Joseph and Mary

What is meant by Joseph and Mary being “betrothed” (Luke 2:5)?
See Bride and Bridegroom and Firstborn Son.

Where are “Judea” and “Bethlehem” (Luke 2:4)?
Judea referred to the southern 1/3 of Israel and included Bethlehem.

How far did Joseph and Mary travel?
Bethlehem is 110 kilometers (68 miles) south of “Nazareth” (Luke 2:4) and Judea is at a higher elevation than Galilee, hence the need to go “up from Galilee” (Luke 2:4). If Joseph and Mary detoured around Samaria as most Jews did (see Samaritan Woman), their journey would have covered many more kilometers / miles.

Did Mary ride on a donkey?
Riding on a donkey back then was like riding in a luxury car today; the rich rode on donkeys or other animals while everyone else, including the poor like Joseph and Mary, who couldn’t even afford a lamb (see Presentation of Jesus), walked. Given the long journey and Mary being pregnant, it’s possible for Joseph to have borrowed a donkey for Mary to ride on, but the Bible never says Mary rode on a donkey or any other animal, and the fact that Joseph, Mary and Jesus remained in Bethlehem for up to two years (see Slaughter of the Innocents) makes such a loan unlikely. Whether on foot or riding on an animal, this was a long and difficult journey for a pregnant woman.

Why is Bethlehem called “the town of David” (Luke 2:4)?
David, the second king of Israel, who lived a thousand years prior, was born and raised in Bethlehem: “But David went back and forth from Saul to feed his father’s sheep at Bethlehem” (1 Samuel 17:15).

Where are “Galilee” and “Nazareth” (Luke 2:4)?
“Galilee” refers to the region around the Sea of Galilee in northern Israel. Nazareth, located about 25 kilometers (16 miles) west of the southern tip of the Sea of Galilee (photo), is a city of about 70,000 today. Two thousand years ago, it was a town with an estimated population of no more than 2,000.

Where was the “guest room” (Luke 2:7) that had no space for them?
καταλυμα (kataluma), the root of the original Greek word that is translated as “guest room” also in Mark 14:14 and Luke 22:11, is a room for guests, either at an inn or at a residence. If at an inn, it would have been a large communal room for all of the guests, not a private room like those in a hotel today.

What are “swaddling cloths” and “manger” (Luke 2:7)?
Swaddling cloths are cloths that wrap and protect babies, while manger is an open feeding trough where animals eat their food - i.e., their food bowl.

What does Mary giving birth to her “firstborn” (Luke 2:7) Son imply?
See Firstborn Son.