◄ Luke 2:17 ►
After they had seen the Child, they spread the message they had received about Him.
Study Bible
After they had seen the Child,

The shepherds, who were the first to receive the angelic announcement of Jesus' birth, went to Bethlehem to see the newborn Messiah. This event fulfills the prophecy of Micah 5:2, which foretold that the ruler of Israel would come from Bethlehem. The shepherds' visit signifies the humble circumstances of Jesus' birth, aligning with the theme of God choosing the lowly and humble to reveal His glory. The shepherds' role as witnesses is significant, as shepherds were often marginalized in society, yet they were chosen to be the first evangelists of the Messiah's birth.

Mat 2:11 On coming to the house, they saw the Child…
Jhn 1:14 The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us.…
1Jn 1:1-2 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard,…

they spread the message

The shepherds' response to their encounter with Jesus was to share the news. This reflects the biblical principle of witnessing, as seen in Acts 1:8, where believers are called to be witnesses to the ends of the earth. The shepherds' actions demonstrate the transformative power of encountering Christ, prompting them to share the good news. This act of spreading the message is a precursor to the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20), where Jesus commands His followers to make disciples of all nations.

Luk 8:39 Return home and describe how much God has done…
Mrk 5:20 So the man went away and began to proclaim.…
Act 4:20 For we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen…

they had received about Him.

The message the shepherds received was from the angel, who announced the birth of a Savior, Christ the Lord (Luke 2:11). This message is central to the Gospel, emphasizing Jesus' role as Savior and Lord. The shepherds' proclamation of this message highlights the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies concerning the Messiah, such as Isaiah 9:6, which speaks of a child born to us who will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. The shepherds' testimony serves as an early declaration of Jesus' identity and mission, setting the stage for His redemptive work.

1Co 11:23 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you:…
Heb 2:3 How shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation?…
1Th 2:13 when you received the word of God that you heard from us…

Persons / Places / Events
1. Shepherds
Humble and lowly individuals who were the first to receive the angelic announcement of Jesus' birth. They represent the common people and God's outreach to all humanity.

2. Jesus (the Child)
The central figure of the Gospel, whose birth is the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies and the hope of salvation for mankind.

3. Angels
Heavenly messengers who announced the birth of Jesus to the shepherds, signifying divine intervention and the importance of the event.

4. Bethlehem
The prophesied birthplace of the Messiah, fulfilling the prophecy in Micah 5:2, and the setting for the nativity account.

5. The Message
The good news of Jesus' birth, which the shepherds were entrusted to share, highlighting the role of believers as messengers of the Gospel.
Teaching Points
The Role of Witnesses
Just as the shepherds shared the news of Jesus' birth, believers today are called to be witnesses of Christ's work in their lives.

The Importance of Immediate Obedience
The shepherds did not delay in spreading the word. We should also act promptly when God calls us to share His message.

God's Use of the Humble
God chose shepherds, not kings, to announce the birth of Jesus, reminding us that God often uses the humble and lowly to accomplish His purposes.

The Power of Personal Testimony
The shepherds' testimony was based on their personal encounter with Jesus. Our personal experiences with Christ can be powerful tools for evangelism.

Joy in Sharing the Gospel
The shepherds' joy in sharing the news of Jesus' birth should inspire us to find joy in sharing the Gospel with others.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the role of the shepherds in Luke 2:17 inspire you to share your faith with others?

2. In what ways can you relate the shepherds' immediate response to your own life when God calls you to act?

3. How does the humble setting of Jesus' birth in Bethlehem encourage you in your own walk with God?

4. What personal experiences with Jesus can you share with others to testify to His work in your life?

5. How can you cultivate joy in your heart when sharing the Gospel, similar to the shepherds' joy in spreading the news of Jesus' birth?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Matthew 28:19-20
The Great Commission parallels the shepherds' role in spreading the news of Jesus, emphasizing the call for all believers to share the Gospel.

Acts 1:8
The empowerment of the Holy Spirit for witnessing aligns with the shepherds' immediate response to share what they had seen and heard.

Isaiah 9:6
The prophecy of a child born to us, a son given, connects to the shepherds' message about the Child, Jesus, as the fulfillment of God's promise.
Sermons
The Savior's Birth and Type Angel's SermonR.M. Edgar Luke 2:1-20
Birthday ContrastsBishop H. C. Potter.Luke 2:16-18
Christmas WorkC. H. Spurgeon.Luke 2:16-18
Holy Work for ChristmasC. H. Spurgeon. Luke 2:16-18
Many Ways of Serving GodC. H. Spurgeon.Luke 2:16-18
Second Christmas DayJ. A. Seiss, D. D.Luke 2:16-18
The Gospel a Source of WonderC. H. Spurgeon.Luke 2:16-18
People
Anna, Aser, Asher, Augustus, Cyrenius, David, Jesus, Joseph, Mary, Phanuel, Simeon
Places
Bethlehem, Galilee, Jerusalem, Judea, Nazareth, Rome, Syria
Topics
Abroad, Account, Child, Publicized, Saying, Spoken, Statement, Widely
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Luke 2:1-20

     2515   Christ, birth of

Luke 2:1-40

     5652   babies

Luke 2:8-18

     5433   occupations

Luke 2:8-20

     4112   angels, messengers

Luke 2:16-17

     8496   witnessing, importance

Luke 2:16-18

     6650   finding

Luke 2:16-19

     5745   women

Library
December 25. "I Bring You Glad Tidings" (Luke ii. 10).
"I bring you glad tidings" (Luke ii. 10). A Christmas spirit should be a spirit of humanity. Beside that beautiful object lesson on the Manger, the Cradle, and the lowly little child, what Christian heart can ever wish to be proud? It is a spirit of joy. It is right that these should be glad tidings, for, "Behold, I bring you glad tidings of great joy which shall be to all people." It is a spirit of love. It should be the joy that comes from giving joy to others. The central fact of Christmas is …
Rev. A. B. Simpson—Days of Heaven Upon Earth

Was, Is, is to Come
'... The babe lying in a manger...'--LUKE ii. 16. '... While He blessed them, He was parted from them, and carried up into heaven...'--LUKE xxiv. 51. 'This same Jesus... shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go...'--ACTS I. 11. These three fragments, which I have ventured to isolate and bring together, are all found in one author's writings. Luke's biography of Jesus stretches from the cradle in Bethlehem to the Ascension from Olivet. He narrates the Ascension twice, because it has two …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions Of Holy Scripture

The Boy in the Temple
'And He said unto them, How is it that ye sought Me! wist ye not that I must be about My Father's business?' --LUKE ii. 49. A number of spurious gospels have come down to us, which are full of stories, most of them absurd and some of them worse, about the infancy of Jesus Christ. Their puerilities bring out more distinctly the simplicity, the nobleness, the worthiness of this one solitary incident of His early days, which has been preserved for us. How has it been preserved? If you will look over …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions Of Holy Scripture

Simeon's Swan-Song
'Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace, according to Thy word: 30. For mine eyes have seen Thy salvation.'--LUKE ii. 29,30. That scene, when the old man took the Infant in his withered arms, is one of the most picturesque and striking in the Gospel narrative. Simeon's whole life appears, in its later years, to have been under the immediate direction of the Spirit of God. It is very remarkable to notice how, in the course of three consecutive verses, the operation of that divine Spirit …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions Of Holy Scripture

Shepherds and Angels
'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 …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions Of Holy Scripture

The Angel's Message and Song
And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 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. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the LORD . And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe …
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 1

December the Nineteenth the Sun of Righteousness
"A light to lighten the Gentiles." --LUKE ii. 25-40. That was the wonder of wonders. Hitherto the light had been supposed to be for Israel alone; and now a heavenly splendour was to fall upon the Gentiles. Hitherto the light had been thought of as a lamp, illuming a single place; now it was to be a sun, shedding its glory upon a world. The "people that sat in darkness" are now to see "a great light." New regions are to be occupied; there is to be daybreak everywhere! "The Sun of Righteousness …
John Henry Jowett—My Daily Meditation for the Circling Year

December the Twenty-Fifth Christmas Cheer
"Good will toward men!" --LUKE ii. 8-20. The heavens are not filled with hostility. The sky does not express a frown. When I look up I do not contemplate a face of brass, but the face of infinite good will. Yet when I was a child, many a picture has made me think of God as suspicious, inhumanly watchful, always looking round the corner to catch me at the fall. That "eye," placed in the sky of many a picture, and placed there to represent God, filled my heart with a chilling fear. That God was …
John Henry Jowett—My Daily Meditation for the Circling Year

Religious Joy.
"And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord."--Luke ii. 10, 11. There are two principal lessons which we are taught on the great Festival which we this day celebrate, lowliness and joy. This surely is a day, of all others, in which is set before us the heavenly excellence and the acceptableness in God's sight of that state which …
John Henry Newman—Parochial and Plain Sermons, Vol. VIII

The Wilderness: Temptation. Matthew 4:1-11. Mark 1:12, 13. Luke 4:1-13.
The University of Arabia: Jesus' naturalness--the Spirit's presence--intensity, Luke 2:45-51.--a true perspective--- the temptation's path--sin's path--John's grouping, 1 John 2:16.--the Spirit's plan--why--the devil's weakness--the Spirit's leading--a wilderness for every God-used man, Moses, Elijah, Paul. Earth's Ugliest, Deepest Scar: Jesus the only one led up to be tempted--the wilderness--its history, Genesis 13:10-13. 18:16-19:38.--Jesus really tempted--no wrong here in inner response--every …
S. D. Gordon—Quiet Talks about Jesus

Joy Born at Bethlehem
In our text we have before us the sermon of the first evangelist under the gospel dispensation. The preacher was an angel, and it was meet it should be so, for the grandest and last of all evangels will be proclaimed by an angel when he shall sound the trumpet of the resurrection, and the children of the regeneration shall rise into the fullness of their joy. The key-note of this angelic gospel is joy--"I bring unto you good tidings of great joy." Nature fears in the presence of God--the shepherds …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 17: 1871

"Nunc Dimittis"
We shall note, this morning, first, that every believer may be assured of departing in peace; but that, secondly, some believers feel a special readiness to depart now: "Now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace;" and, thirdly, that there are words of encouragement to produce in us the like readiness: "according to thy word." There are words of Holy Writ which afford richest consolation in prospect of departure. I. First, then, let us start with the great general principle, which is full of comfort; …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 17: 1871

Christ About his Father's Business
But now I shall invite your attention, first, to the spirit of the Saviour, as breathed in these words, "Wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?" and then, secondly, I shall exhort the children of God, with all the earnestness which I can command, with all the intensity of power which I can summon to the point, to labour after the same spirit, that they too may unfeignedly say, "Wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business? " I. First, then note THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST. It was …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 3: 1857

The First Christmas Carol
Let us turn aside, having just thought of angels for a moment, to think rather of this song, than of the angels themselves. Their song was brief, but as Kitto excellently remarks, it was "well worthy of angels expressing the greatest and most blessed truths, in words so few, that they become to an acute apprehension, almost oppressive by the pregnant fulness of their meaning"--"Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace, good will toward men." We shall, hoping to be assisted by the Holy Spirit, …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 4: 1858

Christ's Boyhood
LUKE ii. 52. And Jesus increased in wisdom, and in stature, and in favour both with God and man. I do not pretend to understand these words. I preach on them because the Church has appointed them for this day. And most fitly. At Christmas we think of our Lord's birth. What more reasonable, than that we should go on to think of our Lord's boyhood? To think of this aright, even if we do not altogether understand it, ought to help us to understand rightly the incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ; …
Charles Kingsley—The Good News of God

The Christ Child (Christmas Day. )
LUKE ii. 7. And she brought forth her first-born Son, and wrapt him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger. Mother and child.--Think of it, my friends, on Christmas day. What more beautiful sight is there in the world? What more beautiful sight, and what more wonderful sight? What more beautiful? That man must be very far from the kingdom of God--he is not worthy to be called a man at all--whose heart has not been touched by the sight of his first child in its mother's bosom. The greatest …
Charles Kingsley—The Good News of God

Music (Christmas Day. )
LUKE ii. 13, 14. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. You have been just singing Christmas hymns; and my text speaks of the first Christmas hymn. Now what the words of that hymn meant; what Peace on earth and good-will towards man meant, I have often told you. To-day I want you, for once, to think of this--that it was a hymn; that these angels were singing, even as …
Charles Kingsley—The Good News of God

Of Having Confidence in God when Evil Words are Cast at Us
"My Son, stand fast and believe in Me. For what are words but words? They fly through the air, but they bruise no stone. If thou are guilty, think how thou wouldst gladly amend thyself; if thou knowest nothing against thyself, consider that thou wilt gladly bear this for God's sake. It is little enough that thou sometimes hast to bear hard words, for thou art not yet able to bear hard blows. And wherefore do such trivial matters go to thine heart, except that thou art yet carnal, and regardest …
Thomas A Kempis—Imitation of Christ

The Birth of Jesus.
(at Bethlehem of Judæa, b.c. 5.) ^C Luke II. 1-7. ^c 1 Now it came to pass in those days [the days of the birth of John the Baptist], there went out a decree [a law] from Cæsar Augustus [Octavius, or Augustus, Cæsar was the nephew of and successor to Julius Cæsar. He took the name Augustus in compliment to his own greatness; and our month August is named for him; its old name being Sextilis], that all the world should be enrolled. [This enrollment or census was the first step …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Circumcision, Temple Service, and Naming of Jesus.
(the Temple at Jerusalem, b.c. 4) ^C Luke II. 21-39. ^c 21 And when eight days [Gen. xvii. 12] were fulfilled for circumcising him [The rite was doubtless performed by Joseph. By this rite Jesus was "made like unto his brethren" (Heb. ii. 16, 17); that is, he became a member of the covenant nation, and became a debtor to the law--Gal. v. 3] , his name was called JESUS [see Luke i. 59], which was so called by the angel before he was conceived in the womb. [Luke i. 31.] 22 And when the days of their …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Links
Luke 2:17 NIV
Luke 2:17 NLT
Luke 2:17 ESV
Luke 2:17 NASB
Luke 2:17 KJV

Luke 2:17 Commentaries

Bible Hub
Luke 2:16
Top of Page
Top of Page