Toward CHRISTMAS IN PICTURES

PICTURE 1: City of Bethlehem from the distance.
PICTURE 2: Marker in Church of Nativity in Latin" Here Jesus was born"
PICTURE 3: On a walk from Jerusalem to Bethlehem, came upon a cave.
PICTURE 4: Church of the BEATITUDES

Some years back I read this book: JESUS THROUGH MIDDLE EASTERN EYES by Kenneth E. Bailey.  Below is the review of the book I wrote for Amazon for my purchase.
The information in Part 1: "The Birth of Jesus" is worth the price of this book. Previous commentators had remarked that Luke has the Greek word katalyma in Luke 2:7 and again in Luke 22: 11. In the first instance it is commonly translated "inn". In the second instance it is commonly translated as "guest room" or "upper room". Bailey states, "it is 'an upper room' which is clearly a guest room in a private house. This precise meaning makes perfect sense when applied to the birth story." p.33 This explanation then includes the clarifying diagram of a typical village home in Palestine showing the stable, steps leading from the family living room to the stable, the mangers and finally the Guest Room "kataluma". Bailey goes on to expand on the Christmas story. But he states, "Looking at the story in this light strips away layers of interpretive mythology that have built up around it." Bailey's lived knowledge of the Middle East, rhetorical patterns, Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek and acquaintance with commentaries by Arabic speaking Christian theologians and exegetes makes this book truly unique. Examples could easily be multiplied. A summary glance of the Index section reveals the scope of this book: Early Jewish Sources, Middle Eastern Arabic and Syrian Christian Authors, Arabic, Armenian, Coptic and Syrian Versions of the Gospels, Greek and Latin Authors. One must read the book to see how masterfully these sources enrich the interpretation. Lastly the author does not hesitate to apply his exegesis to present day attitudes, issues and problems.