The Lowly and the Exalted

Introduction

3 scenes

A Lowly Baby

4 Elements

Luke 2:1–2 NIV

1 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.)

Historical Reliability

The story starts with historical background establishing a powerful king

At this point, Caesar Augustus is the most powerful ruler in history

Established the Roman Empire

Dominated the known world

The great empires progressed through military growth but also administrative capabilities – and here we see this happening

Side Note: Is the history reliable?

Confirmed dates

Quirinius census – fixed date of AD 6

Herod’s death – fixed date (eclipse) 4 BC

There are several problems raised by this, but most of them are simply arguments from silence – “we don’t know that this happened”

We are going to focus on one main problem: Quirinius was not governor until 10 years after the death of Herod

Some explanations

Quirinius may have been governor twice – this is unlikely and the historical evidence is very shaky

Quirinius may have had another role besides governor at an earlier time

The passage could be translated

Lk 2:2 “This registration was before Quirinius governed Syria.”

Instead of Luke 2:2 “2 (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.)”

A note on historical conflicts

When such conflicts arise, we very often are left with several possible explanations and no certain explanation

The assumption that the authors were intelligent contemporaries should alleviate a lot of the pressures

This seems like an unlikely and easily avoidable mistake if indeed it is a mistake

The birth of Jesus is going to be told in stark contrast to might Caesar Augustus

Luke 2:4–7 NIV

4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

Davidic Inheritance

The text is going to emphasize the humility of Jesus birth, but it does not dismiss his greatness

The new king looks nothing like Caesar, but he does resemble another king – David

Royal systems are dependent on natural descendants

Miraculous

Miraculous Conception

Betrothal emphasizes the virgin birth

Humble Birth

The birth happens “while they were there” not as the straggle into town

Cloths refers to straps of fabric that would be wrapped around the baby like a swaddle – Jesus did cry!

“Guest room” probably refers to a guest room in a residence – the point of the detail is to emphasize their low status.

Kids getting kicked out of their room when guest come

The lowly birth contrasts with the exalted lineage of the one being born

A Glorious Announcement

Luke 2:8–14 NIV

8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

Establishes greatness through a call to attention

The Honorable, the Chief Justice and the Associate Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States. Oyez! Oyez! Oyez! All persons having business before the Honorable, the Supreme Court of the United States, are admonished to draw near and give their attention, for the Court is now sitting. God save the United States and this Honorable Court.

The public display of God’s glory is connected with major moments of salvation

Exodus 24:16–17 NIV

16 and the glory of the Lord settled on Mount Sinai. For six days the cloud covered the mountain, and on the seventh day the Lord called to Moses from within the cloud. 17 To the Israelites the glory of the Lord looked like a consuming fire on top of the mountain.

1 Kings 8:11 NIV

11 And the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled his temple.

In this story the glory doesn’t come to the temple but to shepherds in a field

The Role of the child

Luke 2:11 NIV

11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.

Three descriptors

Savior

Messiah

Lord

There have been other saviors, but this one is different

The Gift of the Child

Luke 2:14 NIV

14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

A glorious army joins the angel to praise the savior

This difficult to translate verse narrows the focus of peace to those on whom God’s favor rests

He’s not just bringing peace – an army is making the announcement, but for those who receive his favor he offers unimaginable peace

This peace contrasts with the temporary and dictatorial peace of the Pax Romana

The lowly shepherds receive a glorious message

A Confirming Visit

Luke 2:15–20 NIV

15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” 16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

The Shepherd’s Response

The shepherds respond to the visit by going to see this baby

The angels don’t command them, but explain what they will see

They recognize they have a message from the Lord and don’t need to see it to believe it, but go to see it because they believe it

The shepherds see the “thing that has happened”

The angels announcement iis confirmed by the shepherds own senses

The shepherds tell others about it

Mary’s Response

Mary treasures the good news and will be the only character we see again in the story when Jesus is an adult

Conclusion

The Christmas myth

Sentimental myth

Commercial myth

Upton Sinclair (Grapes of Wrath) Or consider Christmas—could Satan in his most malignant mood have devised a worse combination of graft plus bunkum than the system whereby several hundred million people get a billion or so gifts for which they have no use, and some thousands of shop clerks die of exhaustion while selling them, and every other child in the Western world is made ill from overeating—all in the name of the lowly Jesus?

The Christmas reality

Luke is painstaking in his emphasis on the historicity of Christmas

Luke clearly proclaims a lowly Jesus

Luke shows us the exaltation of Jesus

Do not reduce Jesus to less than he is

He is lowly and mighty

He is Savior, Messiah, and Lord