Watch Your Mouth!

Here is another posting from 2007 - another perspective on the songs and characters of the Christmas Story in Luke

Jesus the Underdog

Here is a posting from 2007 - another perspective of Jesus and the Christmas Story.

Details of the Early Days of Jesus' Life

Luke carefully sets the context for the life Jesus will grow up in following the visitation of the sheepherders.

Notice the careful observance of Torah by Joseph and Mary: this is key to understanding the home and culture of Jesus. He grew up in a devout home marked by righteousness as defined by Torah. His family regularly kept Torah, making the appropriate sacrifices, keeping to the appropriate holy days, and obeying the commands governing their social, economic and religious life. When Jesus was born, his people were not looking to ditch Torah, to get away from the Law. They were working to keep it, all the time praying earnestly for the LORD to have mercy on them and rescue them from those who either neglected Torah, rejected Torah, or corrupted Torah.

According to Torah, Jesus was circumcised and named on the eighth day. Leviticus 12
According to Torah, Mary was purified (childbirth caused uncleanness, she need to be made ritually clean) on the fortieth day (with doves or pigeons - which is what the poor were able to afford). Leviticus 12
According to Torah, since Mary was also of the tribe of Levi (being related to Elizabeth), her firstborn son (not Joseph's!) was presented to the LORD, consecrated and redeemed (a lamb was sacrificed in place of the firstborn). Numbers 18v14-16

It is interesting to note how Luke frames the situation: those like Mary, Joseph, Simeon, and Anna who are Torah-observant, righteous and devout, and who recognize Jesus as the Christ are also influenced by the Spirit of God. It seems like there is a transition going on: the Spirit is going to be crucial to the recognition and reception of Jesus as the King of the Universe. It is crucial that one be Torah-observant, righteous and devout, but they must also be given the Spirit - which is a gift.

Notice that the story of Jesus' family going to Passover also reveals their commitment to keeping Torah. Keeping Torah wasn't oppressive, stifling, or a burden. It gave the people identity, direction, purpose, and a framework by which to order life and society. Torah is what made Israel unique, it is what situated them to be used by God to bring light to the world. But Torah wasn't God's last word on the rescue of the world. Jesus is to be the light - to Torah-observant Israel, to pagan-Gentiles, to everybody that was looking for redemption from evil, peace amidst cruelty, light instead of darkness, rescue from chaos.

Jesus grew up Torah-observant. Joseph and Mary were inspired by Simeon and Anna, by Zechariah and Elizabeth, and all those who were righteous and devout. Jesus thus grew up in wisdom of the Torah and favor with God and the neighbors. And it was out of this setting that he would be:

a light for revelation to the nations,
and the glory of your people Israel.

How'd the Shepherds Know?

In reading through the text this afternoon, I had some questions concerning the shepherds.

The angel of the LORD tells the sheep-herders that the Messiah has been born in Bethlehem, and they'll know him when they find him because he'll be in a manger. You've got to wonder if the sheep-herders cocked their heads at that one. "He'll be in a what?" shouted the skeptical one back at the angel!

Obviously a manger is not a normal bedding source for babies - even shepherds know that; one wonders if the shepherds wondered what kind of Messiah is found lying in a manger. Wouldn't a Messiah be born into royalty? What kind of manger-bound Messiah baby is announced by an army of angels? I'm sure not much of what was announced made sense. But they went, out of curiosity if nothing else.

Here's what I want to know: how'd they know where to find the manger-baby? It's night time, it's really chilly in the hilly city of David, so the shepherds aren't going to find Jesus laying around outside. If he was in a cave, how'd they know which cave? How many caves did they have to look in before they found one with a baby in it? If it was a barn or stable, how many did they have to look through? Did they just keep looking till they found the manger-baby?

I think that Joseph and Mary gave birth in a house of one of their relatives, but since they were still considered unclean, they were forced to stay in the animal storage part of the house (the only entrance being through the living room). If this were the case, how would the shepherds know which house to go to? Did they keep knocking, asking if there was a baby inside the house laying in a manger? That would've got some odd looks.

However it worked, they eventually found what they were looking for. They spread the word throughout town, and everyone was amazed by what they heard from the raggedy sheep-herders. We're not amazed by the story because we think it's perfectly normal for a baby to be born and then placed in a manger. Think about it: what are the odds that the moment the shepherds found THE house, that the baby would be in the manger at that moment. Do you really think that Mary placed the baby in the manger as soon as she could, and then left the baby there for as long as she could? I really doubt it. Mary would have held the baby, fed the baby, cuddled with the baby, let it sleep in her arms. If she wasn't holding the baby, Joseph would be. Why leave a baby in a manger when it could be held? It really was a miracle that the shepherds arrived at the rare moment that Jesus would have actually been in the manger.

What about Joseph?

My friend Jeff Hamilton and I were talking the other day, and we got onto the subject of Joseph. He's been reading through Luke, and upon reading chapter two, he had some questions about the role of Joseph. What did Joseph think about everything that was going on? He's mentioned hardly at all in Luke's version of the Christmas story...but he has an interesting part to play.

We wondered: did Joseph just flat out trust Mary's account of what happened? Her story of how she became pregnant...did Joseph believe the part about the angel? According to legend, the gossipy rumor was that Mary had been ravished by a local Roman centurion. Is this what Joseph thought? What did he think? What was he thinking about as he and Mary travelled from Nazareth to Bethlehem. Their marriage isn't official until the two of them consummate it, and that won't happen till well after this child is born. So Joseph has taken Mary with him, presumably because her father kicked her out - Joseph is taking a woman who is not yet his wife, impregnated by someone other than him, traveling through the rough Jordanian valley under harsh Roman rule into the realm of the tyrranical and vicious King Herod. Merry Christmas indeed.

Why did Joseph take Mary with him? Why did he accept HER firstborn son as his own? Why were they not able to find a quality room in which to give birth? Were they rejected by their ancestral family as well? Did Joseph serve as the mid-wife? How long had they been in the village prior to the birth? How were they faring before and after? How well did they know each other before all this happened? Since marriages were arranged between the father of the bride and the family of the husband, did the two actually know each other prior to all this? Assuming the small village nature of Nazareth, they likely knew something of each other...but was this trip to Bethlehem their first time being together? Merry Christmas indeed.

The text doesn't indicate any kind of reluctance on Joseph's part, and as the story unfolds, the two seem to become one, dedicated to fulfilling the law and believing the prophecies of their son. Joseph seems to have accepted Mary as his wife, her son as his own, and her future as his. For all the attention that Mary gets in this story (and deservedly so), Joseph seems to live up to his namesake, preserving the future of Jesus just as the first Joseph preserved the future of Jacob's tribe. Merry Christmas indeed.

In those days...

Luke starts his narrative of John's birth announcement with this phrase: "In the time of Herod king of Judea"; Luke begins his narrative of Jesus' birth with this phrase: "In the days of Caesar Augustus...". It's easy to skip over these little phrases, but they put the whole story in context. Not only was the local ruler of Judea where John was born a corrupt, evil, brilliant king, but the Roman emperor of the whole Mediterranean world was also actively imposing his "peace" program unto every region. There was no relief for the righteous, no hope for the poor, no good coming from these ungodly and greedy rulers. It was into these dark days that John and Jesus were born.

John was born in a village located in the hill country of Judea just outside of Jerusalem; Jesus was born in a different village not far away. Both were born in unique circumstances, both were miraculous in their own way, both attracted lots of attention. Elizabeth was surrounded by friends, family, joy and celebration, Mary was alone with Joseph in the bare stall, rejected by family, spurned by friends, full of determination and wonder.

In those days, giving birth to a son was one of the best blessings God could grant. In those days old women didn't give birth to children, they helped deliver them; in those days young girls did not announce that God had caused her to become pregnant while still a virgin. In those days tradition and ritual and purity and avoidance of shame were paramount to a family - it was gave them some kind of sanity and stability amidst the insane kings and terrible eruptions of violence that swept through the countryside. Ironically, Elizabeth escaped shame by finally giving birth to a son, and Mary entered into great shame by giving birth to her son.

In those days, Jesus was born into shame, he grew up under the shadow of shame, and eventually he would die in shame. But God was at work, using the shame of an "illegitimate birth" and an "unknown father" to set up the world for a daring rescue plan. It was how God was going to set up his unending kingdom (see Gabriel's announcement to Mary), under the nose of a super-paranoid Herod, in the realm of the super-powerful Augustus. I'm sure in those days Joseph thought God's plan was crazy and unpredictable. I'm sure those days are here again.

More Than Just Nice Songs

It's important to remember the context in which Mary and Zechariah lived. Their songs weren't just because they were happy about having a son, about God acting according to his ancient promises, or because the Messiah was coming. Their songs are rooted in their revulsion towards the Roman Empire and the Caesars.

In Mary's lifetime a thousand fellow Jews were crucified and staked along the road leading from her Nazareth village to the razed city of Sepphoris. In Zechariah's line of work, the high priests and their ilk were all appointed by Herod - with no regard for lineage, holiness, or piety towards God; the original priests being banished or killed.

Mary's song for revolution was personal; her people were being slaughtered, starved, and subjected to terrible hardships. She wanted God's Son to cast down the proud and mighty, they were tearing apart the world. Zechariah knew what it was like to be hated; pious, observant Jews of his day were mocked and reviled. Obedience to God's way of peace was not popular.

Luke begins his narrative by noting that the story began in the days of Herod. We would use the name Hitler for similar effect. God was finally acting to bring an end to the merciless injustices - it is no wonder that Mary and Zechariah sing and stomp with joy. It'd been too long since they had anything to sing and stomp about...

Connections between the Songs and the OT

As has been pointed out already, Luke is showing the connections between God's work in John and Jesus and his work in the past through Israel. The first readers of Luke's gospel would have been deeply moved as they read about all the ways God was continuing his work - work and words first established in the days of Abraham, Moses, David, Isaiah, Daniel, Malachai, and now Mary and Zechariah. People were beginning to waver in their hope that God would remember them and his promises. God did remember...oh did he remember!

Read this piece of narrative between Gabriel and Mary (1v26-38)
…you have found favor with God.
You will conceive and give birth to a son,
And you are to call him Jesus.
He will be great
And will be called the Son of the Most High.
The LORD God will give him the throne of David,
And he will reign over the house of Jacob forever;
His kingdom will never end.

NOTE: the OT references in this short piece - Joshua is the Hebrew name for the Greek translation Jesus; Jesus is to be given the throne of David, Jesus is connected to the tribes of Jacob, who is a grandson of Abraham. Also, the promises that are made to Jesus are the promises that God made to Israel: be a great nation, will be priests of the LORD God Most High, will be a kingdom that reigns in peace forever.
NOTE ALSO: the connections between this piece of narrative and the contents of Mary's Song; it is this announcement that mostly inspires Mary's songburst.


Mary’s Song is partially rooted in the Song of Hannah (1Samuel 1-3)
The LORD brings death and makes alive;
He brings down to the grave and raises up.
The LORD sends poverty and wealth;
He humbles and he exalts.
He raises the poor from the dust
And lifts the needy from the ash heap;
He seats them with princes
And has them inherit a throne of honor.

Mary had spent much time reflecting on God's work in the past, especially through women like Eve, Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel, Zipporah, Deborah, and Hannah. Mary longed to be used by God like one of these women: in God's generosity, Mary will have something in common with all these women - and her song will wrap up their longings, like Hannah's, into one great song.


Mary’s Song echoes a song of Isaiah (Isaiah 49).
It is too small a thing for you to be my servant
To restore the tribes of Jacob
And bring back those of Israel I have kept.
I will also make you a light for the Gentiles,
That my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.

Take some time to slowly read through Isaiah 40-49; it is some of the most beautiful poetry in the Scripture. It is beautiful and powerful - God dealing with real people in the real world, God granting mercy and reconciliation out of generous grace. God is continuing in Jesus what he had revealed he was all about over four-hundred years earlier in the days of Isaiah. And Isaiah was scripting out what God had promised over a thousand years earlier to Abraham and the sons of Jacob.

Did You Know The Key To Reading Luke?

Luke is a brilliant writer. If you miss this point, you will have a hard time grasping what he is communicating about Jesus. Yes, Luke had help, but Luke also was using his gifts and passions and intelligence to craft the stories. And Luke reveals in the first chapter what he is going to reveal to us about Jesus in the next twenty-three.

Consider the details Luke includes when it comes the announcements concerning the birth of John and Jesus. Gabriel the angel goes into some detail about what the names will be, what they will mean, and what they are to accomplish according to what God has already been up to in the world for some time.

John (God is grace-full) will be used to turn the hearts of those who hear towards righteousness; Jesus (God saves) will be used to establish God's kingdom on earth. These birth announcements/names tell us much about what kind of stories we are going to read, and will give background to the teachings.

Also consider the songs of Mary and Zechariah: they reveal - with much emotion - the content for the gospel as it is declared and lived out by John and Jesus. Mary is magnifying the LORD for finally - after all these long, difficult years - bringing the King to reign forever and ever. Jesus is the promised king come to reign and reverse all that is wrong in the world. This is why Mary is so merry, and it frames everything Jesus does - his miracles, his teachings, his travels, his encounters.

John is the promised prophet-priest who is preparing the people for their New Exodus out of Exile in Egypt, he is touching their hearts with words of conviction and mercy, helping people encounter the LORD in a new way, calling to them to remember the LORD, for he has remembered them. This also frames the work of Jesus, his life and words as recorded and arranged by Luke.

As you look at the structure of chapter one, you notice some rich details:
Birth Announcement of John to the Father
Birth Announcement of Jesus to the Mother

Mother of Jesus Visits Mother of John

Song of Mary Mother of Jesus
Birth of John
Song of Zechariah Father of John
Birth of Jesus (chapter two)

According to the narrative account, the announcements are given back to back, followed by a transitional visit, and then an interesting pairing of songs and birth stories. It becomes obvious that the stories of John and Jesus and their family is intertwined, that together they have similar destinies, and that of the two, though John comes first, the second will be greater than the first (sound familiar...?).

It's also really interesting to note all the OT echoes and themes that emerge in the announcements, the songs, and the birth stories. Luke is trying to make it obvious that John and Jesus are a continuation of God's ongoing work to redeem Israel and rescue the world, but that John and Jesus are also part of a new work, part of the New Exodus. How many OT references can you find in chapter one?