On the night of Jesus’ birth, in the hills near Bethlehem, shepherds were watching over their flocks. Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord, His light and brightness, shone around them. The angel told them not to fear, that he had good news for them. He then revealed that a Savior, Christ the Lord, had been born in the city of David that night. As a sign of this proclamation, the angel told them that they would find the child lying in a manger wrapped in swaddling clothes (Luke 2:8–12).
Right after this astonishing announcement, a multitude of the host of heaven appeared, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” (Luke 2:13–14 NKJV). When the light of God’s glory and the angel and the host departed, the shepherds decided to go to Bethlehem right away to see what God had told them about.
There is evidence within Jewish writings that shepherds and herders were considered to have a very low social status within first-century Israel. This was partly because they were in the fields all the time and were unable to keep up with all the religious laws, and also because they would have the sheep graze on other people’s land without permission. Given that context, the fact that this announcement was made to shepherds—seen to be outcasts to some extent—is all the more remarkable.
In Bethlehem the shepherds found Mary, Joseph, and the baby, just as the angel said they would. Finding Jesus lying in a manger swaddled in cloth within the main room of a peasant house, with animals in the stable area, would not have been unusual for them, since most likely their children had been swaddled in the same manner according to the customs of peasants. Placing a child in a manger was probably not normally done, but a practical solution in overcrowded accommodations.
What would have been extraordinary for them was that a child whose birth was announced to them by an angel, accompanied by a heavenly host, was found in a village home that was just like theirs! The shepherds—who were people of low status, the poor and humble—discovered that night that the Messiah, the Savior of the world, was born a humble peasant just as they were.
The Gospel of Luke tells us that the shepherds left “glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen,” and telling others “all that had been told them concerning the child” (Luke 2:17–20). Jesus had come for the poor and needy, the lowly, the downtrodden, and not just for those of status and good reputation. The message was that everyone is welcome, God’s gift of salvation is for all.
Matthew’s Gospel tells of the visit of the Magi, who came from the East after they saw a special star, which they understood to be an omen that a king of the Jews would be born. They traveled to Jerusalem in search of the king, and upon their arrival began inquiring where was this child who was destined to be king, so that they could pay homage to him (Matthew 2:1–2).
When King Herod heard this, he was troubled, as the birth of a new king could mean a challenge to his throne. He gathered the chief priests and scribes to find out where such a child was supposed to be born, and they told him that according to Scripture the birth would be in Bethlehem. Though the religious rulers knew that Scripture stated where the Messiah would be born, they had no idea that He had already been born. While Bethlehem is only about five miles from Jerusalem, there is no record of any of the religious leadership going to seek out the child.
Herod secretly met with the Magi to ascertain when they had seen the star, which was apparently two years earlier. After getting this information, he sent them off to Bethlehem with instructions for them to report the child’s whereabouts so he too could pay Him homage (Matthew 2:3–8). The Magi left Jerusalem, found Jesus and His family, bowed down before Him and paid Him homage, and gave gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh (Matthew 2:9–11).
After finding the newborn King, the Magi were instructed through a dream to not return to see Herod, and they obeyed those instructions. When Herod found out that they had left the country without telling him where to find the child, he was furious. He ordered his soldiers to kill all the male children who were two years old and younger in Bethlehem and the surrounding area, in hopes of eliminating any challenges to his throne.
Besides relaying these events, what did this part of Matthew’s narrative seek to convey? Herod and the religious leaders in Jerusalem were unaware that the promised King was born, showing that God had not given the religious or the political leadership a sign. On the other hand, the gentile Magi had seen a sign in nature, in the star. They responded by seeking for the newborn king and eventually saw the Savior and worshiped Him. Matthew was making the point that the salvation God had promised wasn’t reserved for Israel only, but for the gentiles as well, meaning it was for everyone.
Luke tells us that after Jesus’ birth, His parents took Him to the temple in Jerusalem to be presented to the Lord. While they were there, an elderly devout Jew named Simeon saw them. God had told Simeon that he wouldn’t die before he saw the Christ, the Messiah. Upon seeing Jesus he took Him in his arms and prayed: “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel” (Luke 2:29–32).
Simeon’s prayer speaks of salvation for all people—both Jews and gentiles. As was the case with the Magi, the message is of salvation available to all through Christ. The Son of God came to earth for everyone.
Simeon then blessed them and prophesied, saying to Mary, “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed” (Luke 2:34–35 NIV). Having proclaimed that salvation would be for both Jews and gentiles, Simeon also prophesied that there would be a rejection of Jesus from within Israel. Some would believe and others wouldn’t; there would be division among the people as the thoughts of people’s hearts were revealed.
In Luke’s Gospel, the shepherds, some of the lowly within Jewish society, witness a supernatural announcement through the angel, and the child is a peasant child—a clear sign that He has come for the common people. There is also a prophecy from a religiously devout Jew within the temple, making the statement that the Messiah is for everyone, though He will be rejected by some. In Matthew’s Gospel, the sign of the Savior, seen in nature, is followed by the gentile Magi coming to Him, again signifying that salvation is for all.
The consistent message throughout the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ birth—in fact, throughout all of the Gospels—is that Jesus has come for all humanity; He died for the salvation of all. “God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16). This is the good news of Christmas. This is the news that the angels proclaimed, the message portrayed by the star leading the Magi, and the message of God’s love that we carry in our hearts and are called to share with others.