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Commentary on Luke 2 verses 1–7
The fulness of time was now come, when God would send forth his Son, made of a woman, and made under the law; and it was foretold that he should be born at Bethlehem. Now here we have an account of the time, place, and manner of it.
I. The time when our Lord Jesus was born. Several things may be gathered out of these verses which intimate to us that it was the proper time.
1.He was born at the time when the fourth monarchy was in its height, just when it was become, more than any of the three before it, a universal monarchy. He was born in the days of Augustus Caesar, when the Roman empire extended itself further than ever before or since, including Parthia one way, and Britain another way; so that it was then called Terraram orbis imperium - The empire of the whole earth; and here that empire is called all the world (Luk 2:1), for there was scarcely any part of the civilized world, but what was dependent on it. Now this was the time when the Messiah was to be born, according to Daniel's prophecy (Dan 2:44): In the days of these kings, the kings of the fourth monarchy, shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed.
2.He was born when Judea was become a province of the empire, and tributary to it; as appears evidently by this, that when all the Roman empire was taxed, the Jews were taxed among the rest. Jerusalem was taken by Pompey the Roman general, about sixty years before this, who granted the government of the church to Hyrcanus, but not the government of the state; by degrees it was more and more reduced, till now at length it was quite subdued; for Judea was ruled by Cyrenius the Roman governor of Syria (Luk 2:2): the Roman writers call him Sulpitius Quirinus. Now just at this juncture, the Messiah was to be born, for so was dying Jacob's prophecy, that Shiloh should come when the sceptre was departed from Judah, and the lawgiver from between his feet, Gen 49:10. This was the first taxing that was made in Judea, the first badge of their servitude; therefore now Shiloh must come, to set up his kingdom.
3.There is another circumstance, as to the time, implied in this general enrolment of all the subjects of the empire, which is, that there was now universal peace in the empire. The temple of Janus was now shut, which it never used to be if any wars were on foot; and now it was fit for the Prince of peace to be born, in whose days swords should be beaten into plough-shares.
II. The place where our Lord Jesus was born is very observable. He was born at Bethlehem; so it was foretold (Mic 5:2), the scribes so understood it (Mat 2:5, Mat 2:6), so did the common people, Joh 7:42. The name of the place was significant. Bethlehem signifies the house of bread; a proper place for him to be born in who is the Bread of life, the Bread that came down from heaven. But that was not all; Bethlehem was the city of David, where he was born, and therefore there he must be born who was the Son of David. Zion was also called the city of David (Sa2 5:7), yet Christ was not born there; for Bethlehem was that city of David where he was born in meanness, to be a shepherd; and this our Saviour, when he humbled himself, chose for the place of his birth; not Zion, where he ruled in power and prosperity, that was to be a type of the church of Christ, that mount Zion. Now when the virgin Mary was with child, and near her time, Providence so ordered it that, by order from the emperor, all the subjects of the Roman empire were to be taxed; that is, they were to give in their names to the proper officers, and they were to be registered and enrolled, according to their families, which is the proper signification of the word here used; their being taxed was but secondary. It is supposed that they made profession of subjection to the Roman empire, either by some set form of words, or at least by payment of some small tribute, a penny suppose, in token of their allegiance, like a man's atturning tenant. Thus are they vassals upon record, and may thank themselves.
According to this decree, the Jews (who were now nice in distinguishing their tribes and families) provided that in their enrolments particular care should be had to preserve the memory of them. Thus foolishly are they solicitous to save the shadow, when they had lost the substance.
That which Augustus designed was either to gratify his pride in knowing the numbers of his people, and proclaiming it to the world, or he did it in policy, to strengthen his interest, and make his government appear the more formidable; but Providence had another reach in it. All the world shall be at the trouble of being enrolled, only that Joseph and Mary may. This brought them up from Nazareth in Galilee to Bethlehem in Judea, because they were of the stock and lineage of David (Luk 2:4, Luk 2:5); and perhaps, being poor and low, they thought the royalty of their extraction rather than a burden and expense to them than a matter of pride. Because it is difficult to suppose that every Jew (women as well as men) was obliged to repair to the city of which their ancestors were, and there be enrolled, now, at a time when they kept not to the bounds of their tribes, as formerly, it may be offered as a conjecture that this great exactness was used only with the family of David, concerning which, it is probable, the emperor gave particular orders, it having been the royal family, and still talked of as designed to be so, that he might know its number and strength. Divers ends of Providence were served by this.
1.Hereby the virgin Mary was brought, great with child, to Bethlehem, to be delivered there, according to the prediction; whereas she had designed to lie in at Nazareth. See how man purposes and God disposes; and how Providence orders all things for the fulfilling of the scripture, and makes use of the projects men have for serving their own purposes, quite beyond their intention, to serve his.
2.Hereby it appeared that Jesus Christ was of the seed of David; for what brings his mother to Bethlehem now, but because she was of the stock and lineage of David? This was a material thing to be proved, and required such an authentic proof as this. Justin Martyr and Tertullian, two of the earliest advocates for the Christian religion, appeal to these rolls or records of the Roman empire, for the proof of Christ's being born of the house of David.
3.Hereby it appeared that he was made under the law; for he became a subject of the Roman empire as soon as he was born, a servant of rulers, Isa 49:7. Many suppose that, being born during the time of the taxing, he was enrolled as well as his father and mother, that it might appear how he made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant. Instead of having kings tributaries to him, when he came into the world he was himself a tributary.
III. The circumstances of his birth, which were very mean, and under all possible marks of contempt. He was indeed a first-born son; but it was a poor honour to be the first-born of such a poor woman as Mary was, who had no inheritance to which he might be entitled as first-born, but what was in nativity.
1.He was under some abasements in common with other children; he was wrapped in swaddling clothes, as other children are when they are new-born, as if he could be bound, or needed to be kept straight. He that makes darkness a swaddling band for the sea was himself wrapped in swaddling bands, Job 38:9. The everlasting Father became a child of time, and men said to him whose out-goings were of old from everlasting, We know this man, whence he is, Joh 7:27. The Ancient of days became an infant of a span long.
2.He was under some abasements peculiar to himself.
(1.)He was born at an inn. That son of David that was the glory of his father's house had no inheritance that he could command, no not in the city of David, no nor a friend that would accommodate his mother in distress with lodgings to be brought to bed in. Christ was born in an inn, to intimate that he came into the world but to sojourn here for awhile, as in an inn, and to teach us to do likewise. An inn receives all comers, and so does Christ. He hangs out the banner of love for his sign, and whoever comes to him, he will in no wise cast out; only, unlike other inns, he welcomes those that come without money and without price. All is on free cost.
(2.)He was born in a stable; so some think the word signifies which we translate a manger, a place for cattle to stand to be fed in. Because there was no room in the inn, and for want of conveniences, nay for want of necessaries, he was laid in a manger, instead of a cradle. The word which we render swaddling clothes some derive from a word that signifies to rend, or tear, and these infer that he was so far from having a good suit of child-bed linen, that his very swaddles were ragged and torn. His being born in a stable and laid in a manger was an instance, [1.] Of the poverty of his parents. Had they been rich, room would have been made for them; but, being poor, they must shift as they could. [2.] Of the corruption and degeneracy of manners in that age; that a woman in reputation for virtue and honour should be used so barbarously. If there had been any common humanity among them, they would not have turned a woman in travail into a stable. [3.] It was an instance of the humiliation of our Lord Jesus. We were become by sin like an out-cast infant, helpless and forlorn; and such a one Christ was. Thus he would answer the type of Moses, the great prophet and lawgiver of the Old Testament, who was in his infancy cast out in an ark of bulrushes, as Christ in a manger. Christ would hereby put a contempt upon all worldly glory, and teach us to slight it. Since his own received him not, let us not think it strange if they receive us not.
(Diem Nat. Christi.) Though coming in the form of man, yet not in every thing is He subject to the laws of man's nature; for while His being born of a woman, tells of human nature; virginity becoming capable of childbirth betokens something above man. Of Him then His mother's burden was light, the birth immaculate, the delivery without pain, the nativity without defilement, neither beginning from wanton desire, nor brought to pass with sorrow. For as she who by her guilt engrafted death into our nature, was condemned to bring forth in trouble, it was meet that she who brought life into the world should accomplish her delivery with joy. But through a virgin's purity He makes His passage into mortal life at a time in which the darkness was beginning to fail, and the vast expanse of night to fade away before the exceeding brightness of the light. For the death of sin had brought an end of wickedness which from henceforth tends to nothing by reason of the presence of the true light which has illuminated the whole world with the rays of the Gospel.
Therefore, He was a little child, an infant, so that you, a man, may become perfect; He was wrapped in swaddling clothes, so that you may be freed from the snares of death; He was in a manger, so that you may be on the altar; He was on earth, so that you may be in heaven; He had no other place in that inn, so that you may have many mansions in heavenly seats. He, being rich, became poor for your sake, so that through His poverty, you may be enriched. Therefore, my poverty is my inheritance, and the weakness of the Lord is my strength. He chose to be needy so that he might abound in all things. My tears washed away the sins of that infant crying, and my tears cleansed those sins. Therefore, Lord Jesus, I owe more to your injuries for which I was redeemed than to my deeds for which I was created. It would have been of no use to be born unless it was profitable to be redeemed.
But no one should include the entirety of divinity within the confines of bodily form. The nature of the flesh is different from the glory of divinity. Because of you, there is weakness and power within itself; because of you, there is lack and abundance within itself. Do not judge based on what you see, but rather recognize what you have been redeemed for. You see it in rags, but it is in heaven and you cannot see it. You hear the cries of an infant, but you do not hear the mooing of the Lord recognizing his ox. For the ox has recognized its owner, and the donkey the manger of its Lord.
He is poured forth from the womb, but shines from heaven; He lies in a earthly inn, but flourishes with heavenly light.
St. Luke has briefly explained the manner, time, and also the place in which Christ was born in the flesh; the manner, that is, in which the espoused has conceived, a virgin has born offspring.
On thy account then am I weak, in Himself is He strong. On thy account am I poor, in Himself is He rich. Consider not what thou seest, but acknowledge that thou art redeemed. I owe more, O Lord Jesus, to Thy sufferings that I am redeemed, than to Thy works that I am created. It were no advantage to be born, had it not advantaged me to be redeemed also.
(non occ.) Surely if He had so willed it, He might have come moving the heavens, making the earth to shake, and shooting forth His thunderbolts; but such was not the way of His going forth; His desire was not to destroy, but to save; and to trample upon human pride from its very birth, therefore He is not only man, but a poor man, and has chosen a poor mother, who had not even a cradle where she might lay her new born Child; as it follows, and she laid him in the manger.
To prevent you from thinking that his coming to earth was merely an accommodation, and to give you solid grounds for truly believing that his was real flesh, he was conceived, born and nurtured. That his birth might be made manifest and become common knowledge, he was laid in a manger, not in some small room but in a lodging place before numerous people. This was the reason for the swaddling clothes and also for the prophecies spoken long before. The prophecies showed not only that he was going to be a man but that he would be conceived, born and nurtured as any child would be.
He will have it that Mary bore other sons, and he quotes the passage, "And Joseph also went up to the city of David to enroll himself with Mary, who was betrothed to him, being great with child. And it came to pass, while they were there, the days were fulfilled that she should be delivered, and she brought forth her first-born son." From this he endeavours to show that the term first-born is inapplicable except to a person who has brothers, just as he is called only begotten who is the only son of his parents.
Our position is this: Every only begotten son is a first-born son, but not every first-born is an only begotten. By first-born we understand not only one who is succeeded by others, but one who has had no predecessor. [Numbers 18:15] "Everything," says the Lord to Aaron, "that opens the womb of all flesh which they offer unto the Lord, both of man and beast, shall be yours: nevertheless the first born of man shall you surely redeem, and the firstling of unclean beasts shall you redeem." The word of God defines first-born as everything that opens the womb. Otherwise, if the title belongs to such only as have younger brothers, the priests cannot claim the firstlings until their successors have been begotten, lest, perchance, in case there were no subsequent delivery it should prove to be the first-born but not merely the only begotten. [Numbers 18:16] "And those that are to be redeemed of them from a month old shall you redeem, according to your estimation for the money of five shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary (the same is twenty gerahs). But the firstling of an ox, or the firstling of a sheep, or the firstling of a goat, you shall not redeem; they are holy." The word of God compels me to dedicate to God everything that opens the womb if it be the firstling of clean beasts: if of unclean beasts, I must redeem it, and give the value to the priest. I might reply and say, Why do you tie me down to the short space of a month? Why do you speak of the first-born, when I cannot tell whether there are brothers to follow? Wait until the second is born. I owe nothing to the priest, unless the birth of a second should make the one I previously had the first-born. Will not the very points of the letters cry out against me and convict me of my folly, and declare that first-born is a title of him who opens the womb, and is not to be restricted to him who has brothers? And, then, to take the case of John: we are agreed that he was an only begotten son: I want to know if he was not also a first-born son, and whether he was not absolutely amenable to the law. There can be no doubt in the matter. At all events Scripture thus speaks of the Saviour, "And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were fulfilled, they brought him up to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the law of the Lord, every male that opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord) and to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, a pair of turtle-doves, or two young pigeons." If this law relates only to the first-born, and there can be no first-born unless there are successors, no one ought to be bound by the law of the first-born who cannot tell whether there will be successors. But inasmuch as he who has no younger brothers is bound by the law of the first-born, we gather that he is called the first-born who opens the womb and who has been preceded by none, not he whose birth is followed by that of a younger brother. Moses writes in Exodus, [Exodus 12:29] "And it came to pass at midnight, that the Lord smote all the first-born in the land of Egypt, from the first-born of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the first-born of the captive that was in the dungeon: And all the first-born of cattle." Tell me, were they who then perished by the destroyer, only your first-born, or, something more, did they include the only begotten? If only they who have brothers are called first-born, the only begotten were saved from death. And if it be the fact that the only begotten were slain, it was contrary to the sentence pronounced, for the only begotten to die as well as the first-born. You must either release the only begotten from the penalty, and in that case you become ridiculous: or, if you allow that they were slain, we gain our point, though we have not to thank you for it, that only begotten sons also are called first-born.
(cont. Helvid.) From this Helvidius strives to prove that no one can be called firstborn who has not brothers, as he is called only-begotten who is the only son of his parents. But we thus determine the matter. Every only-begotten is firstborn, not every firstborn is only-begotten. We say not that he is first-begotten whom others follow, but before whom there is no one; (otherwise, supposing there is no firstborn but who has brothers following him, there are then no firstlings due to the priests as long as there are no others begotten;) lest perchance when no birth follows afterward, there should be an only-begotten and not a firstborn.
Now here was no midwife, no tender anxiety of women; she wrapped the Child up in swaddling clothes, herself both mother and midwife.
The Lord is born on earth, and he does not have even a cell in which to be born, for there was no room for him in the inn. The entire human race had a place, and the Lord about to be born on earth had none. He found no room among men. He found no room in Plato, none in Aristotle, but in a manger, among beasts of burden and brute animals, and among the simple, too, and the innocent. For that reason the Lord says in the Gospel: “The foxes have dens, and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.”
He found no room in the Holy of Holies that shone with gold, precious stones, pure silk and silver. He is not born in the midst of gold and riches, but in the midst of dung, in a stable where our sins were filthier than the dung. He is born on a dunghill in order to lift up those who come from it: “From the dunghill he lifts up the poor.”
(Hom. viii. in Ev.) Bethlehem is by interpretation the house of bread. For it is the Lord Himself who says, I am the bread of life which came down from heaven. (John 6:53.) The place therefore where the Lord was born was before called the house of bread, because it was there that He was to appear in His fleshly nature who should refresh the souls of the elect with spiritual fulness.
(ubi sup.) And that He might show that on account of the human form which He took upon Him, He was born as in a strange country, not according to His power but according to His nature.
He calls the Lord “firstborn,” not because we should believe that Mary gave birth to other sons after him, since it is true that she was memorable for her unique perpetual chastity with Joseph her husband. But he properly names him “firstborn” because, as John says, “But to as many as received him he gave them the power to become sons of God.” Among these sons he rightfully holds the primacy who, before he was born in the flesh, was Son of God, born without beginning. However, he descended to earth. He shared in our nature and lavished upon us a sharing in his grace, so that “he should be the firstborn of many brothers.”
It came to pass while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered, etc. Well, the Lord is born in Bethlehem not just for the indication of the royal lineage but also for the sacrament of the name. For Bethlehem indeed means "house of bread." He himself is the one who said: "I am the living bread that came down from heaven" (John VI). Therefore, the place where the Lord was to be born was called "house of bread" beforehand, because it was surely destined that he would appear there in the material of the flesh, who would refresh the minds of the elect with inward satisfaction. But up to this day, and until the end of the world, the Lord ceases not to be conceived in Nazareth and to be born in Bethlehem, whenever any of the listeners, having received the flower of the word, makes himself the house of eternal bread. Daily he is conceived in the virgin womb, that is, in the minds of the believers through faith, born through baptism. Daily the Church, Mother of God, following her master teacher, from the wheel of worldly conversation—which Galilee signifies—ascends to the city of Judah, namely, confession and praise, and pays the tribute of its devotion to the eternal king. Which, in the example of the ever-blessed virgin Mary, being both wedded and immaculate, conceives us a virgin from the Spirit, gives birth to us a virgin without a groan, and, as if assigned to another, but made fruitful by another, is joined visibly to the Pontiff assigned over her, but is filled invisibly with the virtue of the Holy Spirit. Whence also Joseph is well interpreted as "increased". This name clearly indicates that the earnestness of the speaking master avails nothing if it does not receive the increase of heavenly assistance to be heard. But that Mary is described as having given birth to her firstborn son is not to be taken according to the Helvidians, as though she also begot other children, as if he cannot be called firstborn unless he has brothers, just as he is usually called only-begotten who lacks brothers. Because both the testimony of the law and clear reason declare that all only-begottens can also be called firstborns, but not all firstborns can be called only-begottens. This means not only being firstborn after whom others come, but also everyone before whom no one else has issued from the womb. Hence, because every male that opens the womb is commanded to be called holy to the Lord, whether brothers follow or do not follow, what is first born from the womb is rightfully to be consecrated as firstborn. Truly by a higher reason, the Son of God appearing in the flesh, both according to the excellence of divinity the only-begotten of the Father, and according to the brotherly fellowship the firstborn of all creation. Concerning this it is said: For whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren (Rom. VIII). Concerning that he said: And we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only-begotten of the Father (John I). Therefore, he is the only-begotten in the substance of the Deity, the firstborn in the assumption of humanity. Firstborn in grace, only-begotten in nature. Hence he is called brother and Lord. Brother, because firstborn; Lord, because only-begotten.
Our city and country is the resting-place of the blessed, to which we ought to be travelling with daily increasing virtues. But day by day does Holy Church wait upon her Teacher, and going up from the course of worldly business (which the name of Galilee signifies) to the city of Judah, i. e. the city of confession and praise, make returns of her devotion to the Eternal King. She, after the example of the blessed Virgin Mary, a Virgin has conceived us of the Spirit. Though espoused to another, she is made fruitful by Him; and while visibly joined to the Pontiff who is placed over her, is invisibly filled with the graces of the Spirit. And hence Joseph is well interpreted increased, declaring by his very name, that the earnestness of the master speaking is of no avail, except he receive increasing help from above, that he may be heard.
He condescended to become incarnate at that time, that after His birth He might be enrolled in Cæsar's taxing, and in order to bring liberty to us might Himself become subject to slavery. It was well also that our Lord was born at Bethlehem, not only as a mark of the royal crown, but on account of the sacrament of the name.
But down to the very end of time, the Lord ceases not to be conceived at Nazareth, to be born at Bethlehem, whenever any of His hearers taking of the flour of the word makes himself a house of eternal bread. Daily in the Virgin's womb, i. e. in the mind of believers, Christ is conceived by faith, born by baptism. It follows, and she brought forth her firstborn son.
He is also only-begotten in the substance of His divinity, firstborn in the taking upon Himself humanity, firstborn in grace, only-begotten in nature.
He who clothes the whole world with its varied beauty, is wrapped up in common linen, that we might be able to receive the best robe; He by Whom all things are made, is folded both hands and feet, that our hands might be raised up for every good work, and our feet directed in the way of peace.
He is confined in the narrow space of a rude manger, whose seat is the heavens, that He may give us ample room in the joys of His heavenly kingdom. He Who is the bread of Angels is laid down in a manger, that He might feast us, as it were the sacred animals, with the bread of His flesh.
He who sits at His Father's right hand, finds no room in an inn, that He might prepare for us in His Father's house many mansions; (John 14:2.) He is born not in His Father's house, but in an inn and by the way side, because through the mystery of the incarnation He was made the way by which to bring us to our country, (where we shall enjoy the truth and the life.) (John 14:6.)
(Metaphrastes) Oh the wonderful straitening and banishment which He underwent, Who holds the whole world in His hands! From the very beginning He seeks for poverty, and ennobles it in His own person.
Rejoice, O Jerusalem, and celebrate, all who love Zion! Today the ancient bond of the condemnation of Adam is loosed. Paradise is opened to us: the serpent is laid low. Of old he deceived the woman in Paradise, but now he sees a woman become mother of the Creator. Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! The sinful vessel that brought death upon all flesh has become the first fruits of salvation through the Theotokos for all the world. For from her the all-perfect God is born a child, and by his birth he sets the seal on her virginity. Through his swaddling clothes he looses the bands of sin. And through becoming a child he heals Eve’s pangs in travail. Therefore let all creation sing and dance for joy, for Christ has come to restore it and to save our souls!
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SUMMARY
Luke 2:6, though brief, serves as a crucial narrative hinge in the birth account of Jesus Christ, subtly yet powerfully underscoring the precise and sovereign timing of God. It marks the culmination of Mary's pregnancy during Joseph and Mary's stay in Bethlehem, signaling the imminent arrival of the Messiah and setting the stage for the fulfillment of ancient prophecies concerning His birthplace. This verse transforms a seemingly ordinary detail of a young couple's journey into a profound statement about divine providence and the unfolding of God's redemptive plan.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Luke's concise phrasing in Luke 2:6 employs several literary devices. There is a profound sense of Understatement and Narrative Economy. The verse describes the culmination of centuries of prophetic expectation and the most significant event in human history—the incarnation of God—with remarkable brevity and simplicity. The phrase "the days were accomplished" is a subtle yet powerful declaration of divine timing, hinting at a cosmic plan unfolding within mundane circumstances. This Divine Irony highlights the contrast between the world-altering significance of the event and its quiet, unheralded arrival. The narrative moves swiftly, creating a sense of inevitable progression, almost as if the universe itself is holding its breath for the appointed moment. The verse also functions as a moment of Anticipation, building suspense for the immediate revelation of Jesus's birth in the subsequent verse, making the reader keenly aware that the long-awaited moment has finally arrived.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Luke 2:6 profoundly illustrates God's meticulous sovereignty and faithfulness to His promises. The "accomplished days" are not merely a biological endpoint but a theological marker, signifying that God's perfect timing had arrived for the world's redemption. This verse reminds us that even amidst the chaos and inconvenience of human decrees and arduous journeys, God is actively orchestrating events to fulfill His eternal purposes. The birth of Christ was not an emergency plan but the precise execution of a divine covenant, demonstrating that God is always at work, bringing about His will in His own perfect way and time. This truth offers immense comfort and encouragement, assuring believers that God's plans for their lives, though often unfolding through unexpected circumstances, are equally precise and purposeful.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Luke 2:6, in its quiet power, offers profound lessons for our lives today. It reminds us that God is sovereign over all circumstances, even the seemingly mundane, inconvenient, or chaotic. Joseph and Mary's journey to Bethlehem, compelled by a Roman census, was not a detour from God's plan but the very path to its fulfillment. This teaches us to trust God's timing, even when our own plans are disrupted or when we face delays and difficulties. Just as the "days were accomplished" for Mary's delivery, so too will God's purposes for our lives and His kingdom come to fruition in His perfect timing. We are called to cultivate patience, to wait expectantly, and to discern God's hand at work even in the ordinary or challenging moments. This verse encourages us to release our anxieties about control and to rest in the assurance that God is meticulously orchestrating every detail, bringing about His good and perfect will.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why is this verse important if it just states Mary was due?
Answer: While the verse appears simple, its importance lies in its profound theological implications. It's not merely a statement of Mary's biological readiness but a declaration of divine timing. The phrase "the days were accomplished" (Greek: eplēsthēsan) signifies that the full, divinely appointed measure of time had run its course. This highlights God's meticulous sovereignty, demonstrating that Jesus's birth was not a random event but occurred precisely when God intended, fulfilling centuries of prophecy and marking the "fullness of time" (as seen in Galatians 4:4). It sets the stage for the most pivotal moment in human history, emphasizing that God is in complete control, even using a Roman census (as in Luke 2:1) to bring His plans to fruition.
What does "the days were accomplished" truly mean?
Answer: The phrase "the days were accomplished" translates the Greek eplēsthēsan hēmerai, which literally means "the days were filled up" or "completed." It conveys a sense of divine completion and fulfillment, rather than just the passage of time. For Mary, it meant her full term of pregnancy was reached. Theologically, it signifies that God's preordained timetable for the Messiah's arrival had come to its precise moment. It's an active completion, implying that every preceding event—the prophecy of Micah 5:2, the decree of Caesar Augustus, the journey to Bethlehem—had served to "fill up" the days until this exact, appointed time for the Savior's birth.
How does this verse relate to prophecy?
Answer: Luke 2:6 is intrinsically linked to prophecy through its context. The journey of Joseph and Mary to Bethlehem, necessitated by the census, directly fulfilled the ancient prophecy found in Micah 5:2, which declared that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem Ephrathah. While Luke 2:6 itself doesn't explicitly mention prophecy, it describes the precise moment in Bethlehem when Mary was ready to give birth, thus setting the stage for the fulfillment detailed in Luke 2:7. The "accomplished days" refer not only to the end of Mary's pregnancy but also to the culmination of God's prophetic timeline, demonstrating His faithfulness to His word.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Luke 2:6, with its simple declaration that "the days were accomplished that she should be delivered," serves as a profound Christ-centered statement. This verse points directly to Jesus as the fulfillment of all God's promises and the culmination of salvation history. The "accomplished days" signify that the eternal Word, who was with God and was God (John 1:1), was now, in the fullness of time, about to take on human flesh. This is the mystery of the Incarnation, where the pre-existent Son of God, through whom all things were created (Colossians 1:15-17), humbly emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in human likeness (Philippians 2:6-8). The mundane reality of Mary's pregnancy reaching its term in Bethlehem underscores the radical humility of God's entry into human history. It reveals that God, who had spoken to His people through prophets in various ways throughout history, now spoke definitively through His Son (Hebrews 1:1-2). Thus, Luke 2:6 is not just a narrative detail; it is the quiet, powerful prelude to the grandest act of divine love—the arrival of the Savior, Jesus Christ, to redeem humanity.