(Luke 2:1-5)
• Luke 2:1 is δόγμα (ŏgma), *an imperial declaration*.
• reigned from 27BC-14AD.
• should be taxed is ἀπογράφω (ŏgraphō) from ἀπό (ŏ) from, and γράφω (ō) to write. An ἀπογράφω (ŏgraphō) is not just what is written, but it portrays that one needs to be present to enter their name into public records.
• Luke 2:2 Cyrenius is found in history books as Quirinius.
• governor is ἡγεμονεύω (ēgĕmŏnĕuō) is written in the verb, present, active, participle, singular, genitive, masculine, which means that Cyrenius himself is presently governing Syria.
• Luke 2:3--4 There are 2 cities named Bethlehem at this time, and states where the Messiah is to be born. Bethlehem Ephratah is about 5 Jerusalem. Bethlehem of Zebulun (Joshua 19:15) was about 7 miles from Nazareth (Luke 2:4-7).
• Both Joseph (Luke 3:23-38) and Mary (Matthew 1:1-17) are descendants of David and from the city of Nazareth (Isaiah 11:1).
****• Branch in Micah 5:2 is נֵצֶר (êtser) meaning a branch, descendant. likely given this name because of its insignificance (John 1:46).
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• Mary went with Joseph most likely because she was pregnant and was due to have the Baby while Joseph was gone, and they didn't want to be separated for the birth. Both knew that their Baby was the Messiah and knowing the prophecy of Micah 5:2 that the Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem.
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• Saviour is this simple one. One of the most widely known theories is that Mary gave birth to Jesus the night that they entered Bethlehem.
• Matthew 1:18; Genesis 3:15; Isaiah 7:14
• (Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraphs 490-511), did not perpetually remain a virgin (Matthew 1:24-25).
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• The Scriptures tells us that Joseph and Mary had other kids (Mt 12:46-47; Mark 6:2-3; John 2:12; John 7:3; John 7:5; John 7:10; Acts 1:14; 1 Corinthians 9:4-5; Galatians 1:19).
• Luke 2:7 swaddling clothes in Greek is found 2x in the Greek Scriptures, also in Luke 2:12
****• Typically, a baby was a large piece of cloth to keep warm (cf. Job Ezk 16:4).
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• swaddling clothes is σπαργανόω (ŏō) a medical term to wrap with strips of cloths.
• inn is κατάλυμα (kataluma), a place for lodging, a guest chamber. In Mk 14:14; Lk22:11, translated as guest chamber* *and is used to describe the upper room of the
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• In Hebrew culture, you usually stayed in the *guestchamber* or the guest room of a relative.
• Dr. Luke does mention an inn and innkeeper in the account of the Good Samaritan (Lk 10:30-35), but it is πανδοχεῖον (ŏchĕiŏn) meaning an inn, a public lodging-place for strangers*.*
• Because there were many hills in the region, a multiple-story home was usually built into the side of a hill, and the lower portion of the house was usually built around a cave or carved out
• κατάλυμα (kataluma)
• INCLUDEPICTURE "https://imgr.search.brave.com/HNfMp51HA9CW39oQJ0X-so_S8WE5l7wyJYWg0IZZbjM/fit/659/464/ce/1/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cu/cHNlcGhpem8uY29t/L3dwLWNvbnRlbnQv/dXBsb2Fkcy8yMDE2/LzEyLzFzdC1DZW50/dXJ5LUhvbWUtSW4t/SXNyYWVsLmpwZw" \* MERGEFORMATINET T lowest level of the common peasant home was where the animals were brought in at night. Because of this, there was often a manger for the animals to eat from, and it was often carved into the floor or built into the wall of the main living area, or freestanding. INCLUDEPICTURE "https://imgr.search.brave.com/yeSQBbyIq0EkSDeXPnOu4Xl3leALgSNs17CEqxVJFeE/fit/992/1200/ce/1/aHR0cDovLzEuYnAu/YmxvZ3Nwb3QuY29t/L19LaWpnUzl0cVR6/cy9UUklSSmdUaWpB/SS9BQUFBQUFBQUl1/QS9YY3ZvWnd6YlBn/MC9zMTYwMC9NYW5n/ZXIuSlBH" \* MERGEFORMATINET
• Joseph and Mary were probably welcomed into a relative's home, but because of the census in Luke 2:1-5, the guest room or κατάλυμα (kataluma) was full, so Mary had no other place to give birth than in the lower portion of the home, and the manger provided the best option of a crib for her to lay our Saviour in as a baby.
**** The Announcement (Luke 2:8-14)
• T Saviour who was born to die.
• Micah 5:2; Micah 4:8 the *tower of the flock* is translated as a noun, Migdal Eder.
• Ephrathah was where Rachel, the wife of Jacob/Israel died (Genesis
**
**• Genesis 35:21 “Migdal Eder".
• is translated *“And Meshiha* (Messiah)* will be revealed at the end of the days"*.
• Edersheim in his book * And Times Of Jesus The Messiah* (Vol. 1, pp. 186--7) This Migdal Eder was not the watch-tower for the ordinary flocks which pastured on the barren sheep-ground beyond Bethlehem, but lay close to the town, on the road to Jerusalem. A passage in the Mishnah *(Shekalim 07.04)*‘wintry night' of the 25th of December, that shepherds watched the flocks destined for sacrificial services, in the very place consecrated by tradition as that where the Messiah was to be first revealed.
• These were educated in how the sheep had to be so that they would qualify for the strict restrictions and regulations of the sacrificial system. It was their job to make sure that none of the animals were hurt, damaged, or blemished so that they could meet these strict demands by God Lev 22:20-25; Dt 15:21;
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• It was said that the priests would come here to the Migdal Eder to choose the two goats that would be used for the sacrifice on Yom Kippur (Leviticus 16:1-34;
• “Migdal Eder" or “Tower of the Flock" was a watchtower built for the protection of the flocks against animals of prey, robbers or anything that could cause any harm to the flocks. It was a 2-story stone tower at the edge of the shepherd's fields just outside of Bethlehem. The top story was for a shepherd to look out over the fields to make sure that the sheep were safe.
• At one time, during a Passover, they offered up 30,000 sheep (2 Chronicles 35:7)!
• On the ground floor of the Migdal Eder, was the delivery room for the birth of these lambs.
• After birth, the shepherds would wrap the newborn lambs in swaddling clothes to protect the body of the lambs, so that later these same lambs could be offered as sacrifices in the Temple.
• These swaddling clothes were used to keep the newborn lambs' legs straight, (Ex 12:5; Dt 15:21; 17:1) to meet the strict requirements of sacrifice (cf. Luke 2:7
• Swaddling clothes or
• The manger was kept ceremonially clean for these future sacrificial lambs.
• Where were these sheep born? Bethlehem, at Migdal Eder, just like Jesus.
• Where were these sheep later sacrificed? I Jerusalem, just like Jesus, who was crucified on Mt. Moriah (33AD Ornan (1017BC Chronicles 21:23-24), and where Solomon built the Temple (1012BC Chronicles 3:1), and where Abraham was told by the Lord to sacrifice his only *son* Isaac (1872BC-Genesis 22:2).
• These were the shepherds who the angels appeared to here in Luke 2:8-14
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• Whenever an angel encountered a mortal man, that man or woman was filled with great fear in the Scriptures (i.e. Judges 13:22; Isaiah 6:4-5; Daniel 8:15-18; Daniel 10:7-9; Daniel 10:16-17; Matthew 28:2-4; Luke 1:12; Luke 1:26-30).
• Isaiah 6:5; Luke 5:8).
• **Luke 2:10--12 city of David** is of course Bethlehem Ephrathah. The angel told the shepherds a sign of how they would recognize this newborn Saviour.
• Because no baby was wrapped in swaddling clothes, find the right baby, a baby wrapped just like the newborn lambs at Migdal Eder!
• heard the sign about the baby, they would understand immediately what the sign meant, and they knew to look for the Messiah, the Lamb of God (John 1:29) in the manger in Bethlehem. Most likely they the prophecy of would be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2
• Luke 2:13--14 prophesied in Isaiah 9:6-7; Micah 5:5; Haggai 2:9; Zechariah 6:12-13, and it will only come in the future
• Good will toward men The Greek text here literally reads, “men of His good pleasure."
**** The Visit (Luke 2:15-20)
• Moses and David, two of Israel's greatest leaders were shepherds (Exodus 3:1; 1 Samuel 16:11-13).
• Hebrew Scriptures, God is often referred to as the Shepherd of Israel Psalm 80:1; Isaiah 40:11), and Jesus called Himself the Good Shepherd Hebrews 13:20; 1 Peter 2:25; 1 Peter 5:4).
• the Sun of Righteousness bringing light into the darkness of this world (Malachi 4:2; John 8:12).
