Witnesses to a historical event are an important detail in the recounting of that event. Understanding who the witnesses were, the kind of people that they were, and what they held to be important, can help us understand the event itself. In the case of the birth of Jesus, the first witnesses were shepherds. These shepherds, these men were on the lowest rung of the societal ladder. Their working conditions made it all but impossible for them to observe all aspects of Jewish law, especially the ritual washings. As a result, they were looked down upon. Yet, it is these men that Jesus chose to be the first witnesses to the incarnation. In doing so Jesus shows us that the incarnation is the moment when history upends.
The Shepherds and the Angels
And they went with haste, and found Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. And when they saw it they made known the saying which had been told them concerning this child; and all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary kept all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. Luke 2 : 16-20
Jesus Is Named
And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb. Luke 2 : 21
Scriptural Analysis – Background
Twice a day, morning and evening, every day, a lamb was offered in the Temple as a sacrifice to God. This lamb had to be an unblemished land. In order to ensure that the supply of perfect lambs was always available, the Temple authorities had their own private sheep flocks. These flocks were pastured near Bethlehem. Therefore, it is very likely that the shepherds that the angel appeared to were those taking care of the flocks of sacrificial lambs. Those who took care of the Temple lambs were among the first to see the one perfect lamb offered for the forgiveness of sins.
The angel has just appeared to the shepherds announcing the birth of Jesus Christ to them. The angel announces the location of the birth: the city of David. He also tells them that, as a sign to them, they will, “Find a babe wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” (Luke 2:12)
Scriptural Analysis – The Shepherds and the Angels
The angels have departed from the shepherds and now we see their response. These shepherds now travel to see Mary in haste, just as she traveled in haste to see Elizabeth after the Annunciation, “In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country.” (Luke 1:39). This is a common pattern seen, an encounter with the divine results in excitement and immediate action.
The shepherds find Mary, Joseph, and the infant lying in a manager. Recall that this is the sign the angel told them that they would see. Those who heard the message of the shepherds were left to wonder. Some translations use the word amazed here. The point being the shepherds were told by an angel what had transpired and what they would find and sure enough, they found Jesus exactly as the angel told them they would.
Next, Luke mentions that Mary kept all of these things in her heart, that she pondered them. The statement is repeated again at the end of chapter two, “His mother kept all these things in her heart.” (Luke 2:51) This suggests that Mary herself was Luke’s source of these events.
Finally, the events of that night conclude with the shepherds doing what the angels did when they appeared to the shepherds. They glorified and praised God.
Scriptural Analysis – Jesus Is Named
Mary and Joseph are faithful followers of Jewish law and thus they observe it completely. After eight days were completed, the infant was circumcised according to the law:
“He that is eight days old among you shall be circumcised; every male throughout your generations, whether born in your house, or bought with your money from any foreigner who is not of your offspring.” (Genesis 17:12)
“And on the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised.” (Leviticus 12:3)
The infant is also named Jesus out of obedience to the angel, “And you shall call his name Jesus.” (Luke 1:31)
Daily Application – Historical Incarnation
There is good reason to believe that the manger was most likely made of stone.
Jesus was born in simplicity, in a small town, in a cave, and placed to rest in a manger. He could have easily chosen to be born in a noble estate to a wealthy and powerful family. However, he chose to be born in the most humble of settings. This choice is not insignificant. Jesus chose to enter to humanity in the lowest state possible and by doing so, experience all of the hardships that we experience through the course of our lives. In doing so, he has shown us how we can embrace those hardships with humility and docility. Jesus has shown us how we can handle our hardships without losing our joy.
Often times people believe that they need to get themselves fixed, that they need to get their life in order before approaching Jesus. Nothing could be further from the truth. Jesus desires to meet us exactly where we are, in whatever state we are. Then, if we allow him to, he will help us get our lives in order. Frequently, the order Jesus brings is not the order that we thought we needed but the order he knows that we need. What is always true is that the order he brings far surpasses anything we could have ever done on our own.
By entering humanity at the lowest possible state, with the first witnesses to his birth being those who were on the margins of society, Jesus sanctified all of humanity. He shows us that living a life that is pleasing to God, and that holiness is not dependent upon one’s state in life. It is also not dependent upon one’s ability to observe every rule of the law perfectly. That is not to diminish the importance of rules and laws as it relates to religious practice. Those exist for a reason. However, what truly matters to God is the state of the heart.
Daily Application – Continued Incarnation
The shepherds respond to the message of the angel with pure excitement and joy. they approach Mary, Joseph, and the infant Jesus with hearts full of faith. They saw their savior, the one who they had been waiting for through all of these centuries. As Jesus grows and begins his public ministry, the religious leaders, the powerful people of the time, see Jesus in a much different light. They see a threat to their power, a threat to their way of doing things.
How do we see Jesus? Do we see him the way the shepherds did? If so, do we allow him to upend our lives? Are we open to the working of Jesus in our lives, to allowing him to order us the way he desires for us to be? Perhaps, if we are honest with ourselves, we will discover that there is still some resistance in our hearts. Perhaps we will discover that there are still areas of our lives that we have not allowed Jesus to order.
As we being this New Year, take a moment in prayer. Ask Jesus to show you those areas of your life where you have not received him as the shepherds did. Then ask for the grace to eliminate the resistance that remains in your heart so that he may order your life completely. The incarnation was the moment history was upended. Now, allow the incarnation to upend your life as well.
コメント