The Savior’s Manger

“And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, ‘Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.’ ” Luke 2:8-12

The only detail we are given in the Bible about the actual birth of Jesus was that He was laid in a manager. The word used for manger here is the Latin word “munducare”, which means “to eat.” The manager was an animal feeding trough. Jesus was born into the most humble of circumstances. It was a lowly birth for the Savior of mankind. The description “wrapped in swaddling cloths” depicted the normal procedure for newborns, who were bound in cloths to straighten their limbs, an act thought to help promote the health and strength of an infant’s limbs.

The first persons to hear the “good news” of this birth were shepherds out in the field. Shepherds, especially those charged with the night watch, were among the most socially undesirable classes. They were considered disreputable and unclean, but represented the sinners for whom Christ came. Thus, the first announcement was, not to the religious leaders or self-satisfied devout, but to the outcasts of society. Christ had truly come not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance (Luke 5:32).

The shepherds were greatly afraid of the angels but they were comforted by the news that the birth announcement was “good news of great joy that will be for all the people”. The Moody Bible Commentary has noted that the three titles used in this passage – Savior, Christ, Lord – appear in this combination only here in the New Testament, and they highlight Christ’s mission, royalty, and authority.

As we celebrate this Christmas season, let us reflect that the God of the Universe and Savior of mankind came into this world in the most lowly and humble of circumstances. Further, he came not to the self-righteous but to the persons in need of a Savior – sinners and outcasts who, recognizing their inability to save themselves, will accept the Messiah’s death on the cross as substitute for their sins and the Christ as their Lord.