Can anyone tell me why any shepherds would be living in the fields at night in 35-40 degree weather watching over their flocks?
Luke 2:8
In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.
NRSV Harper Study Bible;
(New Revised Standard Version)
Luke 2.8
And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
King James Version
Luke 2.8
There were also in that same country shepherds living out of doors and keeping watches in the night over their flocks.
New World Translation of Christian Greek Scriptures
I guess we'd have to ask if we really know with certainty what time of the year Jesus was born and what the climate was actually like in that region. The earth has changed drastically over the centuries, so for all we know it could have been Florida-type weather. Unfortunately, I wasn't there and I'm not sure if anyopne living today can say they were either, so its all just supposition.
No one knows the actual time Jesus was born. Someone chose December 25, and that's where it stayed. I can't imagine shepherds watching sheep outdoors in the middle of winter unless winter over there is a lot warmer than it is in much this country.
I think I know where you are going with this question and of course, two has already answered in such a way without going into a debate.
However, it is winter time now, correct? Yet the weather right now is cold at night, but very warm in the day. We are getting up to 60 degrees in the day time (in North Carolina).
They do not lock their sheep up for the winter continually unless the weather is not good for them. When the weather is nice, even in the dead of winter like now, they will take their sheep out.
So this cannot be conclusive evidence of bad shepherding or the wrong time of year. Weather then, like now, has patterns and extremities. Seasons of unusually cold or warm climates.
Because of heavy volcanic eruptions, the 16-1700s had unusually cold weather and even snow in one summer. The year without a summer it was called. I do not remember which year it was, but it put a hammering blow on the United States as well as the rest of the world.
If Jesus was born then, the sheep would not have been out, even in the summer time, and understandably so. But if those same people that lived in the "year without a summer" were to show up today, they would probably call this a "year without a winter" by comparison to what they are used to. They would have gladly let the sheep out!
True, there is not real evidence to when Jesus was actually born, it would take away from the reason and the implications to his coming in the first place. The miracle is not in the sheep out in the winter time, or the weather, but in the fact that God became flesh so he can redeem flesh to his glory!
He took the impossibly dirametric opposites, Perfect God and Adamic flesh, and connected them together and he became "fully God and fully man". Jesus is still flesh today, though he is fully God.
Thomas may always be called "doubting Thomas" but he is the real hero of the day! He did not just assume anything. He proved to himself without doubt that Jesus was who they say he was. Once he did that, he was the first who proclaimed out loud where others can here him speak "My king and my God!" and then worshipped him without doubt! (Later, it was said that many worshipped him, but some doubted, but I don't think it was Thomas who doubted.)
Jesus at that time said "See my flesh and bones..." stating that he is still human, still flesh! But he is God!
God and man is fully united and man can now join the Triune God and be a part of that rich relationship that Jesus so desparately wanted us to be a part of!
That Adamic flesh is now fully redeemed and is in heaven at the right hand of God the Father.
"Because of heavy volcanic eruptions, the 16-1700s had unusually cold weather and even snow in one summer. The year without a summer it was called."
The year was 1815, Boyd, if I remember correctly, and the volcano was Tambora in Indonesia, whose eruption was so spectacular it would have made Mount St. Helens look like a firecracker! The Krakatoa eruption seventy years later had a similar effect on global climate, though not so drastic, since the force of that eruption was more sideways than straight up so not as much volcanic dust got into the jet streams.
Time of year: As others have mentioned, we do not know the actual time of year of Jesus' birth.
Place: I am quite sure (from Biblical references if nothing else) that snow was not unheard of. That being said, however, Nazareth is roughly the same longitute as north Florida (32 degrees 42 minutes north) or southern Georgia. It's climate is also most likely moderated by the Mediterranean Ocean.
Why shepherds would be living in the fields: You have to feed your sheep! My guess, if Israel at that time is anything like you see in much of Europe (I have never been to Israel), the you didn't live in the country (typically), most everyone living in villages around the country. To do farm work, you leave the village and head out to the fields where you plant, grow and harvest your grain. Because that was a bunch of work, I would suspect that flocks of sheep and herds of cattle were sent further out as they have their own means of transportation.
There is nothing in scripture that I know of but many times, where you have (more or less) remote grazing areas, there are huts where the shepherds could live. The problem and concern of the shepherds would always be predators. This would necessitate that someone would always need to be on watch during the night.
My understanding is that one of the remarkable things about the shepherds being notified of Christ's birth is that being a shepherd was one of the lowest prestige jobs you can find in that part of the world (sort of like being a sanitation engineer now).
Everyone has given great responses to the question. Boyd, you were right on the money. It's not when but why Jesus was born that is important. Christ's birth was not celebrated until the 4th century, in the eary church his resurrection was the big holiday. Many pagans celebrated this time of year (sunlight dying and being reborn). The Romans had one called saturlina (sp?), upside down day. The slaves were masters and vise versa. It was a big party somewhat like mardi gras. Since no one knew when Jesus was born the church placed it over the pagan holiday to overide it. Some scholars think september is closer to the true day, but only God knows. A lot of our traditions are not very Christian at all, Who tells ghost stories at christmas? (most wonderful time) It's sort of a hodge podge from different countries over the centuries.
So what do we do, get mad because Jesus wasn't really born on Dec. 25 and throw the baby out with the bathwater?
(pun intended) Are you kidding? This is the one time of the year when even sinners are singing about the birth of Jesus! I'll tell you what we do; we sing, dance, rejoice with everyone, that God came in the flesh to save ME and YOU! Be the light that shines on the true reason for the season. Use this time to tell everyone why you are so happy. It's not because of getting some cool present that will be in a landfill a 100 years from now. It's because of the present that never fades; eternal life by the blood of Jesus Christ! I'll step off my soap box now, I love all you and I hope you have the best christmas ever!
happy2beadam
You wrote: "Some scholars think september is closer to the true day, but only God knows."
There are two thoughts on this for those who take this topic seriously.
One is that Jesus was born in the Spring, thus the words to a well known song goes like this:
"In the beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the sea,"
Whereas others put it like this:
"In the beauty of the autumn Christ was born across the sea,"
I tend to think more autumn myself but I think I got a much better chance of changing our dressing habits and go nude publicly with legal approval than changing a Christmas tradition from Winter to Fall!
Boyd Allen "May the Lord protect our nudity from the sight of those who will not benefit, and may he allow us to be seen by those who will."
The words "We've always done it that way" come to mind. People often see no need to change the way they've always done it. Even if you can prove it's wrong, many would see no need to change it. MY opinion is that it doesn't matter what time of year we celebrate and remember His birth as long as we do. Unfortunately, just as this world is doing it's best (or worst) to push God and His Son out of every aspect of their lives and deny His existence, they are denying that He was born. An omnipotent, omniscient creature called santa has taken God's place. Children don't pray to Jesus and thank Him for dying for their sins. They pray to santa and ask for presents, or if they do pray to God they ask for santa to bring them lots of presents.
And just wait until they find out Santa isn't real! (and the Easter bunny).
My wife had to talk to her dad saying that Megan is not seeing him as "papa" the loving grandfather who wants to see her, but as someone who brings lots of stuff for her.
Christ was born in the fall of the year. Many have mistakenly believed He was born around the beginning of winter—December 25th! They are wrong! Notice the Adam Clarke Commentary, volume 5, page 370, New York edition: “It was custom among Jews to send out their sheep to the deserts about the Passover [early spring], and bring them home at the commencement of the first rain.” The first rains began in early-to-mid fall. Continuing with this same quote: “During the time they were out, the shepherds watched them night and day. As…the first rain began early in the month of March-esvan, which answers to part of our October and November [begins sometime in October], we find that the sheep were kept out in the open country during the whole summer. And as these shepherds had not yet brought home their flocks, it is a presumptive argument that October had not yet commenced, and that, consequently, our Lord was not born on the 25th of December, when no flocks were out in the fields; nor could He have been born later than September, as the flocks were still in the fields by night. On this very ground, the nativity in December should be given up. The feeding of the flocks by night in the fields is a chronological fact…See the quotations from the Talmudists in Lightfoot.”
Luke 2:8 explains that when Christ was born, “And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.” Note that they were “abiding” in the field. This never happened in December. Both Ezra 10:9-13 and the Song of Solomon 2:11 show that winter was the rainy season and shepherds could not stay on cold, open fields at night.
Numerous encyclopedias plainly state that Christ was not born on December 25th! The Catholic Encyclopedia directly confirms this. In all likelihood, Christ was born in the fall! A lengthy technical explanation would prove this point.
Since we now know that December 25th was nowhere near Christ’s actual birthdate, where did the festival associated with this date come from?
Now read this quote under “Christmas”: “In the Roman world, the Saturnalia (December 17) was a time of merrymaking and exchanging of gifts. December 25 was also regarded as the birthdate of the Iranian mystery god Mithra, the Sun of Righteousness. On the Roman New Year (January 1), houses were decorated with greenery and lights, and gifts were given to children and the poor. To these observances were added the German and Celtic Yule rites when the Teutonic tribes penetrated into Gaul, Britain and central Europe. Food and good fellowship, the Yule log and Yule cakes, greenery and fir trees, gifts and greetings all commemorated different aspects of this festive season. Fires and lights, symbols of warmth and lasting life, have always been associated with the winter festival, both pagan and Christian” (Encyclopedia Britannica, 15th Edit. Vol. II, p. 903).
A final quote about the selection of December 25th as the birthdate of Christ is necessary. Note an article in The Toronto Star, December 1984, by Alan Edmonds, entitled, “We owe a lot to Druids, Dutch”: “The Reformation cast a blight on Christmas. By then, of course, clever ecclesiastical politicians had adopted the Pagan mid-winter festival as the alleged birthdate of Jesus, of Nazareth, and thrown in a few other Pagan goodies to make their takeover more palatable.”
December 25th was not selected because it was the birth of Christ or because it was even near it. It was selected because it coincided with the idolatrous pagan festival Saturnalia—and this celebration must be carefully examined. In any event, we do not know the exact date of Christ’s birth. While God certainly could have made it known, He chose to hide it from the world’s eyes!
I find it interesting that this pagan god Mithras (popular with Roman soldiers around the time of the Messiah's Incarnation) is called "The Sun of Righteousness," since that is also one of the Messiah's names: "For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall." --Malachi 4:1-2
