Sunday Sermons

The Entrance

Mark Dunagan
12/24/06 - Sunday Evening

The Entrance

Luke 2:1-20

2:1-2 The expression, “in those days”, refers to a time shortly after the events described in the last chapter . “Augustus” was the title conferred upon Octavian, the adoptive heir of Julius Caesar in 27 B.C. He had defeated the forces of Mark Antony and Cleopatra at Actium, in 31 B.C., Augustus will die at the age of 76 in A.D. 14. Typically, what followed a census was taxation. According to the Jewish historian Josephus, Quirinius (kwy REN ih us), took on another census in A.D. 7 (see Acts 5:37). “W.M. Ramsay and others have shown that during the first century A.D. a census was held regularly every fourteen years or so. A notice of C. Vibius Maximus, a prefect of Egypt,, which has been discovered (A. Deissmaan, Light from the Ancient East, pp. 270ff.) shows that the manner of enrollment described by Luke agrees with what was also the custom in Egypt” (Geldenhuys pp. 104-105). According to Josephus, we know that Quirinius was governor of Syria in A.D. 6. There are proofs enough in secular history that Quirinius had already, at an earlier period, been acting in an official capacity in Syria. Even though Augustus does not serve God, his decision to have a census at this time would fulfill the prophecy that stated that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2).

2:3-8 Thus is came about that Joseph, who was of the house of David, had to go to Bethlehem, which is located five miles south of Jerusalem, on a limestone ridge along the main highway to Hebron and Egypt. It is this very city that David had been born about one thousand years earlier. “That Joseph, a carpenter, knew his Davidic lineage and could prove it is something quite natural. The Jews from earliest times kept their genealogical tables in order with amazing fidelity” (Geldenhuys p. 100). Luke still speaks of Mary as “betrothed” to Joseph, although it appears in Matthew that Joseph had already married her. Apparently he does this to show that although they were already married they were still, all the time, living as espoused persons (Matthew 1:25). On account of the great crowds in Bethlehem who had come for the census, there was no room for them in the inn. “And although Mary’s critical situation was clear to all, no one gave up accommodation to her and Joseph. The result was that they had to take up their lodging in a stable, a place where animals were kept” (Geldenhuys p. 101). Here we see the great condescension of Jesus. Jesus had left the glory of the Father and humbled Himself to be born as a human child in the most lowly of circumstances (Philippians 2:5-9).

A “manger” was a crib in a stall, and here it will serve as a baby bed in a barn. “Properly the place in a stall or stable where the food of cattle is placed” (ISBE p. 1981). “Swaddling clothes” are bandages or cloths. In the Middle East swaddling clothes consist of a square of cloth and two or more bandages. The child is laid on the cloth diagonally and the corners are folded over the feet and the body under the head, the bandages then being tied so as to hold the cloth in position. This device forms the clothing of the child until he or she is about a year-old.

There were some shepherds tending their flocks in the same general area. Jewish sources tell us that the sheep intended for the daily sacrifices in the Temple in Jerusalem were fed in the Bethlehem pastures. In the same region, a young David had tended flocks (1 Samuel 17:15). The earliest reference to the time of Jesus’ birth is from Clement of Alexandria (A.D. 180). He states that some thought the date of Christ’s birth was either April 21, April 22 or May 20. The Eastern Church erroneously argued that Christ must have been born on January 6 because He was the second Adam and should have been born on the sixth day of the year as the first Adam was born on the sixth day of creation. The celebration of December 25 as the supposed day of Jesus’ birth can be traced back as far as the fourth century. The predominance of Rome and Catholicism led to its well-nigh universal acceptance.

2:9-20 These shepherds reacted in the same manner in which we would react if an angel suddenly appeared before us on a dark night. Notice the specific information that these shepherds are given. “They will find Him, not surrounded by splendor and outward glory, but as a little child wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. No other new-born babe in Bethlehem would be lying in a manger like this” (Geldenhuys p. 112). Notice that the birth of the Messiah would be good news for “all the people”. The peace promised is peace with God and other believers. God is not promising unconditional peace (John 16:33; Matthew 10:34), for this peace is promised to those “with whom He is pleased”. That is, God is pleased with those who want to serve Him faithfully (Acts 10:34-35). The Greek word translated “found” in verse 16 indicates a diligent search before they found the child. Remember, at this time there are Jews from all over Palestine in this city. Clearly, the shepherds told others, besides Mary and Joseph about the angelic visitation and what had been said. “All ‘wondered’, but Mary ‘thought’ on all that had happened, the wonder of many was transient emotion (aorist tense); this recollecting and brooding of Mary was an abiding habit (imperfect tense)” (Gr. Ex. N.T. p. 474). While people forgot about these things, Mary never forgot. “Some are surprised that we hear nothing about Joseph’s reaction. We may be sure that his was much like Mary’s, but Luke is telling Mary’s story, most probably as he had heard it from Mary herself” (Lenski p. 138).

Matthew 2:1-12

2:1 This Herod the king was Herod the Great, and the Romans did allow vassal kings to rule in some areas of the empire if they followed Roman policy. Herod ruled from 40 B.C. until 4 B.C. “Magi (MAY jie) from the east”: The name “Magi” was given by the Babylonians, Medes, Persians, and others, to the wise men, teachers, priests, physicians, astrologers, seers, interpreters of dreams, augurs, soothsayers, sorcerers, etc.. At their best, the magi were skilled in philosophy, medicine and natural science and were probably the possessors of what real learning existed in their period: at worst, many impostors among them were little more than fortune-tellers, sorcerers, magicians, and charlatans. The expression, “from the east” tells us that the magi could have come from Babylonia, Persia, or even India. From Isaiah 60:3 and Psalm 72:10, some have argued that these Magi were kings. Others assume there were three of them due to the fact that the gifts given were three basic kinds (2:11).

2:2 When the Magi were in the east, they saw a star which had apparently led them to Jerusalem (2:9). God did communicate with these wise men (2:12), so it would seem that God had previously communicated to them and informed them concerning what the star signified, that is, that the King of the Jews had been born. The star was not a forewarning or omen, but an announcement of an already accomplished fact. Therefore, the star must have appeared when Jesus was born, and it must have required the Magi up to two years (2:16) to get to Jerusalem. Obviously, this star in this chapter is no ordinary star. According to 2:9, the star they saw in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. This was plainly some type of supernatural star sent by God for their special guidance. The idea that these men have figured out that the King of the Jews was born based on astrological charts must be rejected because the same God who would condemned such practices (Deuteronomy 18:9-14; Isaiah 44:25; Jeremiah 10:2), would hardly turn around and give His stamp of approval upon such a system of pseudo-knowledge.

2:3-6 Herod had spent his entire reign removing all rightful heirs to the Jewish throne. He was a very suspicious man, and in 7 B.C., even had two of his own sons executed. The inhabitants of Jerusalem also heard what the wise men had said to Herod, and trembled as well, for they knew Herod, and they anticipated some sort of violent reaction on his part (2:16). Herod immediately understood in the statement, “the King of the Jews”, that the wise men were speaking about the Messiah. Notice the irony. Herod trusted the Bible’s message enough to act upon it, but he totally ignored the all-knowing God who gave the prophecy and who would be fully capable of thwarting Herod’s scheme. The promptness with which the priests and scribes answered Herod’s question shows that the Jews well understood where the Messiah was to be born (John 7:40-42). This verse also reveals that the Jews possessed a copy of the book of Micah. This is a quotation from Micah 5:2. Note that in Micah 5:2, it is also said concerning the Messiah that His goings forth are from of old, from everlasting, that is, that the Messiah would be Himself. “Are by no means least among the leaders of Judah”: Either, “You are by no means least among the chief cities of Judah”, or, “You shall by no means be regarded as least among them”. Jesus is called a Shepherd in other passages as well (1 Peter 2:25; Hebrews 13:20).

2:7-9 Herod carefully and diligently investigated and discovered from the magi the exact time the star had appeared. Herod had learned the birthplace of the Messiah and traded that knowledge in exchange for their knowledge of the time of His birth. Herod assumes that the time of the rising of the star coincided with either Christ’s conception or His actual birth, thus he is better able to judge what age king he now views as a rival. The fact that Herod didn’t immediately act or go with the wise men is certainly providential. From the fact that the chief priests and scribes did not also go seems to infer that many didn’t take seriously the story of these wise men. Apparently, the star moved right over the exact house in which Mary and Joseph were living. The expression, “and lo”, denotes something new. “And all at once” (Knox); “And there was the star” (Beck). From the text it seems that the star appeared and then disappeared. That is the star had possibly guided them to Jerusalem, but no farther, and then as they entered Bethlehem suddenly appeared right over the house. The text implies that the star had not been continuously visible. In so doing God was protecting Jesus. “It thus enabled them, without inquires which could arouse the unwanted curiosity of the Bethlehemites, to find Jesus. If the magi entered Bethlehem by night (2:9), this too contributed to the privacy of their coming” (Fowler p. 64). 2:9-11 By this time Jesus is no longer a babe in the manger, but a young child, and Mary and Joseph are in a house rather than the stable. The wise men gave the best they had, which indicates their honesty and desire to serve God acceptably. They worshipped the child, which seems to suggest that they understood that He was divine and not merely a Jewish prince destined for some sort of earthly greatness. Their gifts and worship indicate some forethought: “If these wise-men see before them a Divine King, then incense is quite appropriate. Their worship and gifts indicate forethought. What a condemnation of half-hearted worshippers who are content to give Jesus the left-over scraps of their lives!” (Fowler p. 65).

Mark Dunagan/Beaverton Church of Christ/503644-9017