Luke 2:8–14

 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!”

Commentary

Vs. 8 Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.

Now it will be that these humble shepherds who were living out in the fields so as to attend to their flocks, and who were watching them by night, that God will first bring Word of His Son’s birth. Not then to the religious leaders of the Jews does this Good News and Glad Tidings first come, but to shepherds, who like David himself who by the Spirit of God wrote many Psalms concerning the Christ centuries earlier, was also a shepherd who once attended to his fathers’ flocks outside of Bethlehem, who likely spent many nights alone singing hymns to God and pondering His wonders in creation while out in the night air and sky. And so, it seems most appropriate that God will first reveal his Son to shepherds in Bethlehem’s countryside. For great men, especially religious men, do not always have faith.

Vs. 9-11 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.

And so it was while the shepherds were watching their flocks at night that an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone all around them, and they were greatly afraid; just as you or I would be if suddenly the night sky was illuminated with the glory of the Lord and one of His angels stood before us. Now when the angel saw their fear, he reassured them by saying: “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.” ^{Vs. 10-11}
To these ordinary men then God’s Promised Salvation as having now come in the Person of His Son Jesus Christ the Lord was now proclaimed! For truly He is the One through whom God brings good tidings and great joy to all who believe in Him. For Christ the Lord did not come to condemn men but to save us all who believe in Him (John 3:16-17). Now notice that the angel tells the humble shepherds that to you this day in the city of David (that is in Bethlehem) a Savior (for Jesus’ name means Savior) who is Christ the Lord (i.e. the Promised Messiah, the Savior and King) has been born. The shepherds then must have been totally floored by such an amazing sight and pronouncement, and indeed the angel still has more to say to them.

Vs. 12-14 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!”

The angel now tells them that this will be sign to them by which his word will be confirmed, in the town of Bethlehem, “You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.” ^{Vs. 12} Now as soon as the angel had spoken that word to them the heavens broke open and a multitude of the heavenly host (that is heavens angels) appear and begin praising God and saying: “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” ^{Vs. 14} For that is the essence of the Gospel and its purposes on earth, to bring glory to God and peace and goodwill towards mankind. All which comes through the Lord Jesus Christ. There is then no greater pronouncement that has been heard by men then the declaration of God wanting our salvation!

Scripture Quotations

New King James Version. (1982): Thomas Nelson