Luk 2:20 | KingComments | STEP | When the angels have accomplished their task, they return to heaven. Then the shepherds come into motion. They urge each other to go to Bethlehem. They know that Bethlehem is the city of David. In these simple Israelites to whom the angel of the Lord was sent, faith is present and active. The Lord has made things known to them and that brings them to action. They want to see what they have been told. They react totally different from the religious leaders when they hear from the born King. The leaders put themselves in the service of the enemy and a mass slaughter among the babies of Bethlehem is the result ( ). The shepherds go to worship. As fast as they can, they go to Bethlehem. There they find Mary and Joseph and the Baby lying in the manger. They see nothing spectacular, but the Baby they see is God’s salvation that has come to the people. However, it is in a way that can only be seen by faith. They leave again when they have seen “this Child”. Nothing is said about Mary and Joseph. It is about the Child. Now that they have seen Him, they are going to testify. The Divine testimony they have received from the angel has now been experienced personally in Him Whom they have seen. Now they can no longer keep to themselves what has been made known to them and what they have seen themselves. They have to talk about this with others. The content of their message is the word, “just as had been told them“. All who hear what the shepherds say, wonder but it doesn’t make people go to the manger to see the Child. It is too common, even shameful, for the Messiah to come to them in this way. Mary’s faith treasures everything she experiences (cf. ). She thinks about it in her heart. For her these are not transient impressions. It is too clear that God is at work and that the birth of her Child is special and will have special consequences. That is what she is thinking and that is what faith is occupied with. The shepherds are impressed by what they have seen. When they return to their flock, they do nothing but glorify and praise God. They have heard and seen so much beauty. It was all in line with what the angel had told them. This is a wonderful effect of faith in the word, in what has been spoken to them. They do not give it any meaning of their own, but accept it as it has been said. This is the source of the glorification of God and the praise of Him. It will be the same with us if we accept in faith what we read in God’s Word. We can only praise Him for what He has shown us in His Word.

‏ Luke 2:20

The Shepherds See the Child and Testify

When the angels have accomplished their task, they return to heaven. Then the shepherds come into motion. They urge each other to go to Bethlehem. They know that Bethlehem is the city of David. In these simple Israelites to whom the angel of the Lord was sent, faith is present and active. The Lord has made things known to them and that brings them to action. They want to see what they have been told.

They react totally different from the religious leaders when they hear from the born King. The leaders put themselves in the service of the enemy and a mass slaughter among the babies of Bethlehem is the result (Mt 2:16-18). The shepherds go to worship. As fast as they can, they go to Bethlehem. There they find Mary and Joseph and the Baby lying in the manger. They see nothing spectacular, but the Baby they see is God’s salvation that has come to the people. However, it is in a way that can only be seen by faith.

They leave again when they have seen “this Child”. Nothing is said about Mary and Joseph. It is about the Child. Now that they have seen Him, they are going to testify. The Divine testimony they have received from the angel has now been experienced personally in Him Whom they have seen. Now they can no longer keep to themselves what has been made known to them and what they have seen themselves. They have to talk about this with others. The content of their message is the word, “just as had been told them“.

All who hear what the shepherds say, wonder but it doesn’t make people go to the manger to see the Child. It is too common, even shameful, for the Messiah to come to them in this way.

Mary’s faith treasures everything she experiences (cf. Lk 2:51). She thinks about it in her heart. For her these are not transient impressions. It is too clear that God is at work and that the birth of her Child is special and will have special consequences. That is what she is thinking and that is what faith is occupied with.

The shepherds are impressed by what they have seen. When they return to their flock, they do nothing but glorify and praise God. They have heard and seen so much beauty. It was all in line with what the angel had told them. This is a wonderful effect of faith in the word, in what has been spoken to them. They do not give it any meaning of their own, but accept it as it has been said. This is the source of the glorification of God and the praise of Him. It will be the same with us if we accept in faith what we read in God’s Word. We can only praise Him for what He has shown us in His Word.