LUKE 2: THE CHRISTMAS STORY

                                                                  Christmas Quiz

On what date was Jesus born? Due to Luke 2:8, it is more likely that sheep would need watching at night during spring lambing season. During the winter they would more likely have been penned up. Two main theories on why December 25 was chosen, sometime in the middle of the fourth century AD:

First theory – This is an example of the early church “baptizing” pagan customs. Winter solstice is about December 21; the date also coincided with the end of the Saturnalia celebration (December 17-24) and was characterized by merrymaking and exchanging of presents; and December 25 was also the annual celebration date for Mithra, Persian God of Light, who was very popular with Emperor Constantine's troops.

Second theory – The date was arrived at using the idea that Christ's conception and resurrection occurred on the same day of the year, and calculating forward 9 months from the supposed day of Christ's resurrection during Passover. Actually, December 25 is observed in the Western Church while the Eastern Church settled on January 6.

What year was Jesus born? Herod died in 4 BC. However, some dispute this since the date is given by Josephus only in terms of a lunar eclipse that occurred at the same time. However, it may refer to another prominent eclipse in 1 BC. Consistent early church tradition says Jesus was born in 2-3 BC. Astronomers speculating about the star of the wise men say it could have been December 25, 2 BC based on the dates for a number of conjunctions of planets. Other dates are given based on the appearance of certain comets.

The present system of numbering dates was based on prophetic speculation and only set in the 6^th cent. AD. The year of Christ's birth set so that the calculated conjunction of all the planets would occur in exactly 2000 AD and usher in a new age.

Matthew mentions wise men but not the shepherds while Luke mentions the shepherds but not the wise men. So Who arrived first--the shepherds or the wise men, and how far apart were their visits? Probably from one month to two years later since they had moved to a house and Jesus is called a lad, not a baby. Herod's killing children two years and younger sets the upper limit.

How many wise men were there, and what were their names and nationalities? Belshazzar (Arabian), Melchoir (Persian), Caspar (Indian). We really don't know how many there were, only that they carried three gifts. Their names are strictly legendary.

The Structure of Luke 1-2

A. Temple witness to John the Baptist (1:5-25)

B. Gabriel and Elizabeth witness to Jesus (1:26-56)

C. John the Baptist is born (1:57-80)

                                    C'. Jesus is born (2:1-21)

B'. Simeon and Anna witness to Jesus (2:22-40)

A'. Temple witness to Jesus (2:41-52)

The births in Sections B and B' result in hymns to God with similar beginnings and conclusions:

 

    “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel” (1:68)... “to guide our feet into the way of peace.” (1:79)

    “Glory to God in the highest” (2:24a).......................................... “peace among men.” (2:24b)

This account of Jesus' birth is only found in Luke's Gospel. It has been noted that Luke writes in an OT style in Chapter 1, which he changes starting with Chapter 2 to a new style he uses for the rest of the Gospel and Acts, echoing the fact that a new age has begun with Christ's birth.

Luke 2:1-3

v. 1 Religious events are rooted in real history. C. S. Lewis, in his essay “Myth Become Fact” notes that many ancient cultures had stories of miraculous births and gods dying and then coming back to life, but all of these events supposedly took place somewhere in the murky past. In the Gospel stories we see that the myth “comes down from the heaven of legend and imagination to the earth of history. It happens—at a particular date, in a particular place, followed by definable historical consequences.”

Why did God choose this particular time period for Christ to come? Paul in Galatians 4:4 says this, “But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law in order to redeem those who were under the law.” The timing was fortuitous. John Stott explains it this way: This period was known as the Pax Romana, or the Pax Augustus since it began in 27 BC with Augustus becoming Emperor and lasted until about 180 AD. The reader would have been reminded of this with the mention of Augustus in verse 1. But there is a purposeful contrast between the peace he brought (freedom from earthly conflicts) and the peace that Christ brought (healing the estrangement between sinful men and a holy God).

v. 2 Because the events of the Bible are rooted in history, they are vulnerable to critics. And the only census known when Quirinius was governor was in 6 AD. Luke was well aware of this census since he mentions in Acts 5:37 as it having caused a Jewish revolt. Some feel “Quirinius” should be “Saturninus,” known to hold this position in 8-6 BC. However, an inscription in Antioch indicates Quirinius was also governor of Syria on at least two occasions: 6-4 BC and 6-9 AD and may have held key positions in Syria during other time periods.

Also, “First” may also mean “that prior to.” Only three general Roman censuses under Augustus are 

known outside the Bible—28 BC, 8 BC and 14 AD. However, papyrai do show a 14-year enrollment 

cycle instituted during Augustus' reign.

There is an echo of verse 3 of a proclamation from the 104 AD census: “Since the enrollment by 

households is approaching, it is necessary to command all who for any reason are out of their district to 

return to their own home, in order to perform the usual business of the taxation.” This is a rebuttal to 

earlier critics who said that this practice was unknown in the Roman world.

Luke 2:4-7

v. 5 According to Matthew, they were married by this time, but Luke says they were pledged to be

married, probably to indicate that they had not yet had any sexual relations.

v. 7a The adjective “firstborn” probably indicates there were other children to Mary, but it may have 

also been used by Luke as a reminder that the firstborn was always considered dedicated to God.

Can you think of another time when Jesus was wrapped in cloth and laid down? This is the first 

foreshadowing of Christ's death.

v. 7b The familiar word ”manger” doesn't sound too bad until you realize it means “feeding trough.” 

Ellis says that “this emphasizes that the humiliation of our Lord did not begin at Calvary.” Another 

foreshadowing of Christ's suffering and death.

Luke 2:8-12

v. 8 The reputation of shepherds in that time was not particularly high. David Jeremias has written that 

“to buy wool, milk or a kid from a shepherd was forbidden on the assumption that it would have been 

stolen property.” Also, “their word was not accepted as witness in a court of law at the time.” Mishnah: 

“No one should ever feel obligated to rescue a shepherd who has fallen in a pit.” So WHY shepherds of 

all people?

Reason 1: They were close at hand, available.

Reason 2: It fits in with Luke's emphasis on the outcasts of society, etc. (Verse 10 stress that the 

message is for “all” the people.)

Reason 3: It was a reminder of David as the shepherd-king.

Reason 4: Bethlehem was one of the main areas near Jerusalem where sheep were raised for the sacrifices in the Temple. Shepherds were keepers of lambs until they could be used for that purpose. It is a reminder that Jesus is the lamb of God to be sacrificed for our sins. This is especially applicable if the events took place during lambing season.

Reason 5: This theme is echoed at end of Luke's Gospel when the women (also disqualified as legal 

witnesses) go to the tomb and see an angel there and are afraid (same root word). Why use “unreliable” 

witnesses? As a challenge to those who need to live by sight (something legally proven) instead of by 

faith.

v. 11 One approach to narratives is to look for what they say about God/Christ. There are three titles for 

Jesus: Savior, Messiah, and Lord. This is identical to calling him Jesus Christ God, since name Jesus 

comes from root meaning “salvation” just like its equivalent Joshua; Christ is the Greek equivalent of 

Messiah; and kyrios is consistently used in the Greek translation of the OT for Yahweh.

Luke 2:13-14

v. 14 KJV has the familiar “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men” vs. 

more recent translations that have “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with 

whom he is pleased (lit. “of his pleasure”).” This is not just a matter of interpretation from the Greek, 

but a case of textual variants in the early manuscripts themselves. It all depends on whether the final 

word is eudokia or eudokias. The earliest manuscripts have eudokias, which would give the more 

recent translation. This interpretation was not considered seriously in earlier translations because the 

unusual phrase “men of (God's) pleasure” was unknown in contemporary writings. However, it has 

been found several times more recently in the Dead Sea Scrolls.

Luke 2:15-20

A second basic approach to narratives in the Bible is to put ourselves in the place of the main actors 

and personalize the story. Concentrate on the verbs used of the shepherds for our proper response to 

God and we can see a prototype of the Christian life.

        Abiding, keeping watch (v. 8)

        Said to one another, go and see (v. 15)

        Went with haste, saw, told (v. 16)

        Returned, glorifying and praising (v. 20)

“Joy to the Mall” by Chris Dolson, Shreveport pastor

And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from the U.S. Treasury, that all of America should go shopping. (And this decree was first made when leading economic indicators dipped to their lowest point.) And all went out to shop, each to his own mall.

And a Christian also went up from his suburban home to the city with its many malls because he wanted to prove he was from the household of prosperity. And with him was his wife, who was great with economic worry. And so it was, that, while they were there, they found many expensive presents, pudgy-faced dolls, trucks that turn into robots, and a various assortment of video games. And the woman wrote checks for those they could afford and charged the rest on many different kinds of plastic cards; she wrapped the presents in bright paper and laid them in the garage; for there was no room for them in her closet.

And there were in the same county children keeping watch over their stockings by night. And, lo, Santa Claus came upon them, and they were sore afraid (expecting to see the special effects they had seen in the movies). And Santa said to them, “Fear not; for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people who can afford this holiday. For unto you will be given this day, great feasts of turkey, dressing, and cake – and many presents. And this shall be a sign unto you: you shall find the presents, wrapped in bright paper, lying beneath an artificial tree adorned with tinsel, colored balls, and lights.”

And suddenly there was with Santa Claus a multitude of relatives and friends, praising one another and saying, “Glory to you for getting me this gift; it's just what I wanted.”

And it came to pass, as the friends and relatives were gone away into their own homes, the parents said to one another, “I sure am glad that's over. What a mess! I'm too tired to clean it up now. Let's go to bed and pick it up tomorrow.” And when they had said this, they remembered the statement that had been told to them by the storekeepers: “Christmas comes only once a year” And they that heard it wondered at those things that were sold to them by the storekeepers. But the children treasured all their things in their hearts, hoarding their toys from each other. And the parents, after a drink, went to bed, glorifying and praising each other for all the bargains they had