To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.
Joseph went up from Nazareth to Bethlehem, the city of David, to be enrolled under Rome's decree because he belonged to David's house, bringing with him Mary his espoused wife while she was heavily pregnant and near childbirth. The decree of Caesar Augustus reaching even to Galilee was God's providential means to bring the mother of Jesus to Bethlehem, that the prophecy be fulfilled that out of Bethlehem would come the ruler in Israel. Mary herself was of David's lineage, and the Son of David had to be born in David's city. In that journey to a humble birth in poverty to lowly parents, the divine Son veiled His glory and laid aside crown and royal robe to clothe divinity with humanity, coming without outward riches or worldly display so that even the poorest could approach Him.
Journey to Bethlehem
Joseph went up to Bethlehem to be enrolled under the decree of imperial Rome because he belonged to David's family, traveling from his home in Nazareth to Bethlehem, the city of David. Mary his espoused wife went with him to be registered, being heavily pregnant and near childbirth. Their journey to answer Caesar's enrollment brought them to the city where Christ was to be born.
The journey was tiring for the humble travelers, and with the inns full they had to rest in a shelter for cattle. They were attended by angels on the way, and though they had little earthly wealth God's love gave them contentment and peace.
This enrollment belongs to the coming of the Messiah whom the Jewish nation had been preserved to witness as one born of Abraham's seed and of David's line. Though the birth and mission of the forerunner had been made known, the people did not realize that Christ's coming was at hand and were unprepared to receive Him. The calendar date of the birth here described is not known, with December 25 only supposed to be the day of His birth.
Prophecy and Providence
The decree of Caesar Augustus reaching the hills of Galilee was God's providential means to bring the mother of Jesus to Bethlehem. As Cyrus was raised to the throne of the world empire to free the Lord's captives, so Augustus was made God's agent to fulfill His purpose that Bethlehem be the birthplace. Joseph and Mary going to Bethlehem to be taxed happened in the order of God's providence for exactly that end.
Mary herself was of the lineage of David, and the Son of David had to be born in David's city. Their journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem for the Roman enrollment therefore brought them to the place prophecy had foretold for Christ's birth. Their arrival in the city of David fulfilled the prophecy that Christ would be born there. That prophecy was that out of Bethlehem would come forth the ruler in Israel whose goings forth are from eternity.
The Bethlehem birthplace identifies Him as the Prince of life. He is the one whose glory shall fill the whole earth and whose dominion shall endure throughout all generations. He came to bring a message of mercy to the world, to uplift all that are cast down, and to gladden the waste places of the earth.
Humble Birth's Meaning
Luke 2:5 belongs to the account of Jesus' birth in humble earthly surroundings, in poverty to lowly parents within an ordinary human family. He entered a sinful world without worldly rank or splendor, and his life began in poverty and obscurity. The humble circumstances reflect his choice of a lowly condition, without outward riches or grandeur.
In this coming the divine Son took humanity upon himself and veiled his glory. He laid aside his kingly crown and royal robe and clothed his divinity with humanity. He left the royal courts of heavenly glory, the powerful Prince of light becoming a simple man on earth and one of us through a lowly human life.
He came without worldly display so that people would be drawn by heavenly truth rather than earthly attraction. His purpose was to reveal God and form a perfect character. He came so that even the poorest could approach him and no one need think him unfamiliar with poverty, showing that God's work rests on faith and obedience rather than worldly status or wealth.
Though Joseph and Mary had little earthly wealth on that tiring journey to rest in a shelter for cattle, God's love gave them contentment and peace. They were about to receive the honor of becoming the earthly parents of Jesus. His coming as a babe in Bethlehem began conflict with the powers of darkness and set a standard against the enemy. From that birth Satan never lost sight of him, knowing well his position in heaven and fearing that his cherished purpose to reign supreme over the whole earth would fail and the power he already possessed would be wrested from him. Satan set on foot various plans to destroy the child, in all of which he was unsuccessful because the Son of God was upheld by his Father, and then brought every force and artifice at his command to bear upon him in the wilderness to allure him from his allegiance.
Joseph went up from Nazareth to Bethlehem, the city of David, to be enrolled under Rome's decree because he belonged to David's house, bringing with him Mary his espoused wife while she was heavily pregnant and near childbirth. The decree of Caesar Augustus reaching even to Galilee was God's providential means to bring the mother of Jesus to Bethlehem, that the prophecy be fulfilled that out of Bethlehem would come the ruler in Israel. Mary herself was of David's lineage, and the Son of David had to be born in David's city. In that journey to a humble birth in poverty to lowly parents, the divine Son veiled His glory and laid aside crown and royal robe to clothe divinity with humanity, coming without outward riches or worldly display so that even the poorest could approach Him.
Journey to Bethlehem
Joseph went up to Bethlehem to be enrolled under the decree of imperial Rome because he belonged to David's family, traveling from his home in Nazareth to Bethlehem, the city of David. Mary his espoused wife went with him to be registered, being heavily pregnant and near childbirth. Their journey to answer Caesar's enrollment brought them to the city where Christ was to be born.
The journey was tiring for the humble travelers, and with the inns full they had to rest in a shelter for cattle. They were attended by angels on the way, and though they had little earthly wealth God's love gave them contentment and peace.
This enrollment belongs to the coming of the Messiah whom the Jewish nation had been preserved to witness as one born of Abraham's seed and of David's line. Though the birth and mission of the forerunner had been made known, the people did not realize that Christ's coming was at hand and were unprepared to receive Him. The calendar date of the birth here described is not known, with December 25 only supposed to be the day of His birth.
Prophecy and Providence
The decree of Caesar Augustus reaching the hills of Galilee was God's providential means to bring the mother of Jesus to Bethlehem. As Cyrus was raised to the throne of the world empire to free the Lord's captives, so Augustus was made God's agent to fulfill His purpose that Bethlehem be the birthplace. Joseph and Mary going to Bethlehem to be taxed happened in the order of God's providence for exactly that end.
Mary herself was of the lineage of David, and the Son of David had to be born in David's city. Their journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem for the Roman enrollment therefore brought them to the place prophecy had foretold for Christ's birth. Their arrival in the city of David fulfilled the prophecy that Christ would be born there. That prophecy was that out of Bethlehem would come forth the ruler in Israel whose goings forth are from eternity.
The Bethlehem birthplace identifies Him as the Prince of life. He is the one whose glory shall fill the whole earth and whose dominion shall endure throughout all generations. He came to bring a message of mercy to the world, to uplift all that are cast down, and to gladden the waste places of the earth.
Humble Birth's Meaning
Luke 2:5 belongs to the account of Jesus' birth in humble earthly surroundings, in poverty to lowly parents within an ordinary human family. He entered a sinful world without worldly rank or splendor, and his life began in poverty and obscurity. The humble circumstances reflect his choice of a lowly condition, without outward riches or grandeur.
In this coming the divine Son took humanity upon himself and veiled his glory. He laid aside his kingly crown and royal robe and clothed his divinity with humanity. He left the royal courts of heavenly glory, the powerful Prince of light becoming a simple man on earth and one of us through a lowly human life.
He came without worldly display so that people would be drawn by heavenly truth rather than earthly attraction. His purpose was to reveal God and form a perfect character. He came so that even the poorest could approach him and no one need think him unfamiliar with poverty, showing that God's work rests on faith and obedience rather than worldly status or wealth.
Though Joseph and Mary had little earthly wealth on that tiring journey to rest in a shelter for cattle, God's love gave them contentment and peace. They were about to receive the honor of becoming the earthly parents of Jesus. His coming as a babe in Bethlehem began conflict with the powers of darkness and set a standard against the enemy. From that birth Satan never lost sight of him, knowing well his position in heaven and fearing that his cherished purpose to reign supreme over the whole earth would fail and the power he already possessed would be wrested from him. Satan set on foot various plans to destroy the child, in all of which he was unsuccessful because the Son of God was upheld by his Father, and then brought every force and artifice at his command to bear upon him in the wilderness to allure him from his allegiance.