Luke 2:16 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger.

NIV: So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.

NASB: And they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger.

CSB: They hurried off and found both Mary and Joseph, and the baby who was lying in the manger.

NLT: They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger.

KJV: And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.

NKJV: And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger.

These men are local shepherds, who moments before were visited by a large host of angels. The angels proclaimed the recent birth of Jesus. That included explaining where and how Jesus and His family could be found (Luke 2:8–14). Given how spectacular the announcement was, it's not surprising the men are in a hurry.

Scripture does not explicitly say why this news was given to common herdsmen, rather than to some important ruler or politician. However, the choice fits with God's use of "ordinary" people to accomplish His will. It also emphasizes the humble circumstances of Jesus' earthly life, and the disinterest of His era's leaders.

As expected, the men find Mary, Joseph, and Jesus, in exactly the state depicted by the angels (Luke 2:4–7). Bethlehem was never a large community, so there would not have been many newborns to see, let alone any resting in a feeding trough. When the shepherds arrive, they will explain the vision that brought them to witness Christ's presence in the world (Luke 2:17).

Many cultures celebrate Christmas, in part, by setting out miniature figures representing the moment depicted in this verse. These "nativity" scenes usually include shepherds and Jesus' family. Many include the wise men described in Matthew's writing (Matthew 2:9–11). They almost always feature animals such as sheep and cattle. Those details are traditional, but not all of them are actually given in Scripture. The wise men, most certainly, did not meet Jesus until well after His birth.

Luke 2:8–21 describes shepherds who are visited by numerous angels. These beings proclaim the birth of Christ and explain where He can be found. The men follow the angels' directions and find Jesus, Joseph, and Mary just as predicted. Jesus' family celebrates these events, as God continues to use simple people to proclaim His most important truths. When Jesus is eight days old, in accordance with Jewish tradition, he is circumcised and officially given His prophesied name.

The early part of this chapter is famously read at Christmas, while celebrating the birth of Jesus. Luke gives a relatively brief description of how Mary came to give birth in a stable, laying Jesus in a feeding trough. Nearby shepherds are informed of the news by multiple angels. Two people speak in praise of God at Jesus' circumcision. Years later, Joseph and Mary lose track of Jesus on the way back from Jerusalem, only to find Him astounding teachers in the temple with His wisdom.

Luke began his well-organized account by explaining the conceptions of Jesus Christ and John the Baptist, in chapter 1. In chapter 2, he briefly summarizes Jesus' birth and the arrival of shepherds directed by angels. Prophecies and prayers celebrate His dedication at the temple. After briefly losing track of a twelve-year-old Jesus in the temple, Jesus' parents take Him home to Nazareth. There, He grows up relatively normally. Chapter 3 leaps forward many years to the beginning of John the Baptist's preaching. This is followed by Jesus' genealogy. Chapter 4 relates Jesus' temptations by Satan and the start of His public ministry.

Luke was a traveling companion of Paul (Acts 16:10) and a physician (Colossians 4:14). Unlike Matthew, Mark, and John, Luke writes his gospel as an historian, rather than as a first-hand eyewitness. His extensive writings also include the book of Acts (Acts 1:1–3). These are deliberately organized, carefully researched accounts of those events. The gospel of Luke focuses on the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ. Luke's Gentile perspective presents Christ as a Savior for all people, offering both forgiveness and direction to those who follow Him.