The Shepherds
Also known as: Shepherds of Bethlehem, The Shepherds in the Fields
Humble shepherds keeping watch over their flocks near Bethlehem on the night of Jesus’s birth, to whom angels announced the Messiah’s arrival. They became the first to worship the newborn Christ and the first evangelists, spreading the news of what they had seen and heard. Their inclusion in the nativity story emphasizes God’s special concern for the lowly and marginalized.
The Biblical Account (Luke 2:8-20)
The Angel’s Announcement
While shepherds kept night watch over their flocks in nearby fields, “an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear.”
The angel proclaimed:
“Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” (Luke 2:10-12)
The Heavenly Host
Suddenly a multitude of the heavenly host joined the angel, praising God:
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” (Luke 2:14)
This doxology (Gloria in Excelsis) has become central to Christian liturgy.
The Visit
When the angels departed, the shepherds said: “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.”
They went “with haste” and found Mary, Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger, exactly as the angel described.
The First Evangelists
After seeing Jesus, the shepherds:
- Made known what had been told them about the child
- All who heard were amazed
- Returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen
Mary “treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart” (Luke 2:19).
Who Were the Shepherds?
Social Status
Shepherds occupied a low social position in 1st-century Jewish society:
Ritual Impurity: Their work made it difficult to observe ritual cleanliness laws—constant contact with animals, inability to perform regular ablutions
Economic Marginalization: Typically poor, often working for others rather than owning flocks
Social Exclusion: Rabbinic sources sometimes list shepherds among disreputable occupations; they couldn’t testify in court due to presumed dishonesty
Nomadic Lifestyle: Living in fields, separated from settled communities and synagogue life
Yet Scripture is filled with shepherd imagery—Abraham, Moses, and David were all shepherds, and God is portrayed as Israel’s shepherd (Psalm 23).
The Bethlehem Fields
Shepherds near Bethlehem may have been tending flocks destined for Temple sacrifice in Jerusalem (only 5-6 miles away). Some traditions suggest these were the same fields where David had shepherded centuries before (1 Samuel 17:15).
Theological Significance
Reversal of Expectations
That shepherds—not priests, kings, or the wealthy—received the first announcement of the Messiah’s birth embodies the Gospel’s great reversals:
- The lowly are exalted
- The last become first
- The marginalized receive God’s revelation
- The poor receive good news
Jesus later taught: “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners” (Mark 2:17)—and shepherds embodied this priority.
The Shepherd Messiah
The irony is profound: shepherds announce the birth of the one who will declare, “I am the good shepherd” (John 10:11).
Messianic Prophecy:
- Micah 5:2-4: The Messiah from Bethlehem “shall stand and shepherd his flock”
- Ezekiel 34:23: “I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David”
Shepherds recognized the Shepherd-King.
Witnesses to Glory
The shepherds experienced the heavenly realm breaking into the earthly:
- Angels appeared
- God’s glory shone around them
- The heavenly host sang
This echoes the revelation to Moses (Exodus 33-34) and previews the Transfiguration (Luke 9:28-36)—God’s glory revealed to unlikely witnesses.
First Evangelists
The shepherds “made known” what they had seen and heard (Luke 2:17)—becoming the first to proclaim the Gospel. Their testimony was rooted in personal encounter: “We have seen and heard.”
This foreshadows the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20) and the apostolic preaching: “We cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:20).
Contrast with the Magi
Luke includes shepherds; Matthew includes Magi. Together they represent the full scope of Christ’s mission:
| Shepherds | Magi |
|---|---|
| Jewish | Gentile |
| Poor | Wealthy |
| Marginalized | Honored |
| Local | Foreign |
| Simple | Learned |
| Immediate response | Long journey |
| Heard angels | Saw a star |
Both groups sought, found, and worshiped—demonstrating Christ came for all.
Historical Considerations
Timing: Winter Shepherding?
Some question whether shepherds would be in fields in December (traditional Christmas date):
- Winters in Judea are mild; shepherding could occur year-round
- Flocks for Temple sacrifice required constant tending
- The Gospel doesn’t specify December; that date came later
Number and Names
Scripture doesn’t specify how many shepherds came, though tradition often depicts three (matching the Magi).
Some traditions name them (Misach, Achael, Cyriacus, etc.), but these are pious legends, not biblical.
In Christian Tradition and Art
Liturgy
The shepherds’ story is central to Christmas liturgy:
- Gospel reading on Christmas Eve/Day
- Carols celebrating their visit (“The First Noel,” “While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks”)
- Nativity plays featuring shepherds
The Gloria in Excelsis (the angels’ song) is sung weekly in many liturgies.
Nativity Scenes
Shepherds are essential figures in crèches and nativity scenes, usually:
- Kneeling before the manger
- With staffs and simple clothing
- Sometimes with sheep
- Often portrayed as varied ages (old, young, middle-aged)
Art History
Countless paintings depict “The Adoration of the Shepherds”:
- Often showing humble, rough men kneeling before the infant
- Contrast between earthly poverty (stable, shepherds) and heavenly glory (angels, divine light)
- Emphasis on wonder and worship despite lowly status
Cultural and Theological Impact
Christmas Carols
Many beloved carols focus on the shepherds:
- “While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks by Night”
- “The First Noel” (from the shepherds’ perspective)
- “Angels We Have Heard on High” (Gloria in excelsis Deo)
Liberation Theology
The shepherds’ prominence has special significance in liberation theology:
- God’s preferential option for the poor
- The Gospel as good news to the marginalized
- Revelation coming to the excluded, not the elite
- The powerful missing what the powerless receive
Symbol of Humble Witness
The shepherds model authentic response to divine revelation:
- Immediate obedience (“Let us go at once”)
- Eager seeking
- Joyful worship
- Enthusiastic witness-bearing
- Return to ordinary life, but transformed (“glorifying and praising God”)
Comparison with Other Gospel Figures
Shepherds received revelation immediately and responded at once—contrasting with:
- Herod: Heard the news and tried to kill Jesus
- Chief priests and scribes: Knew the prophecies but didn’t go to Bethlehem
- Simeon and Anna: Waited faithfully in the Temple and recognized Jesus when presented
In Preaching and Teaching
The shepherds illustrate key Gospel themes:
God’s Initiative: They didn’t seek revelation; it came to them
Divine Accessibility: God doesn’t require status, education, or ritual purity—just open hearts
The Incarnation: The almighty God comes as a vulnerable baby in a feeding trough—glory in humility
Worship and Witness: True encounter with Christ produces both (praise to God and testimony to others)
Significance
The shepherds embody the Gospel’s heart: God’s good news comes first to the lowly, the unlikely, the marginalized. While the powerful and learned remain oblivious, heaven’s glory breaks into the night watch of poor shepherds, announcing a Savior, Christ the Lord.
Their immediate, joyful response—leaving their flocks to seek the child, worshiping when they found him, proclaiming what they’d experienced—models authentic faith. They asked no theological questions, demanded no signs beyond what was given, required no credentials. They simply heard, believed, went, saw, worshiped, and told.
In God’s economy, it was fitting that shepherds received the first Gospel proclamation. The one lying in the manger would grow to say, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (John 10:11). Those who spent their lives protecting sheep from wolves and lions first beheld the Lamb of God who would protect his sheep by becoming the sacrifice himself.
The shepherds’ story declares that no one is too lowly, too sinful, too poor, or too marginalized for God’s invitation. The same glory that shone around them shines for all—and the same Savior they found in a manger offers himself to whoever seeks. The angels’ song was true: this is good news of great joy for all people. The shepherds heard it first.