gospels which speak of Jesus' birth and His childhood are called the Infancy Narratives. It is interesting to me that while each of the two versions relate some of the same details, there is also much that is different; there are some parts that are found in one Gospel, but not the other. A person who read only the version in Luke, for example, would learn of the angels announcing the birth of Jesus to the shepherds in the fields, but would not know about the visit of the Wise Men from the east, or the star they followed to Bethlehem. Or, someone who read only Matthew's version would learn of the Holy Family's flight to Egypt and the slaughter of the Holy Innocents by Herod, but would not know of the three faith-filled Gospel Canticles: The Magnificat, or Song of Mary, which she proclaimed when Elizabeth told her the baby lept in her womb when Mary, with Jesus in her womb drew near; or the Benedictus, The Canticle of Zechariah, which he proclaimed at the circumcision and the naming of his son, John; and lastly, the Nunc Dimittis, proclaimed when Simeon saw the infant Jesus being presented in the temple.

So, let's now examine the elements in the typical nativity scene, and find out where they come from. I will begin with the stable itself. Only Luke mentions that Jesus was born in one, and the manger which Mary laid Jesus in, only Luke again. Most of the nativity scenes have a star over the stable, representing the star which the Magi followed to Bethlehem. That's only in Matthew, as are the Magi themselves and their three gifts, again, only in Matthew. And the three Magi? The number is not mentioned at all, yet popular custom depicts three, because three gifts are mentioned. The shepherds and their sheep worshipping the baby Jesus are found only in Luke.

I think it's obvious by now that most of the elements we see in a typical creché are found in Luke's narrative. Matthew tells us very little of the birth of Jesus, he focuses more on the events which happened after the birth.

There are more animals we see in the usual nativity scene, the first two are the ox and the ass. Sorry, they are not from either Gospel, they were put there by St. Francis of Assissi, who displayed the first nativity scene in the Italian town of Grecio. And lastly, the camels of the Magi? Again, not mentioned at all. They come from a popular custom which reasons that since they came from the east, they must have ridden camels.

There you have it. I hope that now you won't be able to look at a nativity scene without thinking of the two beautiful Infancy Narratives of Matthew and Luke. Have a Holy and Blessed Christmas!