When we read the gospels through our 21st Century lenses our focus tends to be on the content of the message as we consider the Christmas story. We often overlook the small details because we see them as scene-setters for the main performance. In certain respects this is true, but primarily this is not the case.

The gospel accounts of the birth of Jesus were written in a time and context were a birth narrative was an actual literary genre. Today you might find ‘romance’, or ‘murder mystery’ in a bookshop but 2,000 years ago you would have found different categories including one called ‘birth of the heroes’.
In ancient culture, both Jewish and non-Jewish (which was mostly Greek, or Hellenic), these stories were essential if someone was to be considered a person of importance. The Bible itself contains many birth stories and genealogies, especially for some of its most important characters. Outside of the Bible you will find many Greek stories of gods and heroes and they would almost certainly include the story of the birth, and some important detail which would say something about the god or hero.
It was into this culture that the birth narrative of Jesus was presented and this is helpful to know when reading the stories, because it means that every detail is intentional and carries meaning.

Once you discover this and re-read the gospel accounts of the birth narratives, found in Matthew and Luke, you start to see amazing depth, colour, detail and patterns which you may not have seen before because you simply skipped over them.

This Advent may you read the stories of Jesus’ birth with fresh eyes and through a new lens of meaning.
May you see new things and discover amazing truths that take you deeper into the knowledge of Christ and God’s redemptive plan for the world.
May you know that the ‘small details’ of your own life are as essential to your story as the content and the big scenes.