The New Testament hardly even hints that this might have been the case
Vatican City: An evangelical scholar has claimed that entire story of Jesus being born in a stable may be based on a misreading of the New Testament, saying that he was not, in fact, born there.
Rev Ian Paul recently took to his blog claiming that Jesus wasn't born in a stable, and, curiously, the New Testament hardly even hints that this might have been the case, the Guardian reported.
“I am sorry to spoil your preparations for Christmas,” wrote Paul on his blog, “but Jesus wasn’t born in a stable, and, curiously, the New Testament hardly even hints that this might have been the case.”
Paul, who is a theologian and former Dean of Studies at St John's theological college, Nottingham, said that Greek word, kataluma, usually translated as "Inn" was in fact used for a reception room in a private house - the same term is used to describe the "upper room" where Jesus and his disciples ate the last supper.
He also said that an entirely different word, pandocheion, is used to describe an "Inn" or any other place where strangers are welcomed and even if there were an inn in Bethlehem, arguing that Joseph and Mary would not have been staying there and that the only reason for them to travel to Bethlehem for the census was because he had family there.
