In brief
The shepherds of Bethlehem are keeping watch over their flocks at night in the fields near the city of David when Jesus is born. An angel of the Lord announces to them the birth of the Savior, Christ the Lord, and a heavenly host praises God. The shepherds hurry to Bethlehem, find the baby lying in the manger and tell what they were told. They return glorifying God. Luke gives neither their names nor their number.
What does the name The Shepherds of Bethlehem mean?
The shepherds bear no name in the Bible. Luke describes them only as shepherds living in the countryside nearby, keeping watch over their flock by night (Luke 2:8).
The story of The Shepherds of Bethlehem
Shepherds in the night
Luke 2:8While Mary gives birth to her son in Bethlehem and lays him in a manger, there are shepherds in the same region. They spend the night watches in the fields guarding their flocks. Luke says nothing more about them: neither their names, nor their number, nor their age.
Don’t be afraid
Luke 2:9-12An angel of the Lord appears to them, and the glory of the Lord shines around them. They are terrified. The angel announces good news of great joy for all the people: a Savior has been born in the city of David. The sign will be a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.
The heavenly host
Luke 2:13-14Suddenly a multitude of the heavenly host joins the angel. They praise God, saying: “Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace, good will toward men.” The shepherds are the first witnesses of this praise that accompanies the birth of the Savior into the world.
Let’s go to Bethlehem
Luke 2:15-16When the angels have gone back into the sky, the shepherds say to one another: “Let’s go to Bethlehem, now, and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” They hurry there and find Mary, Joseph and the baby lying in the manger, as the angel had said.
The first to tell
Luke 2:17-19After seeing the child, the shepherds tell what had been said to them about him. All who hear them are amazed. Mary treasures all these things and ponders them in her heart. Simple men thus become the first to make known the birth of the Savior.
Back in praise
Luke 2:20The shepherds return, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, just as it was told them. Their daily life resumes, but they go back to their fields transformed by praise. Luke says nothing more about them after this one night.
Test your knowledge
What The Shepherds of Bethlehem teaches us
- God announces the good news to simple people busy with ordinary work.
- The good news of Jesus drives out fear and brings great joy.
- When God speaks, the right response is to set out without delay.
- Whoever has met Jesus cannot keep silent: he tells what he has seen and heard.
- Meeting the Savior carries on in a life of praise.
Key verses
The angel announces to the shepherds good news for all the people: in the city of David a Savior has been born, who is Christ the Lord.
“Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace, good will toward men.” The praise of the angels reveals the meaning of the birth of Jesus.
The shepherds return glorifying and praising God, because everything they had seen and heard was just as it had been told them.
Bible verses to meditate on
Sermons about The Shepherds of Bethlehem
- Jesus the Savior: Why God Announced Him to ShepherdsThe preacher dwells on God's choice: entrusting the announcement of the Savior to shepherds, simple people, following the principle of 1 Corinthians 1:27, where God chooses the weak things to put the strong to shame.
- The Harmony of Heaven: When Your Life Is Tuned to JesusThe message evokes ordinary shepherds, in the night, above whom the heavenly host bursts into praise: heaven overflows onto earth because Jesus is born.
Frequently asked questions
Why did God announce Jesus' birth to shepherds?
Luke gives no explanation. He only shows that the first announcement of the Savior's birth is made to simple men at work in the fields. This fits what Paul writes: God chose the weak things of the world to put the strong to shame (1 Corinthians 1:27).
How many shepherds were there, and what were their names?
The Bible does not say. Luke 2 speaks simply of shepherds who were keeping watch over their flocks in the region of Bethlehem. He gives neither their number nor their names, and tells nothing of their lives after the night of Christmas.
Where can I find the story of the shepherds in the Bible?
The story of the shepherds is found only in Luke 2:8-20. It follows the account of Jesus' birth in Bethlehem (Luke 2:1-7). Matthew, for his part, does not mention the shepherds but tells of the visit of the wise men from the East.