Jesus, Like Us – Luke 2:1-7

My son-in-law likes to challenge our supposition that we should understand whatever God does, by comparing the disparity between our minds and God’s mind with that of the ant to the human.  “Can a tiny ant understand anything about politics, thermodynamics or space-time?  Of course not. silliness.  They’re not stupid for the creatures they are.  But their brains aren’t capable of understanding these things. It’s not their fault.  Then why do we humans tend to think so much more of ourselves in comparison to you and your ways, Lord? Why do we make the small-minded assumption that in order for something to be real or true, we must be able to understand it first, with our tiny ant brains?”  Why did God choose to give His Son a human nature, let him be born and grow up just like us, as a means of rescuing us from our rebellion?

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.  (Luke 2:1-7 ESV)

It is fascinating how God engineered it so that the birth of Jesus took place in Bethlehem, king David’s hometown, in fulfillment of the prophecy in Micah that Messiah would come from Bethlehem (Micah 5:2).  He uses a human leader, Caesar, who thinks he is in control of his empire, only to show that He is the true king of the world.

Though Mary is pregnant, she must travel with Joseph, her betrothed, in order to register.  They were likely taken in by relatives since there was no room in the inn of that town.  Many families had guest rooms in their houses and their animals were kept inside at the back of the house.  The only furniture suitable for a crib for baby Jesus was a manger, a feeding trough, so he was swaddled there.

These were humble beginnings for the Savior of the world.  He came to live as we must live, with all the struggles of day to day existence and all the sufferings and joys that accompany family.  He could sympathize with our weaknesses (Hebrews 4:15).  And he certainly was now able to die a sacrificial death on our behalf.