Luke 2

The world is full of important people. Most of them are forgotten soon after they die. Caesar Augustus is not in that category. When this man was ruling over the Roman empire, an unknown baby was born. That child, so easily ignored in His humble beginnings, was destined to rule over all, and His empire would be far more extensive and long-lasting than any other known to mankind. He was born to a simple woman, and cared for by a simple man, both of them descendants of the great King David. He came to us in the most humble surroundings, seemingly the victim of some administrative decree decided upon by people who could have no awareness that their rulings would be recited by countless children over many centuries memorizing the words of the Christmas story. Yet the truth is that the actions and decisions of both David and Augustus fit in with the plans of the One who had decreed from above that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem, and that His mother and her husband would travel there from Galilee.

This humble beginning of the Messiah was announced by residents of a better city than Rome. Angels from heaven proclaimed the good news that the Savior of the world, the Christ, the Lord, had been born. Those who heard the news were shepherds in the fields. They watched over their flocks by night, keeping them safe from predators. God our Shepherd came as the child of Mary in order to rescue us from the greatest eternal danger. But when this great Shepherd was born, this One who would make peace between God and men found His resting place among the animals. All of this is something to think about. When the Son of God comes to save, why does He come so low? Yet some years later He would go lower, when He died on a cross. Mary treasured these things in her heart.

This greatest child of Bethlehem was given the name Jesus through angelic instruction, a name that refers to the saving work of Jehovah God. This great Savior was yet born under the Law of Moses. According to that Law, he was circumcised, a sign and a seal, says the Apostle Paul, of righteousness by faith. Yet this child would keep the Law, and would be the source of righteousness for all who would believe in Him, both of the Jews and of the Gentiles. In accord with God’s commandments, His mother and her husband offered a humble sacrifice as specified for the poor. He would give Himself one day as a perfectly effectual blood offering, atoning for the sins of those covered by His cross.

Though the circumstances of His life were very humble, it was not the case that the birth of Jesus Christ escaped everyone’s notice. Just as certain shepherds had the privilege of hearing and seeing an angelic announcement, two elderly worshipers of the Lord were singled out by the Almighty to be granted a sure Word concerning the identity of this Child through the testimony of the Holy Spirit. There were many little ones who would have been brought to the temple courts to mark their entrance into the covenantal life of Israel. But this was Jesus Christ the Lord, and Simeon and Anna were informed that He was not just another ordinary baby. This boy’s birth marked the coming of the consolation of Israel. The One whose arrival meant that Simeon was free to die, came that we might have life and freedom beyond death. He is our salvation, for both Jew and Gentile, for all whom the Lord our God calls to Himself. This salvation would mean pain for Him, as another woman heard back in the garden of Paradise so long ago. His heel would be bruised, and Mary’s heart would be broken with the early death of her beloved Son and Savior. Yet because of this death, even the poorest widow who believes, has found the greatest husband, One who has the power of an indestructible life.

His parents returned to Galilee, but they would come back every year to Jerusalem for the feasts, in accord with the ceremonial calendar of the Old Covenant. When Jesus was twelve years old, He lingered behind in the temple. At His birth the angels pronounced His glory. At His circumcision Simeon and Anna did their part, and gave great thanks to God for Him. But now He Himself was demonstrating something of what was yet to come. He listened, and asked them questions, and they were amazed at His understanding, and His answers. Beyond this, when His distressed mother questioned Him about why He stayed behind in Jerusalem after the crowd of extended family and friends from Nazareth had left long before, He gave this suggestive reply, “Why are you looking for Me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?”

This Jesus who was willing to submit to His parents, and who grew in wisdom and stature in His human nature, was the only-begotten Son of God in His divine nature. It was necessary for Him to be the One who would fulfill the Law of God as a man on behalf of men, and then die the death that men deserved. Only the Son of God in the glory of His eternal nature, now inseparably united to His perfect human nature, could ever have accomplished our eternal redemption. This baby, this boy, this Jesus is the One. He will never be forgotten. He is very God of very God, and far above all Caesars.