The Three Nativities, Pt 5 - Luke and the Shepherds

Luke’s nativity materials come embedded in a larger narrative describing not only key moments in the early years of Jesus, but also of John, who will be called the Baptist This larger scheme not only juxtaposes John and Jesus, but Elizabeth (with Zechariah) and Mary. While Matthew’s tale highlights the righteousness of Joseph, Luke celebrates Mary’s willingness to submit and trust divine providence.

Luke’s stories appear less raw than Matthew’s analysis of the inevitable relationship between illegitimate power and the violence necessary to sustain its hold on people. But the political realities that formed the background of Matthew’s gospel are present in Luke as well. Mary’s Magnificat rehearses the alternate vision anticipated in the coming of God’s Kingdom.

My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant.

Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation.

He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly;
he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty.

He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy,
according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
to Abraham and to his descendants forever.

Given a quick look at the several vignettes found at the beginning of Luke’s narrative, one might get the impression that these are just a couple of good Jewish boys coming from observant Jewish families. There are the stories of the struggle with conception, the tales of delivery, a report about the circumcision rites held eight days after a child is born and the more formal presentation of each young man with ceremonies and sacrifices at the temple in Jerusalem as both are first born sons. Following Torah, each first born son is reserved for service to God, just as the first fruits of a harvest are offered up. Families can provide special sacrifices in lieu of dedicating their son to these holy vocations and our text reports that both Joseph and Zachariah substituted the requisite birds.

We should not take Luke’s effort to portray both families as particularly observant lightly. In her recent book, The Reluctant Parting, Julie Galambush points to Luke’s dedication comments at the very beginning where he speaks directly to his friend, perhaps sponsor, Theophilus, indicating that part of the rational behind writing of this gospel and the accompanying second chapter, if you will, Acts of the Apostles, is to provide this “beloved one” with assurance. Scholars point out the Luke’s audience is primarily made up of Gentile converts. Given the growing conflict in the synagogue, one would not be surprised if Theophilus might appreciate some assurance that this emerging party is not just some fringe group of radical fanatics, especially at a time when others in the community are saying as much.

In time, fewer and fewer Jewish members in the community will find the claims that this Jesus is Messiah credible. By the end of Acts, Luke is drawing on “remnant” imagery and perhaps raising the question of the succession of the synagogue by the church. The regretful reluctant separation which in time becomes bitter schism sets the stage for centuries of Christian persecution of its own faith family.

Even so, as Luke tells these initial tales, we quickly see that these two boys, while good Jewish boys, are also very special Jewish boys as well. Our narrative begins with Elizabeth’s miraculous conception. Aged, barren couples are not unique in the Hebrew Scriptures and Elizabeth’s tale mirrors the birth of Isaac and Samuel. Zechariah runs into the Angel Gabriel while performing his priestly duties at the Temple. Gabriel has been through this before and when Zachariah expresses doubt, the angel ties Zachariah’s tongue as a gentle reminder that God can bless even older couples. Let him think a while before he speaks again!

In due time, Elizabeth is found to be with child. Since this is not a virgin birth, it does represent some faithfulness on the part of the couple who must now after so many years act as if the promise is assured.

With the conception of John, Luke begins a series of parallel stories alternating between John first and then Jesus. These scenes function as what commentator Joseph Fitzmeyer suggests as an overture to the larger narrative introducing themes that will recur again and again. Perhaps, one of the most important themes has to do with the work of the spirit in the lives of our heroes, but also the larger community from which they have emerged. Luke will later draw on passages from Joel that will anticipate this time

In the last days it will be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. Even upon my slaves, both men and women, in those days I will pour out my Spirit; and they shall prophesy. And I will show portents in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and smoky mist. The sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the coming of the Lord's great and glorious day. Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. when the young shall see visions and the old shall dream dreams.

In this instance, our text notes that John “even from his birth will be filled with the Holy Spirit.”

The matter of the conceiving of Jesus is much more complicated. Not in a position to have sex without breaking the rules governing her engagement to Joseph, Mary is also visited by Gabriel who tells her that she, like her relative Elizabeth will carry a son. Not surprisingly perplexed, Mary asks how this might happen. Gabriel, who assures her that she has found favor with God describes a process where “the Holy Spirit will come upon her,” and the “power of the Most High will cast a shadow” over her. In the context of the wonder of Elizabeth’s situation that proves that “nothing is impossible for God,” Mary indicates that she is ready.

We get no hint that is will be seen as problematic, although later in our story we trip over details that might be assumed as to imply controversy.

Like other Gospel writers, Luke is anxious to sort out the relationship between John and Jesus. In Mark, John proclaims that, "The one who is more powerful than I [will be] coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit." By the time Matthew is written, there are emerging questions about how the lesser could baptize the greater. This is primarily a question of status. Some will suggest that this is also about the doctrine of the sinlessness of Jesus; I am convinced that such a question raises its head only later at the time Hebrews is written. Matthew notes that when John does balk at baptizing one greater than him, Jesus replies that it should be that way, “for it is proper for us …to fulfill all righteousness."

Written somewhat later, Luke piles it on in his gospel. When Mary travels to stay for a while with Elizabeth, after hearing Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth gives witness that her child John, still in the womb, “jumps for joy.”

Scholars see in the relationship between the prophet Elijah and his protégé Elisha an analogous model to the relationship between John and Jesus. More so, the scripture passage from Isaiah where the prophet is called to prepare the way of the Lord, while originally a reference to the return of God and God’s people from Babylonian exile to Jerusalem, in this present context it has been reinterpreted to speak of Jesus as Messiah.

The angelic announcements and the spirit generated songs from the community define further this peculiar relationship. Gabriel tells Zechariah,

Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will name him John. You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He must never drink wine or strong drink; even before his birth he will be filled with the Holy Spirit. He will turn many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. With the spirit and power of Elijah he will go before him, to turn the hearts of parents to their children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."

In similar fashion and language, Gabriel witnesses to Mary,

Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end."

Having gotten back his ability to speak, Zachariah (filled with the Spirit) speaks of his son,

Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has looked favorably on his people and redeemed them. He has raised up a mighty savior for us in the house of his servant David, as he spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from of old, that we would be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us. Thus he has shown the mercy promised to our ancestors, and has remembered his holy covenant, the oath that he swore to our ancestor Abraham, to grant us that we, being rescued from the hands of our enemies, might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all our days. And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, to give knowledge of salvation to his people by the forgiveness of their sins. By the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace."

Later, as Jesus is dedicated at the Temple in Jerusalem, Simeon upon seeing the child speaks clearly, "Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace, according to your word for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel."

Later, speaking directly to Mary who is trying her best to ponder these amazing events, Simoen consoles, "This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed--and a sword will pierce your own soul too."

Luke indicated that both boys grew strong through their childhoods but each in their own way in preparation for their particular vocational roles. John moves to the wilderness, perhaps as an aesthetic. Some have suggested that he was raised by the community in internal exile at Qumran. In contrast, Jesus studies the Law and the Prophets. We know the story, or at least we think we know the story. Jesus and his family go on Pilgrimage to Jerusalem each year for Passover. When he was twelve, as the festival is running down and people are returning to their home towns, Jesus goes missing, although that fact is not noticed immediately. Frantic and probably more than a little mad, Mary and Joseph return to Jerusalem and find him sitting with the Rabbis engrossed with the give and take of the debate and subsequent reflection. When admonished, Jesus asks his parents where they would expect him to be! Should he not be in his “Father’s House?” We miss the point if we interpret that story as identifying a special relationship shared only between Jesus and God, for this is also Joseph’s father’s house and Mary’s father’s house. What is important in the story is less where Jesus is, but what Jesus is doing.

Some twenty years later, the aesthetic prophet and the compassionate teacher will meet again and lead a revolution.

Let me turn now to the specific scene, we all know as the nativity story. Please read with me.

In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to their own towns to be registered. Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for see--I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger." And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!" When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us." So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

Of course, we know there are no wise men in Luke’s story. There apparently is no kind innkeeper as well. Scholars indeed point out that we should take certain elements of the story with a grain of salt. Mary, seriously pregnant, most likely did not make this four or five day journey riding on the back of a donkey. She would have found it more comfortable to walk.

Here in Atlanta, at our local History Center, there is a restored farm site on display. Just off the front porch of the main house is a small unlocked room regularly used by itinerate preachers, sales folk and farmhands traveling on the way through the country side. The word regularly translated as an inn, kataluma does not refer to the local Motel 6, but instead a community space, perhaps attached to the local synagogue that is more like a hostel for visitors passing often through the very small village. Given the influx of visitors responding to the requirements of the census, there would be several people competing for a place in that hospitality room.

If we expect to find some sort of barn or stable in Bethlehem, we will be disappointed. Family livestock was kept either in an adjoining limestone cave cut into the hill behind the family compound or when a family could afford a two story structure, animals are kept on the lower floor while people lived on the upper story mainly in a large common room.

While it is speculation, we should note that it was probably not necessary for Mary to make the journey with Joseph to his ancestral home. But given the almost certain disdain not mentioned in our story, but clearly implied, Joseph and Mary may have indeed felt that it was more easy to endure the difficult trek than to endure the local discomforted looks and perhaps even contempt that would have almost certainly be expressed toward Mary if Joseph had left her with relatives. Assuming how gossip travels, it is not that clear how welcome he and his wife (that woman) would be among the cousins still living in Bethlehem.

Given that because Mary was pregnant and therefore temporarily unclean, it is almost certain that they could not have been hosted in the already crowed common spaces.

Mary and Joseph would have to improvise. When Mary had in fact delivered his son, he would have to sleep in a feeding trough and instead of elegant blankets, he would be wrapped in make do remnants of cloth, swaddling clothes.

Close by, our text reads, there were shepherds, dirty, smelly transient (probably homeless) workers – did you notice, they lived in the fields where they stood guard over the sheep. These are not the noble family peasant farmers taking care of their own flocks like David and his brothers. The family lands are gone, now owned by absentee landlords living in splendor five miles up the road in the temple city of Jerusalem.

Here we begin to understand the impact of the census that sets the context of our story. Taxes must be assessed, collected and paid. If the harvest is light, then land will be confiscated. Those are the harsh rules of occupation

Out in the fields, a stranger walks up and begins to talk to the shepherds. Somewhere in the back of their mind, they remember that one should be careful how one hosts the stranger for one might be entertaining an angel unawares. Indeed, this is an angel with a message.

“Do not be afraid; for see--I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord.”

To us? – Yes, to you!

Suddenly there is an angel choir singing in the sky. "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!"

The choir recedes like it appears. I suppose this touch is a bit hokey, even for Luke. But hey, this sort of event doesn’t happen just any night. The Shepherds are admonished to go check it out. Wondering how they might identify the right baby, they are told that this one is hard to miss. The baby will be lying in a feed trough! He will be wrapped with remnants of cloth acting as swaddling clothes.

Luke tells us that the shepherds go investigate and they find Mary, Joseph and the baby Jesus. The shepherds are really freaked out. This has been one heck of a night and so Luke reports that they tell anyone who is willing to listen to them their story – they celebrate well into the morning.

Are you beginning to understand the incongruence here? One who will bring peace on earth, the one who will change the circumstances of the occupation, that one is born this night in particularly difficult circumstances.

My fellow blogger, Norman rightly points out that few in Bethlehem had time - in all the chaos of the visiting relatives, the official papers to fill out, the best deals to cut - few had time to notice this very important baby. I might add that most missed the angel chorus as well.

Before his death, Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote that the gospel can be most clearly seen from the “underside of history.” This theme was soon afterwards pickup up by Liberation thinkers in the third world. This night, it was poor Shepherds who had the eyes to see.

There is no massacre in Luke’s story, but there will be a crucifixion before the tale is done. Between the prophesy of John and the preaching of Jesus, renewed hope will be catalyzed, powers will be shaken and history will be changed.

And mother Mary will ponder in her heart what for some is an inconvenient truth, for others is the promise of hope.

he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly;
he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty.

See also:

The Three Nativities, Pt 1 - Introduction

The Three Nativities, Pt 2 - Lineage

The Three Nativities, P 3 - Matthew and Gospel

The Three Nativities, P 4 - Matthew and Illegitimacy

These essays are written in memory of Judy Sparks Montgomery

(c) John C. Montgomery 2007

Photo Used with Permission: I-stock Photo

Cross posted on 7 Villages