The Birth Of Jesus
THE BIRTH OF JESUS
LUKE 2:1-20
God broke through into history and became a human being, born into the humblest conditions.
Verses 1-7. A tattered piece of papyrus found in Egypt contains the sort of notice which Joseph, the carpenter, must have read in Nazareth. It commands all people living away from their place of origin to report back to their home town authorities for the census. Before the torn document breaks off it speaks of provisioning arrangements for overcrowded conditions. The Egyptian document dates from a century later than the enrolment conducted by the Roman diplomat Quirinius (Cyrenius). This event probably took place in the autumn of 5 BC, for those who, as late as AD 525, established the chronology of Christianity, made a slight error in calculating the date. (Those who seek further information will find it in an appendix to The Century of the New Testament, by the writer of these notes.) But ponder awhile the human situation. Joseph, at this time of stress of waiting, had to take his wife to Bethlehem. He did not realize that, in fulfilling the normal and irksome obligations of daily life, he was also fulfilling a plan of God. The first obligation of godly living is to do properly that which we are obliged to do. “Live worthily as citizens of the gospel of Christ,” says Paul (Philippians 1:27).
2:8-15. It was fitting that the proclamation of the Messiah’s coming should first be made to the simple folk of the land. The story of the New Testament moved through the cities of the world. Some twenty-three cities appear in it. The Old Testament moves through wilderness and countryside. Four cities only have prominence: Babylon, symbol of evil; Nineveh, the capital of the hideous Assyrians; Samaria, city of Ahab and Jehu, flayed by Amos; and Jerusalem, which, in the Lord’s phrase, “slew the prophets.” Amos came from a peasant’s task; Elijah lived on Carmel; John preached in the wilderness. The shepherds were the old stock of Israel, uncorrupted by wealth, unspoiled by city living. God bypassed established religion and announced Christ’s coming to the peasants.
Notes 2:1-5: Sir William Ramsay’s Was Christ Born in Bethlehem? shows how Luke’s trustworthiness as a historian can be vindicated here. 2:7: possibly the best “guest room” was occupied by Bethlehem’s most distinguished contemporary, Hillel, the great Pharisee, with Simeon his son—they were of David’s line. 2:8: not a winter scene—December 25 was chosen in the fourth century to overlay a pagan festival. 2:9: the “glory of the Lord”—compare Exodus 24:16, Numbers 14:10.