Abide in His Word: Luke 2:10-11

Since Christmas time is upon us, let’s reflect upon the birth of our Savior, Jesus. And there is no better place to begin than with the biggest, brightest birth announcement in the history of the world.

The Verses

“And the angel said to them, ‘Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.'”

Luke 2:10-11 (ESV)

Definitions

These verses seem pretty self-explanatory, though it’s important to understand what the angel meant by people, Savior, and Christ. All definitions are taken from Strong’s Concordance.

People: The Greek word for people is “laos.” It means “people, tribe, nation, all those who are of the same stock, language.” It can also mean “great part of the population gathered together anywhere.”

Savior: The Greek word for savior is “soter” and it means savior, deliverer, preserver.

Christ: “Christos” is the Greek word for Christ. It means “anointed.”

Grammar

Let’s look at the phrase “all the people.” Depending on which commentary you read, it can mean all the people of Israel, all the people of the world, or all the people who believe in Jesus as their Savior. Personally, I think it refers to all the people who believe, to the Jew first, then the Gentile (see Romans 1:16). Here’s one reason why: at first glance, it looks like “people” does refer to the Israelites only (tribe, nation, and so on). But, can it also refer to the Gentiles who accept Jesus as their Savior? The Bible tells us once we accept Jesus as our Savior, we are children of God (See Romans 8:14-17 and 1 John 3:1). As His children, we are His people. I know as one adopted into the family of God, I take great joy in the news of Jesus’ birth.

Another reason why: the news of the birth of Christ was not “great joy” to everyone or all the people. Herod is an example. Threatened by the thought of someone replacing him as ruler, he ordered his army to slaughter male children under the age of two in an attempt to murder baby Jesus (see Matthew 2:16-18).

Context

As the shepherds were out in the field “keeping watch over their flock by night” (verse 8), an angel of the LORD suddenly appeared before them. The angel radiated the glory of the LORD and the shepherds grew fearful. The angel comforted them by telling them not to fear. Then, this messenger of God relayed the greatest news ever told. For years, the Israelites had been hoping for and anticipating the arrival of a Savior – their deliverer. His birth had been predicted by Isaiah at least 700 years before this moment (see Isaiah 9:6). Finally, the moment had arrived. Jesus, our deliverer, our Savior, was now born.

As soon as the angel delivered the news, a multitude (think hundreds, if not thousands) of angels appeared and praised God saying “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom He is pleased!” What an incredible sight to behold. The shepherds witnessed a glimpse of Heaven here on earth.

Once the angels left, the shepherds made their way to find baby Jesus. After they found Him, they explained what they had just experienced. Mary listened and treasured everything in her heart (see verse 19).

Application

So, how can we apply these verses to our lives? To begin with, we can use them to reflect upon why the good news would bring such great joy to all the people. One reason why it’s such great joy is because as sinners, we now have Christ, the anointed One, who has delivered us from our sins and given us new life.

We can also reflect upon how much God loves us. He came to Earth, walked with His people, and suffered on the cross to give us a chance to be free from sin and to have eternal life. He truly is Immanuel – God with us.

Final Thoughts

I wonder how the shepherds were able to comprehend everything the angel told them that night? If I were one of those shepherds, I think I would be confused and in awe. I don’t know if I would have been able to comprehend everything that had been spoken to me. Would I understand the message that our long-awaited Messiah had just been born? Or would I still be in awe of the glory of the LORD appearing before me, a lowly shepherd tending to my flock?

As we celebrate the Christmas season, let’s reflect upon one of the greatest announcements ever made – the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Remember how wonderful His love is for us that He should dwell among us. Finally, treasure these verses, for they truly bring good news.

Image by Dorothée QUENNESSON from Pixabay