Luke 2 Thoughts:

Luke tells us how Jesus’ birth is connected to historical events. Emperor Augustus and Governor Quirinius play a role in the story, but the details raise some questions to me. It’s possible that the census was announced before Jesus’ birth but carried out during Quirinius’ time. Not sure on that. The purpose of the census was to calculate taxes and military resources, so Mary and Joseph had to travel to Bethlehem.

Considering the circumstances of Mary’s pregnancy, it would have been unusual for an unmarried couple to travel together. However, they made the decision for Mary to be with Joseph during the birth. This fulfilled prophecy as Mary ended up in Bethlehem. They weren’t turned away from lodging; rather, there was no suitable place for them to give birth in their arranged accommodation. Mary’s use of a feeding trough as a resting place for Jesus reflects His humble beginnings but doesn’t mean they were neglected I believe.

Throughout history, God has shown that human effort and prestige mean nothing without Him at the center. He often chooses seemingly unimportant people to achieve great things. The first witnesses of Jesus’ birth were ordinary shepherds who were visited by angels. The angels guided them to find the newborn King, though they weren’t commanded to do so.

After the angels departed, the shepherds visited Jesus and shared their experience. It’s worth noting that nativity scenes often include animals and wise men but it doesn’t mention their presence during Jesus’ birth. The wise men likely came later and to a different location I am thinking. Mary treasured all these events and pondered their significance.

Mary and Joseph followed the traditional laws of the Old Testament in raising Jesus. They circumcised Him and all the things.

Luke emphasizes Jesus’ full humanity, including His upbringing in Nazareth, which was not highly regarded. Jesus had a relatively normal childhood there. He participated in required feasts such as the Passover. There is a misconception that He neglected His parents during one Passover, but He was discovered in the temple after three days, amazing people with His wisdom. Mary expressed her concern, and Jesus referred to the temple as His Father’s house, showing His awareness of His divine nature as the Son of God.

Luke highlights Jesus’ complete humanity, which I thought stood out.

Hope this all made sense as I unpacked it for myself.