Luke 2:10, commentary and pictures

The angel quiets the terrified shepherds on the night hills near Bethlehem, turning their fear at the sudden heavenly brightness into joy. He announces that the Saviour has been born, Christ the Lord, and His birth itself is the cause of great rejoicing. The glad news is for all people and the whole human family, not for Israel alone or for one favored group. It is first given to humble shepherds watching and praying for the promised Redeemer, while proud priests and rulers expecting a mighty king have no heart to receive it. The newborn is the Son of God come to a fallen world to accomplish redemption, bring peace between humanity and its Maker, and set the captive free.

Angel's Calming Words

The command not to fear was spoken to shepherds terrified by sudden heavenly brightness and glory shining around the angel by night. That tender calming quieted them in regard for human weakness, gave them time to grow accustomed to the divine radiance, and turned their fear into joy as they heard the announcement. The watching shepherds were told they need not fear because the news of the Savior's birth brings great joy intended for all people, not limited to one group.

The good tidings the angel brings is the glad announcement that the Saviour has been born, identified as Saviour, Christ the Lord, divinely commissioned and born in Bethlehem. This birth itself is the cause of the joy, for Christ has come to challenge Satan's authority and dominion. The heavenly angels came enshrouded in clouds, even pure white clouds, surrounding them as they heralded Him to the watching shepherds.

The joyful news for all people meant the Deliverer had come, and it filled the listening shepherds with visions of glory and thoughts of power, exaltation and triumph. They still had to be prepared to recognize their Saviour in poverty and humiliation as a baby wrapped and lying in a manger. After that preparation joy and glory were no longer hidden, with the whole plain lighted by the hosts of God and heaven stooping to listen to praise for peace and goodwill to men.

Night at Bethlehem

The announcement was given by night on the hills and plains around Bethlehem, in the fields where David had led his flock, to shepherds keeping watch over their flocks. They were talking together about the promised Saviour and praying earnestly for His coming and for the coming of the King. Angels proclaimed the birth to them on the hills of Bethlehem as they carried out their humble work.

The angel and the heavenly host appeared surrounded by the light and glory of the Lord brilliantly illuminating the heavens. The angels came enshrouded in clouds, even in pure white clouds, as they brought good tidings of great joy to all people that a Saviour who is Christ the Lord was born. The accompanying picture presents the angel delivering this message to the shepherds.

The birth took place in humble earthly circumstances with divine glory veiled by humanity. The angels were not permitted to display their glory to human eyes, and people were to accept Him through the testimony of God's word rather than through worldly display or status. The setting at Bethlehem shows God's deep sympathy for the humblest and lowliest. Heaven received the news with joy, while great and learned people on earth remained unaware that the Messiah had come.

Jesus came to the world just as prophecy declared He would come, His divinity clothed with humanity, with majesty and lowliness combined as an infant of days of poor parentage. The angel messengers veiled their glory, while the heavenly chorus rang over the hills of Bethlehem with praise to the newborn King, whom the humble shepherds believed and worshiped. Heaven thus recognized the advent with signs and wonders when the angel host appeared to shepherds keeping their flocks.

The account of Christ's birth to which the announcement belongs is what December 25 celebrates as its supposed date. The birth honored Joseph and Mary by entrusting the Saviour to their charge, joined with directing Joseph to preserve the infant's life.

Shepherds Chosen, Leaders Unready

The first announcement of the Messiah's birth was made to a humble band of shepherds doing ordinary work in the fields near Bethlehem, rather than to priests, rulers, learned teachers and expounders of prophecy. The news of His coming was good news of great joy for all people, yet it was first given to a few humble shepherds who would joyfully receive it, while Israel's leaders with their sacred knowledge and role as witnesses were unprepared to welcome Him. God desired the people to know that Christ had come to earth, and since the priests who should have taught the people to look for the Saviour did not themselves know of His coming, He sent angels to tell the shepherds that Christ was born and where they might find Him.

The shepherds were good men who watched by night, talked together about the promised Saviour, prayed earnestly for His coming, longed to see the Redeemer, and received the announcement with joy and went to find the child. Bright messengers were sent from the throne of light to teach them because they were ready to receive the message and would share it with others, and they were entrusted to make it known on earth. They received this revelation because they had heeded the light God had already given them, showing that God reveals truth to those who respond faithfully to the light they receive.

The priests and rulers expected a mighty king to make them rich and great and were too proud to receive a helpless child, having no heart to receive the news. Rulers and respected religious leaders remained in darkness because they felt no need of greater piety, and the Jews had separated themselves so far from God by wicked works that angels could not communicate the tidings to them. They had lost the true sense of prophecy and were not looking for Him, and heralding the Messiah, though the honored privilege of men, had to be done by angels because none among men would do it.

The shepherds were told where to find Him, went joyfully to worship Him, believed Him, received Him and worshiped Him. The angel brought the message of good news of great joy for all people to shepherds who were watching and longing for the Messiah, who were ready to receive it and would share it with others, and who were entrusted to make it known on earth. The glad news that the Saviour was born was thus carried by those who joyfully received it.

The shepherds were given an intimation of Jesus' lowly estate that the wise men had not received. The humble shepherds on the plains of Bethlehem saw the angels face to face and heard the proclamation directly when the heavens were brilliantly illuminated, a privilege not given to the wise men of the East. At that same time the wise men only saw from afar the distant glow, which was in reality a distant cluster of flaming angels enshrouding the heavenly host, and when the brightness faded and the angels returned to heaven there lingered what looked like a luminous star or new star, which the Spirit of God moved them to take as the sign of the advent of Messiah and to seek this heavenly Visitor to a fallen world.

The report of the angels' visit was carried to Jerusalem so the leaders could find Jesus themselves and guide others to Him, for the announcement through angels to shepherds was light meant for all people, including the priests and elders at Jerusalem. Instead pride and envy closed them against it because it came through ignorant shepherds and then through uncircumcised Gentiles, by whom they refused to be taught. They treated the testimony as unworthy of notice, refused to go to Bethlehem to see if it was true, taught the people to dismiss interest in Jesus as fanatical excitement, and by discrediting it to protect their standing as teachers of truth began their settled rejection and hatred of Christ.

Their disregard and rejection of the shepherds' report marked the beginning of their rejection of Christ, while God was opening the way and the door to the Gentiles. The Jewish leaders by rejecting the good tidings closed the door to themselves even as those tidings opened the door to the Gentiles. His mission was misunderstood through delusive hope for a temporal prince leading to misapplication of Scripture, taking prophecies of the glorious second appearing in the clouds of heaven as referring to His first coming. The very ones who ought to have been the first to welcome Jesus did not discern Him because He was not the one their ambitious hopes desired, and continuing in the false path they entered they became unteachable, self-righteous and self-sufficient, fancying they possessed true light.

Saviour and His Mission

The child announced is the Son of God, the divinely commissioned Saviour, Christ the Lord, the sinless Savior, the Redeemer of the world and the newborn King possessing divine authority. The angels' proclamation and song are the witness attesting His mission. The message is centered on Christ Himself.

He comes to a fallen world to accomplish redemption, and through His death to bring peace, happiness and everlasting life to humanity. He comes bringing Heaven's light as Redeemer of mankind, to limit the power of Satan and set the captive free. This is proclaimed as glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, goodwill toward men.

His coming is a star of hope, so that fallen humanity is not left to hopeless ruin but can be recovered from sin. Through the Saviour salvation is offered to the fallen world. The announcement expresses God's purpose to bring peace between people and their Maker.

His mission brings hope and help to fallen humanity, especially the poor, oppressed and downtrodden. He comes with compassion for those in bodily pain and spiritual sin, including those regarded as least worthy of attention. His blood cleanses from all sin and draws people to obedience. He has made people His own by buying them with a price beyond computation. God presents salvation to all and gives it to those who believe.

Joy for All People

The announcement brings great joy because a Saviour has been born, and that joy is for all people without limit to one group or to Israel alone. The birth proclaimed to the frightened shepherds turns their fear into joy as they hear that the news belongs to the whole world and the whole human family. It points to Jesus as Saviour and Redeemer of the whole world and corrects the narrow view that the Messiah's work was limited to delivering Israel. The light that shone over Bethlehem marks God's presence, and the message of redemption carried in that light is for all peoples, with Jesus as God's gift whose salvation, mercy, and love are to be made known to every nation and tongue.

The Saviour's coming carries the knowledge of God's glory beyond Israel to the whole world. The magi learned from prophecy that the Messiah's coming was near, and the light reaching them amid heathenism led them to seek the newborn Prince. That same gift to the world is to be proclaimed everywhere, so that His glory praised by the heavenly host at Bethlehem becomes known to every nation and tongue.

The good news was for Adam, Noah, Abraham, and Moses, who looked forward by faith to the coming Saviour. It is also for those who know that Christ has come and died as their sacrifice, because the gospel presents the coming Saviour as the ground of great joy. God's promises to those who obey Him are good news that brings great joy, gladdening the humble and contrite soul.

New York is part of all people, so its thousands who have not bowed to Baal are included among those to whom the good news is to be brought. The announcement of the Redeemer was for people of every station, brought first to humble shepherds rather than to priests and rulers who had lost the true sense of prophecy. Christ's light is thus shared with both the highest and the lowliest.

The good news that brings great joy stands in contrast to the false joy of impenitent sinners. They eagerly repeat stories of a Christian's apostasy and use them as an excuse not to believe in Christ.

Threat to Satan

The heavenly announcement that a Saviour had been born as good news of great joy for all people, bidding the shepherds not to fear, alarmed Satan because he recognized in Christ a rival whose advent threatened his kingdom and rule. The joy of that event boded no good for him, for the Saviour's coming threatened the influence Christ would exert and the power Satan held. The angel's message came amid heavenly glory filling the plains of Bethlehem, proclaiming the Saviour's arrival to a fallen world and beginning a contest with Satan over his kingdom. Satan was troubled and alarmed by the proclamation because he recognized Christ as the one who might overthrow his power.

Christ had come to challenge and dispute Satan's authority and dominion as the divinely commissioned Saviour and newborn King with divine authority born in Bethlehem. When Satan heard the heavenly messenger's announcement, he began planning to destroy the Prince of life.

Resurrection and Second Coming

The mighty angel who proclaimed the birth on the plains of Bethlehem is the Captain of the Lord's host. He is the same mighty messenger who later descended from heaven to the Saviour's tomb and called Christ forth at the resurrection. Coming down he parted the darkness with countenance like lightning and raiment white as snow. At his presence the earth trembled and the guards shook and became as dead men. He rolled away the stone as a pebble to release the Son of God from the debt for which He had made a full atonement.

The announcement of Christ's coming is good news that brings great joy. His second coming is likewise joyful hope and good news to those who love Him. He will come in person in power and glory to redeem His people. The promise of His return gives them hope and the message of His return should be welcomed with joy.

All heaven recognized the advent of Christ. Signs and wonders in the heavens were given to the searching wise men of the east, and the angel host appeared to shepherds keeping their flocks on the hills of Bethlehem. That heavenly glory at His first coming shows His second coming will not be wanting in glory, for He comes then to triumph.

Sharing the Good News

The announcement of good news bringing great joy to all people centers on Christ the sinless Savior, and it stands as the pattern for making Him known to the world and to church members with care so that hearers can receive the light instead of being driven away by condemnation. The gospel is not to be kept by believers for themselves but to be proclaimed to those in darkness, with Christians letting their light shine clearly. Because the good news about Jesus is for all people, it calls for quickened zeal to win souls to Him. As the light of the world believers are to keep courage in the Lord and to work together with God in sowing the good seed beside all waters, in reaping and gathering the harvest, and in increasing their talents so that the Master receives His own with increase. Its message of peace and goodwill gives them a joyful mission to carry the glad tidings throughout the world.

The promises of the gospel bring light to the soul, and that light shines out to the world through the good works of those who receive it. Those who have received the gospel are therefore to let their light shine before men in good works that glorify the Father in heaven. As good tidings of great joy it takes heaviness and mourning from the soul and clothes it with joy and gladness. Those who receive Christ as sin-pardoning Saviour are clothed with His garments of light, have sin taken away, receive His righteousness, and possess full joy with the expectation of being members of the royal family and children of the heavenly King. When the promises of God are freely and fully accepted, Heaven's brightness enters the life.

Such joy calls Christians above all others to sing songs of rejoicing and to express Christian hope in joyous songs of praise and thanksgiving in which heavenly angels join, while remaining sober and watchful, never light or frivolous but always cheerful. The great joy is that Christ has made people His own by buying them with a price beyond computation. The promise to all people means God presents salvation to all, and He gives it to those who believe. Heaven remains near to people in the common walks of life, and humanity remains the object of Heaven's care.

The shepherds watching their flocks by night on the hills of Bethlehem show that heaven is near to ordinary people in the course of daily life. Angels attend humble workers as they carry out ordinary duties, observing their words and work as God considers entrusting them with greater responsibilities. The angels who brought the good tidings of great joy that a Saviour who is Christ the Lord is born came enshrouded in pure white clouds and belong to thousands upon thousands and ten thousand times ten thousand commissioned to minister to those who shall be heirs of salvation. They guard against temporal evil and press back the powers of darkness so people are not destroyed, giving guardianship, assurance of seeing God's salvation, peace and comfort, and reason to trust God, have faith in Jesus, and give gratitude for God's mercies and watchcare.

God revealed Christ to the shepherds on the plains in the way He could best reach them, and He works in every place after the manner by which He can best reach the people. His coming to the shepherds was therefore different from His coming to the Magi through a wonderful star formed by angels hovering in the heavens in the shape of a star. Christ's coming at Bethlehem was accompanied by angels and the light and glory of God, and God can likewise work through ministers and shed His light and glory when people give Him room.