There is great theological significance in this familiar passage. It comes through mainly in the angel's words and in the symbolism of what happened.
"In 2:8-14 we have a third annunciation scene, which follows the same pattern as the previous two: the appearance of an angel, a response of fear, the command not to fear, the announcement of a birth that brings joy. In this case, however, the announcement is not to a parent of the child to be born, for this birth is not just a family affair. Indeed, the angel stresses that he brings a message of great joy which shall be for all the people' (2:10)."93
2:8 Shepherds were socially looked down upon in Jesus' day. Their work made them ceremonially unclean, and they had a reputation for being untrustworthy.94Thus God first sent the gospel to the lowly. Luke had a special interest in the lower elements of society. David, of course, had been a shepherd, but God had elevated him to be the ruler of His people (2 Sam. 7:8). Jesus' career would follow the pattern of his ancestor generally. Throughout the Old Testament God used shepherds as symbols of those who cared for His people (Ps. 23:1; Isa. 40:11; Jer. 23:1-4; et al.). Consequently these shepherds represent all people of lowly origin and reputation who receive the gospel by God's grace and proclaim it joyfully to others. The idea that these shepherds were raising sheep that the people would offer as Passover sacrifices in a few months is possible but not capable of verification.95They would have been out in the fields with their sheep at night if the winter weather was mild, as it apparently was.
2:9 A single angel appeared to the shepherds first. Luke did not identify him by name perhaps to focus attention on his message. Later a multitude of other angels joined him (v. 13). The appearance of the angel and the accompanying manifestation of God's glory terrified the shepherds (cf. 1:12; 9:34; Ezek. 1; Acts 12:7).
2:10-11 The angel reassured the frightened shepherds (cf. 1:13, 30). His appearing signaled an occasion for rejoicing, not fearing.
Significant terms characteristic of Luke's Gospel occur in the angel's announcement indicating its importance. These include "bring good news"(Gr. euangelizomai), "joy"(Gr. chara), "people"(Gr. laos), "today"(Gr. semeron), "Savior"(Gr. soter), "Lord"(Gr. kyrios), and "glory"(Gr. doxa). This angelic announcement then is a seed bed for important ideas that Luke traced through the rest of this book. The time had come for the fulfillment of Messiah's predicted coming. A similarly worded birth announcement of Caesar Augustus that archaeologists have discovered shows that such terminology was not uncommon.96However in Jesus' case, it was a cause for true joy. The unusual phrase "Christ the Lord"probably means "Messiah God."
2:12 The sign that Messiah God had indeed come to save the people would be the baby that the shepherds would find wrapped in cloths lying in a manger. This was an unusual place for any baby to lie but especially the divine Messiah. The term "swaddling clothes"(AV) translates the Greek word sparganomeaning "to swathe"or "wrap."The Jews also wrapped their dead in strips of cloth, as they did their infants. Thus a birth was a reminder of the death that would inevitably follow one day.
2:13 Frequently God waits to act a long time but then acts suddenly, as here (cf. Mark 13:36; Acts 2:2; 9:3; 1 Thess. 5:3). The sudden appearance of the other angels represents God's sudden action in providing a Savior. The term "heavenly host"is of Old Testament derivation and here refers to a band of angels (cf. 1 Kings 22:19; 2 Chron. 33:3, 5; Jer. 8:2; 19:13; Zeph. 1:5).
2:14 The angels' praise explained the benefits of Jesus' birth. They first ascribed glory to God in heaven where He dwells. God revealed His glory by sending His Son. Consequently it is appropriate to ascribe glory or praise to God. The effect on humankind of Jesus' coming is peace. The biblical concept of peace, rooted in the Hebrew shalom, includes the sum of God's blessings, not just the cessation of hostility.
The AV translation "good will toward men"is not a good one, and it is misleading. The reader could infer that God will be gracious to people who show good will to others suggesting that human merit is the basis of God's favor. The NIV translation "peace to men on whom his favor rests"is better. Those on whom God bestows His favor are those who experience His peace.
2:15-16 The angels went away into heaven, their dwelling place and God's; they did not disappear instantaneously. Luke showed interest in spatial relationships in his Gospel (cf. 24:51) and in Acts (cf. Acts 1:11). The shepherds, on the other hand, hurried off to Bethlehem (cf. 1:39). They realized that the angels' message came from the Lord. Contrast the attitude of the religious leaders who, though they heard of Messiah's birth in Bethlehem, did not bother to check it out (Matt. 2:5). Luke did not break the feeling of excitement and swift action in the narrative by describing how the shepherds located the manger. In Luke's account there is no mention of the star that appeared to the wise men.
2:17-18 After the shepherds saw Jesus they spread the word as evangelists (i.e., reporters of good news). The response of those who heard their eyewitness testimony was amazement (Gr. ethaumasan), not unbelief or belief. They probably thought: I wonder if the Messiah really has arrived. The theme of amazement runs through this Gospel (cf. vv. 33, 47; 4:22; 8:25; 9:43; 11:14, 38; 20:26; 24:12, 41).
2:19-20 In contrast to the shepherds' public proclamation, Mary meditated on the significance of these events (cf. vv. 19, 51; Gen. 37:11). The shepherds returned to their flocks glorifying God (cf. vv. 13-14; 10:17). Luke also stressed praising God as the appropriate response to God's mighty works (cf. 5:25-26; 7:16; 13:13; 17:15; 18:43; 23:47).
