§ 10. APPEARANCE OF ANGELS TO THE SHEPHERDS SHEPHERDS’ VISIT TO JESUS, Luke 2:8-20 . At hand The gentile Magi were brought from afar, but these shepherds are brought from nigh. The former as star gazers were led by the star; the latter as shepherds were brought to the chief shepherd. And these were brought from the same fields of Bethlehem where David the typical shepherd fed his flocks, to visit David’s royal son. read more
9. The angel An angel. No particular angel is specified. Came upon Expressive of more suddenness than appeared to them would be. read more
10. Fear not The same introductory dismissal of fear as Gabriel addressed first to Zacharias and then to Mary. All people All the people; for as these shepherds were representatives of the Jews, so Israel is the people to whom is the immediate joy; yet it redounds to all the world besides. read more
11. Unto you You, the people of Israel. City of David The true place for the birth of David’s royal son. A Saviour Too high a title for a mere man. Christ The Anointed, the Messiah. The Lord Which is the Greek for the incommunicable name Jehovah. read more
12. The sign was not itself a miraculous one, but the prediction of it was so. The thing which they would find would be such a verification of the prediction as to attest itself true, and show them that the real Christ was found. The babe, the swaddle, and the manger were the three tokens. read more
14. Glory to God in the highest In the highest heavens. Commentators understand this as a reference to the Jewish threefold heavens. This glory ascends to the highest. This glory among the highest is placed in contrast to the peace on earth. See note on Matthew 21:9. Good will to men Rather good will among men. The first clause represented what takes place between God and men from the mediation of Christ. Glory ascends to heaven, peace descends to earth. Such is the reconciliation... read more
17. Made known abroad That is, they related at Bethlehem the appearance of the angels and the prediction by which they had been induced to visit the place where the infant Jesus was. Abroad There is hardly any thing in the Greek equivalent to this word abroad. It does not appear that the shepherds narrated the facts out of the circle surrounding the child. Herod and his court at any rate seem not to have so far been informed of it as to be aroused to any alarm at the birth of a king of... read more
18. All they The Bethlehemites wondered at those statements of the angelic ministrations related by the shepherds. read more
19. Kept all these things The whole train of events; miraculous birth of John, the annunciation of the angel to herself, the visits of the shepherds and of the Magi. read more
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Whedon's Commentary on the Bible - Luke 2:8
8. Abiding in the fields Probably both day and night in the open air. Keeping watch. That is taking watch by turns. read more