Away in a Manger

Now it is a song about Jesus’ birth so perhaps it’s passable. But I think the danger of this hymn is it leaves Jesus in the manger. And that’s where many people want to leave him. That’s partly why I think Christmas is such a big deal still in our society and people are happy to come along to church at Christmas time. Because at Christmas they get a Jesus they like. A Jesus they can stomach. Meek mild and easy to ignore. Not the King of Kings who demands their submission.

So aside from my feeling of this problem with the vibe of the carol. It does also remind us of some good things and help us to reflect on our understanding of Jesus.

Away in a Manger

Complex history

It was called - “Luther’s Cradle Hymn”. As people thought that Martin Luther had written it as a lullaby for his children. Though this doesn’t stand up to any historical evidence. Most likely written by someone in the USA in the mid to late 1800s. And its first appearance was in 1885 in a Children’s song book.

There are also loads of differences in the published versions of this song. Eg. end of v2 “stay by my side, until morning is nigh” in our hymn book can also read “stay by my cradle, till morning is nigh”. And I could go on.

It also has a varied history of tune. With two tunes being popular and you probably know them both.

There’s the one we sang today written by William Kirkpatrick, originally to use the carol in work he was doing in schools teaching kids about Jesus in 1895.

The other, (starts high) known as the Mueller tune. Penned by James Murray and predates the version we sang by about 10 years.

So how does this carol help us to reflect on Jesus this Christmas?

Jesus’ humble birth (Verse 1)

Reminds us of the story:

Luke 2:4–7 NIV (Anglicised, 2011)

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 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.

Logos Hymnal Away in a Manger

Away in a manger, no crib for a bed,

The little Lord Jesus laid down His sweet head:

The stars in the sky looked down where He lay;

The little Lord Jesus, asleep on the hay.

The carol brings alive the humility of what Jesus has done. The upside down nature of God’s kingdom is so clearly and evidently seen here.

That the king of the world, the one who makes and sustains all things finds himself as a man and not just any man, not a rich man, not a ruling man, but a man whose family have found themselves without a proper place to stay. This is just not how it should be.

Remember:

Prince William and Princess Kate had their first baby - Prince George (2013)

Princess Mary and her 4 children (2005, 07, 11).

The mind numbing media coverage these events are given. When royalty are born it’s a big deal.

When Jesus was born, the stars in the bright sky looked down where he lay, that is the heaven’s knew what was going on, the angels knew what was going on, but to this world the event passed by without notice.

God does not do things according to our logic. He’s got a better, wiser more beautiful way.

As Paul says,

1 Corinthians 1:24–25 NIV (Anglicised, 2011)

but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.

And in God’s wisdom, Jesus being born to poor peasants in a stable in fact shows us that his mission is not simply for the rich and powerful. Jesus rather has come to save all people from all walks of life.

Jesus as both God and man (Verse 2)

Logos Hymnal Away in a Manger

The cattle are lowing, the Baby awakes,

But little Lord Jesus, no crying he makes;

I love Thee, Lord Jesus! look down from the sky,

And stay by my cradle till morning is nigh.

And stay by my side until morning is nigh

This is potentially problematic.

For it sounds like it’s saying Jesus didn’t cry as a baby.

Why is that problematic? Because if what this verse is saying is that because Jesus was God then he was a special baby who didn’t cry then the carol is denying Jesus’ full humanity.

And that is a heresey called Docetism.

Docetism

A Greek word meaning “to appear”.

The Lexham Bible Dictionary Key Theological Ideas

rejects the notion that Jesus Christ actually lived in a physical, human body. Instead, docetic theology asserts that Jesus only appeared to take on a human body during His earthly life.

Came from a worldview that viewed physical matter (like the body) to be inferior to spiritual matter. Therefore Jesus, being divine and spiritual could’ve only appeared to be a man, not actually being a man.

The problem:

The Lexham Bible Dictionary Key Theological Ideas

it rejects the possibility that Jesus experienced the breadth of human existence, including pain, eating, drinking, and hunger.

The Lexham Bible Dictionary Key Theological Ideas

docetic theology undermines the historic value of Jesus’ virgin birth, crucifixion, bodily resurrection

If Jesus is not a really a human. Then he can’t really die in our place. Yes he was without sin. But he was like us in our humanity in every other way. Including crying when he was a baby, because I can tell you, babies cry.

Now it is possible that the carol simple means that in this particular moment it’s referring to, baby Jesus as he’s sleeping on the hay and is woken by the sound of the cattle that he wakes up but doesn’t cry. But really? It’s bizarre.

So when you sing this verse, feel the theological tension rise as you think, gosh this is borderline heresy. And then rejoice that the lord Jesus whom you declare your love for in the next line and who is looking down from on high, is doing so as both God and man. Jesus gets what it’s like to be a human. The writer of the Hebrews reminds us of the glory of Jesus’ humanity

Hebrews 4:14–16 NIV (Anglicised, 2011)

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to feel sympathy for our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

It is precisely because Jesus was fully human, and tempted in every way just like us, that we can go to him and ask him for help. It is precisely why he will be by our side, giving us the grace and mercy we need because he knows that it’s tough to be us! This life is hard. Jesus will help us.

And of course this ongoing love and care for us is what we reflect on in verse 3.

Jesus ongoing love and care for us (Verse 3)

Logos Hymnal Away in a Manger

Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask Thee to stay

Close by me forever, and love me I pray;

Bless all the dear children in Thy tender care,

And fit us for heaven to live with Thee there.

The opening line reminds us of the biblical truth we read about in James 4:8

James 4:8 NIV (Anglicised, 2011)

Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

How do we do that? When we come to God in prayer and ask him to be near us and to help us, he will and he does.

Multiple times in my life where this has been the case.

Where in my leadership I’ve felt out of my depth and scared about how I was going to get stuff done and God has met me in my prayers and given me the strength to trust him in my weakness.

Where I’ve been scared because a situation has been outside my control and God has drawn near to be in my prayers and given me supernatural peace.

Where I’ve been wrestling with sin and temptation and God has given me the strength to resist.

When God comes near to us, as we drawn near to him, it is indeed a great blessing. It is wonderful to know we are God’s children and he cares for us.

But also the final line reminds us that as we continually draw near to God, and as he draws near to us and helps us, it is transforming.

Paul says in

Philippians 3:10–11 NIV (Anglicised, 2011)

I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.

Philippians 3:14 NIV (Anglicised, 2011)

I press on towards the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenwards in Christ Jesus.

As we spend time with Jesus. As we become more like Jesus. We are continuing the journey that will ultimately lead to spending eternity with Jesus in total perfection.

That’s the goal. The Christmas story, the birth of Jesus, is simply the start of Jesus’ story. His work for us. And our lives to this point are also merely at the beginning. We have an eternity to spend with Jesus if we continue to draw near to him and allow him to transform us each and every day.

May the humble birth of Jesus, God in the flesh, cause you to see God’s deep love for you and may you spend every day from now until eternity experiencing more and more the love of Jesus in your life. For that is ultimately what this carol is inviting you to do this Christmas.

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