Luke 2, Part One

The birth of Jesus (vs. 1-7)—Luke hops back to the birth-time of John the Baptist (“those days,” v. 1) for his next event. Caesar Augustus was the first Roman emperor. He was the nephew of Julius Caesar, and the man who defeated Marc Antony to unite Rome after nearly a century of civil war. He was emperor from 27 B.C. to 14 A.D. Our month of August is named after him, having formerly been called Sextilis. He issued a decree for a census, the first step in the process of taxation. One had to go to one's hometown to be enrolled (v. 3). Joseph, being originally from Bethlehem, had to travel to that city from Nazareth, where he had apparently been working and living (that’s where Mary was when Gabriel appeared to her, 1:26). The prophet Micah had prophesied that Jesus would be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2). Luke indicates that Joseph had to go to Bethlehem “because he was of the house and family of David” (v. 4). It was almost time for Mary to give birth (v. 5), which she did soon after arrival in Bethlehem (v. 6). There is, of course, no Biblical evidence that Jesus was born on December 25. The eastern (Orthodox) church initially celebrated Jesus’ birthday on January 6, reasoning that since the first Adam was born on the sixth day of creation, the second Adam must have been born on the sixth day of the year. In the 4th century, in order to compromise with pagan beliefs, the Catholic Church set December 25 as the birth date of Jesus. December 25 was actually (considered by pagans) the birth date of a “Sun God,” that day being (under the calendar used at the time) the winter solstice. Mary had to lay Jesus in a manger, because “there was no room for them in the inn” (v. 7), perhaps because other travelers had taken up all the rooms because of the census. Inns contained stables as well as rooms. Justin Martyr, a second century Christian writer, said that there was a tradition that Jesus was born in a cave before being moved to the stable. This is almost surely false. The wise men of Matthew’s gospel did not appear until much later, perhaps over a year.

The proclamation to the shepherds (vs. 8-20)—These fields of the shepherds were probably the same which David tended his flock. They were far enough from town that the shepherds were “abiding in the field, and keeping watch by night over the flock” (v. 8). An angel came and “stood by them,” and “the glory of the Lord shone round about them” (v. 9). Not surprisingly, the shepherds were afraid (v. 9), but were encouraged by the angel (v. 10). He then told them of the birth, “this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is the Christ” (v. 11). The word “Christ” is Greek; “Messiah” is the Hebrew word, and it means “anointed.” The angel then told the shepherds where to find the babe (a manger, v. 12), obviously intending for them to go see and worship Him. McGarvey makes an interesting comment: “What fearful odds! What a strange contrast! Idolatry on the throne (in the person of Augustus Cæsar), and the founder of a new religion and a new empire lying in a manger!”—Four-Fold Gospel. In verse 13, a multitude of angels appeared giving glory to God (v. 14). When the angels departed, the shepherds decided to go to Bethlehem (v. 15), which they did, finding Mary, Joseph, and the babe exactly where the angel said they would be (v. 16). The shepherds told of their encounter with the angel (v. 17), which caused great wonderment among the people--more miraculous events. What is God doing after 400 years? They should have known, but Jewish obtuseness was great—we see it multiple times among the apostles of Jesus during His earthly ministry—and that obtuseness remains among the Jewish people to this very day. Mary herself wasn’t quite sure what these things all meant (v. 19), but she was “pondering them in her heart” (v. 19). She obviously knew things no one else did (her own virgin birth; Joseph was aware of this as well, of course. It’s questionable whether they told anyone else for fear of being disbelieved, but one does wonder what others thought of Mary giving birth before she was married.). The shepherds went back to their fields “praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen” (v. 20). What blessed men they were to see the babe Jesus!