Luukkaan evankeliumiLuku 2

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Show the Christmas storyJesus' birth in Bethlehem

Luke 2 is the classic Christmas gospel read in churches around the world every Christmas Eve. It tells of Jesus' birth in Bethlehem, the shepherds in the fields, the angels' song of praise, and the first to worship the Savior.

Emperor Augustus' census

[Luke 2:1-2]

v.1, 2

Joseph and Mary go to Bethlehem

[Luke 2:3-5]

v.3, 4, 5

The Savior is born

[Luke 2:6-7]

v.6, 7

The shepherds in the fields

[Luke 2:8]

v.8

The angel's message

[Luke 2:9-10]

v.9, 10

"Today a Savior is born to you"

[Luke 2:11-12]

v.11, 12

The angels' song of praise

[Luke 2:13-14]

v.13, 14

The shepherds find the child

[Luke 2:15-16]

v.15, 16

The shepherds spread the news

[Luke 2:17-18]

v.17, 18

Mary treasured these words in her heart

[Luke 2:19]

v.19

Circumcision and naming

[Luke 2:21]

v.21

Simeon and Anna in the temple

[Luke 2:25-32]

v.25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32

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The Birth of JesusML

Matthew tells about the wise men, Luke about the shepherds.

Matteuksen evankeliumiMatt 2:1–12

1After Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of King Herod, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem

2and asked, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose, and we have come to worship him."

3When King Herod heard this, he was deeply disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.

4So he called together all the chief priests and scribes of the people and asked them where the Messiah was to be born.

5They told him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for this is what was written through the prophet:

6'And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.'"

7Then Herod called the wise men to him in secret and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared.

8So he sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and search carefully for the child. When you have found him, bring me word, so that I too may go and worship him."

9After they had heard the king, they set out; and behold, the star they had seen at its rising went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was.

10When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy.

11And when they came into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and offered him gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

12And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their own country by another route.

Luukkaan evankeliumi(du leser)

1In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that the entire Roman world should be registered.

2This was the first registration, made while Quirinius was governor of Syria.

3So everyone went to be registered, each to his own town.

4Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he belonged to the house and family of David.

5He went to be registered with Mary, who was pledged to be his wife and was expecting a child.

6While they were there, the time came for her to give birth,

7and she gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.[^1] [^1]: The Greek word can also mean "guest room" or "lodging place," not necessarily a commercial inn.

8Now there were shepherds out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flock through the night.

9An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.

10But the angel said to them: "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that is for all the people:

11Today in the city of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.

12And this will be the sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

13Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying:

14"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests."

15When the angels had left them and returned to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us."

16So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger.

17When they had seen him, they made known what they had been told about this child,

18and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.

19But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.

20The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, just as they had been told.

Haku

Yhteenveto2

Luku 2

Main Theme: Jesus' birth, childhood, and early revelation as God's Son and Savior.

Content: Under Emperor Augustus' census, Joseph and Mary travel to Bethlehem, where Jesus is born and laid in a manger. Angels announce the birth to shepherds, who find the child and praise God. At Jesus' presentation in the temple, Simeon and Anna prophesy about his significance for Israel and all nations. As a twelve-year-old, Jesus is found in the temple among the teachers, where he first refers to God as his Father.

Key Words/Images:

The Manger (φάτνη): The sign given by the angels to the shepherds – The Savior comes in humility, not in palaces.
Shepherds: The first witnesses of the Messiah's birth represent the humble who receive the gospel.
Simeon's Song: Confirms Jesus as a light for the Gentiles and the glory of Israel, fulfilling God's promise.
"My Father's house": Jesus' words at age twelve reveal his awareness of his unique relationship with God.

Historiallinen konteksti

Historical and Cultural Context for Luke 2

People

Emperor Augustus (Καῖσαρ Αὔγουστος) was Rome's first emperor, reigning from 27 BC to AD 14. His full name was Gaius Octavius, later Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus. The title "Augustus" (the exalted one) was given to him by the Senate in 27 BC. He is known for initiating Pax Romana – a long period of relative peace throughout the empire. His censuses served both tax and military purposes.

Quirinius (Κυρήνιος) – Publius Sulpicius Quirinius – was a Roman governor of Syria. The most well-documented census under his rule took place in AD 6, which has sparked debate regarding the dating. Some scholars suggest he may have held an earlier administrative role in the region, or that Luke refers to a preliminary registration.

Simeon (Συμεών) is described as "righteous and devout" (δίκαιος καὶ εὐλαβής) – two qualities that characterized the ideal Israelite. He was waiting for "the consolation of Israel" (παράκλησιν τοῦ Ἰσραήλ), an expression referring to messianic expectations based on Isaiah 40:1 and similar prophecies.

Anna (Ἅννα) was a prophetess from the tribe of Asher – one of the northern tribes scattered after the Assyrian conquest in 722 BC. The fact that she belonged to this tribe and served in the temple shows that representatives from all the tribes of Israel were still present. Her name is the Greek form of the Hebrew "Hannah."

Places

Bethlehem (Βηθλέεμ) lies about 8 km south of Jerusalem in the Judean highlands. The name means "house of bread" in Hebrew. The city was David's hometown (1 Sam 16:1) and the place where the prophet Micah predicted that the Messiah would be born (Micah 5:1). In Jesus' time, it was a small village. Archaeological excavations beneath the Church of the Nativity (built by Constantine in the 4th century) have revealed caves used as homes and stables in the first century.

Nazareth (Ναζαρέθ) in Galilee was an insignificant village not mentioned in the Old Testament, Josephus' writings, or the Talmud. Archaeological excavations have shown it was a small agricultural settlement with an estimated 200–400 inhabitants. The expression "went up" (ἀνέβη) from Nazareth to Bethlehem reflects both geography (Bethlehem is higher) and the religious significance of "going up" to Judea.

The Temple in Jerusalem (τὸ ἱερόν) – The Herodian temple was under massive expansion at this time, begun by Herod the Great in 19 BC. The chapter distinguishes between hieron (the entire temple complex) and the inner areas. Simeon and Anna were likely in the Court of Women, where Israelites could bring their offerings.

Events and Customs

Census and Registration (ἀπογραφή) was a common Roman administrative practice for tax purposes. The requirement that each person register in his own hometown (εἰς τὴν ἑαυτοῦ πόλιν) probably reflects an adaptation to Jewish custom, where family lineage was important. Roman censuses in Egypt (documented in papyri) show that people sometimes had to travel to other places for registration.

The Manger (φάτνη) was a feeding trough for animals, usually carved out of stone in caves or in the lower part of houses where animals were kept at night. This was not a barn in the modern sense, but likely a cave or the lower room of a house. The swaddling of the child (ἐσπαργάνωσεν) was standard practice – strips of cloth were wrapped tightly around infants to give them a sense of security and to ensure their limbs grew straight.

Shepherds (ποιμένες) had low social status in first-century Judea. They were often viewed with suspicion because they wandered on others' property and could rarely observe purity laws. The fact that the angels first appeared to shepherds – not to priests or scholars – is theologically significant and typical of Luke's focus on the marginalized.

Circumcision on the Eighth Day (ἡμέραι ὀκτὼ τοῦ περιτεμεῖν) followed the command in Genesis 17:12 and Leviticus 12:3. On this occasion, the child also received his name. The name Jesus (Ἰησοῦς) is the Greek form of the Hebrew Yeshua/Joshua, meaning "YHWH saves."

Purification After Birth (καθαρισμός) followed the regulations in Leviticus 12. After giving birth to a boy, the mother was ritually unclean for seven days, then for an additional 33 days. After a total of 40 days, she could come to the temple with her offering. The offering of "a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons" (ζεῦγος τρυγόνων ἢ δύο νοσσοὺς περιστερῶν) was the option for poor families who could not afford a lamb (Lev 12:8). This shows that Joseph and Mary were of humble means.

Redemption of the Firstborn (πᾶν ἄρσεν διανοῖγον μήτραν) was commanded in Exodus 13:2, 12–15 as a reminder of Passover and the exodus from Egypt. Firstborn boys belonged to the Lord and had to be "bought back" with a payment of five shekels to the priesthood (Num 18:15–16).

Passover Feast (ἑορτὴ τοῦ πάσχα) was one of three pilgrimage festivals where Jewish men were required to travel to Jerusalem (Exod 23:14–17). The feast lasted seven days. The fact that Jesus' family traveled annually (κατʼ ἔτος) shows their piety. Women were not required to attend, but many did so anyway.

Twelve Years of Age (ἐτῶν δώδεκα) marked the transition toward adult religious responsibility. Although the term bar mitzvah (son of the commandment) was formalized later, it was already common for boys at this age to begin participating in religious obligations and studying Torah more intensively under teachers.

Key Terms

"All the world" (πᾶσαν τὴν οἰκουμένην) – Greek oikoumene literally means "the inhabited world" and referred to the Roman Empire, which the Romans regarded as the boundaries of civilization. The expression has theological resonance: the true "Lord of the world" is born while earthly power carries out its census.

"Savior" (σωτήρ) was a title used for both gods and emperors in the Greco-Roman world. Augustus was hailed as soter – the savior of the world who had brought peace. The angel's proclamation that a "Savior" is born directly challenges imperial ideology. The combination "Savior, who is Christ, the Lord" (σωτὴρ ὅς ἐστιν χριστὸς κύριος) brings together three messianic titles.

"Peace on earth" (ἐπὶ γῆς εἰρήνη) – Pax Romana was Rome's proud hallmark. The angels' song declares a different peace – not achieved through military power, but given by God to those he favors (ἐν ἀνθρώποις εὐδοκίας).

"The Lord's Anointed" (τὸν χριστὸν κυρίου) in verse 26 is a technical expression from the Old Testament (Ps 2:2; 1 Sam 24:7) designating God's chosen king or deliverer. The fact that Simeon had been promised to see this person before his death places him among the prophetic figures waiting for God's intervention.

"A sword will pierce your soul" (τὴν ψυχὴν διελεύσεται ῥομφαία) – rhomphaia was a large Thracian sword, a stronger image than the usual machaira. The expression predicts Mary's pain, especially at the cross. The image has parallels in Ezekiel 14:17 concerning the sword of judgment.

"In my Father's house" (ἐν τοῖς τοῦ πατρός μου) – Jesus' words in verse 49 can be translated "in my Father's house" or "about my Father's business." The expression marks Jesus' first stated awareness of his unique relationship with God as Father – a theme that becomes central throughout the gospel.

Chapter-Specific Findings

The inscription Lapis Venetus (found in Venice, but originally from the East) mentions Quirinius and his career in eastern provinces. Combined with other inscriptions such as Titulus Tiburtinus (found near Tivoli), scholars have attempted to reconstruct Quirinius' career and possible earlier service in the Syria region, although this remains debated.

Archaeological excavations in Bethlehem, especially beneath the Church of the Nativity, have revealed house-connected caves from Hellenistic and Roman times. These caves were used for storage, workshops, and stables – consistent with a manger being located where a family lived. Emperor Hadrian's placement of an Adonis temple over the site (AD 135) to overshadow Christian worship ironically confirms that the place was already identified as Jesus' birthplace.

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