The Birth of Jesus

Continuing a Bible study of the Gospels:

(Luke 2:1) And it came to pass in those days that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.

In the last chapter Mary had learned she would bear a child, the Savior of the world.  She had gone to visit her cousin Elizabeth who had learned she was also to bear a child, John the Baptist.  She stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned to her home.  It was at this time that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered in a census in order to afterward lay a tax on the people.  During the reign of Augustus, the Roman empire extended itself further than ever before so that it was literally called the empire of the whole earth.

(2) (This taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)

This was a parenthetical statement made by Luke.  The way it was translated is not exactly what is meant as Cyrenius was not governor of Syria when the registry was made.  However, this first registry was first made by Cyrenius who would later become governor of Syria.  Luke spoke of Cyrenius as governor as that was what he later was, and he was the first to make the registry, and later made a second when he indeed was governor.

(3) And all went to be taxed, everyone to his own city.

All the people went to be registered in their own city, that is, perhaps where they were born and where their estates might be.

(4) And Joseph also went up from Galilee out of the city of Nazareth into Judea to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem (because he was of the house and lineage of David), (5) to be taxed with Mary, his espoused wife, being great with child.

Joseph, Mary's betrothed, also went from Nazareth in Galilee, where he and Mary both lived, to Bethlehem where David was born and lived, as he was a descendant of David, to be registered.  Mary, then great with child, went with him.

(6) And so it was that while they were there, the days were completed that she should be delivered.

While Joseph and Mary were in Bethlehem to be registered, it came time for Mary to deliver her baby.  The timing for this to put Mary in Bethlehem at the time of Jesus's birth fulfilled a prophecy from Micah 5:2.

(7) And she brought forth her firstborn Son and wrapped Him in swaddling clothes and laid Him in a manger because there was no room for them in the inn.

Mary brought forth her Son, called her firstborn.  This in itself does not mean that Mary must have borne more children, although I do believe she did.  Being a firstborn according to the Bible in Exodus 13:2 meant the one who opened the womb, even if no other children came later.  After all, at the time of the firstborn's birth, no one knows if there will be more to follow.  Having no midwife, Mary would have delivered the baby herself, cutting the umbilical cord, cleaning up the baby and wrapping Him in swaddling strips of cloth.  She had to lay Him in a manger, a trough for feeding the animals in the stable where they lodged, because there was no room for them in the inn.

The circumstances surrounding Jesus's birth are remarkable in their unremarkableness, or rather perhaps better said, in their lowliness of status.  He was born at a time when Judea was at its lowest point, when it had become a Roman province, fulfilling the prophecy of Jacob in Genesis 49:10 that Shiloh would come when the scepter was departed from Judah and the lawgiver between his feet.  Not only Judah, but for the first time the whole world was in bondage to the Romans.  He was born in the little town of Bethlehem, said to be the city of David, but not because of his power and prosperity there as in Zion, also called the city of David, but because he was born there and was a lowly shepherd boy.  God chose the lowly place for Christ's birth, not the place of power and prosperity.  The literal meaning of the name Bethlehem is "house of bread."  Jesus was the bread of life born there.  Because everyone was coming back to their towns to be taxed, the inn at Bethlehem was full, and Joseph and Mary had to lodge in the stable where Jesus was born among the animals and laid in their feed trough that acted as a cradle.  Even though Joseph had gone back to his city, he evidently had no inheritance of real property there where he could lodge, or any relatives there with whom he could lodge.  Jesus was born in the stable of an inn, a symbol of the fact he had come to the world only to sojourn for a while, and to teach us to think likewise.  

(8) And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

At the same time Christ was born, there were shepherds keeping watch over their flock in the night in a nearby field.

(9) And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them; and they were greatly afraid.

The fact that Luke stated the angel and not an angel of the Lord, led some of the old Bible commentators I study to deduce that this may have been the same angel, Gabriel, who had brought the good tidings about the conception of the Savior to Mary.  The angel appeared suddenly to the shepherds and the glory of the Lord shone around them, surely a very visible glorious light by which they could easily see the angel, and this sight made them very afraid.  

(10) And the angel said to them, "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people."

The angel told them not to be afraid because he was there to bring them good tidings, not bad.  In fact, they were tidings of great joy which would be to all people, and of course, that was because Jesus who could be the Savior to all people if they would only accept Him, had been born.

(11) "For to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord."

The angel continued with his good tidings, telling the shepherds that that very night a Savior, Christ the Lord, had been born in Bethlehem.

(12) "And this will be a sign to you, you shall find the Baby wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger."

The angel went on describing how they would know the Savior; they would find Him wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.  Without this "sign" from the angel, the shepherds surely would have never thought to see the Savior in a stable in a manger.

(13) And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, (14) "Glory to God in the highest and on earth, peace, good will toward men."

Suddenly there was with the angel a whole army of angels praising God and declaring His glory as the most high God and in the highest heavens, and on earth He was bringing peace and His good will toward men by sending them a Savior.

(15) And it came to pass, as the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass which the Lord has made known to us."

When the angels left the shepherds and went back up to heaven, the shepherds discussed among themselves that they should go to Bethlehem and see just what had come to pass that their Lord had made known to them.

(16) And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Baby lying in a manger.

It seems they immediately went to Bethlehem and indeed found Mary and Joseph and their Baby lying in a manger.

(17) And when they had seen Him, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this Child.

When the shepherds had seen for themselves the Christ Child, they made it known far and wide what the angel had told them regarding the Child.

(18) And all those who heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.

All those who heard what the shepherds told them, marveled and wondered about it.

(19) But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart.

However, Mary didn't proclaim those things which had been told to her by the shepherds, but kept them in her heart and pondered them and weighed them against the other things she had been told about her Baby, the Christ Child.

(20) And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, as it was told to them.

The shepherds left Bethlehem and returned to their flock, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had been told and those things they had witnessed themselves.

(21) And when eight days were completed for the circumcising of the Child, His name was called JESUS, which was so named by the angel before He was conceived in the womb.

On the eighth day after His birth, as was the law, the Baby was to be circumcised and was given His name of Jesus as the angel had told Mary it should be when he brought her the good tidings of His birth.

(22) And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord, (23) (As it is written in the law of the Lord, "Every male who opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord").

According to the law of Moses in Leviticus 12:3-4, a woman was considered impure for forty days after the birth of a son.  After that time for Mary, she and Joseph brought Jesus to Jerusalem to the temple to present Him to the Lord, as was the custom to present and sanctify to God every firstborn child (Exodus 13:2).  Additionally, in Exodus 13:12, the law stated that the firstborn males were to be the Lord's, devoted and consecrated to Him, and had to be redeemed with something of value.  This was instituted to memorialize the time God struck all the firstborn of the Egyptians and saved all the firstborn of Israel. 

(24) And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, "a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons."

At that time, also according to the law, Mary was to offer a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.  Worthy of note is the fact that wealthier women were required to bring a lamb, but the poor, as Mary must have been, could offer the birds, another indication of the lowliness of Christ's birth.

(25) And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Ghost was upon him.

There was a man there in Jerusalem named Simeon, who was a just and devout man of God who was anticipating and waiting for the Messiah, who was called the consolation of Israel because He would give comfort to Israel.  The Holy Spirit was upon Simeon.

(26) And it was revealed to him by the Holy Ghost that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ.

The Holy Spirit had revealed to Simeon that he would not die before he got to see the Messiah for whom he had been waiting.

(27) And he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when the parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the law, 

The Holy Spirit led Simeon to the temple at the time Mary and Joseph were bringing Jesus there to present Him to the Lord, according to the law.

(28) Then he took Him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, (29) "Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace according to Your word,"

Simeon took the Christ Child up in his arms and praised God that He had indeed let him see the Messiah before he departed this world, just as the Holy Spirit had revealed to him.

(30) "For my eyes have seen Your salvation (31) Which You have prepared before the face of all people, (32) A light to lighten the Gentiles and a glory of Your people Israel."

Simeon continued praising God, thanking Him for allowing him to see His salvation, which of course was brought forth through Jesus Christ.  He added that the Lord had done this before the face of all people; God had revealed His plan for the salvation of the world through the birth of the Christ Child, the Messiah.  He would be a light to enlighten the Gentiles and the glory of His people Israel, as He was one of them, first sent to them as they were God's chosen people.

(33) And Joseph and His mother marveled at those things which were spoken of Him.

Mary and Joseph marveled at the things Simeon had said about Jesus, not because those things had not been revealed to them also, but at the fact that this stranger should instantly know those things about their child.

(34) And Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His mother, "Behold, this Child is set for the fall and the rising again of many in Israel, and for a sign which shall be spoken against, (35) (Yea, a sword shall pierce through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed."

Then Simeon blessed Jesus's parents and spoke to His mother Mary.  He told her that her Child was destined for the fall and the rising up again of many in Israel.  I believe this means that many would fall from their high and mighty hypocritical places because they had turned the knowledge of God into something it was never meant to be.  The original word "anastasis" that was translated as "rising again" does not always mean "again," but can mean merely "rising," or if "rising again," it here referred to rising again from death to life.  I don't believe that Simeon meant to suggest that the same people who fell because of Jesus would necessarily then rise up again, although that might happen to some.  I believe the sense is that some would stumble and fall because of Him, and others would rise from their sinful deaths to live again, and in eternity with God.  This Child would also be a sign that would be spoken against, that is, a Sign from God, but rejected by men.  In a sort of parenthetical statement, Simeon said that Mary's soul would be pierced through with a sword also, probably meaning that she would suffer much through the suffering and death of her Son; just as His side would be pierced with a sword, so would her soul be pierced also.  Removing the parenthetical thought, that sign from God which would be spoken against and rejected would reveal the true hearts of many men.

(36) And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel of the tribe of Asher. She was of great age, and had lived with a husband seven years from her virginity, (37) And she was a widow of about four score and four years, who did not depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.

Also in the temple at the time Mary and Joseph and Jesus were there, was an old woman named Anna, the daughter of Phanuel of the tribe of Asher.  She had been married and had lived with her husband for seven years, but was then widowed for 84 years and spent all her time in the temple, serving God with fasting and prayers day and night.

(38) And she, coming in at that instant, gave thanks likewise to the Lord, and spoke of Him to all those who looked for redemption in Jerusalem.

Anna came into the temple at the same time Simeon was holding the Christ Child and speaking to Mary, and she likewise gave thanks to the Lord for allowing her to see the Messiah, and as a prophetess, she spoke of Him to all those she met who were also looking forward to the coming of the Messiah, said to be their redemption.  

I will stop here for now as this ends the account of Jesus's birth and infancy.  The rest of the second chapter of Luke will resume in the next post.