Luke 2:8-16 reads as follows:
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.
It has often been suggested that the characteristic that merited the shepherds the honor of beholding angels and being privileged to see the Christ was the fact that they were poor and of the lowest classes of society.
Yes … perhaps these shepherds were poor and of the lowest classes in their society … but it would seem as if this was not the singular characteristic sufficient to qualify one for such an honor. Were there not masses of people who were equally poor and despised? Why did these countless individuals likewise not merit such an honor?
Quite often in the scriptures … it seems that if things are taken at physical value … or on the surface … that much of the richness and real meaning is overlooked and missed (similar to when Christ taught in Parables … it took someone with spiritual eyes to see beyond the physical to the intended meaning which was inevitably spiritual in nature).
In short … it is highly likely that the shepherds who where keeping watch over their flocks were simply priesthood leaders who were doing their priesthood duties of watching over the souls of those for whom they had been entrusted.
OK … so there is the part about it being “by night.” That can be explained as well. At this time the priesthood was not readily available … so it was as if the world was covered in darkness without the blessings of the priesthood and so it was as if most people were living in a time that could be likened unto “night.”
Having said that … the shepherds were simply those who had heard the good word of God and who had hearkened to the call to love and serve others (it was as if they were acting in an office in the priesthood without even realizing it … similar to where it is recorded that a group of Lamanites were baptized with fire and with the Holy Ghost, and they knew it not – see 3 Nephi 9:20).
It could be said that the single characteristic that merited the shepherds being visited by angels and having the honor of seeing the Christ was not physical attributes like being poor or of the low classes of society … but rather … it was being a follower of Christ … of having eyes to see and ears to hear His word … and of acting on the light and knowledge received … and of radiating this pure love of God to one’s fellow men. It was radiating Grace!
Scripture Journal 