Why Shepherds?

Recently, I was asked by the editor of The Evangel, the national magazine of the American Association of Lutheran Churches, to write an article about the shepherds who witnessed the events of Jesus’ nativity. The alternative topic was the magi, but since they were not present at the stable,and we don’t celebrate their arrival until Epiphany, I thought an article about the shepherds would be more appropriate for the November/December issue of the magazine*. And so, I wrote the article, and it was published as follows:

“While shepherds watched their flocks by night, all seated on the ground, an angel of the Lord came down and glory shone around, and glory shone around.” These words, an almost exact quote from Luke 2:8-9, form the first verse of the old Christmas hymn, While shepherds watched their flocks by night, All seated on the ground, written by Nahum Tate in 1700. Anyone familiar with Jesus’ nativity story know about the shepherds, how they were greeted by angels, and how they found the babe lying in the manger. And anyone who has set up a nativity scene has placed a few shepherds and their sheep somewhere near Mary and the baby Jesus. But, did you ever ask the question, “Why shepherds?”

Of course, the response of many people could be, “Why not shepherds?” Bethlehem was a locale known for sheep and shepherds, and they happened to be the people who were available and awake when Jesus was born. Sure, they were close at hand. But I think there was more to it than just that; God purposefully chose those shepherds to be the first witnesses to the birth of the Savior. There are three things that make this apparent.

First, Scripture tells us that God is not impressed by titles or social standing (Acts 10:34). It teaches us in 1 Corinthians 1:27 that “God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are…” He bypassed the political and religious leaders of the day, and sent his angelic messengers to lowly shepherds instead. The shepherds came as they were: lowly, unwashed, wearing the rough clothing of their trade, the lay people of their day. But God’s call exalted them above society’s celebrities to be witnesses to the arrival of mankind’s Savior.

Second, it was fitting that shepherds, who had witnessed the birth of many lambs over their years of work, would get to witness the birth of the Lamb of God, the birth to which all the other births had pointed. Bethlehem was just a few miles from Jerusalem, so it is quite likely that many of the lambs raised by those shepherds were intended for sacrifice in the Temple. Likewise, the baby they saw born that night would one day be sacrificed for our sins, serving as “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world.” (John 1:29 and 36). Revelation 13:8 teaches us that this was God’s plan from even before the beginning; that Jesus was “the Lamb of God, slain from the foundation of the world.”

Third, it was also appropriate that God would choose shepherds to witness the birth of the Good Shepherd. The Scriptures proclaim God as our Shepherd many times, from Psalm 23 (written by David, a former shepherd), to Micah 5:4 which says the Messiah born in Bethlehem shall “shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord,” to John 10:11, where Jesus calls himself, “the Good Shepherd.” The arrival of shepherds, rather than priests, kings, or generals, proclaimed the newborn’s main calling.

Finally, we need to recognize that God’s call on the shepherds was not just for their own personal blessing. What they saw and heard was not only for some spiritual high, what we would call a “mountaintop experience.” No, they were more than passive observers; they became witnesses to what they saw and heard from the angels, and of what they found in the manger. Their testimony to Mary caused her to treasure what they said in her heart, and their testimony to other people was such that “all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them.” Then, they testified to the Lord, “glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.” (Luke 2:17-20). And finally, they continue to testify to us today, as we marvel both at their experience, and at their faith that caused them to overcome their fear and obey an outrageous command. May we also overcome any doubts or holiday distractions we may encounter, and follow the shepherds to the Savior born to us that day – and then let us tell others, that they too may wonder at the good news of great joy we share!

Now may the Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you, the Lord life up his countenance upon you and give you peace. Amen.

Read: Luke 2:1-20.

*The Evangel, A Publication of The American Association of Lutheran Churches, Issue No. 214 – November/December 2023, p. 7. Editor: Editor: Gretchen Baker.