Luke 2:16Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The shepherds, having received the joyful news and listened to the message, witnessed the wonders; they approached the cave and found no bed nor meal laid out, but instead saw Mary and Joseph seated with the child resting. The evangelist begins not with the father, but with Mary, for she is indeed the true mother, and it is more accurate to say she is a mother not by natural birth but through divine conception. She was unaware of all that was unfolding; she was simply the vessel of the Creator. Thus, they beheld Mary, Joseph, and the child; upon hearing the word, they witnessed the miraculous acts, were filled with awe, and found salvation.

The shepherds symbolize the spiritual leaders—bishops. Consequently, bishops are charged with caring for their congregations, engaging them in spiritual songs and teaching. In doing so, they will be blessed with divine revelations and insight. Bethlehem, meaning the house of bread, refers to the church, where this heavenly sustenance is found. Therefore, it is the responsibility of the ministers of the Word to pursue the bread from above, and upon discovering it, to share it with others, mirroring how the shepherds spread the news of the child they encountered.

The shepherds remarked, "Let us go and see the message the Lord has shared with us." They hurried along, illustrating that one should never hesitate to seek Christ. Their swift journey highlights their faith in the angelic announcement, urging all to believe in the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit, the angels, the prophets, and the apostles. The Scriptures affirm this urgency by indicating that they rushed to witness the Word made flesh. Truly, in encountering the body of the Lord, they encountered the Word, that is, the Son (John 1:1, 14, 18). Do not dismiss this act of faith as trivial; the shepherds should not be seen as inconsequential figures. Even those of lesser wisdom possess a more precious faith. The Lord did not seek out the learned in crowded academies, but instead looked among ordinary people who do not twist or embellish the truths they hear. He values simplicity over grandiosity.

They hurried and found Mary, Joseph, and the child resting in a manger. Upon seeing them, they realized what had been proclaimed to them about this child. They understood, meaning they recognized what was conveyed to them concerning this Child: that a Savior had been born for the people.

They arrived quickly, full of eagerness. The angel visited the shepherds during the night, undoubtedly appearing shortly after the birth of Christ. They too came to worship very soon afterward. The location where they cared for their sheep was close to Bethlehem, allowing them to reach the birthplace of Christ during the night. This evidence shows that the Son of God was indeed born at night. Consequently, both the Eastern and Western Churches have the tradition of holding the Christmas liturgy at midnight. "They found Mariam." Why did they encounter the Mother first? Perhaps it is because her role is particularly significant in this context. As we read the Gospel narratives about the events of Jesus Christ's earthly life, we also witness the shepherds' adoration at His birth.

Behold, the sign of the Savior born in Bethlehem was not only revealed to the shepherds of that town but also to each of us, illuminating our spiritual journey towards Christ the Redeemer. Let us reflect once more: have we ventured as far as Bethlehem, and have we discovered that which our souls genuinely seek, as earnestly and unreservedly as those humble shepherds who declared, “we came in haste, and found it” (Luke 2:16)? O infant Jesus! How difficult it feels for us to condense our existence into this modest essence of Yours. We prefer to enlarge ourselves, to expand in wisdom, indulge in our own desires, and pursue false grandeur. O body, you destined for burial! How often do we tread carelessly upon Your linen wrappings!

While the infant, swaddled in cloth, rested in the manger, some shepherds, possibly the keepers of the cave, entered the space. Filled with awe, they gazed upon Jesus, Mary, and especially the manger itself. With hearts full of reverence, they began to share with the surprised Joseph and Mary the reason for their visit at such an hour. They had come to witness the fulfillment of the angelic announcement they received that very night regarding the birth of Christ the Lord. The angel had illuminated the way for them to find the newborn and provided specific signs for their recognition. After this divine proclamation, they experienced an even more astonishing event: they heard the angels glorifying God in song. The astonishment of the shepherds and the joy of the celestial beings became a shared amazement and delight for the holy mother and the venerable Joseph.

Once the vision concluded, the shepherds set out to witness the sign the angel had revealed to them. Upon discovering everything as the angel had predicted, they shared with Joseph and Mary all the messages conveyed by the celestial messenger regarding their child. At this moment, there were some individuals close to the holy family. Hearing the accounts of the shepherds, they were filled with wonder; however, Mary treasured all these matters in her heart. Meanwhile, the shepherds glorified and praised God for all they had experienced and heard.

After the angels had left, the shepherds raced to Bethlehem and discovered the infant resting in a manger, becoming the first to offer their worship to him.

As the heavenly chorus fell silent and the shepherds, astonished by their experience, regained their composure, they quickly resolved to journey to Bethlehem to witness the events that had been revealed to them by the Lord. On their way, they stopped at a nearby inn and discovered, in a cave close by, Mary and Joseph with the infant lying in a manger, precisely as it had been foretold to them. They became the first to adore the newly born Christ. Furthermore, they were the initial bearers of His arrival, for soon after, they began to share with everyone the news concerning this child. Those who listened were filled with wonder at the accounts provided by the shepherds.

The shepherds responded not with skepticism but with a faithful obedience. Throughout the account, it is clear that these were devout men who eagerly anticipated the arrival of the Savior into the world. Thus, upon hearing the first tidings of His birth, they most certainly "hurried" to the location revealed to them by the angel. They discovered everything precisely as it had been foretold and were not deterred by the humble circumstances of the long-awaited King of Israel.