Bible Groups - Digests of Bible Commentaries

Gospel of Luke - Chapter 2:1-20 - Birth of Jesus

1 The coming births of John and Jesus have been shown to be the fulfilment of Jewish expectations, and so the work of the Holy Spirit. Now events in the pagan world also cooperate and foretell the birth of the Messiah in Jesus.
2 However none of the known universal registrations (28 BC, 8 BC, 14 AD) occur within a few years of 0 BC, and the reigns of Caesar Augustus (27 BC-14 AD), Herod the Great (37 BC-4 BC) and Quirinius (from 6 AD) do not coincide. A local census was taken in Judea in 6 AD, but residents of Galilee would not be affected.
3 Presumably Luke’s intent is to show that Jesus Christ, the true prince of peace, came into the world during the Pax Romana - also then called Pax Augusta - when the Gentile world looked upon Caesar as prince of peace and saviour. Jesus will replace this with a Pax Christi.
4 As was normal for ancient historians, Luke reworks the facts, such as a census to cause Joseph and Mary to travel to David’s city of Bethlehem, to fit his theological purpose, and fulfill the prophecy (Mic 5:2), and also to associate Jesus’ birth with historical events occurring around the same time, and to imply Jesus’ birth will have worldwide effects. (Mt has Mary & Joseph already living in Bethlehem).
5 Not obvious why Mary went with Joseph: some ms imply she was also of David’s house; or perhaps Joseph preferred not to leave her so near her time - but it was a long journey. Note she is still described as “betrothed” although there has been time for Mary to have gone to Joseph’s house to complete the marriage celebration. Doubt about Luke’s historical accuracy about the birth of Jesus throws doubt on the suggestion that Luke got his information from family sources - unlikely the family would not remember the historical background).
6 Note how few words Luke devotes to the actual birth - many more are given to words and events surrounding it - and to where Jesus was laid! We should not be taken in by the modern Nativity plays: as a carpenter, Joseph was a well-to-do tradesman or artisan, possibly employing others - a small businessman. Returning to his home town, he and his betrothed would have been welcomed - perhaps uproariously - by his relations, both resident and visiting.
7 So their houses would have been crowded and noisy. “No room” is not the same as “not a room”. Finding a quiet place for Mary’s confinement would not be easy, and using the lower part of the house in which the animals dwelt, a source of warmth, would have been natural, as would using a manger and swaddling clothes (implies parental care; also cf birth of Solomon (Wis 7:4-5). The Greek kataluma can be translated either as inn or lodging or guest-room, and phatne can mean either manger or stable. All seems consistent with a typical dwelling house for an extended family at that time.
“Manger” might refer to Isa 1:3: “the donkey knows the manger of its lord; but Israel has not known me” - the shepherds, God’s people, have begun to know the manger of their lord. The newborn Jesus, who will bring the food of life, is laid in a food bin. “Firstborn” son is simply the honorific and legal title to the first born, and does not imply that Mary had - or did not have - more children.
Jesus’ birth contrasts with John’s: this is no barren woman, given a child conceived in the normal human way: the only way a virgin can conceive is with God’s involvement. Pathogenesis could produce a female only. Mary’s virginity is essential to the claim that Jesus is uniquely Son of God. But the honour given to Mary is because of her willingness to accept the role God offered her. [Lateran Council 649 held that Mary retained her virginity both during and ever after Jesus’ birth.]
8 An angel appears again to announce Jesus’ birth - this time to shepherds, among the poorest members of that society - the lowly are the first to hear the good news. And David was a shepherd.
9 And with the usual fear and “Do not be afraid”. Luke almost always uses the verb: “I proclaim to you the good news” (evangelizomai) (Cf Isa 52:7; 61:1).
10 The angel announces important titles for Jesus (substituting for those in Isa 9:5): good news of great joy for all the people; a saviour (used only by Luke in the gospels); Messiah (Greek Christos = Hebrew masiah = anointed one); Lord (kyrios). The new baby is clearly human, but we need the angel to announce his divinity.
12 The double sign for them to find the right baby is “swaddling clothes + manger” - so that they can report what they have been told by the angel.
13 More, the birth announcement is greeted by the singing of a heavenly host - the shortest of the infancy hymn, but used ever since at the beginning of the Gloria. There is joy among the angels too at Jesus’ birth.
14 Importantly emphasising that Jesus’ birth brings God’s peace as a gift “to those on whom God’s favour rests”, or “in whom he delights”. Eastern texts and Authorised Version prefer “on earth peace, goodwill towards men”. This peace is the peace of the OT (Zech 1:7-8), more than just the absence of war - it is wholeness in relations between people and God, among one another, within oneself, and between the whole created order. And this peace can come only from God, not by man’s unaided efforts. This peace through God acting in Jesus brings honor to God and so glorifies God. Certainly news of great joy!
15 Not unreasonably after such a miraculous announcement they decide to go and see - compare Jesus’ invitation to 2 of John’s disciples to “come and see” (Jn 1:39).
The shepherds - the first witnesses - go “in haste” - eager, like Mary, to respond to the good news - to see this marvel, telling Mary - and her astonished family - of the marvels they had seen and heard. They are messengers, to take the angel’s message - and the heavenly hymn - to Mary.
16 Note the sequence: angel says “swaddled baby in a manger is the Messiah & Lord”; shepherds see swaddled baby in manger - angel’s words are true - and so pass on the good news about the baby told to them by the angel - “he is Messiah & Lord”. Don’t focus on the manger - look at what it is pointing to and revealing.
17 Seeing the words of the angel confirmed - especially by the mention of a manger - also confirm their other words: that the baby is Messiah & Lord.
18 The message of the gospel is already spreading - the divine events are made known to all - those with her are astonished and the shepherds praise God. We need the humility of the shepherds and their willingness to accept the angel’s words at face value, to look beyond the sentimental portrayals of the story to see the God-man helpless in a cave, vulnerable and defenceless in our world, to lead us to utter dependence on God.
19 But only Mary appears to retain and continue to mull over these events - she has much to “throw together” = “ponder in her heart”! The immensity of the birth of a saviour being hidden in this quiet birth. Mary is the only figure from the infancy narratives to appear in the ministry - she is a bridge, linking the mystery of the events surrounding Jesus’ birth with his ministry. Luke seems to be implying Mary’s growth in discipleship - she held on to the events and angel’s words and pondered their meaning, so we should not read into Luke’s words that he got the details directly from Mary.
20 The shepherds return to their work, but now “glorifying and praising God for all they had seen and heard”. As with Mt, the visitors are hurried from the scene: Jesus’ ministry will not start with a surrounding chorus of adoring believers; proclaiming the faith does not begin yet.