The Manger is a symbol of the beginning of the earthly life of Jesus of Nazareth just as the Cross is a symbol of its close. Humility and humiliation. In the previous book, Strangers at the Cross , we considered the context in which those most involved in his final hours made their decision for or against his death—some quietly and tentatively supportive and others vehemently and violently opposed. Who were they and what made them respond as they did?
Here in Strangers at the Manger all who appear in the story were caught up in events they did not plan and could not imagine. Who were they and how did they respond? The two records of the birth of Jesus of Nazareth—the Gospels of Matthew and Luke— provide only a brief glimpse of the 'nativity'. Beyond these, there is much more that we know of the culture and customs of the time enabling us to piece together the complex events at the beginning of the greatest life that has ever been recorded. It was a life that changed
the world and continues to do so.