The Bible

 

Luke 2:8-20 : The Shepherds Visit Jesus in Bethlehem

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8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.

16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.

17 And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.

18 And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.

19 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.

20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.

Commentary

 

Shepherds in the Fields

By Junchol Lee

The Annunciation to the Shepherds, By Henry Ossawa Tanner - http://www.artnet.de/artist/16406/henry-ossawa-tanner.html, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4864375


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One of the most significant events, if not THE most significant event, in human history is the birth of Jesus Christ, the Messiah and Savior of humanity. Christ's birth had been prophesied by many, but it was Isaiah who gave us the fullest and most detailed description of the Messiah's coming. It is notable that besides Mary and Joseph, shepherds were the only individuals allowed to visit Jesus on the night of his birth. Why only shepherds? What is the spiritual significance of the shepherds? We will explore this question.

(References: Isaiah 46:3)

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Apocalypse Revealed #841

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841. 20:2 He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, which is the Devil and Satan. This symbolically means that those meant by the dragon were detained, who because they think about matters of faith sensually and not spiritually, are called that serpent of old, who because they are caught up in evils in the way they live, are called the Devil, and who because they are caught up in falsities as regards their doctrine, are called Satan.

Just who are meant by the dragon may be seen in no. 537 above. 1 It is here and there called that serpent of old, the Devil and Satan, because a serpent symbolizes people who think sensually and not spiritually (nos. 455, 550), the Devil symbolizes people caught up in evils in the way they live, and Satan symbolizes people caught up in falsities as regards their doctrine (nos. 97, 550).

All people, indeed, who do not turn directly to the Lord think sensually about matters having to do with the church, and cannot think spiritually, for the Lord is the true light (nos. 796, 797). Consequently people who do not turn to the Lord directly cannot think in the light of spiritual light, which is the light of heaven, but do so in the light of natural light divorced from spiritual light, which is to think sensually. They are for that reason called that serpent of old. People who do not turn to the Lord directly and refrain from evils as being sins, remain in their sins, which is why the dragon is called the Devil. And because the same people are caught up in falsities as regards their doctrine, the dragon is therefore called Satan.

Footnotes:

1. Namely, people in the Protestant Reformed Church who make God three entities and the Lord two, and who divorce charity from faith, making faith saving and not at the same time charity.

  
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Many thanks to the General Church of the New Jerusalem, and to Rev. N.B. Rogers, translator, for the permission to use this translation.