Luke 2
2
The Birth of Jesus
(Mt 1.18–25)
1At that time the Emperor Augustus ordered a census to be taken throughout the Roman Empire. 2When this first census took place, Quirinius was the governor of Syria. 3Everyone, then, went to register himself, each to his own town.
4Joseph went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to the town of Bethlehem in Judea, the birthplace of King David. Joseph went there because he was a descendant of David. 5He went to register with Mary, who was promised in marriage to him. She was pregnant, 6and while they were in Bethlehem, the time came for her to have her baby. 7She gave birth to her first son, wrapped him in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger — there was no room for them to stay in the inn.
The Shepherds and the Angels
8There were some shepherds in that part of the country who were spending the night in the fields, taking care of their flocks. 9An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone over them. They were terribly afraid, 10but the angel said to them, “Don't be afraid! I am here with good news for you, which will bring great joy to all the people. 11This very day in David's town your Saviour was born — Christ the Lord! 12And this is what will prove it to you: you will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth and lying in a manger.”
13Suddenly a great army of heaven's angels appeared with the angel, singing praises to God:
14“Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and peace on earth to those with whom he is pleased!”
15When the angels went away from them back into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us.”
16So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph and saw the baby lying in the manger. 17When the shepherds saw him, they told them what the angel had said about the child. 18All who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said. 19Mary remembered all these things and thought deeply about them. 20The shepherds went back, singing praises to God for all they had heard and seen; it had been just as the angel had told them.
Jesus is Named
21 #
Lev 12.3; Lk 1.31 A week later, when the time came for the baby to be circumcised, he was named Jesus, the name which the angel had given him before he had been conceived.
Jesus is Presented in the Temple
22 #
Lev 12.6–8
The time came for Joseph and Mary to perform the ceremony of purification, as the Law of Moses commanded. So they took the child to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, 23#Ex 13.2, 12as it is written in the law of the Lord: “Every firstborn male is to be dedicated to the Lord.” 24They also went to offer a sacrifice of a pair of doves or two young pigeons, as required by the law of the Lord.
25At that time there was a man named Simeon living in Jerusalem. He was a good, God-fearing man and was waiting for Israel to be saved. The Holy Spirit was with him 26and had assured him that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's promised Messiah. 27Led by the Spirit, Simeon went into the Temple. When the parents brought the child Jesus into the Temple to do for him what the Law required, 28Simeon took the child in his arms and gave thanks to God:
29“Now, Lord, you have kept your promise,
and you may let your servant go in peace.
30With my own eyes I have seen your salvation,
31which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples:
32 #
Is 42.6; 49.6; 52.10 A light to reveal your will to the Gentiles
and bring glory to your people Israel.”
33The child's father and mother were amazed at the things Simeon said about him. 34Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother, “This child is chosen by God for the destruction and the salvation of many in Israel. He will be a sign from God which many people will speak against 35and so reveal their secret thoughts. And sorrow, like a sharp sword, will break your own heart.”
36-37There was a very old prophet, a widow named Anna, daughter of Phanuel of the tribe of Asher. She had been married for only seven years and was now 84 years old.#2.36–37 was now 84 years old; or had been a widow 84 years. She never left the Temple; day and night she worshipped God, fasting and praying. 38That very same hour she arrived and gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were waiting for God to set Jerusalem free.
The Return to Nazareth
39 #
Mt 2.23
When Joseph and Mary had finished doing all that was required by the law of the Lord, they returned to their home town of Nazareth in Galilee. 40The child grew and became strong; he was full of wisdom, and God's blessings were upon him.
The Boy Jesus in the Temple
41 #
Ex 12.1–27; Deut 16.1–8 Every year the parents of Jesus went to Jerusalem for the Passover Festival. 42When Jesus was twelve years old, they went to the festival as usual. 43When the festival was over, they started back home, but the boy Jesus stayed in Jerusalem. His parents did not know this; 44they thought that he was with the group, so they travelled a whole day and then started looking for him among their relatives and friends. 45They did not find him, so they went back to Jerusalem looking for him. 46On the third day they found him in the Temple, sitting with the Jewish teachers, listening to them and asking questions. 47All who heard him were amazed at his intelligent answers. 48His parents were astonished when they saw him, and his mother said to him, “My son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been terribly worried trying to find you.”
49He answered them, “Why did you have to look for me? Didn't you know that I had to be in my Father's house?” 50But they did not understand his answer.
51So Jesus went back with them to Nazareth, where he was obedient to them. His mother treasured all these things in her heart. 52#1 Sam 2.26; Prov 3.4Jesus grew both in body and in wisdom, gaining favour with God and people.
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Good News Bible with Deuterocanonicals/Apocrypha. Scripture taken from the Good News Bible (r) (Today's English Version Second Edition, UK/British Edition). Copyright © 1992 British & Foreign Bible Society. Used by permission.
Luke 2
2
The Birth of Jesus
1-2During those days, the Roman emperor, Caesar Augustus, # 2:1–2 It is ironic that the Roman emperors viewed themselves as “gods” while the little baby born in a feeding trough was the true God incarnate. ordered that the first census be taken throughout his empire. (Quirinius was the governor of Syria at that time.) 3Everyone had to travel to the hometown of their family to complete the mandatory census. 4-5So Joseph and his wife, Mary, left Nazareth, # 2:4–5 “Nazareth” is taken from a Hebrew word for “branch” (Isa. 11:1). God controls all events, proven by the fulfillment of the prophecy that Jesus would be born in Bethlehem, even though his parents were living in Nazareth. See Mic. 5:2. a village in Galilee, and journeyed to their hometown in Judea, to the village of Bethlehem, # 2:4–5 The distance from Nazareth to Bethlehem is about sixty-five miles (105 kilometers) and would have taken a number of days for them to arrive. Bethlehem, or Byt-lehem, means “house of bread,” the prophesied birthplace of Messiah. However, the Hebrew word lechem is a homonym for “fighter” or “warrior.” Jesus was born in “the house of fighters.” Bethlehem is the city of David, who was one of the greatest fighters in the entire Bible. Perhaps this is why the people of Jesus’ day expected him to fight the Romans and free their land from foreign occupation. Jesus fulfilled both aspects of the meaning of Bethlehem in Gethsemane and on the cross, where he fought the “Goliath” of our souls and won, becoming bread for the world. King David’s ancient home. They were required to register there, since they were both direct descendants of David. Mary was pregnant and nearly ready to give birth.
6-7When they arrived in Bethlehem, # 2:6–7 Or “While they were in Bethlehem.” Mary went into labor, and there she gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped the newborn baby in strips of cloth, and Mary and Joseph laid him in a feeding trough since there was no available space in any upper room in the village. # 2:6–7 This is the Greek word kataluma. This is not an “inn” but simply the upstairs level of a home where guests would stay. It means there was no guest room available in Bethlehem for Mary to give birth. Since all of Joseph’s and Mary’s family also made the journey because of the census, every home of a relative would have been full. In that day Bethlehem was far too small of a village to have an actual inn, all the katalumai there were occupied. It is likely that Joseph and Mary had to sleep downstairs in the main room of a relative’s house. The downstairs of a village home in that day was like an all-purpose room that served as a workshop during the day, and at night it was used to shelter frail animals, while the rest of the flock was left outdoors. The kataluma was not a full-fledged barn or stable, but it did contain a drinking trough or manger cut in the bedrock. This was the likely place where the baby Jesus was placed after his birth.
An Angelic Encounter
8That night, in a field # 2:8 Many scholars believe that these could be the same fields where sacrificial flocks were kept for temple worship. How fitting that these shepherds would hear the announcement of the birth of the Lamb of God. Others believe these fields could have been near the field of Boaz, or the fields where David once watched over the flocks of his father, Jesse. near Bethlehem, shepherds were watching over their flocks. 9Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared in radiant splendor before them, lighting up the field with the blazing glory of God, and the shepherds were terrified! 10But the angel reassured them, saying, “Don’t be afraid, for I have come to bring you good news, the most joyous news the world has ever heard! And it is for everyone everywhere! 11For today in Bethlehem # 2:11 The Greek text says, “the city of David.” a rescuer was born for you. He is the Lord Yahweh, the Messiah. # 2:11 Translated literally from the Aramaic text. This is one of the most amazing statements found in the Gospels declaring the deity of Jesus Christ. 12You will recognize him by this miraculous sign: You will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth and lying in the feeding trough!” # 2:12 A baby lying in a feeding trough where animals were kept nearby, wrapped in strips of cloths, became a sign of the Man-Savior’s life on earth. He entered the world as a lowly baby, and though he is the mighty God, he lived his life on earth in gentleness before all. The shepherds that night were possibly near Bethlehem at Migdal Eder, “the [watch] tower of the flock.” This would fulfill both the prophecies of Mic. 5:2 and Mic. 4:8, which say, “to you it [he] will come, your dominion [kingdom] from old will arrive.” It was at the lower floor of the watchtower (Migdal Eder) that the birthing of the Passover lambs would take place. Selected ewes that were about to give birth would be brought there. After the birth of the lambs, the priestly shepherds would wrap the lambs in cloth and lay them in a manger lined with soft hay to prevent them from hurting themselves, for Passover lambs must be unblemished with no bruise or broken bone. The miracle sign for these priestly shepherds would be a baby boy lying where the Passover lamb should be—in a manger, wrapped in strips of cloth. It was at the cradle of Jesus Christ that the kingdom from ancient times arrived on earth.
13Then all at once in the night sky, a vast number of glorious angels appeared, the very armies of heaven! And they all praised God, singing:
14“Glory to God in the highest realms of heaven!
For there is peace # 2:14 Luke’s Gospel is the Gospel of peace. The four prominent sacrifices of the Old Testament are emphasized in the four Gospels. In Matthew we see the death of Christ in the figure of the trespass offering, in Mark the sin offering, in Luke the peace offering, and in John the burnt offering. The peace God gives us is emphasized in Luke’s Gospel, which is why the angels announced peace and hope. On the day of his resurrection Jesus said, “Peace to you.” and a good hope # 2:14 As translated from the Aramaic. The Greek is “good will among people” or “good will among people with whom he is pleased.” given to the sons of men.”
15When the choir of angels disappeared and returned to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go! Let’s hurry and find this Word # 2:15 The Greek is the word rhema. who is born in Bethlehem and see for ourselves what the Lord has revealed to us.” 16So they hurried off and found their way to Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in a feeding trough.
17Upon seeing this miraculous sign, the shepherds recounted what had just happened. 18Everyone who heard the shepherds’ story was astonished by what they were told.
19But Mary treasured all these things in her heart and often pondered what they meant.
20The shepherds returned to their flock, ecstatic over what had happened. They praised God and glorified him for all they had heard and seen for themselves, just like the angel had said.
Baby Jesus Dedicated in the Temple
21On the day of the baby’s circumcision ceremony, eight days after his birth, his parents gave him the name Jesus, the name prophesied by the angel before he was born. 22Forty days after the birth of her son, Mary’s time of purification had completed, so she came to the temple with a sacrifice, according to the law of Moses. # 2:22 This comes from Lev. 12:1–7. When a son was born, the mother went through a forty-day period of purification, and then she was to offer a sacrifice to complete the process. So Mary and Joseph took baby Jesus to Jerusalem to be dedicated before the Lord. # 2:22 The ark of the covenant, signifying the presence of God, had been absent from the temple since 586 BC, when the Babylonians destroyed the temple. Herod’s temple had no ark of covenant until Jesus came into the temple that day. God returned to the temple when Mary carried her baby into its courts. What a dramatic moment! See Mal. 3:1–2. 23For it is stated in the law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male shall be set apart for God” # 2:23 Ex. 13:2, 12. 24and is required to offer a prescribed sacrifice, “either a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.” # 2:24 Because Joseph and Mary were rather poor, not yet having received the gifts brought by the wise men, they offered a pair of doves or pigeons instead of a lamb (Lev. 12:6–8). Mary offered a sin offering, showing her need of a Savior. Jesus would one day be offered as her true Lamb.
25As they came to the temple to fulfill this requirement, an elderly man was there waiting—a resident of Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. He was a very good man, a lover of God who kept himself pure, and the Spirit of holiness rested upon him. Simeon believed in the imminent appearing of the one called “The Refreshing of Israel.” # 2:25 “The Refreshing of Israel” is a name for Jesus that can also be translated “The Encourager of Israel.” 26For the Holy Spirit had revealed to him # 2:26 Simeon’s name means “he who hears.” that he would not see death before he saw the Messiah, the Anointed One of God. 27Keeping his promise, the Holy Spirit led Simeon to be in the temple court at the very moment Jesus’ parents entered to fulfill the requirement of the sacrifice.
28Simeon cradled the baby in his arms and praised God and prophesied:
29-31“Lord and Master, I am your loving servant,
and now I can die content,
for you have fulfilled your promise to me.
With my own eyes I have seen your Word, # 2:29–31 Or “Manifestation” in the Aramaic.
the Savior you sent into the world.
32He will be glory for your people Israel,
and the Revelation-Light for all people everywhere!” # 2:32 This is a fulfillment of many Old Testament prophecies, such as those found in Isa. 9:2; 40:5; 42:6; 49:6; 51:4; 60:1–3.
33Mary and Joseph stood there, awestruck over what was being said about their baby.
Simeon then blessed them and prophesied over Mary, saying:
34-35“A painful sword # 2:34–35 This is a unique Greek word used for “sword.” Literally it means “a large broadsword.” will one day pierce your inner being,
for your child will be rejected by many in Israel.
And the destiny of your child is this:
he will be laid down # 2:34–35 The Greek word translated “appointed” actually means “to lie down.” Jesus was laid down on a cross and in a tomb for us and rose again for us. as a miracle sign
for the downfall # 2:34–35 The Greek word translated “falling” can also be translated “downfall” or “destruction.” Perhaps this was a prophecy of the cross of Jesus Christ, where many will rise or fall depending on what they do with Jesus’ death and resurrection. We are all destined to be joined to him in his death and resurrection (Gal. 2:20). Every believer experiences both a “downfall” and a “resurrection.” and resurrection of many in Israel.
Many will oppose this sign, but it will expose to all
the innermost thoughts of their hearts before God.”
36-37A prophetess named Anna was also in the temple court that day. She was from the tribe of Asher and the daughter of Phanuel. # 2:36–37 The name Asher means “blessed.” Phanuel means “the face of God.” Anna was an aged widow who had been married only seven years before her husband passed away. After he died she chose to worship God in the temple continually. For the past eighty-four years # 2:36–37 Some Greek manuscripts make her age to be eighty-four. But the most reliable Greek and Aramaic texts state that she had been in the temple for eighty-four years. If so, this would make her at that time to be about one hundred six. God is faithful to those who wait in faith. Both Simeon and Anna were privileged to touch the Christ before they died in faith. she had been serving God with night-and-day prayer and fasting.
38While Simeon was prophesying over Mary and Joseph and the baby, Anna walked up to them and burst forth with a great chorus of praise to God for the child. From that day forward she told everyone in Jerusalem who was waiting for their redemption that the anticipated Messiah had come! # 2:38 The Greek text literally says that Anna told everyone “who was looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.” This is a figure of speech for the one who would come and set them free; i.e., the Messiah. What amazing prophetic words came through Simeon and Anna!
39When Mary and Joseph had completed everything required of them by the Law of the Lord, they took Jesus and returned to their home # 2:39 Luke omits their journey to Egypt to spare Jesus from the death decree of Herod. That information is given to us by Matthew. But none of the Gospels gives all the details of this period. Luke also has nothing about the visit of the wise men (Matt. 2:1–12), and Matthew tells nothing of the shepherds or of Simeon and Anna (Luke 2:8–28). All four Gospels supplement one another. A long period of time likely transpired between vv. 38 and 39. in Nazareth in Galilee. 40The child grew more powerful in grace, for he was being filled with wisdom, and the favor of God was upon him.
At Age Twelve Jesus Visits the Temple
41Every year Jesus’ parents went to worship at Jerusalem during the Passover festival. 42When Jesus turned twelve, # 2:42 At the age of twelve, a boy was called by the Jews a “son of the law.” The number twelve is found often in the Bible and is linked to God’s perfect administration and our human alignment to it. God’s family of Israel was made up of twelve tribes, twelve sons of Jacob. Jesus chose twelve apostles, there are twelve months in the yearly cycle, and there are twenty-four elders around God’s throne (twelve times two). Jesus coming into the house of God at age twelve points to the perfect alignment he had with his Father as the Apostle of our faith. See Heb. 3:1. his parents took him to Jerusalem to observe the Passover, as was their custom. 43A full day after they began their journey home, Joseph and Mary realized that Jesus was missing. 44They had assumed he was somewhere in their entourage, but he was nowhere to be found. After a frantic search among relatives and friends, 45Mary and Joseph returned to Jerusalem to search for him.
46After being separated from him for three days, they finally found him in the temple, sitting among the Jewish teachers, # 2:46 Or “rabbis.” listening to them and asking probing questions. 47All who heard Jesus speak were awestruck at his intelligent understanding of all that was being discussed and at his wise answers to their questions.
48His parents were shocked to find him there, and Mary scolded him, saying, “Son, your father and I have searched for you everywhere! We have been worried sick over not finding you. Why would you do this to us?”
49Jesus said to them, “Why would you need to search for me? Didn’t you know that it was necessary for me to be here in my Father’s house, consumed with him?” # 2:49 The first recorded words of Jesus, when he was only twelve, are given to us here.
50Mary and Joseph didn’t fully understand what Jesus meant.
51Jesus went back home with them to Nazareth and was obedient to them. His mother # 2:51 Mary was an amazing woman and should be honored as the mother of our Lord Jesus Christ. She was the only human being who was with Jesus all the way from his birth to his death. She is also mentioned in Acts 1:14. treasured Jesus’ words deeply in her heart. 52As Jesus grew, so did his wisdom and maturity. The favor of men increased upon his life, for he was greatly loved by God. # 2:52 We know virtually nothing about the eighteen years between ch. 2 and ch. 3, when Jesus went to the Jordan to be baptized by the prophet John. We knew he grew in favor with God and men. He served his earthly father in a carpenter’s shop. It is likely that Joseph, Jesus’ earthly father, died during this season of his life. This left Jesus with the responsibility as firstborn to provide for his family. Amazing mysteries surround this one who is too marvelous for words!
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