Luke 3:1-14 comments: John the Baptist's admonitions

Luke 3:1 ¶  Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judaea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of Ituraea and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the tetrarch of Abilene, 2  Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness. 3  And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins; 4  As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. 5  Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth; 6  And all flesh shall see the salvation of God. 7  Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8  Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. 9  And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 10  And the people asked him, saying, What shall we do then? 11  He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise. 12  Then came also publicans to be baptized, and said unto him, Master, what shall we do? 13  And he said unto them, Exact no more than that which is appointed you. 14  And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages.

I’ve already mentioned that Herod’s territory was divided among his children after death. Tiberius Caesar had been a very successful general but also a very reluctant emperor at the age of 55 when he succeeded Augustus who spent much of his time away from Rome. The wicked Caligula would rule after him. Pontius Pilate is known to us outside of the Bible account by the inscription on the Pilate Stone, a brief mention by the historian Tacitus, and some apocryphal Christian writings.

Like any good historian, Luke is giving the political/religious context of the events he is about to relate starting with the beginning of John the Baptist’s preaching. The Saviour of the Jews and mankind has come to earth at the bottom of the socio-political ladder. God’s order and His plan is not about kings and princes. He doesn’t come into the world in a palace with a high-sounding titles like king so-and-so or general whose-its leading an army with swords and spears.

John came preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.

Ezekiel 18:30 ¶  Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord GOD. Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin.

This is fundamentally different from the baptism that Christians will have done after the resurrection. Notice how Apollos had to be corrected because he knew only this baptism of national repentance for the Jewish people.

 Acts 18:24 ¶  And a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus. 25  This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John. 26  And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly.

Notice here in Acts that the community of the Jews and proselytes had to be baptized before receiving the Holy Spirit.

Acts 2:38  Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

But, in Acts 10 the Holy Ghost is poured out on the Gentile believers who then are baptized afterwards as a sign of their new position in God with Christ.

Acts 10:44 ¶  While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. 45  And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. 46  For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter, 47  Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?

48  And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days.

Baptism is an important Christian ordinance associated with a changed heart without which baptism alone has no saving power. It is not magic, but an outward profession of an inward commitment after the Holy Ghost has worked on a person’s heart and they realize they must turn from their dead works and receive Christ as their Saviour. Baptizing a baby who has no understanding of what is happening is no more effective than baptizing a corpse.

Remission is synonymous with forgiveness with the former implying a lessening of the penalty and the latter is the act of forgiving. This usage of words teaches us that we can refuse to enact the punishment and still not forgive. They both go hand-in-hand in the way God deals with us. You cannot say you forgive someone and then punch them in the mouth for their offense against you anymore than you can honestly say that simply because you did not choke someone unconscious that you’ve forgiven them. God forgives and doesn’t exact the penalty we so richly deserve. That is grace that goes beyond mercy. The Greek word is translated 9 times as remission and 6 as forgiveness.

Ephesians 1:7  In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; [see forgiveness with grace, unmerited mercy, here]

Colossians 1:14  In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: [see forgiveness lined up with redemption through Christ’s blood here]

Matthew 26:28  For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. [Christ paid the penalty that man deserved]

Romans 3:25  Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; [remission, not demanding that man pay the due debt for sin, is based on the forbearance of God]

On a side note of warning, though, about interpretation one of the errors of modern fundamentalism is the viewing of the Bible like the owner’s manual for your car or computer and refusing to use the cross-references to see parallel or synonymous meanings. Obviously, they say, if it is a different word it must have a different meaning. But, by cross-referencing verses, like reviewing the entire context of a verse, the passage in which it is found, one can learn meanings without spending all of our time trying to figure out how many angels can dance on the head of a pin, a phrase that refers to the foolishness of wasting our time on nothing of value.

Cross-referencing verses, like context, provides meaning. The Holy Ghost, for his own purpose, defines gospel as good tidings (good news) by comparing Luke 4:18 with Isaiah 61:1 and the kingdom of God as also the kingdom of Heaven by comparing Matthew 19:23 with verse 24 and Matthew 11:11 & 12 with Luke 7:28 and other passages. The Bible, the story of God’s ministry of reconciling man to Himself, is not like Emily Post’s Etiquette, put your fork here and your knife there, but is a conversation between our Creator and ourselves. Be careful how nitpicky you get trying to swallow subtle meanings, numerology, and codes while choking on mercy, truth, justice, faith, and turning from sin. It is not rocket-science but we make it so because of our modern mind-set about judging a thing by its smallest part from the bottom-up rather than judging a thing by its context from the top-down.

Verses 4-6 hearkens back to;

Isaiah 40:3 ¶  The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. 4  Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain: 5  And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.

By comparing verses in Isaiah and here in Luke we see that one definition of the glory of the LORD is His salvation. You do this by seeing how an Old Testament verse is quoted or alluded to and then noting the words that are substituted by the Holy Spirit.

John the Baptist is pretty rough on his congregation, the crowds coming to be baptized by him. In verse 7 he uses a phrase the wrath to come. While he will elaborate on God’s judgment through Christ at the end of the human story in the next passage this phrase is used elsewhere for the judgment to come.

1Thessalonians 1:10  And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.

Revelation 6:17  For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?

Revelation 11:18  And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.

God’s wrath on fallen mankind who rejects His free offer of amnesty is a prominent subject of the book of Revelation but is mentioned throughout the Bible and the church is promised that it will be spared from God’s wrath, although many Christians will experience the wrath of the Beast, popularly called the Antichrist.

John the Baptist tells them to bring an attitude of repentance, not self-justification and ethnic/racial pride. Regardless of their heritage from Abraham they stand morally and religiously bankrupt before a holy God. In the so-called “Sermon on the Mount” Jesus said;

Matthew 5:3  Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Poor in spirit is defined in Psalms and Isaiah.

Psalm 51:17  The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

Isaiah 66:2  For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.

This attitude is the foundation of and the origin of fruits worthy of repentance, not pride over your race, religious affiliation, national origin, political leanings, or any other dead work.

Hebrews 6:1  Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,

The people then pleaded with him for instruction. How will these fruits display themselves?

For the people, in verse 11, it is a life of generosity and charity, helping each other.

James 1:27  Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

James 2:16  And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?

Paul will further define the fruits or proof of the Holy Spirit indwelling a Christian in Galatians, chapter 5, as something against which there can be no law.

22  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 

Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

And in Ephesians, chapter 5;

8  For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: 9  (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) 10  Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. 11  And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.

Verses 12 and 13 show that those wielding governmental authority, here the hated collectors of Roman taxes the publicans, were not to abuse their lawful authority or go beyond it, not to be corrupt. Remember how Zacchaeus in Luke 19, a chief tax collector, swore to Jesus that he restored fourfold to any man that had been accused falsely.

Verse 14 has to do with the extortion that soldiers could be guilty of with their authority of the government behind them and carrying weapons of death on their persons. The people suffered at their hands. The same might be applied to police today. Jesus gave instructions to His followers that when one of these soldiers demanded that they carry the soldier’s kit for them a mile that they offer to go another mile, giving the disciple of Jesus a moral authority and control over the situation that one does not have if you just grudgingly comply with a soldier who could legally require your assistance in first-century Judea as a guide or a porter. The ability to requisition local services was fundamental to an occupying army. In the context of this next passage you can see the contrast in that while John the Baptist focused on those who had power Jesus focused on the response of those who did not have power.

Matthew 5:38 ¶  Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: 39  But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40  And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also. 41  And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. 42  Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.

Traditionally, many Christians have not viewed these admonitions in regard to avenues of power. They have denied that a person can even defend themselves from ruffians and robbers which shows a clear disregard for the context. This is evident in an interaction Jesus has later in Luke with His disciples.

Luke 22:36  Then said he unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one. 37  For I say unto you, that this that is written must yet be accomplished in me, And he was reckoned among the transgressors: for the things concerning me have an end. 38  And they said, Lord, behold, here are two swords. And he said unto them, It is enough.

To say that Jesus’ admonitions deny your ability to defend your family from criminals, whether they wear uniforms or not, is an absurdity. In the passage in Matthew 5 quoted above the context is lawful authority. John the Baptist said to exercise authority lawfully and Jesus said to obey man’s law to the fullest extent and beyond. We are then told the exceptions in Acts when man’s law intrudes on God’s command.

Acts 5:26 ¶  Then went the captain with the officers, and brought them without violence: for they feared the people, lest they should have been stoned. 27  And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them, 28  Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us. 29  Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.

Luke 2:41-52 comments: astonished at His understanding at twelve years old

    Luke 2:41 ¶  Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the passover. 42  And when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast. 43  And when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and Joseph and his mother knew not of it. 44  But they, supposing him to have been in the company, went a day’s journey; and they sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance. 45  And when they found him not, they turned back again to Jerusalem, seeking him. 46  And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions. 47  And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers. 48  And when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing. 49  And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business? 50  And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them. 51  And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart. 52  And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.

 

When Jesus is old enough to attend the Passover with his parents at Jerusalem there is a revealing of sorts. He is old enough to attend this rite and he is old enough to probably travel with the clan or village as a group and not have his parents ‘helicoptering’ over his every move. We are appalled and confused at something like this today in a world darkened by a growing perversion and violence against children. But, it is likely that Joseph and Mary felt that Jesus was safe with the group and he was not required to report in to them regularly. It is not hard to imagine in a pre-modern culture how care of children and young adults were viewed as a communal responsibility. As an example, in Polynesia there are cultures where young children are tasked to take care of even younger children, even those that are not their siblings, and child-rearing was a communal responsibility, or so I’ve read.

Rather than discuss issues of the Law given to Moses I’d like to point out that Jesus was gone from them for three days before they found Him preaching to the pious but lost Jewish religious leaders, which we can contrast with His three days in the tomb and preaching to the spirits in Hell.

Matthew 12:40  For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

1Peter 3:18 ¶  For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: 19  By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; 20  Which sometime were disobedient, when once

the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.

Jesus is discussing theology and points of the Law with learned men who are amazed at his understanding. This was most likely a fascinating sight to behold, a twelve-year-old boy discussing things way beyond His years and assumed learning with the experts. Later in His ministry the “experts” will think the same thing.

John 7:14 ¶  Now about the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and taught. 15  And the Jews marvelled, saying, How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?

Mary asks a question and makes a statement that many parents might ask and say in this circumstance. She uses the phrase thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing and Jesus corrects her, in a fashion. He is about His Father’s business who is, of course, not Joseph. They didn’t get it, what business exactly was He about? Still, Mary kept these things along with the others she had heard about Him in her heart. Jesus subjected Himself to his step-father and his mother as a good child should.

Jesus grew over these next 18 years, pleasing God and being an admirable person among men. Now, comes the time for Him to be presented to Israel.

Luke 2:25-40 comments: Simeon and Anna prophesy

Luke 2:25 ¶  And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him. 26  And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. 27  And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law, 28  Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, 29  Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: 30  For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, 31  Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; 32  A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel. 33  And Joseph and his mother marvelled at those things which were spoken of him. 34  And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against; 35  (Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed. 36  And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity; 37  And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. 38  And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem. 39  And when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city Nazareth. 40  And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him.

What Simeon was waiting for, the text says, was waiting for the consolation of Israel, that is, the coming of the Messiah. The Holy Ghost, the very mind of God was upon him and revealed that this baby was, indeed, the Messiah to come, the Lord’s Christ.

Consolation is linked to patience in Romans 15:5, salvation and comfort in 2Corinthians 1:6 and 2Corinthians 7:7, and  hope through grace in 2Thessalonians 2:16.

Simeon was on a divine appointment to meet Jesus Christ, mankind’s Saviour. He prophesied to Mary the grief she would experience at the Crucifixion in verse 35.

Anna was a prophetess. As I have already shown from Nehemiah, prophets preach. Here are some other notable prophetesses.

Exodus 15:20  And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances.

Judges 4:4  And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time.

2Kings 22:14  So Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam, and Achbor, and Shaphan, and Asahiah, went unto Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe; (now she dwelt in Jerusalem in the college;) and they communed with her.

Anna had been widowed after only seven years of marriage and was now 84 years old. She chose to serve the God who created her through her entire widowhood, in the temple. The text reports that she was a real prayer warrior. She, too, was given the wisdom to recognize Israel’s Saviour.

Verse 33 is an interesting one. In the second century harmonization of the Gospels known as Tatian’s Diatessaron showing early evidence of the text we have the verse is written just as we have it here not has modern Bibles often say, “his father and his mother,” revealing their Gnostic bent in undermining the divinity of Christ.

Verse 39 makes us aware that Joseph and Mary have obeyed the ordinances of man and God. Jesus will reinforce this idea those who follow Him live in two worlds; the kingdom of heaven and God and the kingdom of man. There is usually a clear division between the two. In Matthew 17:24-27 Jesus paid His taxes by a supernatural method and here in this passage later in Luke He states the difference between man’s rule and God’s and what belongs to whom.

Luke 20:20 ¶  And they watched him, and sent forth spies, which should feign themselves just men, that they might take hold of his words, that so they might deliver him unto the power and authority of the governor. 21  And they asked him, saying, Master, we know that thou sayest and teachest rightly, neither acceptest thou the person of any, but teachest the way of God truly: 22  Is it lawful for us to give tribute unto Caesar, or no? 23  But he perceived their craftiness, and said unto them, Why tempt ye me? 24  Shew me a penny. Whose image and superscription hath it? They answered and said, Caesar’s. 25  And he said unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which be Caesar’s, and unto God the things which be God’s. 26  And they could not take hold of his words before the people: and they marvelled at his answer, and held their peace.

There can be no law against the evidence of having the Holy Ghost, the very mind of God, indwelling a person.

Galatians 5:22  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23  Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

But, at times when man’s law crosses the line there is no expectation from God for the Christian to obey.

Acts 5:26 ¶  Then went the captain with the officers, and brought them without violence: for they feared the people, lest they should have been stoned. 27  And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them, 28  Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us. 29  Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.

Some people possessed of a rebellious spirit do draw the line where God does not. But, God did not make Mary and Joseph into revolutionaries. Remember, when Jesus faced His trial under Governor Pontius Pilate He told the Roman about God’s permissive will.

John 19:8  When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he was the more afraid; 9  And went again into the judgment hall, and saith unto Jesus, Whence art thou? But Jesus gave him no answer.10  Then saith Pilate unto him, Speakest thou not unto me? knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee? 11  Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin.

The boundary is drawn so that when a military chaplain is forbidden to pray in Christ’s name or when people are forbidden in Vietnam or Saudi Arabia or even America to worship God in Christ’s name it is clear that disobedience to man’s law is required.

God was careful in that His plan, up to a point, followed the prevailing laws of Rome and the religious and social customs of the Jewish people. Is rebellion and revolution ever justified? Sure, it is. Oppression and evil must be fought with actions and not just with words. But, just don’t couch your not wanting to do anything you’re told in religious terms using Christ as an excuse to disobey a city zoning law or to disobey a township ordinance requiring a permit to go door to door. Civil protest is one thing as is petitioning to have a law changed but disobedience without a Godly cause in Christ’s name is another.

In verse 40 modern versions often remove in spirit. Man’s spirit can refer to the mind and its faculties of reason as the heart refers to the mind and the faculties of emotion, both of which must work together to learn and make decisions.

God uses our minds, our spirits, to search our thoughts. There is nothing hidden from Him.

Proverbs 20:27  The spirit of man is the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly.

1Chronicles 28:9  And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever.

Psalm 139:23  Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:

Compare and contrast this with John the Baptist.

Luke 1:80  And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his shewing unto Israel.

Luke 2:21-24 comments: circumcision and presentation

Luke 2:21 ¶  And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb. 22  And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord; 23  (As it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord;) 24  And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.

Here is the original requirement for circumcision of Hebrew baby boys given to Abraham.

Genesis 17:12  And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed.

Then under the Law given to Moses. Note the poverty of Mary and Joseph underscored by this passage. You can’t get too much more humble than this; born in a stable which may have been a cave, a feeding trough for a crib, and a mother and step-father who were poor as the proverbial church mouse.

Leviticus 12:2  Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a woman have conceived seed, and born a man child: then she shall be unclean seven days; according to the days of the separation for her infirmity shall she be unclean. 3  And in the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised…6 ¶  And when the days of her purifying are fulfilled, for a son, or for a daughter, she shall bring a lamb of the first year for a burnt offering, and a young pigeon, or a turtledove, for a sin offering, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, unto the priest: 7  Who shall offer it before the LORD, and make an atonement for her; and she shall be cleansed from the issue of her blood. This is the law for her that hath born a male or a female. 8  And if she be not able to bring a lamb, then she shall bring two turtles, or two young pigeons; the one for the burnt offering, and the other for a sin offering: and the priest shall make an atonement for her, and she shall be clean.

As the Law required.

Exodus 13:12  That thou shalt set apart unto the LORD all that openeth the matrix, and every firstling that cometh of a beast which thou hast; the males shall be the LORD’S.

Luke 2:8-20 comments: Peace, good will toward men

Luke 2:8 ¶  And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9  And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. 10  And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 11  For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. 12  And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, 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, good will toward men. 15  And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. 16  And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. 17  And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. 18  And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. 19  But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. 20  And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.

Some writers, quoting sources like the Greek philosopher Aristotle from hundreds of years before and the Jewish Babylonian Talmud much later, insist that shepherds held a very low social status in the Palestine of the first century. Perhaps, as common laborers they did but let us remember that the Jews would remember King David was a shepherd boy who likened God to a shepherd in my late father’s favorite Bible passage, Psalm, chapter 23. Keep in mind that the people in verse 18 wondered at the message the shepherds delivered and the text does not say they were shocked that the “lowly” shepherds were involved.  

If you take this account at face value as I do you will notice that the appearance or angel of the Lord, who is also Christ, shows Himself as He is also lying in a feeding trough as a baby. An angel is a presence, an appearance of someone who is someplace else physically.

Isaiah 63:9  In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old.

Judges 2:1 ¶  And an angel of the LORD came up from Gilgal to Bochim, and said, I made you to go up out of Egypt, and have brought you unto the land which I sware unto your fathers; and I said, I will never break my covenant with you.

Acts 27:23  For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve,

And this verse, understanding that even typically connects two things that are the same or similar. First, for the definition of even.

Genesis 6:17a  And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life...

And now this verse for my point…

Galatians 4:14  And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.

Notice how Christ, talking about Himself can show that He could be in two places at one time.

John 3:13  And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.

And even those who trust Him.

Ephesians 2:6  And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

This, of course, if the angel of the Lord here is not Gabriel who has previously been given the task of being the spiritual world’s version of John the Baptist, heralding the first arrival of Christ.

Christ is the long-awaited Messiah of the Jews, Saviour of mankind.

John 4:25  The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things.

Notice in verses 13 and 14 the angels are not singing as in Christian mythology. They are saying and what they are saying is not conditional as in peace to men of good will. They are saying good will toward men. This is not conditional. This is God’s peace being presented. See in the following the peace between Jew and Gentile and between both as the Church and God.

Ephesians 2:11 ¶  Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; 12  That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: 13  But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by

the blood of Christ.

    14 ¶  For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; 15  Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; 16  And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: 17  And came and preached peace to you which were afar

off, and to them that were nigh. 18  For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. 19  Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; 20  And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; 21  In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: 22  In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

 

Mankind is at war with God. He ignores or fights against God’s standard of righteousness in the moral aspects of the Law given to Moses and the admonitions of Christ, Paul, Peter, John, and James. Mankind is malicious, murderous, evil, and vile in his affections and his plans. He is constantly trying to change God’s plans. He tries to cheat death desiring to live as long as the men and women before the Flood of Noah in this sinful flesh, change and destroy the natural world trying to place his own twisted sense of order on it, and in some cases even deny that the physical condition of gender and age have any bearing on him or her. Mankind is constantly trying to control that which he can have no control over and claim to know that which his finite man cannot know.

But, God made peace with us. He did all the work and all we have to do is to receive His mercy, the mercy of a God dealing with a rebellious mob. There is no chance of defeating Him and we would not be able to exist for another moment where we able to do that as He is the author of every heartbeat, every cell function, and every breath. We are fools to fight our Creator.

So, He entered our space in physical flesh like ours and suffered the consequences of our rebellion, death and agony, and then rose again for our justification before Himself having preached to the spirits in Hell and taken Paradise to Heaven. As in a medieval conflict, the herald rides up and offers us peace, a peace we only need to receive, the parts of all parties having been satisfied by God. This is the only offer you’ll get, the only chance for your king’s mercy.