Luke 2

Commentary

Luke 2 is a chapter that tells the story of the birth of Jesus Christ. It begins with the decree from Caesar Augustus that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. This decree required Joseph and Mary to travel to Bethlehem, the city of David, to register for the census. While they were there, Mary gave birth to Jesus and laid him in a manger. The birth of Jesus was announced to the shepherds by an angel of the Lord. The angel told them not to be afraid and that a Savior had been born in the city of David. The shepherds went to Bethlehem and found Mary, Joseph, and the baby Jesus. They spread the news of the birth of the Savior and praised God for what they had seen and heard. After the shepherds had gone, Joseph and Mary took Jesus to the temple in Jerusalem to present him to the Lord. There, they encountered Simeon and Anna, two elderly people who recognized Jesus as the promised Messiah. Simeon praised God for allowing him to see the Savior before he died. The chapter ends with Joseph and Mary returning to Nazareth and Jesus growing in wisdom and stature. This chapter is significant because it tells the story of the birth of Jesus, the fulfillment of God's promise to send a Savior to the world. It also shows how God used ordinary people to spread the news of Jesus' birth and to recognize him as the Messiah.