After an 80-mile journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem, Mary and Joseph arrived. Tradition tells us that everywhere they looked to stay, they were turned down, but that account does not exist in the Bible. We do know that they laid Jesus in a manger, because there was no room for him in the “kataluma,” a Greek word meaning guest chamber, guest room or inn. Most movies or plays depict Mary arriving on the night of the birth of Jesus, but Luke 2:6 states that while they were in Bethlehem, Mary gave birth. Bethlehem was the city of Joseph’s ancestors, so they might not have been absolutely alone, and may have arrived a month before the birth. Origen, an early church father, wrote that Jesus was born in a cave, which could have been the case. We do know that Mary did not check in to St. Joseph’s Hospital. There is no account of a doctor or a mid-wife, and likely, Joseph delivered baby Jesus. In the agrarian economy of those days, most men typically had helped in the delivery of animals, so this probably was not as far of a stretch for Joseph as it would be for men today. Yet, Mary had no epidural anesthesia to ease the pain.
Tradition also tells us that the kings of the east, the magi, were present that night, having been led by a star. Yet that also is an untruth, as the magi began their journey from Babylon having seen the star that night, signifying the birth of Jesus. Certainly, they had been waiting for this event, but it is doubtful that the magi departed immediately. Instead, there was packing to do, and likely, they asked soldiers and servants to prepare for the 500-600 mile journey. So who was there?
8 Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. 10 Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. 11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying 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, goodwill toward men!”
Luke 2:8-14
Most of us can close our eyes and hear Linus quoting these verses from memory in his speech to Charlie Brown when asked what Christmas is all about. We see shepherds and angels present. In the Bible, almost every time an angel appears, he does so with the words, “Fear not.” What is it about angels that scare people? It could be that they are very large, as we know that a race of giants was the offspring of the demonic angels that took earthly wives in Genesis 6:2. We also know that our depiction of angels is often contrary to the biblical one. They are not fat little children, nor are they women. The Hebrew words seraphim and cherubim both contain the suffix “im,” which means male and plural. One angel spoke but that was followed by a multitude of the heavenly host singing praises to the Lord. Angels are eternal beings, and are as great in multitude as the sands of the seas. Daniel speaks of 10,000 times 10,000 angels surrounding the throne of God, 100 million! (Daniel 7:10) Can you imagine the gift to those shepherds that night, to hear the heavenly host singing praises to God? The shepherds heard the angel’s words, and then went into Bethlehem to seek the Child. How interesting that our Lord, the Good Shepherd, announced His arrival to those shepherds first. The kings of the east did not come until later. In the first coming of Jesus, He came as a shepherd, but in the second coming of Jesus, He will come as a conquering King!
After Mary’s Levitical cleansing time (Leviticus 12:2-8), the couple carried the infant into Jerusalem to offer a sacrifice of two turtledoves or pigeons, the sacrifice of a poor family, for a male that has opened the womb, and additionally, for Jesus to be circumcised at the temple. Two other “passers-by” demonstrated divine appointments. First, a Spirit-filled man named Simeon had his life’s ambition fulfilled, as he had been told by God that he would not die until the Messiah came:
27 So 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, 28 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;
30 For my eyes have seen Your salvation
31 Which You have prepared before the face of all peoples,
32 A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles,
And the glory of Your people Israel.”
33 And Joseph and His mother marveled at those things which were spoken of Him. 34 Then Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against 35 (yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”
Luke 2:27-35
Simeon’s prophecy pointed to the severe pain that Mary would feel at her Son’s crucifixion, as Jesus was pierced in the side, Mary was pierced in her soul. Then in Luke 2:36-38, we read of the prophetess Anna, who had served the Lord as a widow for over half a century. God also gave Anna spiritual insight into the infant Jesus, as she spoke to everyone of the redemption He was bringing.
On that night almost 2,000 years ago, Jesus entered this broken world and was greeted by His mother, His earthly father, a heavenly host of angels and a band of lowly shepherds. Days later, His coming fulfilled the lives of Simeon and Anna. Yet, each Christmas that we celebrate should take us back to that time, to that moment. Were you there when the Savior came to save you? He came for Jews and Gentiles; He came to save the world. At Christmas, we offer gifts to one another to celebrate our love, yet on that night, the Father gave the Greatest Gift to each of us. Someday, we will hear the heavenly host singing praises to our Lord, and we will join in the Hallelujah chorus, King of kings and Lord of lords, and He shall reign forever and ever!
She said to Him, “Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”
John 11:27
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