December 15, 2001

Orthodox Shepherd's Field

Since it's Christmas, I dropped by Shepherd's Field in Beit Sahour today. It's a field with a nice big new church built in it. Because the Bible doesn't give an exact descriptions of the location, there is some dispute over which site is actually where the angel of the Lord visited the shepherds, announcing the birth of Jesus. I visited the site that the Orthodox church claims. (There is another site nearby maintained by the Franciscans.)

Luke 2:8-20, NIV

The Shepherds and the Angels

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you. You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angle, praising God and saying "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."

So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.