Hamilton, along with various other students of the history of Bethlehem, indicate that Justin Martyr, of the second century C.E., was the first to claim that Jesus was born in a grotto, without specifying which one.
Hamilton koos mitmete teiste Petlemma ajaloo uurijatega näitasid, et teisest sajandist m.a.j. pärit Justinus Märter oli esimene, kes väitis, et Jeesus sündis koopas, täpsustamata, millises neist.