And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.
After the angels returned to heaven and night fell again over Bethlehem, the shepherds hastened at once to the town and found the babe with Mary and Joseph exactly as the messengers had declared, and when they had seen him they went out with great joy to spread everywhere what had been told them concerning him. Their witness told what they had seen and heard, the glory lighting the plain, the angel's announcement of the Saviour's birth, the vast throng of heaven proclaiming glory to God with peace and good will to men, and the praises they could never forget for God's mercy in sending His Son for the salvation of men. All who heard wondered, Mary kept these things and pondered them in her heart, and the shepherds returned glorifying and praising God. This honor was given to humble shepherds who were watching by night, talking of the promised Saviour and praying earnestly for His coming, while priests and rulers in Jerusalem were passed by because they looked for a mighty temporal king to make them rich and great and were engrossed with pride, riches and outward rites. When the shepherds' report reached Jerusalem the leaders dismissed it and would not investigate, thus beginning their rejection of Christ, showing that God reveals truth to those who have heeded the light given them and works in every place in the way He can best reach the people.
The Shepherds' Joyful Witness
After the angels returned to heaven and the light faded and the shadows of night fell again on the hills of Bethlehem, the brightest picture ever beheld by human eyes remained in the shepherds' memory. They went at once with haste to Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph and the babe lying in a manger wrapped in swaddling bands exactly as the celestial messengers had testified. Having seen the child as the angels had described, they understood the saying told them concerning him to be true.
When they had seen the child, they departed with great joy and made known abroad everywhere the saying which had been told them concerning him. They acted as witnesses spreading the news of the Saviour's birth, for they had heard the angels announce his birth and where to find him, and they went to find him, believed him, received him, and worshiped him. Their going, finding, believing, receiving, and worshiping belonged together with their witnessing.
Their joyful testimony told what they had seen and heard. They told of the wondrous glory lighting the plain, the message of the leading angel announcing the Saviour's birth, the splendor of the vast heavenly throng and their united proclamation of glory to God with peace and good will to men, and the celestial praises from the lips of the heavenly host. They shared it from indelible impressions of amazement, love and gratitude that God in infinite mercy and condescension sent His Son into the world for the salvation of men.
All who heard their report wondered. Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned glorifying and praising God.
Reception And Rejection Of Christ
Luke 2:17 belongs to the account of Jesus' birth in humble circumstances on the plains of Bethlehem, where though He was the Son of God, an infant of days of poor parentage, His divine glory was veiled in humanity. His divinity was clothed with humanity with majesty and lowliness combined just as prophecy declared, and His coming was announced with joy in heaven while the great men of the earth remained unaware. It belongs to heaven's embassy announcing Christ clothed in humanity, for angels had wondered at the glorious plan of redemption and watched to see how God's people would receive His Son. The birth account presents the Messiah as foretold in prophecy and calls people to accept Him on the testimony of God's word, not because of worldly honor or outward display.
God gave this witnessing work to good shepherds keeping their flocks on the hills around Bethlehem, who watched by night while talking together about the promised Saviour and praying earnestly for His coming. They were among the few longing to behold the Unseen who had heeded the light they had received, so bright messengers were sent from God's own throne of light to teach them. Their response illustrates that God revealed truth to people who had heeded the light they had received. God's revealing of Christ to the shepherds shows He works in every place after the manner He can best reach the people, so He did not come to the Magi as He did to the shepherds.
The priests, rulers, teachers, expositors of the Sacred Oracles and ministers in Jerusalem were not ready to welcome Jesus and did not discern Him, so God did not reveal Christ's birth to them and the announcement and its spreading abroad came only to others. Though the Jewish nation had been preserved as a witness that Christ was to be born of the seed of Abraham and of David's line, and though the morning and evening sacrifice in the temple daily pointed to the Lamb of God, priests and teachers knew not that the greatest event of the ages was at hand. With amazement indifference, selfish world-engrossed preoccupation, meaningless prayers and rites to be seen by men, and striving for riches and worldly honor were beheld instead, untouched by the joy that thrilled heaven. Already the nearness of Christ's coming had been announced to Zacharias as he ministered before the altar, already the forerunner was born with his mission attested by miracle and prophecy and the tidings spread abroad, yet Jerusalem was not preparing to welcome her Redeemer.
Those who ought to have been first to welcome Jesus expected a mighty king who would make them rich and great and were too proud to think of the Messiah as a helpless child. Delusive hope for a temporal prince led to misapplication of Scripture by mistaking prophecies of the glorious second appearing in the clouds of heaven for the first coming, and they continued in the false path unteachable, self-righteous and self-sufficient. The shepherds' report of the angels' visit reached Jerusalem, but the Jewish leaders dismissed it, beginning their rejection of Christ, while their pride kept them from investigating whether the report was true.
After the angels returned to heaven and night fell again over Bethlehem, the shepherds hastened at once to the town and found the babe with Mary and Joseph exactly as the messengers had declared, and when they had seen him they went out with great joy to spread everywhere what had been told them concerning him. Their witness told what they had seen and heard, the glory lighting the plain, the angel's announcement of the Saviour's birth, the vast throng of heaven proclaiming glory to God with peace and good will to men, and the praises they could never forget for God's mercy in sending His Son for the salvation of men. All who heard wondered, Mary kept these things and pondered them in her heart, and the shepherds returned glorifying and praising God. This honor was given to humble shepherds who were watching by night, talking of the promised Saviour and praying earnestly for His coming, while priests and rulers in Jerusalem were passed by because they looked for a mighty temporal king to make them rich and great and were engrossed with pride, riches and outward rites. When the shepherds' report reached Jerusalem the leaders dismissed it and would not investigate, thus beginning their rejection of Christ, showing that God reveals truth to those who have heeded the light given them and works in every place in the way He can best reach the people.
The Shepherds' Joyful Witness
After the angels returned to heaven and the light faded and the shadows of night fell again on the hills of Bethlehem, the brightest picture ever beheld by human eyes remained in the shepherds' memory. They went at once with haste to Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph and the babe lying in a manger wrapped in swaddling bands exactly as the celestial messengers had testified. Having seen the child as the angels had described, they understood the saying told them concerning him to be true.
When they had seen the child, they departed with great joy and made known abroad everywhere the saying which had been told them concerning him. They acted as witnesses spreading the news of the Saviour's birth, for they had heard the angels announce his birth and where to find him, and they went to find him, believed him, received him, and worshiped him. Their going, finding, believing, receiving, and worshiping belonged together with their witnessing.
Their joyful testimony told what they had seen and heard. They told of the wondrous glory lighting the plain, the message of the leading angel announcing the Saviour's birth, the splendor of the vast heavenly throng and their united proclamation of glory to God with peace and good will to men, and the celestial praises from the lips of the heavenly host. They shared it from indelible impressions of amazement, love and gratitude that God in infinite mercy and condescension sent His Son into the world for the salvation of men.
All who heard their report wondered. Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned glorifying and praising God.
Reception And Rejection Of Christ
Luke 2:17 belongs to the account of Jesus' birth in humble circumstances on the plains of Bethlehem, where though He was the Son of God, an infant of days of poor parentage, His divine glory was veiled in humanity. His divinity was clothed with humanity with majesty and lowliness combined just as prophecy declared, and His coming was announced with joy in heaven while the great men of the earth remained unaware. It belongs to heaven's embassy announcing Christ clothed in humanity, for angels had wondered at the glorious plan of redemption and watched to see how God's people would receive His Son. The birth account presents the Messiah as foretold in prophecy and calls people to accept Him on the testimony of God's word, not because of worldly honor or outward display.
God gave this witnessing work to good shepherds keeping their flocks on the hills around Bethlehem, who watched by night while talking together about the promised Saviour and praying earnestly for His coming. They were among the few longing to behold the Unseen who had heeded the light they had received, so bright messengers were sent from God's own throne of light to teach them. Their response illustrates that God revealed truth to people who had heeded the light they had received. God's revealing of Christ to the shepherds shows He works in every place after the manner He can best reach the people, so He did not come to the Magi as He did to the shepherds.
The priests, rulers, teachers, expositors of the Sacred Oracles and ministers in Jerusalem were not ready to welcome Jesus and did not discern Him, so God did not reveal Christ's birth to them and the announcement and its spreading abroad came only to others. Though the Jewish nation had been preserved as a witness that Christ was to be born of the seed of Abraham and of David's line, and though the morning and evening sacrifice in the temple daily pointed to the Lamb of God, priests and teachers knew not that the greatest event of the ages was at hand. With amazement indifference, selfish world-engrossed preoccupation, meaningless prayers and rites to be seen by men, and striving for riches and worldly honor were beheld instead, untouched by the joy that thrilled heaven. Already the nearness of Christ's coming had been announced to Zacharias as he ministered before the altar, already the forerunner was born with his mission attested by miracle and prophecy and the tidings spread abroad, yet Jerusalem was not preparing to welcome her Redeemer.
Those who ought to have been first to welcome Jesus expected a mighty king who would make them rich and great and were too proud to think of the Messiah as a helpless child. Delusive hope for a temporal prince led to misapplication of Scripture by mistaking prophecies of the glorious second appearing in the clouds of heaven for the first coming, and they continued in the false path unteachable, self-righteous and self-sufficient. The shepherds' report of the angels' visit reached Jerusalem, but the Jewish leaders dismissed it, beginning their rejection of Christ, while their pride kept them from investigating whether the report was true.