4 And Joseph also went up from 6 And so it was, that, while they Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, were there, the days were accominto Judea, unto the city of David, plished that she should be dewhich is called Bethlehem;' (be-livered. cause he was of the house and lineage of David :) 5 To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. 1 Sam. xvii. 12, 58; xx. 6. Mic. v. 2. Syria. The last was known as Syria in a restricted sense. 7 And she brought forth her first-born son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. 3 2 Matt. i. 25. 3 Ch. x. 34. Gen. xlii. 27. if this be the case, the word first-born is here to be taken in its common significaThe leading features in the physical tion. ¶ Swaddling clothes. When a child aspect of Syria consist of the great moun- among the Hebrews was born, it was tainous chains of Lebanon, or Libanus, washed in water, rubbed in salt, and then and Anti-Libanus, extending from north wrapped in swaddling clothes; that is, not to south, and the great desert lying on the garments regularly made, as with us, but south-east and east. The valleys are of bands or blankets that confined the limbs great fertility, and yield abundance of closely. Ezek. xvi. 4. There was nothing grain, vines, mulberries, tobacco, olives, peculiar in the manner in which the inexcellent fruits, as oranges, figs, pista- fant Jesus was treated. Laid him in a chios, &c. The climate, in the inhabited manger. The word manger, in the Engpart, is exceedingly fine. Syria is inha-lish language, means, the box or trough bited by various descriptions of people, but Turks and Greeks form the basis of population in the cities. The only tribes that can be considered as peculiar to Syria are the tenants of the heights of Lebanon. The most remarkable of these are the Druses and Maronites. The general language Arabic: the soldiers and officers of government speak Turkish. Of the old Syriac no traces exist. 4. The city of David. Bethlehem, called the city of David because it was the place of his birth. See Matt. ii. 1. Because he was of the house. Of the family. And lineage. The lineage denotes that he was descended from David as his father, or ancestor. In taking a jewish census, families were kept distinct. Hence all went into the tribe to which they belonged, and to the place where their family had resided. Joseph was of the tribe of Benjamin, and of the particular family of David. Hence he went up to the city of David. It is not improbable that he might also have had a smail paternal estate in Bethlehem that rendered his presence there more desirable. 7. Her first-born son. Whether Mary had any other children or not, has been a matter of controversy. The obvious meaning of the Bible is that she had; and 448 in which provender is placed for horses or cattle. This is not the meaning of the word here. It means simply the stable or the place where the cattle or camels lodged. There was no room at the inn, and they were obliged to lie in the stable or barn, and it was there that the child was laid. Their being there was no proof of poverty. It was a simple matter of necessity. There was no room at the inn. It may be added that in eastern countries it is not very unusual for travellers to pass the night in this manner. In the caravansarai it is common for the whole caravan of camels, horses, and people to lodge in the same place. Indeed, the only pillow which children often have is the side of a horse, with which the whole family lie down. Horses are trained to remarkable gentleness and docility. Yet it is worthy of our consideration that Jesus was born poor. He did not inherit a princely estate. He was not cradled, as many are, in a palace. He had no rich friends. He had virtuous, pious parents, of more value to a child than many riches. And in this we are shown that it is no dishonour to be poor. Happy is that child who, whether his parents be rich or poor, has a pious father and mother. It is no matter if he has 8 And there were in the same | day in the city of David a Saviour, country shepherds abiding in the which is Christ the Lord. field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 2 9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. 10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying. 14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, 5 good will 11 For unto you 3 is born this toward men. not as much wealth, as fine clothes, or as splendid a house as another. It is enough for him to be as Jesus was, and God will bless him. No room at the inn. Many people assembled to be enrolled, and the tavern was filled before Joseph and Mary arrived. 8. The same country. Round about Bethlehem. Shepherds. Men who tended flocks of sheep. ¶ Abiding in the field. Remaining out of doors, under the open sky, with their flocks. This was commonly done. The climate was mild, and to keep their flocks from straying, they spent the night with them. It is also a fact that the Jews sent out their flocks into the mountainous and desert regions during the summer months, and took them up in the latter part of October or the first of November, when the cold weather commenced. While away in these deserts and mountainous regions it was proper that there should be some one to attend them, to keep them from straying, and from the ravages of wolves and other wild beasts. It is clear from this that our Saviour was born before the 25th of December, or before what we call Christmas. At that time it is cold, and especially in the high and mountainous regions about Bethlehem. God has concealed the time of his birth. There is no way to ascertain it. By different learned men it has been fixed at each month in the year. Nor was it of consequence to know the time; if it had been, God would have preserved the record of it. Matters of moment are clearly re vealed. Those which God regards as of no importance are concealed. Keeping watch, &c. More literally, tending their flocks by turns through the night-watches. 9. The glory of the Lord. This is the same as a great glory; that is, a splendid appearance or light. The word glory is often the same as light. Luke ix. 31. Acts xxii. 11. 1 Cor. xv. 41. The words Lord and God are often used to denote greatness or intensity. Thus, trees of God mean great trees; hills of God, high or lofty hills, &c. So the glory of the Lord here means an exceedingly great or bright luminous appearance, perhaps not unlike what Paul saw on the way to Damascus. 12. This shall be a sign, &c. The evidence by which you shall know the child is, that you will find him wrapped in swaddling clothes, and lying in a manger. 14. Glory to God. Praise be to God; or, honour be to God. That is, the praise of redeeming man is due to God. The plan of redemption will bring glory to God, and is designed to express his glory. This it does by evincing his love to men, his mercy, his condescension, and his regard to the honour of his law, and the stability of his own government. It is the highest expression of his love and mercy. Nowhere, so far as we can see, could his glory be more strikingly exhibited than in giving his only-begotten Son to die for men. In the highest. This is capable of several meanings: 1. In the highest strains, or in the highest possible manner. 2. Among the highest, i. e., among the angels of God, indicating that they felt a deep interest in this work, and were called on to praise God for the redemption of man. 3. In the highest heavens, indicating that the praise should not be confined to the earth, but should spread throughout the universe. 4. The words God in the highest, may be equivalent to the most high God, and be the same as saying, Let the most high God be praised for his love and mercy to men. Which of these meanings is the true one it is difficult to determine; but in this they all agree, that high praise is to be given to God for his love in redeeming men. O that not only angels but men would join universally in this song of praise. On earth peace. That is, the gospel shall bring peace. The Saviour was predicted as the Prince of peace. Isa. ix. 6. The world is at war with God; sinners are at enmity against their Maker, and against each other. There is no peace to the wicked. But Jesus came to make peace. And this he did, 1. By reconciling the world to God by his atonement. 2. By bringing the sinner to a state of peace! with his Maker, inducing him to lay down the weapons of rebellion; to submit his soul to God; thus giving him the peace which passeth all understanding. 3. By diffusing in the heart universal good will to men, disposing men to lay aside their differences, to love each other, to seek each other's welfare, and to banish envy, malice, pride, lust, passion, and covetousness, in all ages the most fruitful causes of difference among men. And, 4. By diffusing the principles of universal peace among nations. If the gospel of Jesus should universally prevail, there would be an end of war. In the days of the millennium there will be universal peace; all the causes of war will have ceased; men will love each other and do justly; and nations be brought under the influence of the gospel. O how should each one toil and pray that the great object of the gospel may be universally accomplished, and the world be filled with peace! Good will toward men. The gift of the Saviour is an expression of good will or love to men, and therefore God is to be praised. The work of redemption is uniformly represented as the fruit of the love of God. John ii. 16. Eph. v. 2. 1 John iv. 10. Rev. i. 5. No words can express the greatness of that love. It can only be measured by the misery, helplessness, and danger of man; by the extent of his sufferings here and in the world of woe, if he had not been saved; by the condescension, sufferings, and death of Jesus; and by the eternal honour and happiness to which he will raise his people. All these are beyond our full comprehension. Yet how little does man feel it ! And how many turn away from the highest love of God, and treat him with contempt! Surely, if God so loved us first, we ought also to love him. 1 John iv. 19. 15. Unto Bethlehem. The city of David, where the angel had told them they would find the Saviour. These shepherds appear to have been pious men. They were waiting for the coming of the Messiah. On the first intimation that he had actually appeared, they went with haste to find him. So all men should, without delay, seek the Saviour. When told of him by the servants of God, they should, like these shepherds, forsake all, and give no rest to their eyes until they have found him. We may always find him. We need not to travel to Bethlehem. We have only to cast our eyes to heaven; to look unto him and to believe on him, and we shall find him ever near to us, and for ever our Saviour and friend. 17. When they had seen it. When they had satisfied themselves of the truth of the coming of the Messiah, and had 18 And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. 19 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them. ascertained that they could not have been mistaken in the appearance of the angels. There was evidence enough to satisfy them that what the angels said was truc, or they would not have gone to Bethlehem. Having seen the child themselves, they had now evidence that would satisfy others. And accordingly they became the first preachers of the gospel, and went and proclaimed to others that the Messiah had come. One of the first duties of those who are newly converted to God, and a duty in which they delight, is to proclaim to others what they have seen and felt. It should be done in a proper way, and at the proper time; but nothing can or should prevent a Christian recently converted from telling his feelings and views to others, to his friends, his parents, his brothers, and old companions. And it may be remarked that often more good may be done then, than during any other period of their life. Entreaties, then, make an impression; nor can a sinner well resist the appeals made to him by one who was just now with him in the way to ruin, but who now treads the way to heaven. 19. Mary kept all these things. All that happened, and all that was said respecting her child. She remembered what the angel had said to her; what had happened to Elisabeth and to the shepherds, all the extraordinary circumstances which had attended the birth of her son. Here is a delicate and beautiful expression of the feelings of a mother. A mother forgets none of those things which occur respecting her children. Every thing they do or suffer, every thing that is said of them, is treasured up in her mind; and often, often, she thinks of those things, and anxiously seeks what they may indicate respecting the future character and 21 And when eight days were accomplished' for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb. 22 And when 3 the days of her purification according to the law of 1 Lev. xii. 3. 2 Ch. i. 31. Matt. i. 21. 3 Lev. xii. 2-4. Pondered. welfare of her child. Weighed. This is the original meaning of the word weighed. She kept them; she revolved them; she weighed them in her mind, giving to each circumstance its just importance, and anxiously seeking what it might indicate respecting her child. In her heart. In her mind. She thought of these things often and anxiously. 20. The shepherds returned. To their flocks. Glorifying, &c. Giving honour to God, and celebrating his praises. 21. Eight days, &c. This was the regular time for performing the rite of circumcision. Gen. xvii. 12. Called Jesus. See Note, Matt. i. 21. 22. Days of her purification. Among the Hebrews a mother was required to remain at home for about forty days after the birth of a male child, and eighty for a female; and during that time she was reckoned as impure, that is, she was not permitted to go to the temple, or to engage in religious services with the congregation. Lev. xii. 3, 4. To Jerusalem. The place where the temple was, and where the ordinances of religion were celebrated. To present him to the Lord. Every first-born male child, among the Jews, was regarded as holy to the Lord. Exod. xiii. 2. By their being holy unto the Lord was meant that unto them belonged the office of pricsts. It was theirs to be set apart to the service of God, to offer sacrifice, and to perform the duties of religion. It is probable that at first the duties of religion devolved on the father; and that, when he became infirm or died, the duty devolved on the eldest son. And it is still manifestly proper that where the father is infirm or has died, the duty of conducting family worship should be performed by the eldest Moses were accomplished, they | the law of the Lord, A pair of turbrought him to Jerusalem, to pre- tle dovos, or two young pigeons. sent him to the Lord; son. Exod. xiii. 12; xxii. 29. Num. viii. 17. Afterwards God chose the tribe of Levi in the place of the eldest sons, to serve him in the sanctuary. Num. viii. 13-18. Yet still it was proper to present the child to God, and it was required that it should be done with an offering. 23. As it is written, &c. Exod. xiii. 2. 24. And to offer a sacrifice, &c. Those who were able on such an occasion were required to offer a lamb for a burnt-offering, and a pigeon or a turtle-dove for a sin-offering. If not able to bring a lamb, then they were permitted to bring two turtle-doves or two young pigeons. Turtle-doves. Doves distinguished for having a plaintive and tender voice. By Mary's offering these she showed her poverty. And our Saviour, by coming in a state of poverty, has shown that it is not dishonourable to be poor. No station is dishonourable where God places us. He knows what is best for us, and he often makes a state of poverty an occasion of the highest blessings. If with poverty he grants us, as is often the case, peace, contentinent, and religion, it is worth far more than all the jewels of Golconda, or the gold of Mexico. If it be asked why, since Mary and the Saviour were pure from any moral defilement in his conception and birth, it was necessary to offer such a sacrifice; why was it necessary that Jesus should be circumcised, since he had no sin; it may be answered: 1. That it was proper for them to fulfil all righteousness, and to show obedience to the law. 2. It was necessary for the future usefulness of Christ. Unless he had been circumcised, he could not have been admitted to any synagogue, or to the temple. He would have had no access to the people, and could not have been regarded as the Messiah. Both he and Mary, therefore, yielded obedience to the 25 And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation 3 of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him. 2 26 And it was revealed unto Ver. 38. Mark. xv. 43. 3 Isa. xl. 1. laws of the land, and thus set us an example that we should walk in their steps. Compare Note on Matt. iii. 15. 25. Whose name was Simeon. Some have supposed that this Simeon was a son of the famous Hillel, a distinguished teacher in Jerusalem, and president of the sanhedrim. But nothing is certainly known of him but what is here related. He was an aged man, of distinguished piety and reputation, and was anxiously expecting the coming of the Messiah. Such an old age is peculiarly honourable. No spectacle is more sublime than an old man, of piety and high character, looking for the appearing of the Lord, and patiently waiting for the time to come when he may be blessed with the sight of his Redeemer. Just. Righteous before God and man; approved by God as a righteous man, and discharging faithfully his duty to man. Devout. This word means a religious man, or a pious man. The original expresses the idea of good reputation, well received, or of high standing among the people. Waiting for the consolation of Israel. That is, waiting for the Messah, who is called the Consolation of Israel because he would give comfort to them by his appearing. This name was often applied to the Messiah before he actually appeared. It was common to swear, also, by the Consolation of Israel, that is, by the Messiah about to coine. See Lightfoot on this place. The Holy Ghost, &c. He was a holy man, and was divinely inspired respecting the Messiah about to appear. 26. Was revealed. In what way this was done we are not informed. Sometimes a revelation was made by a dream, at others by a voice, and at others by silent suggestion. All we know of this is that it was by the Holy Ghost. ¶ Not |