The Son Is Born

Luke 2:1-7

From Possibility to Probability to Actuality

Everything in Luke’s narrative so far has been leading up to this climactic moment. The sheer possibility of the miracle of the Incarnation was raised by Gabriel’s initial announcement to Mary that she would virginally conceive a child (note especially 1:37). Then the probability slowly increased as Gabriel’s sign was confirmed, first in Mary’s cousin Elizabeth being pregnant against all odds and then in Elizabeth giving birth to her own promised son, John.

The expectation has mounted to this messianic birth scene we now encounter. In many ways it is very quiet, but under this rather incognito entrance the event is truly, earth-shatteringly explosive.

1-3

A Second Historical ‘Address’

Luke, as the narrator, takes a breath in his narrative and gives a fresh historical ‘address’ to this concluding portion of the messianic birth story.

Admittedly, there are historical difficulties with what imperial census Luke is referring to here. A famous census taken by Quirinius is recorded outside the NT as happening later. But there is a footnote in the ESV that says v. 2 could be translated: ‘This was the registration before Quirinius was governor of Syria’ (cf. Wright, 20).

But it may well be one of those historical puzzles we’ll never have enough information to figure out. Regardless, Luke time and again shows himself to be a remarkably accurate historian, especially in the book of Acts where the details can be historically checked more readily than in the Gospel. 19^th century historians said he was inaccurate about historical details only to be proven wrong (and Luke proven correct) by inscriptions and coins and other archaeological data and historical findings. We are probably wisest to give him the benefit of the doubt here also.

Rival Saviours and Lords

Augustus = Emperor Octavian (Bock)

‘This census probably sought to produce a registration list for taxes. A journey to the ancestral home would have fit Jewish practice, so that the custom was done in a culturally inoffensive manner (2 Sam 24). This was important, since the tax itself would have been a painful reminder of Israel’s position before Rome. Nazareth to Bethlehem was about a ninety-mile trip, assuming that Samaria was bypassed. Such a journey would have taken around three days’ (Bock, 54).

‘The census… was a penetrating symbol of Roman overlordship. It is not without import that Luke devotes more space to the census, which he mentions four times in 2:1-7, than to the actual event of Jesus’ birth… many would have found in the census a disturbing reminder of the alien rule of Rome, and in the ensuing demand of tribute a sign of loyalty to the emperor that compromised fidelity to Yahweh’ (Green, 123).

The important thing about this historically detailed opening to Jesus’ birth account is that Luke once again emphasises that this obscure birth to poor nobodies happens in the context of the ultimate worldly power and privilege and rule of the time:

‘Augustus… became sole ruler of the Roman world after a bloody civil war in which he overpowered all rival claimants… Augustus turned the great Roman republic into an empire, with himself at the head; he proclaimed that he had brought justice and peace to the whole world; and, declaring his dead adoptive father to be divine, styled himself as “son of God”. Poets wrote songs about the new era that had begun; historians told the long story of Rome’s rise to greatness, reaching its climax (obviously) with Augustus himself. Augustus, people said, was the “saviour” of the world. He was its king, its “lord”. Increasingly, in the eastern part of his empire, people worshipped him, too, as a god’ (Wright, 23).

The ‘Myrian inscription’ refers to him this way: ‘Divine Augustus Caesar, son of a god, imperator of land and sea, the benefactor and savior of the whole world’ (cited in Green, 125-56).

So Luke uses clever narrative artistry to set a dramatic scene of contrasts between opposing powers here. He ‘paints two settings in which to locate the birth of Jesus—the world of Emperor Augustus and the world of divine purpose’ (Green, 124).

4-5

Journeying Away From Home

Again, the Messianic lineage is emphasised: Bethlehem was to be the birthplace of the Messiah – Micah 5:2; Matthew 2:6. Luke only echoes here what Matthew makes explicit.

Narratively, this sets up a feel of journeying and staying in a place away from home. This is the human context of the arrival of the Messiah. This journeying away from home feel is interesting because, in the full light of the doctrine of the Incarnation, this baby is himself the Son of God travelling far from his heavenly Home to ‘sojourn’ in a strange land among a strange people for a long time, in order to fulfil a mission from his Father.

6-7

God Comes Quietly, Naturally Into His World On a Busy and Trying Day!

As with Elizabeth’s birth story, so here too ‘the time came’ for birth to happen. The mothers hearing this story will know all the drama and emotion that is packed into that little phrase! Of course, this phrase simultaneously indicates God’s purposes and promises coming to fulfilment and fruition.

That Jesus is Mary’s ‘firstborn son’ is crucial for him receiving the Davidic line from his parents and thus being the right sort of person, humanly speaking, to be the Messiah.

‘In all likelihood, the manger is an animal’s feeding trough, which means the family is in a stable or in a cave where animals are housed’ (Bock, 55).

An animal feeding trough is the first crib for the king of kings, God incarnate! This is theo-comedy at its best!

That there was ‘no room in the inn’ indicates a crowded city, excitement, irritation.

It is really amazing to note that God himself came to the world he created in and through the midst of difficult, everyday, trying circumstances. There was no fanfare or fireworks at the birth scene itself, just the normal course of events in rather less-then-ideal circumstances.

Imagine engaged, teenage Mary having her first baby in a strange stable, far from home, as the climax to a long journey!

If Joseph was anything like me, I can just see him letting off steam at the proprietors during these difficulties (like stories my kids can tell, especially about airports!).

And in the midst of all this… God is born among humans!

Did they ‘feel the presence of God’ in all this? Frankly, probably not! We just don’t always ‘feel’ his presence even when he is so stupendously, miraculously near!

‘The contrast between the birth’s commonness and the child’s greatness could not be greater. The promised one of God enters creation among the creation. The profane decree of a census has put the child in the promised city of messianic origin. God is quietly at work, and a stable is Messiah’s first throne room’ (Bock, 55).

God is often only ‘quietly’ at work in the common details and it is there that we meet with him, sometimes not even strongly grasping what’s happening.

One of the Greatest Ironic Reversals

We do see here the quiet irony and theo-comedy that Luke is bringing in with the powers-that-be demanding whatever they will from people as if they are in total control. But in fact, their very moves of power subvert themselves because they only fulfil God’s greater prophetic purpose (Messiah to be born in Bethlehem, the city of David). This will lead ultimately to the true world Ruler receiving his throne in the divine way (cross and resurrection) to save instead of oppress the people of the world.

The taxation that was symbol and fact of imperial oppression quietly brought in Israel’s Liberator in the prophetically prescribed way.

Yes, there are historical questions about what particular census this is. ‘But the point Luke is making is clear. The birth of this little boy is the beginning of a confrontation between the kingdom of God—in all its apparent weakness, insignificance and vulnerability—and the kingdoms of the world’ (Wright, 23).

Works Cited

Darrell Bock, Luke, IVP

Joel B. Green, The Gospel of Luke, Eerdmans

Tom Wright, Luke for Everyone, SPCK