• Elephant? – Verse 1 we find that they came from the East. Elephants were not uncommon for those traveling from the East. An elephant may make this manager scene seem different, but it actually may make it closer to the biblical account than most of the ones you have seen where they only have camels.

• Time? – Verse 11 of Matthew 2 declares the Magi visited the baby Jesus in a house and not in a stable or manger. It is also believed, and seems reasonable, that Herod went on to kill the babies 2 yrs old and younger because when Herod asked the wise men when they first came to Jerusalem, “the exact time the star appeared”, the king wanted to kill any child born within the time of the star appearing. Therefore, the baby Jesus was under 24 months old, but in a house when they visited.

Matthew 2:11 – “After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshipped Him.”

• Three? – How many wisemen came to see the baby Jesus. Many people believe there was three. They may be correct or they may not be. What we know from Scripture is that there were more than 1 because they were called “men”. The three come in because of the three gifts. We are given details about the gifts, but not the number of wise men.

Matthew 2:11 – “After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshipped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.”

• Angel? – The account of angels are found only prior to the birth of Jesus. We do not read of an angel being at the manger. However, we can be assured, just as the angels praised God in the sky before the shepherds, they probably were present at the manger. However, the Bible just does not include an account of an angel being there.

Luke 1:26 – “And coming in, he said to her . . .”

Luke 2:8-9 – “In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened.”

Luke 2:13 – “And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,”

• Shepherd? – There was a shepherd at the manger, but he was not alone. The shepherds were out in the field keeping watch over their flocks when an angel appeared to them. Angels then joined in to the praise of the good news delivered to the lowest of people in the culture. Once the angels went away . . .

Luke 2:15 – “When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, “Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us.”

• Manger? – Jesus was not born in a manger, but was laid in a manger, which was a feeding trough made of wood and stone, for larger animals to eat from. Jesus was born in more of a stable or barn. So why is it called “A Manger Scene”? Because the focus of the scene and the greatest gift ever given to mankind is found in that manger!

Luke 2:7 – And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

• Clothes? – The angel announced to the shepherds how they will be able to find the baby. They were NOT to follow a star. The wisemen did that. They were to look for the baby in a stable, lying in a manger, and wrapped in swaddling cloths (KJV). Swaddling clothes would have made the baby immobile. The same way new born babies are wrapped today.

Luke 2:12 –This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”