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“We have all eternity in which to enjoy our victories, but only one short life in which to win them.”

When I call Jesus Lord,” to cite Barclay once more, “I ought to mean that he is the absolute and undisputed owner and possessor of my life, and that he is the Master, whose servant and slave I must be all life long.

Such triumphalist teaching has its modern counterpart in the ‘prosperity-churches’ now burgeoning in many countries (i.e. ‘trust God and you will be prosperous, healthy and successful’). In such circles there is no theology of suffering remotely linked to the New Testament. Their teaching appeals to those who want a comfortable life with a clear conscience; enslaves many who find the theory never fits the facts of their experience and are then made to feel guilty for not having ‘enough faith’; and appals any whose circumstances make it virtually impossible for them to become in any sense prosperous and successful (into this group fall probably 75 per cent of the world). [cf. 1 Corinthians 15]

If people profess to believe the gospel, but have not given due consideration to what that implies and what it demands, they do not really trust Christ. Their belief is groundless and empty. They lack saving faith. [cf. 1 Corinthians 15:2]

“Before praying with someone to receive Christ, many leaders in the Middle East will ask two questions. First, are you willing to suffer for Jesus? And, second, are you willing to die for Jesus?” he said. “I wish we had those two questions in the New Members classes at churches in America.”

The noun translated “guest room” (κατάλυμα) refers to a guest chamber attached to the home. Jesus’ family stayed in an ordinary home, as would be expected. Because of his lineage, Joseph “belonged” in this village, and room would have been made for him and his wife. Bailey notes that Joseph could have announced, “ ‘I am Joseph, son of Heli, son of Matthat, the son of Levi’ and most homes in town would be open to him.” It would have been shameful for the entire community had the couple been turned out (see the discussion on expected Oriental hospitality in the commentary on 11:5–8). The couple stayed in the animal quarters of the home of a relative or acquaintance because someone who “outranked” them occupied the upper room in an overcrowded home.29

Luke uses that same word that is frequently translated “inn” (κατάλυμα) in 22:11 (Mark 14:14) to refer to “the guest room” where Jesus and his disciples eat the Last Supper. Luke does not use here the word for “inn” (πανδοχεῖον), which appears in 10:34 in the parable of the good Samaritan. Peasant homes normally consisted of two rooms, with one used exclusively for guests (see Matt 5:15, where the lamp on the lampstand gives light to all in the house; cf. also Luke 15:8).

The Christmas associations of an inn and an innkeeper, however, do not reflect the language of Luke’s text. Rather, κατάλυμα seems to refer to either some type of reception room in a private home or some type of public shelter. Since this place was full, refuge was sought elsewhere.