Dec. 03, 2025

Dear Friends,

I hope you can join us tonight as we begin a study of Luke 2:1-21. Tonight we will focus on vv 1-10. Notes are attached.

Our upcoming calendar:

   We meet tonight and next week (12-10).

   We then take a break.

   We resume on 1-14-2026.

LIVING THE CHRISTLIFE

WAYNE BARRETT

DECEMBER 3, 2025

The Birth of Christ

Luke 2:1-21

Pt. 1

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This was

the first registration whena Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 And all went to be registered, each to his

own town. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of

David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered

with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. 6 And while they were there, the time came for her to give

birth. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a

manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

vv 1-2 – “In those days, a decree went out …”

Luke’s writing was contemporary, and the time he referenced was within the memories of many

of his readers/hearers. But ancient dates are hard to pinpoint two millennia later. In fact, they

were not necessarily “pinpointed” even then.

The “Quirinius” puzzle (for centuries) is that the “known” dates that Quirinius was the official

governor of Syria began … we think, we are relying on other imprecise documents … in

about AD 6. Which is after the death of Herod in AD 4 (we think). So it would be hard to

reconcile his governorship with the “dates” we have for the censuses of Caesar Augustus.

The people in the first century did not recognize such a thing as the “first century”! There was no

fixed calendar. Dates were given relative to some other event such as the year of someone’s

reign or some other relative occurrence (“the third year after Aunt Ethel passed away”).

All this to say, we know historically when Jesus was born—within the same parameters and

ranges that we know of most anything that happened at that time. Our calendar is pretty

close.

In understanding how the ancients related to “dates,” we recognize that they lived in a world of

approximation and general range (and were not bothered by it). Luke’s sentence in v 2 (“This

was the first registration occurring when Quirinius was governing Syria” was written,

understood, and heard the way we might write “This was the first registration occurring

along about the time Quirinius was governing Syria.” And this is true of most all ancient

dating.

vv 6-7 – “And while they were there …”

These may be two of the most understated verses in the Bible.

v 7, more lit. “And she delivered [brought forth] her son, the firstborn …”

Not “their son”—Luke is careful with his wording, and this in no way disparages Joseph,

the man God chose to raise and provide for his Son.

“and wrapped him in swaddling cloths …”

This is an excellent note from the Topical Lexicon on Bible Hub.com

(www.biblehub.com): Swaddling was a universal Near-Eastern practice. Long, narrow

strips of cloth were wound snugly around an infant from shoulders to feet to provide warmth,

security, and to keep limbs straight. Jewish tradition held that every child should be washed,

rubbed with salt or oil (Ezekiel 16:4), and swaddled—acts symbolizing welcome, cleansing,

and covenant inclusion. Luke’s mention of swaddling cloths therefore signals that, despite

a Or This was the registration before [ESV]

2

poverty and exclusion from normal lodging, Jesus received the ordinary love and covenantal

care of a faithful Jewish mother.

“and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.”

“inn” – katalyma, this means a lodging place or guest room. It is the same word used for

the room Jesus had his disciples secure for the last supper (Mark 14:14; Luke 22:11).

In the Good Samaritan parable, Luke uses pandocheion for “inn” (Luke 10:34).

Some dwellings then (and still, in some parts of the world), included the animals. Some

dwellings housed humans “upstairs,” on a raised portion, and animals on the ground

floor.

Understanding this, it is conceivable that Mary and Joseph were in a house, but may have

been in a part of the house being shared with animals, such that Jesus had to be laid in

a manger.

__________

8 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they

were filled with great fear. 10 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.

v 8 – “And in the same region …”

Nothing could be more normal. But it is interesting that God chose shepherds to be the first to

hear about the birth of Christ.

v 9-10a – “And an angel of the Lord …”

Another understated sentence

“appeared” – ephistémi, stood over them, came up to them

“And the glory of the Lord shone all around them.”

“of the Lord” – the light of the angel is the glory of the Lord

more lit. “and they feared [phobeó] with great [megas] fear [phobos]”!

This is easy for us to believe—even acknowledging these were not cowardly men. They were

guarding the flock from man and beast.

“Fear not, for behold …”

“Fear not” is often a necessary opening when an angel appears.

then, more lit. “Behold! for I bring you good news …”

“behold” – horaó, pay attention, perceive, we might say “listen up”—because …

“I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.”

[CONTINUED NEXT WEEK]