Tag: manger

Luke 2:12 – Poor Messiah

And this is the sign to you: You will find a newborn baby wrapped up, lying in the manger."

Truth to Learn

The conquering Messiah arrived as a very poor baby.

 

Behind the Words

Sēmeion is the Greek word translated “sign.” This is based on the verb sēmainō, which means “to mark,” “to indicate,” or “signify.” Sēmeion is used throughout the New Testament to specify a miracle with a spiritual message. Here it is both a miraculous sign as well as an identifying mark.

The words “newborn baby” are translated from brephos, which specifically refers to “an unborn child,” but it is also used to refer to a newborn child.

“Wrapped up” is from the Greek verb sparganoō, which is from the noun sparganon, meaning a strip of material. Thus, the verb refers to wrapping something in strips of cloth. The rich had blankets or “birth robes” for newborn children. Mary and Joseph could only wrap Jesus is strips of cloth.

The word “manger” is translated from the noun phatnē, from the verb pateomai, meaning “to eat.” A phatnē was where animals ate. It refers either to the stall in which an animal was fed or the feeding trough itself. Here, it probably refers to the feeding trough.

 

Meaning Explained

Having been startled and amazed by the appearance of an angelic being suspended in mid-air above them with his glory shining all around, the shepherds were told that the Christ had just been born. The Christ (Greek equivalent of Messiah) was the One for whom all of Israel had been waiting since the time of Abraham. The Messiah was to be a conquering king who would sit on the throne of David and who would rescue Israel.

The Jews believed that their Messiah would be born of the kingly line of David. Therefore, they expected that He would be born in a king’s palace with all the accoutrements that royalty and wealth could afford. The Prophet Isaiah had said:

For a Child has been born to us, A Son has been given to us; And the government is on His shoulder; and His name is called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. There is no end to the increase of His government and of peace on the throne of David, and on His kingdom, to order it, and to sustain it with justice and with righteousness, from now and forever. The zeal of Jehovah of Hosts will do this. (Isaiah 9:6-7)

After hearing the angelic announcement that the Messiah had been born, there is no doubt that the shepherds wanted to go see Him, but they probably knew they would not be admitted into His presence, expecting royal soldiers to have been guarding Him. But the angel then told them how they would be able to identify this child. He gave them a sign, this baby would be wrapped in strips of cloth and He would be found lying in a manger. This was not the way they expected the Messiah to be born.

The King of kings and the Lord of all creation could have come into this world with all the celebration and show of wealth beyond anything that you or I can ever imagine, but this was God’s way. And that’s the way with the gospel message today. Salvation doesn’t come with a great outward show of conquest with celebration and ceremony. It comes with humility and submission and an inward presence of peace.

 

Application

Most people spend their lives seeking wealth, power, and prestige. God, in the person of Jesus Christ, has shown us that it is better to be poor than rich and it is better to be humble than proud. During this Christmas season, let’s evaluate what our life goals really are and how we want to achieve them. Jesus’ birth was not for his own glory, it was for us. Likewise, our life in Christ is not for ourselves, it is for Him. This Christmas, do you want more “stuff” or do you want to be more like Jesus?

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2017 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Luke 2:12 – Poor Messiah

And this is the sign to you: You will find a Baby wrapped up, lying in the manger."

Truth to Learn

The conquering Messiah arrived as a very poor baby.

 

Behind the Words

Sēmeion is the Greek word translated “sign.” This is based on the verb sēmainō, which means “to mark,” “to indicate,” or “signify.” Sēmeion is used throughout the New Testament to specify a miracle with a spiritual message. Here it is both a miraculous sign as well as an identifying mark.

The word “baby” is translated from brephos, which specifically refers to “an unborn child,” but it is also used to refer to a newborn child.

“Wrapped up” is from the Greek verb sparganoō, which is from the noun sparganon, meaning a strip of material. Thus, the verb refers to wrapping something in strips of cloth. The rich had blankets or “birth robes” for newborn children. Mary and Joseph could only wrap Jesus is strips of cloth.

The word “manger” is translated from the noun phatnē, from the verb pateomai, meaning “to eat.” A phatnē was where animals ate. It refers either to the stall in which an animal was fed or the feeding trough itself. Here, it probably refers to the feeding trough.

 

Meaning Explained

Having been startled and amazed by the appearance of an angelic being suspended in mid-air above them with his glory shining all around, the shepherds were told that the Christ had just been born. The Christ (Greek equivalent of Messiah) was the One for whom all of Israel had been waiting since the time of Abraham. The Messiah was to be a conquering king who would sit on the throne of David and who would rescue Israel.

The Jews believed that their Messiah would be born of the kingly line of David. Therefore, they expected that He would be born in a king’s palace with all the accoutrements that royalty and wealth could afford. The Prophet Isaiah had said:

For a Child has been born to us, A Son has been given to us; And the government is on His shoulder; and His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. There is no end to the increase of His government and of peace on the throne of David, and on His kingdom, to order it, and to sustain it with justice and with righteousness, from now and forever. The zeal of Jehovah of Hosts will do this. (Isaiah 9:6-7)

After hearing the angelic announcement that the Messiah had been born, there is no doubt that the shepherds wanted to go see Him, but they probably knew they would not be admitted into His presence, expecting royal soldiers to have been guarding Him. But the angel then told them how they would be able to identify this child. He gave them a sign, this baby would be wrapped in strips of cloth and He would be found lying in a manger. This was not the way they expected the Messiah to be born.

The King of kings and the Lord of all creation could have come into this world with all the celebration and show of wealth beyond anything that you or I can ever imagine, but this was God’s way. And that’s the way with the gospel message today. Salvation doesn’t come with a great outward show of conquest with celebration and ceremony. It comes with humility and submission and an inward presence of peace.

 

Application

Most people spend their lives seeking wealth, power, and prestige. God, in the person of Jesus Christ, has shown us that it is better to be poor than rich and it is better to be humble than proud. During this Christmas season, let’s evaluate what our life goals really are and how we want to achieve them. Jesus’ birth was not for his own glory, it was for us. Likewise, our life in Christ is not for ourselves, it is for Him. This Christmas, do you want more “stuff” or do you want to be more like Jesus?

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2015 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Luke 2:12, 15-17, 20 – Impossible, Improbable, but True

Luke 2:12, 15-17, 20 – Impossible, Improbable, but True

12And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger. 15So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. 17Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. 20Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.

Seasonal Blessing

‘Tis the season to believe God’s word and give Him the glory.

Behind the Words

The words “wrapped in swaddling cloths” are translated from a single verb, sparganoō, meaning “to swath” or “to swaddle.” Now, that wasn’t much help, was it? Sparganoō, is from the noun sparganon which refers to “a swath, or strip, of cloth.” Long strips of cloth were used in those days to snugly wrap a new born child to keep the infant warm and to provide security. So this part of the verse could have been translated, “You will find the infant swaddled, lying in a manger.

The word translated “manger” is phatnē, from pateomai, meaning “to eat.” It refers to the crib, or manger, in which hay was placed in for animals to eat, thus keeping it clean and dry. Not the place we would think of putting a newborn baby, and certainly not the Son of God!

Meaning Explained

As mentioned in the explanation of the previous verses, the annunciation of the birth of the Messiah was made to shepherds, not to the rich, to the religious leaders, or to the civil rulers. It was made to shepherds. And, after receiving the message from the angels, the shepherds did not waste any time finding Jesus, Joseph, and Mary. One has to wonder how many stables they had to look in before they found one with people in it. Once they discovered it, they found the One proclaimed by the angels to be the Messiah, the Savior, the King of the Jews.

To most Jews, who were expecting the arrival of their Messiah, the notion of Him being laid in a feeding trough would have convinced then that the angels didn’t know what they were talking about. That just wouldn’t have made sense. God doesn’t work that way. So they probably would have reasoned away the angelic message because it didn’t fit their own image of God. The shepherds, on the other hand, simply took the message at face value and assumed that it must be true.

And once they had acted in faith and had searched to see whether these things were true, they found Him. Then they proclaimed the message widely; they told everyone who would listen, they praised God, and gave Him the glory.

Application

Some messages in the Bible seem impossible or at least improbable, yet we must accept them on faith. How can God possibly be one God, but be three persons? It’s impossible, but it’s what the Bible proclaims. How can salvation be all God’s doing and none of our own. That’s improbable, but it’s what the Word proclaims. Instead of questioning the truth, let’s praise God for it as the shepherds did, and give Him the glory. Someday we’ll understand!

In God’s service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2010 Will Krause. All rights reserved.

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