No Tyrian Purple, Just Strips of Cloth

A year ago today little Halston was born. 

Scripture:

Luke 2:⁶ While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. ⁷ And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

Observation:

Mary and Joseph have arrived in Bethlehem but the tiny town is now crowded by those who have arrived for the census. While this is the town of Joseph’s ancestors, no relative seems to have space for them. Hospitality was a normal part of Jewish culture, but in an overcrowded house, where was a young lady to deliver a baby? Often the “inn” referred to the main inner room of a home, which had a back area where the animals were kept. In the cooler months the body heat from the animals would help to warm the home. Imagine a room full of travelers with their things spread out on the floor and in walks a very pregnant young girl. I can imagine all of them pointing Mary and Joseph in the direction of the room in the back with the animals so they could have some privacy. 

There’s a part of me that hopes that one or two of the women jumped into action to assist Mary in delivering her child. We don’t have any details about those moments, but we know that she delivered her first baby. Now, Luke’s attention to detail becomes significant. Jesus, who is the newborn King of the Jews, is not treated as royalty, but as a homeless traveler. The historian Bede tells us:

 “He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities.” It should be noted that the sign given of the Savior’s birth is not a child enfolded in Tyrian purple, but one wrapped with rough pieces of cloth. He is not to be found in an ornate golden bed, but in a manger. The meaning of this is that he did not merely take upon himself our lowly mortality, but for our sakes took upon himself the clothing of the poor. Though he was rich, yet for our sake he became poor, so that by his poverty we might become rich. Though he was Lord of heaven, he became a poor man on earth, to teach those who lived on earth that by poverty of spirit they might win the kingdom of heaven (Bede, EXPOSITION OF THE GOSPEL OF LUKE 1).

Jesus’ birth is witness to the life that he will lead. God chose to send his Son into the world as an ordinary child so that the ordinary could become extraordinary. 

Application:

Luke mentions the manger three times, and the strips of cloth twice in his narrative. It’s Bede who mentions the contrast of the Tyrian purple and the rough pieces of cloth, because there is significance in the different types of fabric. Tyrian purple is the brilliant color of purple that for centuries has been reserved for royalty. Coming from small mollusks found in the Mediterranean sea, it takes nearly 10,000 of these little snails to create an ounce of the purple dye. This dye doesn’t fade but actually becomes brighter with time in the sun and wear. Only the very wealthy could afford to buy purple cloth, but one can imagine a royal baby being treated to the very best, and laid in a golden crib. The contrast of an animal’s feeding bin and cloths, probably ripped from Mary’s own clothing, cannot be greater.

It’s in this contrast of Tyrian purple and strips of cloth that the depth of the Christmas story comes to life. Because Jesus was willing to enter the ordinary, he creates a pathway for the ordinary to become extraordinary. By sharing life with the commoners of this world, he reveals the values of the kingdom of God where the gold of this world simply becomes pavement for road systems. 

This story asks us to consider what is important in our lives. Have you been working hard for the Tyrian purple; the big house, the nice SUV, the holiday trips? Or are you willing to step into the ordinary, following Jesus on his mission, to touch the world? For every one of us that might look different, but I believe it is an honest evaluation and consideration of how we are living our lives and using our resources. 

I live in a city of great contrast which is visible by the physical dividing line known as Troost Avenue. When the city was being developed deeds were written in such a way that blacks and Jews could not purchase property west of Troost. While those laws have long since been changed, they leave their scar on a community in which the poor live in certain neighborhoods. I used to live east of Troost and grew to love the community and her people. Some of the most joyful moments in life came from entering Niece’s on Troost and the waitresses all greeting me, “Miss Carla.” I loved living in the ordinary and watching God do the extraordinary. 

For reasons related to my work, I moved west three years ago. My neighborhood is much more affluent and there have been many times that my husband and I have reflected on how much we miss the old community. My life has become more itinerant - or at least it was before COVID - when I spend much of my time on the road. Now, it’s on the road virtually via Zoom — but I hunger to physically spend time with God’s people. The more I follow Christ, the less I desire Tyrian purple, and the more I am filled with joy when experiencing the life of cloth strips. God intentionally chose a manger and cloth strips for Jesus. What will we choose? 

Prayer:

Lord, I’m a person of cloth strips. I don’t have enough gratitude in my heart for your willingness to reach someone like me. Amen.