During this time of the year almost where ever we go we see lights and decorations reminding us of the special time of the year, Christmas. It is the many different and creative ways these lights and decorations are displayed that remind us of this special holiday. When I lived in Chile South America, the month of December was in the middle of summer. However, in spite of the hot temperatures and many wearing short pants, it was the decorations and lights that brought me back to the fact that it was the Christmas holiday season.
The secular world around us has their decorations to celebrate this season such as multicolored lights, snowmen, reindeer, Santa Claus, and much more. Even though these things are stunning to look at, none depict the Biblical truth of why we even have and celebrate Christmas as the nativity scene. It is the nativity scene whether displayed indoors or outside that depicts the birth of Christ Jesus.
What the traditional nativity scene depicts is from the gospels of Matthew 2:1-12 and Luke 2:1-20. It is the gospel of Luke that mentions Jesus was born in a manger. Luke also mentions on the night of Jesus’ birth there were shepherds who were visited and told by the angel of His birth and who went and found Jesus where the angel had told them.
Matthew tells us of the visit of the Magi sometime after the night of Jesus’ birth. Matthew 2:11 tells that the Magi came to Jesus when he was in a house not a manger. Also, in verse 11, Matthew tells us that the Magi presented Jesus with many valuable treasures and gifts. It is also important to know contrary to tradition that Matthew does not mention how many Magi there were or their names.
Matthew’s account of the birth of Jesus is from a different perspective than Luke. Matthew is describing the birth of the promised messiah or the “anointed one”, the one prophesied about in the Old Testament. This is who the Magi traveled far to find and worship. Matthew 2:1-2, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.”
Because the Old Testament prophecy of the birth of the king of the Jews was so well known and expected by most of the Jews, when King Herod who was the sitting Jewish king at that time heard that the Magi were looking for the recently born “king of the Jews”; in his paranoia of not wanting to be replaced as king he was greatly “disturbed”. With fraudulent intentions he asked the Magi to find Jesus not to do as he told the magi, “Go and make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.” Matthew 2:8. But Herod’s real intentions were to eliminate the one prophesied about who could replace him from the throne. Matthew 2:16, When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi.
Luke in his gospel presents Jesus not as the “King of the Jews” as Matthew does, however Luke presents Jesus as an ordinary baby born to commoners as opposed to royalty. Luke begins his account of the birth of Jesus with Joseph and a very pregnant Mary being obligated to submit and observe the decree of the ruling the Roman government and register in the census like any other ordinary subject of Rome.
Joseph and Mary were not from aristocracy, holding hereditary titles or offices of the upper-class in their society. They had to experience the hardships that any other young couple would experience under those challenging circumstances that everyone else was confronting because of having to register for the census. Luke 2:6-7 gives us a very good description of the conditions that Jesus was born in. “While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.”
The announcement of the birth of Jesus did not first reach the ears of the family or friends of Joseph and Mary or even religious scholars or leaders of that day. Luke tells us that the announcement was first received by “…shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.” Luke 2:8. Shepherds were considered at the bottom run of the societal ladder. One commentator explains it this way. “Shepherds were really outcasts in Israel. Their work not only made them ceremonially unclean, but it kept them away from the temple for weeks at a time so that they could not be made clean. God does not call the rich and mighty; He calls the poor and the lowly.” “God selected hardworking men to be the first witnesses that His Son had come into the world.”
Another possible reason God first chose shepherds to the announcement of the birth of His son could be what is referred to in 1 Corinthians 1:26-29. 26 Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes or powerful or wealthy when God called you. 27 Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. 28 God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important. 29 As a result, no one can ever boast in the presence of God.
The only introduction that the shepherds received of who was born is what the angel told them in verse 11. “Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.” It is important to note that they were not told by the angel to go find the baby, but they went on their own volition.
In Matthew’s account of Jesus’ birth what is noteworthy is that important men from a distant land came looking for Jesus and when they found Him they presented Him with treasures and items of great value worthy for a king of which He was. However, when they left Jesus they had to leave in secret.
In Luke’s account of the birth of Jesus, insignificant men by society’s standards were told by a messenger who was sent to them by God where to find Jesus which also was reconfirmed with angelic fanfare. “Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.” Luke 2:13-14. When the shepherds found Jesus, they brought with them nothing of monetary value, nevertheless had something of greater worth which was the trust and faith of what the angel told them of what they would find. “When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” Luke 2:15
However, when the shepherds left Jesus, they left with the personal experience of the truth of God’s messenger and good news to tell others about Jesus. Luke 2:17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.
The message of Jesus’ birth from both Matthew and Luke should challenge every one of us of what it is we have and bring to worship our Savior and who are we going to tell about our personal experience with Him in our lives?
Pastor John
