It is cute to see the shepherds kneeling before the baby Jesus, with perhaps one or two sheep bleating away. But the question that comes to my mind is ‘who is looking after the flock?’ They were all looking after the flock in the fields, then the Angels came and announced the good news to them, and they all decide to go and see the new born babe. So who was looking after the flock? This raises a deeper question – Why did the Angels appear to the Shepherds? There were other people around that the Angels could have appeared to. It was obviously a hot night. Many people would have been sleeping on their roofs trying to stay cool. The heat no doubt was probably keeping many people awake. Why didn’t the Angels appear to them?
Shepherds were a vital part of society. But they were also an excluded part of society. Their work was a 24/7 job. No days off. That meant no going to the Synagogue on the Sabbath because there would have been no one to mind the sheep. I don’t imagine that the sheep had their own Synagogue to go to as good Jewish sheep, while their shepherds went off to Synagogue.
Not only did they not go to the Synagogue on the Sabbath as was required by law of all good Jews, but they actually worked on the Sabbath. They couldn’t take time off remember. So they would have been excluded from fellowship by the very fact of who and what they are. Yet it was to these people that the Angels came, and it was these shepherds that Christ accepted as his first disciples when the rest of the church of the day excluded them. I say disciples because they left everything to bow before the Christ Child. I can’t imagine that they herded their entire flock from the fields to where the baby was. They left everything. These excluded people were arguably the first disciples.
Not only did they not go to the Synagogue on the Sabbath as was required by law of all good Jews, but they actually worked on the Sabbath. They couldn’t take time off remember. So they would have been excluded from fellowship by the very fact of who and what they are. Yet it was to these people that the Angels came, and it was these shepherds that Christ accepted as his first disciples when the rest of the church of the day excluded them. I say disciples because they left everything to bow before the Christ Child. I can’t imagine that they herded their entire flock from the fields to where the baby was. They left everything. These excluded people were arguably the first disciples.
It is interesting that throughout his life, Christ refers to himself as a shepherd. He identifies with a group of people who by their very nature were excluded from society. The presence of the Shepherds in the Manger Scene talks about the all encompassing love of Christ. No one is excluded.
End Part Two
Graeme Randall
Former Officer
Sydney, Australia
3 comments:
I read an internet article which offers a new perspective on the shepherds – extracts of which are below. The shepherds, far from being excluded from society, were SPECIAL people who watched over temple sheep being bred & protected to be sacrificed at the temple in Jerusalem. These shepherds were accustomed to preparing lambs which symbolically represented the Messiah in their cleanliness, perfection, & their sacrifice on the temple altar. This gives credence to these scriptures which tell of the angels who came to these shepherds to proclaim the birth of the Lamb of God, the Savior of mankind, who would be the last & ultimate sacrifice. The place where the angels appeared to the shepherds is traditionally known as the “Tower of the Flock,” or Migdal Edar, which is near Bethlehem.
This watchtower from ancient times was used by the shepherds for protection from their enemies & wild beasts. It was the place ewes were brought to give birth to the lambs. In this sheltered building/cave the priests brought in the ewes which were about to lamb for protection. These special lambs came from a unique flock, designated for sacrifice at the temple in Jerusalem.
This Migdal Edar was not the watchtower for the ordinary flocks that pastured on the barren sheep ground beyond Bethlehem, but it lay close to the town on the road to Jerusalem. The flocks which pastured there were destined for Temple sacrifices. It was the watchtower that guarded the Temple flocks that were being raised to serve as sacrificial animals in the Temple. These weren’t just any flock & herd. The shepherds who kept them were men specifically trained for this royal task. They were educated in what an animal, that was to be sacrificed, had to be & it was their job to make sure that none of the animals were hurt, damaged, or blemished. These lambs were wrapped in “swaddling cloths” to protect them from injury & also used to wrap the Lord Jesus.
So the fields outside Bethlehem became the place where a special group of shepherds raised the lambs that were sacrificed in the Temple. Being themselves under special Rabbinical care, they strictly maintained a ceremonially clean stable for a birthing place. The Tower of the Flock was used for birthing ewes, & the surrounding fields were where these shepherds grazed their flocks. These shepherds customarily kept their flocks outdoors 24 hours a day every day of the year, but brought the ewes in to deliver their lambs where they could be carefully cared for. It was to this place that Joseph took Mary. It was in this special stable at “Migdal Edar” that Jesus was born.
Who then were these shepherds? They were none other but the shepherds from “Migdal Edar” who were well aware that the Targum hinted & many of the rabbis taught that Messiah might well be announced from “Migdal Edar” at Bethlehem. The angels only told the shepherds that they would find the Babe wrapped in “swaddling cloths & lying in a manger.” There was no need for them to give the shepherds directions to the birthplace because they already knew. When the angelic announcement came, they knew exactly where to go, for the sign of a manger could only mean their manger at the tower of the flock! You cannot explain the meaning or direction of the sign they were given or their response unless you have the right manger & the right shepherds!
Loved this article. I am a Sargent. My wife and I lead a non-traditional corps, built on open sharing and testimonies, rather than on a one-person sermon. As this article suggests, people come alive for God when they are allowed to participate like the shepherds did, rather than being required to passively sit and watch. Two former officers are strong and active soldiers in our corps. I love to write about our participatory corps at:
Thanks Stevesimms
I am blessed to know people are finding something in what I write. It is a passion of mine - the inclusivity of Christ, and it is what I believe the church should be.
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