In this article on Luke 2:8 the author focuses on the question why the Lord chose shepherds to witness about the birth of Jesus Christ.

Source: Clarion, 2005. 1 pages.

Luke 2:8 - The Shepherds near Bethlehem

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.

Luke 2:8

The Holy Spirit makes sure we understand very clearly that Jesus was born in Bethlehem’s stall, of David’s line and in David’s town of Bethlehem. Who this child is and what He will accomplish is now revealed by angels to shepherds who were awake that night in the vicinity of Bethlehem. An important question for us is, why shepherds? Why was the fact of Jesus Christ’s birth first revealed to shepherds? We might be inclined to say: do not make too much of this. The fact is, the shepherds of that region were the only ones awake that night and they were nearby. In other words, this is a matter of convenience and haste: get the closest possible and available people to be eyewitnesses of the greatest event in history – Immanuel, God with us. There is merit to this logic. Some commentators stand by this interpretation. But is there more?

Many would say that the most obvious people to be informed of Christ’s birth would be the high priest and other leaders in Jerusalem. After all, these are the men whose calling it was to bring good news to God’s people. They were the ones who proclaimed the gospel and foreshadowed the coming of Jesus Christ in the sacrifices and ceremonies of the law. Who better to be eyewitnesses of all shadows and promises coming to fruition? Who better and more reliable to proclaim the birth of the Messiah? Good point. Certainly, they would be better than shepherds who were regarded as shifty and untrustworthy in those days. In fact, according to Jewish law, no shepherd was allowed to be a judge or even an eyewitness in a court of law. They could not be trusted for that. So why should a shepherd be the eyewitness to the greatest event in history? Wouldn’t you want the priests in Jerusalem for that? Who better and more reliable to proclaim the birth of the Messiah? Good point. And yet, we have a problem. Jerusalem was not interested. When the Magi came to Jerusalem announcing the birth of Israel’s king, they were politely directed to Bethlehem but not one person went with them from Jerusalem.

The words of the apostle Paul come to mind: “We preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles.” You know that our Lord Jesus Christ also spoke with frustration during his public ministry how his own people – particularly the spiritual leaders of his day – did not accept Him. They had ears but would not hear!

There is a certain significance to the choice of God to use rough, tough, and lowly shepherds to be both recipients of the good news that Jesus Christ was born and to be the very first eyewitnesses.

Again to use Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 1, it is as if he were speaking about the shepherds:

Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things – and the things that are not – to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before Him.

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