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A House of Bread

In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered.
This was the first registration and was taken
while Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to their own tons to be registered.
Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David.
Luke 2:1-4 (NRSV)

Bethlehem means "house of bread", and so named that because it was a center of wheat and other grain production. Bethlehem had a long history in scripture. It was a place frequented in the Patriarchal period and when Rachel died (remember she was married to Jacob who was renamed Israel by God) she was buried in Bethlehem. In the story of Ruth, she and Boaz meet in Bethlehem, and in marrying they become the grandparents of King David. It is King David who is the most prominent figure from Bethlehem and Luke makes it clear that it is Joseph who is from the line of David.

In the 6th century BC the prophet Micah speaks of the future of Bethlehem in relation to the Messiah - "But you, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah, who are one of the little clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to rule in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days." - Micah 5:2 (NRSV)
Later in Jesus' ministry his credentials and authority were constantly being attacked by the various religious rulers. At one point they bring up an important note about where the Messiah was to come from - seemingly, to discredit Jesus as a Galilean.
On the last day of the festival, the great day, while Jesus was standing there, he cried out, "Let anyone who is thirsty come to me,
and let the one who believes in me drink. As the scripture has said, 'Out of the believer's heart shall flow rivers of living water.'"
Now he said this about the Spirit, which believers in him were to receive; for as yet there was no Spirit, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
When they heard these words, some in the crowd said, "This is really the prophet."
Others said, "This is the Messiah." But some asked, "Surely the Messiah does not come from Galilee, does he?
Has not the scripture said that the Messiah is descended from David and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David lived?"
John 7:37-42 (NRSV)

This was preceded by one of Jesus' most well known statements about himself: Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. John 6:35 (NRSV)

How prophetic and poetic it was that God's son is "the Bread of Life" and that he would enter the world at a site called "the House of Bread".

Here's a thought...either buy some fresh baked bread, or better yet, make a loaf of bread and serve it at the meal you eat together with either family or others, and "break bread"...make it in honor of Jesus, the bread of life.

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