Good News of Great Joy

MEMORY VERSE: “The angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.” —Luke 2:10,11

LUKE 2:1-14

THE essential part of today’s lesson presents the story of the birth of Jesus, emphasizing it to be “good tidings of great joy, which shall be unto all people.” Appropriately, however, Luke the historian presents the time and circumstances of the birth, the time being when the Roman governor decreed that all the world should be taxed. The law then made it mandatory for everyone to be registered for taxation in his home area, and it was this that resulted in Joseph and Mary being in Bethlehem at the time Jesus was born.

Jesus was born in a manger because there was no room for the family in the inn. It is not necessary to suppose that it was prejudice on the part of the innkeeper that caused him to refer Joseph and Mary to the stable. There were probably others that night who did not find room in the inn, just as hotels and motels today are frequently filled to capacity.

However, the fact that Jesus was born in a manger has added an unusual circumstance to this outstanding event in the plan of God. Mary knew from the message given to her by Gabriel, and later by the message of the angel—which doubtless was reported to her by the shepherds—that Jesus was born to be a king, the Messiah of Israel and the world, so to her it could well seem that the stable in which he was born was a royal palace, as indeed for the time being it was.

Nor did God choose the elite, such as the priests and religious rulers, neither the rich, as the ones to whom the announcement of Jesus’ birth should be made, but rather, a group of humble shepherds who were watching their flocks by night. The circumstances of this announcement were doubtless of such a nature that the shepherds were instantly aware that they were being addressed by an angel from heaven, and they were very much frightened, hence the assurance of the angel, “Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.” The angel had not brought a message of doom, but one of joy.

The announcement was, “Unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.” As noted, this Savior, this Messiah, had been promised by God’s holy prophets throughout a period of many centuries. But now the promises began to turn into reality. True, a baby could not be a Savior, nevertheless the One who would give his life to save the world from death, and who would establish a world-wide government, was now born, and this was an important step forward in the out-working of the Creator’s grand design for the blessing of all the families of the earth.

The angel continued, “And this shall be a sign unto you; ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.” Nothing in the prophecy indicated just what this baby would look like, nor who his mother would be. He was to be of the line of David, and this was all the Israelites knew; so these shepherds needed a sign to indicate just how they would recognize the child.

“And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” Because of the long delay in its fulfillment, many translators have been led to express this prophecy differently than does the King James Version. For example, the Revised Standard Version reads, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom he is well pleased.” In this faulty translation the thought of good tidings to all is destroyed, limiting the blessing of peace to God’s own servants.

The King James Version is correct in this instance. The expression “good will toward men” is a reference to God’s good will, a good will which was being expressed in the birth of the Savior and Messiah. Actually God’s good will was expressed in the many promises concerning this One whom he would send. Later it was further expressed through his ministry, and his death as the world’s Redeemer. The ultimate expression of this goodwill will be through the blessings of peace, health, and life which will flow out to the people during his kingdom.

QUESTIONS

What is the true meaning of the expression, “Good will toward men,” and how is that good will expressed?

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