“But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.’” Luke 2:10-12
An inscription dating from 9 BC reads: “The birthday of the god Augustus was the beginning of the good news for the world that came by reason of him”. These words caught my attention for a couple of reasons, One, they refer to Caesar Augustus, the ruler of world at the time of Jesus’ birth, and the one who set into motion the events that placed Mary and Joseph in Bethlehem. And two, this proclamation was considered good news, a term borrowed by Christians from the secular world to identify the thrilling words of the angels (2:8-14).
The shepherds were informed that the reason for their good news was a baby wrapped in cloths (“swaddling clothes”) lying in a manger. This picture was a sign. However, the key identifier would not have been a baby wrapped in clothes, for this is what is expected, simply a mark of maternal care. But that a newborn would have a manger for a crib, now that would clearly stand out!
The ruler of the Roman Empire would guarantee Roman peace, the Pax Romana, for which Augustus was well known. Likewise, our Prince of Peace had entered the world, which is why the heavenly host proclaimed that God’s peace was within our grasp (2:14). The peace of Augustus was temporal, as was his kingdom. Yet the baby lying in the manger would bring permanent peace and an eternal kingdom. The good news proclaimed when the emperor’s birth was celebrated stands in contrast to the birth of the Son of God, a humble if not a lowly state. But a clear choice must be made: Do we seek fulfillment in the accepted marks of success as found in the world? Or do we bow before the manger, acknowledging that God’s ways though strange are the only means that can bring us reconciliation with God, as demonstrated by enduring peace.
In Luke’s account of the Christmas story, Luke is making a statement of the real nature of power. Who is the conquering king? The one who sits on the throne in Rome? Or the One who lays His head in a manger? Bishop Arthur J. Serratelli asks, “In the end, who changed human history by his birth? Caesar or Jesus? The mortal whose kingdom is long buried beneath the dust of history or the immortal Son of God whose kingdom will last to the end of time? Who is more powerful? The king who smashed the heads of his enemies or the Crucified One who forgives his enemies?” Luke is more than a historian; he is an artist; he was painting a picture of how earthly success will fade but the eternal power of God is often “hidden in plain sight.” Just ask the shepherds.
Submitted by Dr. Rich Menninger
Prayer
O Lord, we recall the opening words of the gospel of Mark: “The beginning of the good news about Christ, the Son of God.” May the story of the manger be good news, both for those who have not accepted Christ as Savior as well as those who have. Amen.