Chapter Two
Lk. 2:1. In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that a census should be taken of the whole world.
Lk. 2:2. This census was the first taken while Quirinius was governing Syria.
Lk. 2:3. And they all went to be registered, each to his own city.
Lk. 2:4. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David,
Lk. 2:5. To register with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child.
The census takes place so that, when everyone goes to his own homeland, the Virgin also came to Bethlehem, her own homeland, and thus the Lord was born in Bethlehem, and the prophecy was fulfilled. When the one God was about to put an end to polytheism, it was fitting that one ruler — Caesar — should also hold dominion. Christ is also enrolled together with everyone. It was fitting for the Lord to be enrolled with the whole world, in order to sanctify those being enrolled and to abolish slavery; for just as, by undergoing circumcision, He abolished circumcision, so, by being enrolled as a slave, He abolished the slavery of our nature. For those who serve the Lord are no longer slaves of men, as the apostle says: "do not become slaves of men" (1 Cor. 7:23), but even if they are slaves in body, they are free in spirit, not being carried away by the impiety of their masters.
Lk. 2:6. And while they were there, the time came for Her to give birth;
Lk. 2:7. And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and swaddled Him,
He rightly called the Lord the "Firstborn" Son of the Virgin, even though she bore no other child, for the one born first is called the firstborn, even if no other is born after him.
Lk. 2:7. and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
He is laid in a manger, perhaps in order to teach us humility from the very beginning, or perhaps also to symbolically show that He appeared in this world — a place inhabited by us who have become like senseless beasts (Ps. 48:13, 21). For just as the manger belongs to the cattle, so also this world belongs to us. Thus, the world is a manger, and we are senseless animals; and to redeem us from senselessness, He appeared here for this very reason.
Lk. 2:8. And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
Lk. 2:9. And suddenly an Angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were seized with great fear.
The angel appears to the shepherds because of the simplicity of their character and their innocence, since they visibly imitate the way of life of the righteous, for the ancient patriarchs as well—Jacob, Moses, and David—were shepherds. The angel did not appear in Jerusalem to the Pharisees or scribes, for they were a receptacle of every kind of malice; but those shepherds, being without guile, were deemed worthy of divine visions. The Lord showed by this that from the very beginning He chose and made into preachers those who were more simple-hearted than others, for they went out and began to proclaim all these things.
Lk. 2:10. And the Angel said to them: Fear not, for I bring you tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people:...
Lk. 2:11. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
Lk. 2:12. And this shall be a sign unto you: you shall find the Infant wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
The angel announced "great joy," which, he said, will be for all the people — specifically, for the people of God. For not all Jews are the people of God. But the incarnation of God was a joy for the entire human race as well.
Lk. 2:13. And suddenly there appeared with the Angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and crying out:
Lk. 2:14. Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men!
What does the song of the Angels mean? Without doubt, it is the thanksgiving of the heavenly ranks and their joy that we who live on earth have been blessed. For they say: "Glory... to God,... on earth peace has now come." Before, human nature was at enmity with God, but now it has been so reconciled that it has entered into union with God and has been united with Him in the incarnation. So then, do you see the peace of God with man? It can also be understood in another way. The Son of God Himself is peace, as He also says of Himself (John 14:27, 16:33). So then, peace itself, the Son of God, appeared on earth. And "good will among men," that is, the repose of God; for now God has found rest and has found good pleasure in men, whereas before He did not take pleasure and did not find in men anything pleasing to Himself.
Lk. 2:15. And when the angels had departed from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another: Let us go to Bethlehem and see what has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.
Lk. 2:16. And they came in haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Infant lying in the manger.
Lk. 2:17. And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this Child.