13  The Announcement  of Jesus’ Birth  (Luke 2:8–20)

In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. “This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.” When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, “Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us.” So they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger. When they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child. And all who heard it wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart. The shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them. (2:8–20)

The Scripture says that in His incarnation the Lord of glory (1 Cor. 2:8) “emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and [was] made in the likeness of men” (Phil. 2:7). All the adjectives and exclamations in language could never say enough about that reality. Yet, paradoxically, history’s most notable birth happened under the most obscure, nondescript, humble circumstances imaginable—Jesus was born in the place where the animals of those staying in a public shelter were kept. No one in the sleepy little village of Bethlehem realized the significance of what had happened, except, to a certain degree, the Child’s parents. But that was about to change; the silence regarding the Savior’s birth would be broken in a most supernaturally dramatic way.

If the announcement of Jesus’ birth had been part of a humanly planned public relations campaign, it would have been handled very differently. The announcement would have targeted the powerful and influential in Israel: the high priest, the members of the Sanhedrin, the priests, Levites, scribes, Sadducees, and Pharisees. Instead God chose to reveal this glorious truth first of all to members of a lowly, despised group (see the exposition of v. 8 later in the chapter).

The theme of this passage is found in the angel’s declaration in verse 11, “there has been born for you a Savior.” That statement is the heart of the gospel message that the church proclaims to the world: all people are sinners, and in need of a Savior. But the concept of a savior is by no means limited to the New Testament. The idea that there is a radical disconnect between the supposedly angry, hostile, vengeful God of the Old Testament and the compassionate, loving, saving Christ of the New Testament is a figment of the skeptics’ imagination.

The truth is that in the Old Testament God was known to His people as a Savior and a deliverer. That is in sharp contrast to the false gods worshiped by Israel’s neighbors. When the prophets of Baal, one of the chief Canaanite deities, confronted Elijah on Mount Carmel, they tried for hours to get Baal’s attention. But “there was no voice and no one answered” (1 Kings 18:26). That prompted Elijah to say mockingly, “Call out with a loud voice, for he is a god; either he is occupied or gone aside, or is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and needs to be awakened” (v. 27). Even after they in desperation mutilated themselves (v. 28), “there was no voice, no one answered, and no one paid attention” (v. 29). At the other end of the spectrum from Baal’s indifference was Molech’s cruelty and hostility, which his worshipers desperately attempted to appease by the unspeakable atrocity of infant sacrifice (Lev. 18:21, 20:2–5; 2 Kings 23:10; Jer. 32:35).

Unlike the false gods of Israel’s pagan neighbors, the God of Israel, the only true, eternal, and living God, is by nature “compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness’” (Ex. 34:6; cf. Neh. 9:17; Ps. 103:8; Joel 2:13; Jonah 4:2). The Jewish people understood, therefore, that it was in keeping with God’s nature to save His people. In Deuteronomy 20:4 Moses reminded Israel, “The Lord your God is the one who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.” David called God “my savior, [the one who] save[s] me from violence” (2 Sam. 22:3); the “God of [his] salvation” (Ps. 25:5); and the “Savior of those who take refuge at [His] right hand” (Ps. 17:7). Psalm 106:21, Isaiah 45:15; 63:8–9; and Jeremiah 14:8 also refer to God as Israel’s Savior, as does God Himself (Isa. 43:3, 11; 45:21; 49:26; 60:16; Hos. 13:4). Reflecting their understanding of that key Old Testament truth, Mary (Luke 1:47), Zacharias (Luke 1:68–69, 77), and Simeon (Luke 2:30) all spoke of God as Savior, as does the rest of the New Testament (1 Tim. 1:1; 2:3; 4:10; Titus 1:3; 2:10; 3:4; Jude 25). Since God alone is the Savior (Isa. 43:11; Hos. 13:4), the New Testament’s repeated use of that title for the Lord Jesus Christ (e.g., Luke 2:11; Acts 5:31; 13:23; Phil. 3:20; 2 Tim. 1:10; Titus 1:4; 2:13; 3:6; 2 Peter 1:2, 11; 2:20; 3:18; 1 John 4:14) is a strong affirmation of His full deity and equality with the Father.

What allows God to be the Savior of lost sinners is the pro pitiatory, sacrificial, substitionary death of the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ. The Old Testament describes Messiah’s sacrificial death most thoroughly in Isaiah 53:

All the redeemed, both in the Old Testament and the New Testament eras, were saved by God’s placing their sins on Jesus Christ. He alone (Acts 4:12) is the source of salvation since, as Peter wrote, “He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed” (1 Peter 2:24; cf. 3:18; John 1:29; 2 Cor. 5:21; Gal. 3:13; Eph. 5:2; Heb. 9:28; 1 John 2:1–2).

God revealed Himself as a Savior to Israel in two ways. Temporally, God saved the people by delivering them from bondage in Egypt and preserving them through the ensuing forty years of wandering in the wilderness (Isa. 63:9; cf. Num. 10:9; Deut. 23:14; 33: 29; Judg. 2:18; 8:34; 2 Sam. 3:18; 22:1, 4; 2 Kings 17:39; Ps. 106:10; Ezra 8:31). Through common grace, God, in His “kindness and tolerance and patience,” gives sinners an opportunity to repent (Rom. 2:4); He is “the Savior of all men” in a temporal sense and “especially of believers” in a spiritual sense (1 Tim. 4:10). God delivers people generally from the just and immediate temporal and physical consequences of their sin, but more importantly delivers believers from sin’s spiritual and eternal consequences as well. Thus the believing remnant of Israel (Rom. 9:27; 11:5) enjoyed not only God’s temporal salvation like the rest of the nation, but also spiritual salvation.

The angelic announcement of His birth set forth at the outset the purpose of Jesus’ life and ministry. He did not come into the world to be an example of nobility and integrity. He was not merely a Jewish sage, a teacher of morality and ethics. Still less was He a passive, nonviolent social reformer; a sort of first-century Gandhi. He was and is “the Savior of the world” (John 4:42; 1 John 4:14), who came “to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10) by “sav[ing] His people from their sins” (Matt. 1:21). Jesus did come to fulfill the Abrahamic and Davidic covenants (see chaps. 9 and 10 of this volume). The fulfillment of those covenants, however, is predicated on the fulfillment of the New covenant (see chapter 11 of this volume), which was initiated by His sacrificial death (Matt. 26:28).

The announcement of the birth of Jesus Christ heralds the greatest good news that the world has ever heard. From the narrative of that announcement and its aftermath, five truths about the good news emerge: the proclamation of the good news, the pervasiveness of the good news, the person of the good news, the purpose of the good news, and the picture of the good news.

THE PROCLAMATION OF THE GOOD NEWS

In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy (2:8–10a)

The good news of the Savior’s birth came first to a most unlikely group of people. Shepherds were near the bottom of the social ladder. They were uneducated and unskilled, increasingly viewed in the post-New Testament era as dishonest, unreliable, unsavory characters, so much so that they were not allowed to testify in court. Because sheep required care seven days a week, shepherds were unable to fully comply with the man-made Sabbath regulations developed by the Pharisees. As a result, they were viewed as being in continual violation of the religious laws, and hence ceremonially unclean.

That is not to say, however, that being a shepherd was an illegitimate or disreputable occupation. Two of the greatest figures in Israel’s history, Moses (Ex. 3:1) and David (1 Sam. 16:11–13), were shepherds at some point in their lives. Moreover, the Old Testament refers metaphorically to God as the “Shepherd of Israel” (Ps. 80:1; cf. 23:1; Isa. 40:11), while Jesus described Himself as the “good shepherd” (John 10:11, 14; cf. Heb. 13:20; 1 Peter 2:25; 5:4). Shepherds were, however, lowly, humble people; they certainly were not the ones who would be expected to receive the most significant announcement in history. That they were singled out to receive this great honor suggests that these shepherds were devout men, who believed in the true and living God. Such people are later described as those who were “looking for the consolation of Israel” (2:25) and the “redemption of Jerusalem” (2:38).

God’s choice of shepherds to receive the announcement of His Son’s birth is in keeping with Old Testament prophecy concerning Messiah’s ministry. Isaiah 61:1 prophetically put these words in the mouth of the Messiah: “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to captives and freedom to prisoners.” After reading that passage in the synagogue at Nazareth, Jesus declared, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:21). The Messiah’s ministry would not be to the self-righteous (Luke 5:32)—especially the religious leaders (John 7:48), or the self-sufficient wealthy (Luke 18:24). Instead, He would seek out the poor, the lowly, the afflicted, the outcasts of society (cf. Luke 1:52; 1 Cor. 1:26). Throughout His ministry Jesus attracted such people (cf. Matt. 9:10–13; 11:19; Luke 15:1–2), who were broken over their sin and humbled themselves in repentance (cf. Luke 7:37–38; 18:13–14).

These particular shepherds were watching their sheep in the region around Bethlehem, about six miles south of Jerusalem. They were staying out in the fields with their flocks, something typically done in Israel from April to November. That does not mean, however, that Jesus could not have been born in the winter, since winters in Israel are often mild. Further, as Leon Morris notes, the rabbinic writings speak of sheep being pastured between Jerusalem and Bethlehem in February (The Gospel According to St. Luke, The Tyndale New Testament Commentaries [Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1975], 84). According to rabbinic law, sheep were to be kept in the wilderness, and any animal found between Jerusalem and the vicinity of Bethlehem was subject to being used as a sacrifice in the temple. It may be, then, that the sheep these shepherds were caring for were destined for that very purpose.

Sheep were kept out in the fields during the day. In the evening they were moved into sheepfolds, where the shepherds could take turns keeping watch over their flock during the night. Inside the fold the sheep could more easily be guarded from predators and thieves.

But the tranquil normalcy of the shepherds’ nightly routine was abruptly shattered in a most amazing, dramatic, unexpected way. While they were doing what they normally did during the long hours spent watching their flock an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them. The angel is not identified, but in light of his earlier appearances to Zacharias and Mary, it may have been Gabriel. Adding immeasurably to the shepherds’ shock and terror at the angel’s unexpected appearance, the glory of the Lord blazed forth out of the darkness and shone around them.

Throughout Scripture, God’s glorious presence was manifested in brilliant light (e.g., Ex. 24:17; 33:22–34:5; Deut. 5:24; 2 Chron. 7:1–3; Ezek. 1:27–28; 43:2; Luke 9:28–32; Rev. 21:23; cf. Ex. 34:29, 35; Ps. 104:1–2; Hab. 3:3–4; Rev. 1:13–16). The glory of God first appeared in the garden of Eden, where Adam and Eve had intimate fellowship with God and enjoyed His presence. But after they sinned, God banished them forever from the garden and posted an angel with a flaming sword at the en trance to keep them out. God’s glory manifested itself to Israel in the wilderness (Ex. 24:16–17), especially at the dedication of the tabernacle (Ex. 40:34–35), as it would later appear at the dedication of the temple (1 Kings 8:10–11).

But after centuries of sin and rebellion, the glory of God left the temple (Ezek. 9:3; 10:4, 18, 19; 11:22–23), symbolizing its withdrawal from Israel. It would not appear again until this very night, where it signified that God’s presence had once again entered the world through the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ. Later in His life Jesus would reveal His divine glory to Peter, James, and John on the Mount of Transfiguration (Matt. 17:1–2). The next visible manifestation of God’s glory to the world will be at the second coming, when “the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and … all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory” (Matt. 24:30). Heaven will be lit by the all-pervasive glory of God throughout eternity (Rev. 21:10–11, 23).

The shepherds understandably were terribly frightened by the appearing of the angel and the manifestation of God’s glory. Fear was the normal response whenever anyone in Scripture either encountered an angel (cf. Dan. 8:15–18; 10:7–9, 16–17; Matt. 28:2–4; Luke 1:12, 26–30) or saw the glory of God manifest (Isa. 6:1–5; Ezek. 1:28; 3:23; Matt. 17:5–6; Mark 4:41; 5:33; Acts 9:4; Rev. 1:17). Those who experience the presence of the holy God are acutely aware of their sinfulness. Isaiah cried out, “Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts” (Isa. 6:5), and Peter exclaimed after witnessing a miracle performed by the Lord, “Go away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!” (Luke 5:8).

Seeing the shepherds’ obvious terror, the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid.” The sequence of events in the angel’s appearance to the shepherds is the same as in Gabriel’s appearances to Zacharias and Mary: the angel appeared, those to whom he appeared were frightened, the angel spoke words of comfort, delivered his message, and promised a sign.

There is a sense in which it is right to fear God; the Bible declares that “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Prov. 9:10; cf. 1:7; 15:33; Job 28:28; Ps. 111:10; Mic. 6:9), and godly men are marked by reverence for Him (Gen. 22:12; 42:18; Ex. 18:21; Neh. 7:2; Job 1:9; Ps. 66:16; Eccl. 5:7; 8:12; 12:13; Matt. 10:28; 1 Peter 2:17). But the redeemed need not be terrified of God. “For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again,” Paul reminded the Romans, “but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, ‘Abba! Father!’” (Rom. 8:15; cf. Gal. 4:6–7). God says to His people, as He did to Abraham, “Do not fear” (Gen. 26:24; cf. Judg. 6:23; Isa. 43:1, 5; 44:2; Jer. 46:27–28; Lam. 3:57; Dan. 10:12, 19; Matt. 14:27; 17:7; 28:5, 10; Luke 5:10; 12:32; Rev. 1:17).

The shepherds did not need to fear, for the angel had come bearing good news. His message was not one of judgment, but rather that “the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world” (1 John 4:14). Euangelizō (“to proclaim good news) is one of Luke’s favorite terms; he used it more than any other New Testament writer (cf. 1:19; 3:18; 4:18, 43; 7:22; 8:1; 9:6; 16:16; 20:1; Acts 5:42; 8:4, 12, 25, 35, 40; 10:36; 11:20; 13:32; 14:7, 15, 21; 15:35; 16:10; 17:18). The good news of the gospel is that the saving God sent the Savior to redeem sinners. That news produces great joy; the joy that Peter described as “inexpressible and full of glory” (1 Peter 1:8), which is reserved for those whose sins have been forgiven through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

THE PERVASIVENESS OF THE GOOD NEWS

which will be for all the people; (2:10b)

The good news the angel proclaimed is for all the people. Laos (people) refers first to Israel (1:68; 7:16; 19:47; 21:23; 22:66; 23:5, 14), since “salvation is from the Jews” (John 4:22; cf. Rom. 1:16). But the promise of salvation is not for them only. Praising God after seeing the baby Jesus in the temple, Simeon said, “For my eyes have seen Your salvation, which You have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light of revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel” (2:30–32). Significantly, laos in verse 31 is plural, while it is singular in verse 32. Simeon’s words reflect the truth expressed in Isaiah’s prophecy:

The good news of salvation, having been proclaimed first to Israel, is now proclaimed throughout the world (Matt. 28:19–20).

THE PERSON OF THE GOOD NEWS

for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. (2:11–12)

Having reassured the stunned and frightened shepherds that he came bearing good news, the angel then gave them the details of that good news. That very day, in the fullness of time (Gal. 4:4), history’s most significant birth had taken place. It had happened in the most unlikely of places—in the city of David (the tiny hamlet of Bethlehem; see the discussion of 2:4 in chap. 12 of this volume). The angel prefaced his threefold description of the newborn Child by telling the shepherds that the One of whom he spoke had been born for them. Collectively, as noted above, Jesus is the Savior of both Jews and Gentiles; individually, He is the Savior of everyone who believes in Him (John 3:16). The angel did not give the Child’s earthly name; Savior, Christ and Lord are all titles. But since the name “Jesus” means “the Lord is salvation,” its meaning is encompassed by the term Savior.

The description of Jesus as Savior is an apt one, since the reason He was born was to “save His people from their sins” (Matt. 1:21; cf. Luke 19:10). That obvious truth is often obscured in contemporary presentations of the gospel. Too often Jesus is presented as the One who will rescue people from unfulfillment in their marriages, families, or jobs; from a debilitating habit they cannot overcome on their own; or from a sense of purposelessness in life. But while relief in those areas may be a byproduct of salvation, it is not its primary intent. Mankind’s true problem, of which those issues are only symptoms, is sin. Everyone (Rom. 3:10, 23) is guilty of breaking God’s holy law and deserves eternal punishment in hell. The true gospel message is that Jesus Christ came into the world to rescue people from sin and guilt—not psychological, artificial guilt feelings, but true, God-imposed guilt that damns to hell.

Christ is an exalted title for a baby born in such humble circumstances. The name and its Old Testament counterpart, Messiah (Dan. 9:25–26), both mean “anointed one;” one placed in a high office and worthy of exaltation and honor. Jesus was anointed first in the sense that He is God’s appointed King, the “King of kings” (Rev. 17:14; 19:16), who will sit on David’s throne and reign forever, as Gabriel told Mary (1:32–33). He was also anointed to be the great High Priest (Heb. 3:1) for His people; the mediator between them and God (1 Tim. 2:5) who makes intercession for them (Heb. 7:25). Finally, Jesus was anointed as a prophet, God’s final and greatest spokesman (Heb. 1:1–2).

Lord in a human sense is a term of respect and esteem, given to someone in a position of leadership and authority. Especially it was the title borne by slave owners; kurios (Lord) and doulos (slave) were connected. To call someone Lord was to acknowledge your subservience. In the New Testament Sarah called Abraham lord, acknowledging his authority over her as her husband (1 Peter 3:6).

But in this context Lord is no mere elevated human designation; it is a divine title. To say that this Child is Lord is to say that He is God. When used in reference to Jesus Christ, kurios (Lord) conveys all that is implied by the tetragrammaton YHWH (“Yahweh,” which the Septuagint translates kurios)—the name of God (cf. Ex. 3:14–15). The most fundamental and basic confession of Christianity is, “Jesus is Lord” (1 Cor. 12:3). No one who does not affirm Christ’s full deity and equality with God the Father can be saved for, as He warned the Jews, “Unless you believe that I am [God], you will die in your sins” (John 8:24. For a discussion of the “I am” statements in John’s gospel in reference to Christ’s deity, see John 1–11, The MacArthur New Testament Commentary [Chicago: Moody, 2006], 14, 348). Romans 10:9 declares that “if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”

The angel then gave the shepherds a sign by which they could recognize this remarkable Child: they would find find the baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. That the baby would be wrapped in cloths would not single out Jesus for the shepherds, since that was done to all Jewish babies (see the discussion of 2:7 in the previous chapter of this volume). To fail to properly care for a newborn baby, including wrapping it, was unthinkable (cf. Ezek. 16:1–5). But Jewish mothers did not usually put their newborn babies in a manger, so that would narrow the shepherds’ search to the Child of whom the angel spoke. The stark contrast between Jesus’ exalted status as Savior, Messiah, and God and the humble circumstances of His birth emphasizes the magnitude of His “[emptying] Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men” (Phil. 2:7).

THE PURPOSE OF THE GOOD NEWS

And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.” (2:13–14)

While the angel was speaking to the shepherds something even more amazing took place. Suddenly (cf. v. 9; Mal. 3:1; Mark 13:36; Acts 2:2; 9:3; 1 Thess. 5:3) there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host. How many of the millions of holy angels (“myriad” is the Greek word for 10,000, the highest number for which there was a word, hence the use of the expression “myriads of myriads” to indicate more [Rev. 5:11]) appeared is not revealed, but the term multitude signifies a large group. The appearance of so many angels at once is unprecedented in Scripture.

These angels were doing what angels constantly do, praising God (cf. Rev. 5:11–12; 7:11–12). All heaven broke loose with rejoicing at the birth of the Son of God. The angels knew Him as the second person of the Trinity before His incarnation, where they saw His ineffable glory. They understood that the fall had transformed the human race into sinful rebels against God, but they also knew that God had provided a way of salvation for man. Their deep concern for the salvation of sinners causes there to be “joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents” (Luke 15:10). The angelic chorus of praise reflects the transcendent pinnacle of all thought and action; the highest of all truths; the supreme reason for all that exists—the glory of God. The ultimate purpose of the good news of salvation is to save sinners so they can join the angels in glorifying God.

The angels ascribed glory to God in the highest; that is, heaven. On earth, the lowest place in comparison with heaven, they proclaimed peace among men with whom He is pleased. The peace of which the angels spoke is the peace with God that results from salvation (Rom. 5:1; cf. Acts 10:36). Through faith in the Messiah, the “Prince of Peace” God and sinners are reconciled (Rom. 5:10; 2 Cor. 5:18–19; Eph. 2:16; Col. 1:20–22).

The peace of which the angels spoke is only for men with whom God is pleased. That does not, of course, mean that He gives salvation to those who please Him by their good works, since salvation is “not as a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Eph. 2:9). The Greek text literally reads, “men of His good pleasure.” As Marshall explains, “The phrase means ‘those upon whom God’s will/favour rests’, and expresses the thought of God’s free choice of those whom he wills to favour and save” (The Gospel of Luke, The New International Greek Testament Commentary [Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1978], 112). Salvation peace belongs to those to whom God is pleased to give it; it is not a reward for those who have good will, but a gracious gift to those who are the objects of God’s good will.

THE PICTURE OF THE GOOD NEWS

When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, “Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us.” So they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger. When they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child. And all who heard it wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart. The shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them. And when eight days had passed, before His circumcision, His name was then called Jesus, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb. (2:15–21)

How long the angels lingered is not known, but eventually they returned to heaven to resume their praise and worship before the throne of God (cf. Rev. 5:11–14). After the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds immediately started discussing the amazing event they had just witnessed, and what they should do next. Although the angel had not specifically commanded them to do so, they excitedly began saying to one another, “Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us.” Understandably, they wanted to get to Bethlehem as soon as possible. But since they were responsible for the sheep under their care, they could not just drop everything and leave. Either some of them had to remain with the sheep, or they had to find other shepherds to watch over them. As soon as those details were worked out, the shepherds went at once to Bethlehem.

The shepherds’ response illustrates the first two things involved in a person’s coming to Christ: they heard the revelation from God that the Savior had come, and they believed that revelation. In Romans 10:14 Paul described those same two steps (in reverse order): “How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard?” As noted earlier, these shepherds were most likely devout worshipers of the true God, who were looking for the redemption of Israel. Their hearts were prepared so that when they heard the revelation of the Savior’s birth they believed it.

After making provision for their sheep to be cared for, the shepherds came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby. The traditional site of the field where the shepherds were watching their sheep is about two miles from Bethlehem. Luke does not describe how the shepherds found Mary, Joseph, and the baby Jesus. However, there would not have been many babies born in a small village like Bethlehem on any given night. Certainly news of any birth would have spread rapidly by word of mouth, especially since Mary gave birth in a semipublic place (see the discussion of v. 7 in the previous chapter of this volume). When the shepherds saw the Child as He lay in the manger, the angel’s prophecy was confirmed and their faith verified.

The shepherds’ seeking out Mary, Joseph, and Jesus illustrates the next step in the salvation process. Those who truly believe the revelation of God in Christ will come to Him. They will accept His invitation, “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Matt. 11:28–30; cf. John 5:40; 6:37, 44; 7:37).

There must have been an interesting dialog between the shepherds and Mary and Joseph between verses 16 and 17. The young couple was no doubt overwhelmed by the shepherds’ recounting of the amazing event they had just witnessed. The words of the angel provided further confirmation to Mary and Joseph of who their Child was. And Mary’s account of Gabriel’s appearance to her (1:26–38), coupled with Joseph’s account of his dream (Matt. 1:20–23) could only have increased the shepherds’ amazement.

The angels’ appearance to them and their conversation with Mary and Joseph made the shepherds privy to information no one else had. Their enthusiastic response was to make known the statement which had been told them about this Child. They went everywhere proclaiming the news that the Savior, Israel’s long-awaited Messiah, had been born. The shepherds thus became the first New Testament evangelists.

Once they had heard, believed, and acted on the truth, the shepherds could not help but tell others about it. Their witness to the good news they had received reveals something else that happens in the life of a newborn soul. The response of those who come to Christ is to tell others about Him. Usually the most bold and passionate people in proclaiming the gospel are the newest Christians; the longer people are saved, the less excited they seem about their salvation, and the less eager they are to share their faith. But true spiritual commitment is determined by the quality and tenacity of believers’ long-term joy over their salvation. One measure of that joy is how eagerly they share the gospel. Lack of the zeal and passion that compels believers to tell others about Christ betrays a sinful heart of indifference and ingratitude.

The shepherds did not have that problem. The astounding nature of their message, coupled with the eagerness and enthusiasm with which they shared it, caused all who heard it to wonder at the things which were told them by the shepherds. Thaumazō (wondered) appears frequently in Luke’s writings (cf. 1:21, 63, 2:33; 4:22; 7:9; 8:25; 9:43; 11:14, 38; 20:26; 24:12, 41; Acts 2:7; 3:12; 4:13; 7:31; 13:41). From the very beginning the life and ministry of Jesus Christ caused people to marvel and be amazed. Unfortunately then, as now, much of that amazement produced not commitment, but merely curiosity. When the shepherds heard the good news of the Savior’s birth, they immediately sought Him out. But all that is said of those to whom they witnessed is that they wondered. After their initial amazement wore off, most of them probably just went on with their lives as if nothing had happened.

In contrast to the shallow, superficial reaction of many who heard the news, Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart. She reflected deeply on the significance of the birth of God’s Son, and on what that birth portended for her and Joseph as His earthly parents. In addition to the normal thoughts that go through the mind of any new mother, Mary had many other things to think about. She considered God’s redemptive purpose, how just as He had promised, He had sent a Savior to redeem His people. But that redemption would come at a fearful cost. As Simeon would later warn Mary, “Behold, this Child is appointed for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and for a sign to be opposed—and a sword will pierce even your own soul—to the end that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed” (2:34–35). Years later, Mary would watch her Son die on the cross bearing God’s wrath against sin (John 19:25–27).

Mary’s deep meditation on the Savior illustrates another aspect of what it means to truly embrace Christ. Salvation’s initial euphoria and excitement deepens into a richer, fuller, more profound understanding of the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. The apostle John described the Christian life as a progression from being a spiritual child, who only knows God as Father and forgiver of sins, to being a spiritual young man, well grounded in biblical truth, to being a spiritual father, with a deep understanding of God’s person (1 John 2:12–14). But no Christian will ever be satisfied with the level of knowledge they have attained. Paul, many years into his Christian pilgrimage, yearned to know Christ even better. He expressed to the Philippians his desire to “know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death” (Phil. 3:10).

The shepherds had had an amazing evening, one that forever changed their lives. But life goes on, and eventually the shepherds went back to their flock, glorifying and praising God (cf. 1:64; 5:25–26; 7:16; 13:13; 17:15; 18:43; 23:47; 24:52–53) for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them. Their hopes and longings that the Redeemer would come had been realized, and their lives were marked by a newfound attitude of praise and worship. That same attitude characterizes all who know and love the Lord Jesus Christ (cf. Ps. 22:26; 30:4; 33:1; 34:1; 100:4; Acts 16:25; Heb. 13:15), whom Paul describes as “the true circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:3).