Luke’s account of the birth of Jesus is among the best known and most beloved passages in all the Bible. It is read eagerly each Christmas, the familiar language of “swaddling clothes,” “manger,” and “no room in the inn” being nonetheless cherished for their familiarity. The second chapter of Luke’s gospel marks the fulfillment of all that was promised and celebrated in the first: the Son of the Most High, the Son of David, the Redeemer through whom would come salvation, the forgiveness of sins, and a renewed covenant with God arrives at last.

How far-reaching will be the impact of His birth? Worldwide. Luke deliberately sets the birth of Jesus in the context of the Roman Empire, a fact largely ignored by the other gospel writers. His point? The birth of Jesus will have universal consequences, impacting the whole world, particularly the empire in which the birth takes place. This child will be the Savior of the world. Luke is also contrasting the kingdoms of this world, represented by the power of Rome, and the kingdom of God, represented by a poor couple, and a manger. By so doing he urges us from the outset of the gospel story to choose between the two.

Imperial setting

Now it came about in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth. (Lk 2:1)

“In those days,” the days of the events of chapter 1, that is, the announcements of the coming births of John and Jesus, Caesar Augustus issued a decree ordering a census of “all the inhabited earth,” meaning here, the Roman Empire. Some background information will be necessary.

Augustus was the adopted son of Julius Caesar. Civil War broke out in the Roman republic after the assassination of Caesar by Brutus (“Et tu, Brute?”) and his senatorial co-conspirators. The final result was the victory of Augustus (then Octavius) over his former ally Mark Antony and his wife Cleopatra at the battle of Actium in 31 B.C. Thereafter Augustus transformed the Republic into an empire (though he retained the façade of the Republic without the substance), himself into its emperor, declared his adoptive father to have been divine and himself to be a son of god. Poets and songwriters proclaimed him to be the savior who brought peace to all the world. Worship even began to be offered to him, especially in the eastern parts of the empire. The name bequeathed by the Roman senate in 27 B.C., “Augustus,” itself has religious significance meaning “the revered one.” Augustus did not claim explicitly that he was divine, but that divine powers were exercised through him. It didn’t take long, of course, until this distinction was lost, and it was claimed of him after his death, and of his successors, that they were gods and to be worshiped.

The census would have been taken for purposes of taxation, military service, and perhaps oaths of allegiance to the Emperor. It would have been “a disturbing reminder of the alien rule of Rome,” as Green explains, and was widely resented and even resisted. [1]

This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. (Lk 2:2)

Syria, which today borders Israel to the north and east, was made into a Roman imperial province in 64 B.C. with Antioch as its capitol. It included Judea until 70 A.D.

“Quirinius (“Cyrenius,” KJV) was governor,” says Luke, though this claim has proven to be problematic for the historians. The time table from secular documents and Luke’s cannot yet be made to agree, though one day, no doubt, their accounts will be reconciled.

And all were proceeding to register for the census, everyone to his own city. (Lk 2:3)

We know little about Roman census-taking practices. It may be that those with property in more than one place were required to be registered in the place other than the one in which they resided. Or it may be that registrations were required in one’s ancestral home (“his own city”), which in Joseph’s case was Bethlehem.

And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, (Lk 2:4)

Bethlehem is about four and one-half miles from Jerusalem, and 90 miles from Nazareth, in Galilee, where Jesus was residing. He “went up,” though on the map Bethlehem is south of Nazareth because Bethlehem, like Jerusalem, rests on a mountain plateau over 2500 feet high. This is why journeys to Jerusalem from outlying areas all refer to “going up” to Jerusalem.

Luke’s point: God moves empires to accomplish His purposes. We see in Caesar Augustus’ decree all the pretentions of worldly power. An oppressive foreign power rules Israel. It orders the people of Israel about, controlling their lives without regard for hardships it might inflict. It exacts tribute from them and numbers them in order to raise armies and increase its power and wealth. It issues decrees, and an empire moves. The Roman Empire represents worldly power at its height.

Yet we call this show of power pretentious because in the end the great ones of the earth carry out the purposes of God. The God of Israel is the Lord of history. The same power that enslaves Israel also “provides the remedy” for Israel’s bondage, as Calvin puts it, as God “employs that very tyranny in the redemption of His people.”[2] The point of verse 1, says Morris, is that “the actions of the emperor in far away Rome do but set forward the divine plan and purpose.”[3] The Messiah, Jesus, will be born in Bethlehem because the prophet Micah said He would 700 years before (Mt 2:6). He prophesied,

“But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His goings forth are from long ago, from the days of eternity.” (Mic 5:2)

Caesar’s decree, issued to serve the interests of the Empire, instead serves the greater interests of God. All Caesar’s worldly pomp and glory is but a show. God is working out His purposes. Redemption will be secured, and ungodly, idolatrous, pagan rulers will be employed to assist in the completion of His plan.

Further, this is the first round of what will be an ongoing conflict between the world and the gospel. God, of course, will win this conflict, but it will be a long fight, and we must decide on which side we will be. All must choose, because this child, though veiled by poverty and obscurity, is the Savior of the whole world.

Humble surroundings

At the same eastern-end of the empire where Caesar is beginning to be worshiped another king was born. Joseph travels,

to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, (Lk 2:4b)

As noted, Joseph went to Bethlehem, called “the city of David” because it was the place of David’s upbringing and his family’s ancestral home (1 Sam 16:1). He also went because this was where Micah said the Messiah would be born. Luke’s readers should understand that when Joseph and Mary travel to Bethlehem, descendants of David have arrived expecting a child in the city in which the prophets said Messiah would be born.

in order to register, along with Mary, who was engaged to him, and was with child. (Lk 2:5)

Mary travels with him. [4] Mary and Joseph were “engaged” (NASV, NIV), better “betrothed” (ESV, cf. 1:26) Luke deliberately uses this word even though they already were married because the marriage had not yet been consummated (see Mt 1:24,25). Luke’s language, says Marshall, “clearly implies the virgin conception of Jesus.”[5]

And it came about that while they were there, the days were completed for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her first-born son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. (Lk 2:6,7)

Luke says that when Mary had given birth to Jesus, she “wrapped him in cloths,” “strips of cloths” (NIV), or “swaddling cloths” (ESV), meaning the long strips with which newborns would be wrapped in order to keep their limbs straight. That Mary wrapped the child, not a close relative or a servant, “points to a lonely birth,” says Morris.[6]

She then laid him in a “manger,” a French loan-word which has a romantic sound to English ears, as do many words of French origin, but it is no more than a feeding trough for animals. The commentators debate what is meant by the “inn” in which there was “no room” or “place” (ESV). The “inn” probably signifies the ground floor of a peasant’s home in which people lived upstairs, while the ground floor was for animals. This is why the feeding-trough was readily available.[7]

Still, the picture that emerges is clear enough. “Everything points to obscurity, poverty, and even rejection,” says Morris.[8] The imperial authority of Rome is set in contrast with the humble birth of Jesus. He is not born in a palace. He is not born in the temple. He is not even born in an ordinary house. He is born in an abode for animals, alone, and set in a feeding trough. His circumstances, says Henry, were “very mean, and under all possible marks of contempt.”[9]

No room

Why was he born into these humble conditions? Combine the imperial setting with these humble surroundings, and what should we conclude? “Jesus had to be content with the habitation of animals because there was no room for him in human society,” says Marshall.[10] Luke’s observation that there was “no room” is highly symbolic, representing what was true generally of the world’s reaction to Jesus. Though He is the Messiah and through Him rulers will be brought down from their thrones (1:52), and though He is the King who will reign forever (1:33), yet the world has had no room for Jesus: no room for His claims, no room for His commands, no room for His call. It is a harsh, heartless world that won’t make room for an expecting mother. It is a faithless, unbelieving, self-absorbed world that won’t make room for the infant Messiah, the infant King.

Jesus’ Parable of the Sower may be the best commentary on why the world has no room for Him. The seed that falls among the “thorns,” the weeds, is choked out (Mt 13:22; Lk 8:14). The weeds represent the distractions of life that occupy us. No space is available for the spiritual, the eternal, for our souls. What are these distractions?

Jesus first mentions “the worry of the world” (Mt 13:22). We are upset about what lies behind us, anxious about what lies before us, fretful as we take each step along the way. We’ve worried about the children; worried about the finances; worried about employment; worried about the nation; worried about the world’s political developments. These sorts of worries can occupy fully our thought life, consume our time and energy, and choke out the gospel. This is why Jesus urges that we not be anxious about life, about what we shall eat and drink and with what we clothe ourselves; that we seek first the kingdom of God and its righteousness (Mt 6:33). It sounds cliché but remains true – God must be trusted for these things. This doesn’t mean that we do nothing. However, it does mean that when we have done all that is reasonable that we then put the matters of concern in God’s hands and trust Him. Why? So that we can seek first the kingdom of God. Concern even for food and shelter are not to hinder our pursuit of God and the good of our souls. We must make room for the spiritual and eternal. If we are to benefit by Jesus we must make room for Him, set aside time, save energy, devote ourselves to pursuing Christ.

Second, Jesus mentions “the deceitfulness of riches” (Mt 13:22). Wealth is deceitful because it promises much but delivers little. It promises the means to happiness. Think of what wealth claims to guarantee. It promises safety: we’ll be secure, shielded from all the troubles and deprivations of life if we have enough money; it will save us from the trials of poverty. It promises us comfort: nice, spacious homes, beautiful furnishings, luxury cars, vast wardrobes, servants to care for things. It promises us pleasure: exciting vacations, spectacular entertainments, gourmet meals, the latest gadgets and toys. It promises prestige as well. Wealth means power and recognition. Implicit in all of this is the promise of happiness. If I have wealth then I’ll be happy; then I’ll be content. Consequently countless people pursue wealth with reckless abandon. It occupies all their thoughts and energy. They have no room for the spiritual and eternal. They have no room for Jesus and His gospel. Jesus warned that we cannot serve God and mammon (Mt 6:24). Mammon, money, will squeeze out God and in so doing become one’s god. He warned us not to lay up treasures on earth but in heaven (Mt 6:20). The Apostle Paul urges,

And if we have food and covering, with these we shall be content. (1 Tim 6:8)

If we are not content with reasonable efforts to provide for ourselves and our families, and the adequate resources which result, we are headed for trouble:

But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction. (1 Tim 6:9)

Those who are overly concerned to get rich harm their souls. Wealth is a “temptation” and a “snare.” It plunges people into “ruin” and “destruction.” Further,

For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith, and pierced themselves with many a pang. (1 Tim 6:10)

Wealth deceives, and by deceiving it enslaves. It “chokes” out the word. It leaves “no room.” Those who long for it rather than God wander away from the faith. They destroy their souls through neglect and/or idolatry.

Finally, He mentions “the pleasures of this life” (Lk 8:14) and “the desires for other things” (Mk 4:19). Think of the pursuit of and maintenance of the things that are fine and fun. There are those whose “god is their belly” (Phil 3:9). They live for the pleasure of good food and good drink. They are addicted to music, which it seems can have something like a narcotic effect. There are sluggards who love leisure and lounging and sleep. Some have made a god out of sports, their lives consumed by endless games and endless commentary on endless games. There are those who pursue sensual pleasure in its various forms and outlets. They live to tickle the pleasure sensors. This occupies their lives, leaving no room for the soul. Life is about fun and entertainment and amusement and pleasure. Off they go from one thing to the next. Little thought is given to life and death, to the limits of time and infinite expanse of eternity.

There is “no room” for Jesus in the world then or today. It bows before Caesar but has no time for the true King. “The only place where there was room for Him was on the cross,” says Barclay.[11] Don’t be men of the world: occupied with sports, politics, and business. Don’t be women of the world: consumed with wardrobe and hair and appearances. Don’t be children and youth of the world: concerned only with fun and friends and fitting in. Make room! Take time. Devote yourself to knowing God and His gospel. Commit yourself to Christ and His kingdom.