A Practical Commentary on Holy Scripture/VI. The Shepherds at the Manger

A Practical Commentary on Holy Scripture (1910)
by Friedrich Justus Knecht

VI. The Shepherds at the Manger

3908184A Practical Commentary on Holy Scripture — VI. The Shepherds at the Manger1910Friedrich Justus Knecht

Chapter VI.

THE SHEPHERDS AT THE MANGER.

[Luke 2, 8 — 20.]

THERE were in the same country^[1], i. e. in the neighbourhood of Bethlehem, shepherds watching, and keeping the nightwatches over their flock. Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared before them, and the brightness of God ^[2] shone round about them, and they were seized with a great fear. But the angel said: “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, that shall be to all the people; for this day is born to you a Saviour, who is Christ ^[3] the Lord, in the city of David. And this shall be a sign unto you. You shall find the Babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, and laid in a manger.”^[4]

Then there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and singing: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men of good will!”

When the angels had disappeared, the shepherds said one to another: “Let us go^[5] over to Bethlehem, and see the word that has come to pass, which the Lord hath shown us.” Going in haste^[6], they found^[7] Mary and Joseph in the stable, and the new-born Babe lying in the manger.

The shepherds adored Him, and went back to their flocks, praising and glorifying God for the wonders they had seen and heard. All the people that heard these things from the shepherds were astonished. But Mary kept all these things, pondering them ^[8] in her heart.

And after eight days the Child was circumcised, and His name was called Jesus, that is, Saviour, as the angel had commanded.

COMMENTARY.

Glory to God in the highest. Our redemption began at the Birth of Jesus Christ. For this reason the angels rejoiced and sang: “Glory to God!” The unbelief and disobedience of man had robbed God of the honour due to Him. Jesus Christ restored the honour of God by being obedient to His heavenly Father, even unto death on the cross, and by teaching the one true faith in God and the one true worship of God.

Peace to men of good will. Our Lord Jesus Christ has brought peace to man by reconciling earth to heaven, and winning pardon and grace for us. This peace on earth, which leads to the eternal peace of heaven, can only be obtained by those men who are of good will, i. e. by those who are willing to believe the doctrines of Christ, and who correspond with His grace. The shepherds were men of good will; they believed the angel, and hastened to obey his injunctions. It is in this way that we should obey the inward admonitions of grace to do what is right. If we do this, we shall one day be with Jesus in heaven.

The Christmas Tree represents Jesus Christ, who is the true tree of life in the newly restored paradise. He that eateth of this tree shall live. The burning tapers on the tree are meant to show that Christ is the light of the world, 'Tull of grace and truth”. The various fruits and sweets hanging on the branches symbolise the rich gifts and blessings brought by Jesus Christ to the children of men. The latter too are accustomed to give presents to each other, because on this day God has given to the world His only Begotten Son and with him everything else.

The Christian era. As quite a new era began with the Birth of Jesus Christ, an era of grace and reconciliation, our years are counted from that time. The year in which our Lord was born was the first year of the Christian era. On Christmas-Day this year, 1910 years will have passed since the Birth of Jesus Christ.

Why Jesus subjected Himself to circumcision. Our Lord was without sin, so He stood in no need of circumcision. But He submitted to the rite for the following reasons: 1. According to the prophecies the Redeemer was to be a true Israelite and son of Abraham. To be such, and to be recognised as such, circumcision was necessary. 2. By His Incarnation our Lord took upon Himself the sins of mankind, so as to make satisfaction for them. For this purpose He shed His Precious Blood for the first time in His circumcision, and showed us thereby that He was come to redeem us by His Blood. Therefore the name of Jesus, or Saviour, was given to Him at His circumcision. 3. By voluntarily obeying the law and submitting Himself to the rite of circumcision, He wished to give us an example of obedience to the divine law.

The Name of Jesus is the sweetest of all names; for if that blessed name did not exist, neither would there exist for us pardon, or grace or eternal happiness. It is the object of our faith, our hope and our love. Moreover the name of Jesus testifies to the divine nature of the Redeemer; it not only means Saviour, but Divine Saviour, and says to us: "Jehovah, God, is our salvation and deliverance!” Thus St. Paul writes: “In the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, of those that are in heaven, on earth, or under the earth” (Phil. 2, 10).

Application. Are you of good will as the shepherds were? Do you listen to the admonitions of your guardian angel, of your parents and superiors? From henceforward try, for love of Jesus, to be very obedient.

↑ In the same country. In the valley below the town. It was in these parts that, once upon a time, David, the forefather of the Redeemer, kept his father’s sheep.
↑ The brightness of God. Changing the dark night into brightest day. The light was not only the glory of the angels, but a glimpse of that supernatural, never-dying light by which God, who cannot be gazed upon by mortal eye, revealed Himself. The Son of God, who hid His divine glory under the form of a poor child, desired to reveal His Divinity through the angels, who are clothed with His glory.
↑ Christ, i. e. the Anointed, the promised Messias.
↑ Laid in a manger. How marvellous a sign I Christ the Lord a little Infant, lying in a manger, poorer than the poorest child! The shepherds might, perchance, have doubted such a sign; but immediately another was given to them. A multitude of the heavenly host, i. e. an innumerable throng of angels, appeared, singing: “Glory to God in the highest!” The pious shepherds believed themselves to be translated to heaven. The heavenly splendour, the host of angels, the enchanting, inspiring song filled them with a holy awe, as well as with unspeakable joy.
↑ Let us go. All doubt on the part of the shepherds had fled. They believed that "the Lord" had sent them the message, and but one thought filled them: “Let us go and see.”
↑ In haste. Impelled by an eager desire to see the Child who, according to what the angels had said, was come to be their Saviour.
↑ They found. Finding the Babe exactly as the angel had described, they believed all the rest which had been told them about the Child, namely, that He was Christ the Lord; and they fell on their knees before the manger and adored. With their hearts full of the glad news they had received, they related all they had seen and heard, first of all to the holy Mother of God and to St. Joseph, and then to all their friends and acquaintances.
↑ Pondering them. She treasured up every word of what the shepherds had seen and heard. She compared every word they had told her with the promises of the Messias contained in the prophets, and with what Gabriel had announced to herself; and on all sides she discovered a confirmation of her own belief that her Child, so wonderfully born of her, was the Son of God.

[1] In the same country. In the valley below the town. It was in these parts that, once upon a time, David, the forefather of the Redeemer, kept his father’s sheep.

[2] The brightness of God. Changing the dark night into brightest day. The light was not only the glory of the angels, but a glimpse of that supernatural, never-dying light by which God, who cannot be gazed upon by mortal eye, revealed Himself. The Son of God, who hid His divine glory under the form of a poor child, desired to reveal His Divinity through the angels, who are clothed with His glory.

[3] Christ, i. e. the Anointed, the promised Messias.

[4] Laid in a manger. How marvellous a sign I Christ the Lord a little Infant, lying in a manger, poorer than the poorest child! The shepherds might, perchance, have doubted such a sign; but immediately another was given to them. A multitude of the heavenly host, i. e. an innumerable throng of angels, appeared, singing: “Glory to God in the highest!” The pious shepherds believed themselves to be translated to heaven. The heavenly splendour, the host of angels, the enchanting, inspiring song filled them with a holy awe, as well as with unspeakable joy.

[5] Let us go. All doubt on the part of the shepherds had fled. They believed that "the Lord" had sent them the message, and but one thought filled them: “Let us go and see.”

[6] In haste. Impelled by an eager desire to see the Child who, according to what the angels had said, was come to be their Saviour.

[7] They found. Finding the Babe exactly as the angel had described, they believed all the rest which had been told them about the Child, namely, that He was Christ the Lord; and they fell on their knees before the manger and adored. With their hearts full of the glad news they had received, they related all they had seen and heard, first of all to the holy Mother of God and to St. Joseph, and then to all their friends and acquaintances.

[8] Pondering them. She treasured up every word of what the shepherds had seen and heard. She compared every word they had told her with the promises of the Messias contained in the prophets, and with what Gabriel had announced to herself; and on all sides she discovered a confirmation of her own belief that her Child, so wonderfully born of her, was the Son of God.

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