8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 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. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. 12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. (Luke 2:8-14 KJV)
Angels announce Jesus’ birth to the Shepherds
The humblest circumstances of Christ’s humiliation were always accompanied by displays of His glory to balance them and remove the offense of them. Even in His lowliness, God in some measure exalted Him and gave signs of His future exaltation. When we saw Him wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger, we might be tempted to say, “Surely this cannot be the Son of God.” But when we see His birth attended by a choir of angels, we are compelled to say, “Surely it can be no other than the Son of God,” concerning whom it was said, “Let all God’s angels worship him” (Hebrews 1:6).
Matthew tells of how God gave notice of Christ’s arrival to Gentile wise men by a star. Here, in Luke, the announcement is made to Jewish shepherds by an angel. God spoke to each group in the language they best understood.
The shepherds were in the fields near Bethlehem, keeping watch over their flocks by night (Luke 2:8). The angel wasn’t sent to the chief priests or elders—who were not prepared to receive the news—but to a group of humble shepherds, plain men like Jacob, not hunters like Esau. The patriarchs were shepherds. Moses and David were called from keeping sheep to lead God’s people. God was still pleased to honor that innocent occupation. Moses received news of Israel’s deliverance while tending sheep, and these shepherds, likely devout men, received news of a greater salvation.
They weren’t asleep when this news came but were awake and watching. Those who want to hear from God must be alert. They were fully awake and thus not deceived in what they saw and heard. They were engaged in their work, not in acts of devotion, but faithfully carrying out their calling, guarding their flocks from thieves and predators. It was probably summer, when livestock were kept outside at night. We are not out of the way of divine visits when we are diligently working in an honest calling and doing it in fellowship with God.
Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared to them, standing above them—likely in the air, coming directly from heaven (Luke 2:9). This shows they were not expecting such a visit; heavenly visits often come unlooked for. They saw the glory of the Lord shining around them, making night as bright as day—a heavenly light so radiant they were terrified. They feared it meant judgment, as guilt often makes people afraid of heavenly messages.
But the angel reassured them (Luke 2:10–12): “Don’t be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy for all people: Today a Savior has been born to you. He is Christ the Lord, in the city of David” (Luke 2:11). Jesus is the Christ, the Anointed One, and the Lord—Lord of all. He is a divine King and Savior, but only to those who accept Him as Lord.
The angel continued, “This news is not to be kept secret. It brings joy to all people. He is born where prophecy said He would be—in David’s city—and He is born to you: to you Jews first, and even to you poor shepherds.” This echoes Isaiah 9:6: “To us a child is born, to us a son is given.” He was not born for angels but for mankind.
To confirm their faith, the angel gave them a sign: “You will find the baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.” Not dressed in royal robes or surrounded by attendants, but laid in a feeding trough—such humility marked His coming. Christ made Himself known by His lowliness.
Suddenly, a multitude of angels joined the first angel, praising God (Luke 2:13-14). Their song was not like the one in Revelation 14:3 that no one could learn; it was meant for all. “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men.” God’s love in sending the Messiah brought Him great glory, and the angels rejoiced over it, though it didn’t directly concern them (Revelation 5:11-12). God’s mercy and wisdom were both glorified in this plan of salvation. Other works of God glorify Him, but the redemption of mankind brings Him the highest glory.
This also brought peace on earth—peace between God and man, peace of conscience, peace with angels, peace between Jew and Gentile. Peace here stands for every good thing that comes from Christ’s incarnation. All blessings flow from God’s goodwill. If we enjoy the benefit, He must have the glory. No peace or good can come through sin or outside of Christ, the Mediator. The angels proclaimed it with great solemnity—anyone who wishes may receive its benefit. Some manuscripts read “peace to men of goodwill”—either those who are well-disposed to God or those whom God favors. The angels showed how much they cared for humanity’s well-being. If they rejoiced, how much more should we? This is a trustworthy message, supported by countless angels, and worthy of full acceptance: God’s goodwill toward men brings glory to Him in heaven and peace to us on earth.