No Crying He Made? (Vanity)

[Logophile]

The traditional Christmas song "Away in a Manger" says "The cattle are lowing, the poor baby wakes/But little Lord Jesus, no crying He makes."

This has always struck me as unlikely—infants cry. But perhaps there is some theological point I have missed. Does anyone here believe that the infant Jesus did not cry?

[William Terrell]

Not sure I'd want to eat a marshmellow toasted over. . .that kind of fire.

[HungarianGypsy]

My baby didn't cry when he was born. He just looked around. Yes, he was/is healthy.

[Sloth]

The Steve Miller Band song "Take the Money and Run" says 'Billy Mack is a detective down in Texas / You know he knows just exactly what the facts is / He ain’t gonna let those two escape justice / He makes his livin’ off other people’s taxes'

This has always perplexed me. But perhaps there is some point I have missed. Is it actually correct that Billy Mack knows exactly what the facts is rather than what the facts are? Is there some to pronounce "justice" such that it will remotely rhyme with either Texas, 'facts is' or taxes?

[anniegetyourgun]

I'm still thinking of posting one with the title: Why? No text follows. It seems to me that would be the ultimate vanity. Maybe I'll do it on Christmas Eve....when no one is looking!

[johniegrad]

I suggest we collect them, get some matches, and have a "Bonfire of the Vanities".

[johniegrad]

Ooops. Sorry. Didn't see you previous post. A bottle of Magnificat with dinner has my guard down a bit.

[LadyDoc]

the hymn was written 1500 years after Christ was born...

However, I believe what it means is that he was an "easy" baby, not a colicy one...

[Tax-chick]

Tex-iz
Fax-iz
Just-iz
Tax-iz

I didn't check your profile ... is you not from Texas?

[HarleyD]

There are also a number of Christmas songs which says the "Angels sang". Actually there are only two places in scripture where the angels sing. One is at creation and the second is at our Lord Jesus' return. They never sing at the birth of Chirst.

It doesn't matter. I still like the songs.

[PetroniusMaximus]

***Jesus was a perfect man. He was therefore a perfect baby.***


You put forward interesting ideas, but being that the Scripture is silent on the subject...


The fact that Jesus was the perfect man did not stop him from being angry, frustrated, disappointed, etc.

I think that the over-sanitized Jesus is more a product of man's theology (be it Catholic or Victorian Protestant) than an actual picture of the Jesus of the Scriptures.

[Logophile]

There are also a number of Christmas songs which says the "Angels sang". Actually there are only two places in scripture where the angels sing. One is at creation and the second is at our Lord Jesus' return. They never sing at the birth of Christ.

I thought you must be mistaken about the angels not singing at Christ's birth, so I looked it up. Here is what Luke 2:13–14 says;

"13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

"14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men."

So it appears you are right. I learn something new every day. Thanks.


It doesn't matter. I still like the songs.

So do I.

[Logophile]

The writer had no kids?

Quite possibly he or she didn't. However, it is clear from the rest of your post that you do!

[agedav]

Why a newborn might not cry (from a father of 5 and grandpa of 13):
1. He was tired from all the work of being born in the normal manner.
2. His mother had wrapped Him tightly in cloth to help Him feel secure, just as is if still in the womb.
3. He was in the soft hay in the manger.
4. His mother was with him.
But, indeed, Franz Gruber wrote the song many years after the event. Perhaps he did not know what really happened. Perhaps it is beautiful poetic license.

[dangus]

I'm real fuzzy, if I ever even knew something about this at all, but yes, I do believe there is a theological assertion being made.

I know that because Mary conceived without being defiled by the spiritual effects of Adam's sins (I'm wording that really carefully because from another thread it appears to me that he disagreement between Catholics and Orthodox over the Immaculate Conception is one over wording; the Orthodox believe Catholics' wording of "original sin" is misleading.) that Mary did not experience pain in giving birth. Likewise, it would make sense that the baby would experience neither the pain, nor would he experience birth as a loss.

But I'm getting way too wild, and I'm sure there's a theologically similar way of explaining it that doesn't alientate Protestants.

[D-fendr]

Dunno, but we do know the adult Jesus wept.