Jesus birth location?

These were my two friends on the walk from Jerusalem to Bethlehem. This cave had an interesting construction. At the immediate entrance to the cave there was a low type of enclosure. It appeared that the front part of the cave was used for the animals. Then as we proceeded back into the cave, there was another higher barrier, that seemed to set off the living space of the family from the area prepared for the animals. In this living space there was a hole in the ceiling of the cave, through which we could see the sky above. It was clearly marked with black from the fire that would warm this area. The hole allowed the smoke to exit the cave.
One of my favorite scripture scholars is Kenneth E. Bailey. In 2008 he published JESUS THROUGH MIDDLE EASTERN EYES (Cultural Studies in the Gospels). The first chapter is titled: "The Story of Jesus' Birth" He states: "The traditional understanding of the account in Luke 2:1-18 contains a number of critical flaws." He then lists five critical flaws.

But the following text together with an accompanying diagram evoked my experience of traveling to Bethlehem, page 28,29: "For the Western mind the word manger invokes the words stable or barn. But in traditional Middle Eastern villages this is not the case. In the parable of the rich fool (Lk. 12:13-21) there is mention of "storehouses" but not barns. People of great wealth would naturally have had separate quarters for animals. But simple village homes in Palestine often had but two rooms. One was exclusively for guests. That room could be attached to the end of the house or be a "prophet's chamber" on the roof, as in the story of Elijah (1 Kings 17:19). The main room was a "family room" where the entire family cooked, ate, slept and lived. The end of the room next to the door, was either a few feet lower than the rest of the floor or blocked off with heavy timbers. Each night into that designated area, the family cow, donkey and a few sheep would be driven. And every morning those same animals were taken out and tied up in the courtyard of the house. The animal stall would then be cleaned for the day. Such simple homes can be traced from the time of David up to the middle of the twentieth century. I have seen them both in Upper Galilee and in Bethlehem." It surely seemed logical to me that the structure of the cave that we had witnessed along our hike would be transferred to a building at a later time.
Bailey goes on to explain the Greek word katalyma. NRSV (Lk. 2:7)translates this word: "...there was no place for them in the inn." Bailey goes on to tell us that Luke used this word on one other occasion in his Gospel (Luke 22: 10-12) "The teacher asks you, 'Where is the guest room (katalyma) where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?'"

Date of the Gospels in relation to the Epistles

It is generally accepted among scripture scholars today that the genuine epistles of Paul were written before the Gospels. The earliest Gospel, Mark, is usually dated around 60 A.D. Matthew and Mark between 70 and 80 A.D. and John even later.

Just recently I heard a presentation which offered that the writings of Luke, the Gospel and Acts, were written as a corrective to some of the message of Paul. The case goes something like the following:

Look at the introductory words of the Gospel.
1 Since many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the events that have been fulfilled among us,2 just as those who were eyewitnesses from the beginning and ministers of the word have handed them down to us,3 I too have decided, after investigating everything accurately anew, to write it down in an orderly sequence for you, most excellent Theophilus,4 so that you may realize the certainty of the teachings you have received.
Luke mentions eye witnesses and surely knows that Paul was not an eye witness. He is "investigating everything accurately anew".

In the introduction to the Acts Luke states: 1 In the first book, Theophilus, I dealt with all that Jesus did and taught 2 until the day he was taken up, after giving instructions through the holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen.

In Chapter six of Acts, men are chosen "to wait on table". Among them are Stephen and Philip, but notice what happens with Stephen and Philip.

If we think about conversion in the Scriptures, the most popular account many times is that of Saul who became Paul.

But if we look at chapter 6 ff of the Acts of the Apostles we see several conversion experiences. The conversion of Stephen and his long discourse is told in great detail. But at the end of the account we read: They threw him out of the city, and began to stone him. The witnesses laid down their cloaks at the feet of a young man named Saul.

The story of Philip demands a conversion on his part. An angel of the Lord tells him to approach the Ethiopian Eunuch, a doubly marginalized person (black and eunuch). It seems only his wealth and prestige allowed him to worship in Jerusalem. The Eunuch is reading from the prophecy of Isaiah or the prophet Isaiah. If he is reading from the prophecy of Isaiah about Eunuch's in chapter 56, we see that Eunuch's will replace some people in the Kingdom. 2 Let not the foreigner say, when he would join himself to the LORD, "The LORD will surely exclude me from his people"; Nor let the eunuch say, "See, I am a dry tree." 4 For thus says the LORD: To the eunuchs who observe my sabbaths and choose what pleases me and hold fast to my covenant,5 I will give, in my house and within my walls, a monument and a name Better than sons and daughters; an eternal, imperishable name will I give them. 6
And the foreigners who join themselves to the LORD, ministering to him, Loving the name of the LORD, and becoming his servants-- All who keep the sabbath free from profanation and hold to my covenant,7 Them I will bring to my holy mountain and make joyful in my house of prayer; Their holocausts and sacrifices will be acceptable on my altar, For my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.8 Thus says the Lord GOD, who gathers the dispersed of Israel: Others will I gather to him besides those already gathered. The quote in Acts is from chapter 53. Philip is to not only approach the Ethiopian Eunuch but to get into the carriage and sit with him. (Remember the Jewish laws about defilement, speaking to a woman in public [Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well], touching a person with a flow of blood, touching a dead body [the man on the road to Jericho], etc.) But the outcome is that Philip baptizes the Ethiopian Eunuch.

Next we have the conversion experience of Paul.

Then we have the dramatic story of Peter's conversion. Three times he must receive the vision to be convinced to go to the house of the Gentile Cornelius. Finally Peter states "In truth, I see that God shows no partiality. 35 Rather, in every nation whoever fears him and acts uprightly is acceptable to him." Peter then preaches and suddenly "While Peter was still speaking these things, the holy Spirit fell upon all who were listening to the word."

It would seem to me that Luke is telling the people of his time and us, that we must follow the way of Jesus which is to include, rather than to exclude. This has powerful implications for the present attitudes and treatment toward gay people, divorced people, people of other religions, unchurched people, etc.