Luke 2

I'm thinking of the journey Mary and Joseph made
from Nazareth to Judea for the census:

Luk 2:3
And all went to be taxed,
every one into his own city.
Luk 2:4
And Joseph also went up from Galilee,
out of the city of Nazareth,
into Judaea, unto the city of David,
which is called Bethlehem;
(because he was of the house and lineage of David:)
Luk 2:5
To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife,
being great with child.

When I decided to read through the New Testament,
I wanted to record my first impression of it.

but when I read this,
a story I've heard all my life,
I find it quite impossible to start fresh.

I've always had a peaceful beautiful mental picture of this;
Joseph leading the donkey,
Mary sitting side-saddle...

but now that I think about it,
I remember what my wife was like
when she was nine months pregnant.
Even sitting in a car for an hour was no fun.
Could I imagine asking her to get on a donkey? HA!
And have her sit on it while we bump and jostle our way
on rutted dirt paths for 60 miles?

No Way!

Luk 2:8
And there were in the same country
shepherds abiding in the field,
keeping watch over their flock by night.
Luk 2:9
And, lo,
the angel of the Lord came upon them,
and the glory of the Lord shone round about them:
and they were sore afraid.
[snip]
Luk 2:13
And suddenly there was with the angel
a multitude of the heavenly host
praising God, and saying,
Luk 2:14
Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace,
good will toward men.

I've never realized how much interaction there was
between our world and the spirit world back then.
Gabriel appeared twice in the last chapter.
Now angels are appearing to shepherds!
I wonder why exactly...?
Would anything have been different if they hadn't appeared?
I mean, was this a mission or a celebration?
Was it that the angels (and a multitude of heavenly host)
just couldn't contain themselves
and gathered at the nearest semi-secluded field
to rejoice?
Maybe the shepherds were safe,
since few would believe them?
Or was there really something about the shepherds
that makes this event significant?

I can't resist quoting from a commentary I have:

The angels bring good tidings to these shepherds,
who were pretty much social outcasts.
As a class shepherds had a bad reputation.
They were considered unreliable
and were not allowed to give testimony in the law courts.

Kind of ironic
that shepherds are the ones who get to spread the word, huh?
Almost like he is spreading the news with those who are ready to receive it,
but using a method that gives others a reason not to believe
if that is their inclination.

Would I have trusted the word of social outcasts?
notorious liars?

Next, the chapter records two people (Simeon 2:24 and Anna 2:36)
who recognize Jesus as the Christ,
and I'm surprised that I've never heard these accounts!
In all the Christmas stories I've ever heard, those weren't mentioned at all.

Finally, the chapter jumps from the circumcision on the eighth day
to an account of his experience in the temple at twelve years old.
Is this included because the age of Bar-Mitzvah is important to Jews?

I dunno.
I wish there were more details of his early life, though!