No Room at the Inn

In the 2024 Doctor Who Christmas Special, Joy to the World, Ncuti Gatwa’s doctor arrives at a Time Hotel. Instead of bedrooms, each door leads a guest to a destination in history. The Assassination of Julius Ceasar. And the birth of Jesus. “No wonder there was no room at the inn,” quips the doctor.

This references a passing comment in Luke 2:7. Mary and Joseph have travelled to Bethlehem, “the town of David”, for a census.

While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. (Luke 2:6,7)

The Incarnation is a singular momemnt in history. Its dating, however inaccurately calculated (it’s 4-6 years out, by most estimates) defines our calendar: my calendar tells me I am writing 2025 years after the birth of Christ.

It is singular because a sovereign God becoming fully human happened exactly once in history. It is singular because this is the only time a soverign God is even claimed to have become fully human. It is singular because of why God came down to man: to sacrifice himself for his people: the Allah of Islam makes no sacrifices for his people; the Buddha was neither God not–no matter how disciplined–sacrificial.

The story of who Jesus was, and what he achieved, is therefore of vital importance to us. Not only is Jesus at the centre of history, his actions place him at the centre of humanity. The accounts of these things will occuppy the next few articles.

The rest of the nativity story, meanwhile, is best experienced through its recital by Linus, in 1965’s A Charlie Brown Christmas.