And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 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. 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. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
Luke 2:8–21
Of all people, the Lord sent his angels to shepherds. Luke 2:8–21 and a rich Christmas box of Old Testament imagery help us to understand why they were chosen. This brings a message of joy and encouragement, especially to those involved in busy festive ministry.
Shepherds appear frequently throughout scripture. Moses and David both kept sheep. David was chosen for leadership while out in the fields with sheep (now that must ring some Christmas shepherd bells). More importantly, they were shepherds of God’s people and this became a key picture of those who would lead Israel. Moses, alongside Aaron, guided the Lord’s flock out of Egypt and in the wilderness (Ps 77:20). The Lord told David that “You shall be shepherd of my people Israel, and you shall be prince over Israel” (2 Sam 5:2), and the elders recognised him as their king. David accepted this responsibility but knew that the Lord was his shepherd and the one true shepherd over all of his people.
In the light of this heritage, it is little wonder that the prophets lament the awful shepherds of Israel, guiding the people into rebellion and exile. Kings, priests, so-called wise men, and prophets—those who should have known God and helped others know him—pursued their own agendas, leading to the ruin of everyone. Jeremiah saw this darkness and decline, but also saw the hope of better shepherds, guided by the one true Shepherd of all (Jer 23:1–4 and 31:10).
To be a shepherd in this Christmas story is therefore not simply to be a poor outsider; it also serves as a living Illustration of what God’s shepherds are meant to be and a pointed rebuke to the leaders of Israel in the days of the first Christmas. Like every faithful shepherd to follow, they hear good news and respond in faith. They find Jesus the one true shepherd king in the city of the shepherd king. They tell the gospel story and they glorify God. This is what the shepherds of God’s people are supposed to do. We glimpse here a pattern for all those who will heed the call to pastor his people. So many of us are from ordinary backgrounds. We have heard someone tell us good new of joy and peace. We have come to know Jesus the Shepherd King. We tell others what we have seen and heard and know. We join with angels and all the redeemed in singing Glory to God.
