By Douglas K. Wilson, Ph.D.
Dean of Christian Studies, University of Mobile
PROCLAIMED
Luke 2:4–19
Students sometimes ask why angelic visitations, miraculous healings and exorcisms are not commonplace among Christians. After all, they seem to have been normative in the context of the early church.
In the 21st century, Christians in the West have largely relegated supernatural beings and events to the realm of entertainment and fantasy, rather than as heavenly messengers and spiritual warriors.
In this third lesson from the Gospel of Luke, we read of an angelic encounter. This time, an angel of the Lord is accompanied by a heavenly entourage, proclaiming: “Glory to God in the highest.”
As you prepare to study or teach this lesson, be sure to note three proclamations in the text: 1. proclamation through the prophet; 2. proclamation by the angel; and 3. proclamation of the shepherds.
Fulfilled (4–7)
Mary and Joseph lived west of the Sea of Galilee in a hilly town called Nazareth. The prophet Micah prophesied centuries earlier that a promised ruler would be born in a rather obscure town called Bethlehem (Mic. 5:2) — not in Galilee, but in Judah (first century Judea). How would God’s promise through the prophet be fulfilled?
God uses even pagan government officials to accomplish His purposes. A Roman census established by Emperor Augustus required people to travel to their ancestral homes for taxing purposes. Joseph (and his betrothed and very pregnant wife-to-be, Mary) made the journey from his hometown to Bethlehem, the home of his ancestral father David.
Announced (8–14)
Outside the town of Bethlehem are relatively level fields where shepherds cared for their own flocks or flocks belonging to others. Readers familiar with David’s story know that David came into Bethlehem from the fields in order to receive an anointing by the prophet Samuel (1 Sam. 16:11). Luke records that shepherds were outside of town tending flocks in the fields.
An angelic messenger broke the monotony of the night watch with a brilliant, fear-inducing appearance. The angel announced good news. The shepherds’ fear was overcome by joy because a Savior had been born in Bethlehem. Immediately after the angel’s announcement, a heavenly host joined the messenger in proclaiming God’s glory.
We each read the passage in the context of our own experience. As I read this section, I envision a handful of shepherds spread across the field. In contrast to their normal starlit sky comes a bright, angelic spokesperson in a spotlight, accompanied by a gigantic angelic choir singing a piece from Handel’s Messiah. Yes, this is anachronistic on a number of levels, but we envision the story based on our own interests and experiences rather than reading Scripture in the reality of its own context.
Found (15–19)
Once the shock wore off, the shepherds agreed they needed to abandon their post to find something infinitely more significant. First, they headed into town. It would have taken a while to get to town. Next, they looked for a newborn baby. In a small town like Bethlehem, where everyone knew everyone’s business, people would have known when a new baby was born. They found him bedded down in a feeding trough.
In sharp contrast to the angelic announcement, the simplicity of the nativity scene would have been unremarkable. In some ways, He appeared to be like any other newborn of the time.
And yet, this baby was different. What other baby received such angelic fanfare? What other child was proclaimed by prophets, angels and shepherds? Once the shepherds found the baby, they proclaimed to everyone what they had seen and heard about this child. They were, in fact, the first witnesses to testify of the newborn Christ.
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