Ver. 1. A decree from Caesar Augustus] By a sweet providence of God, that Christ might be born at Bethlehem, according to the Scriptures. Howbeit Augustus thought not so (as it is said in another case of Nebuchadnezzar, Isaiah 10:1), but ambitiously sought the setting forth of his own greatness, and large command, and carried it without punishment; whereas David smarted sore for a like offence. But God will take that from others that he will not bear with in his own, Amos 3:2. That all the world] That is, the Roman world; but such was their ambition, that though they had but a part, yet they styled themselves lords of all the world. So the Pope (the image of that beast) will needs be styled universal bishop. The great Turk (that Eastern antichrist) calls himself God on earth, sole monarch of the world, commander of all that can be commanded, &c., and by many other such like swelling titles.
Ver. 2. When Cyrenius, &c.] Quirinus, the Latin writers call him. Now that the sceptre was departed, Shiloh came.
Ver. 3. And all went to be taxed] To pay a certain small sum of money in token of fidelity. I was once at a court sermon (saith Melancthon) on the Nativity day, and this was the text: but the preacher, instead of discoursing on Christ’s incarnation, spent the whole hour, on a very cold day, in persuading the people to obey magistrates, and to give them as much money as they call for. This is the guise of court parasites, princes, trencher flies.
Ver. 4. And Joseph also went up] By a special providence of God, as is above noted, Luke 2:1, and not only so, but that the holy virgin might still have with her the keeper and cover of her virginity; that the devil might not have occasion to raise up false reports about her great belly.
Ver. 5. Being great with child] Yet could not be excused. This was a cruelty in Augustus (not to spare great-bellied women), but a mercy of God to mankind; for what the better had it been for us, if Joseph had gone to Bethlehem, and not Mary also?
Ver. 6. The days were accomplished] Her delivery might well be hastened, or at least facilitated, by her long journey; for it was no less than four days’ journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem. Some say she was gravida, but not gravata; great-bellied, but not unwieldy: Lumen enim quod in se habebat, pondus habere non poterat, saith Augustine; but I am not bound to believe him.
Ver. 7. And she brought forth her firstborn] Whether she were Deipara, the mother of God, was a great controversy, and raised a great storm in the Council of Ephesus; insomuch as the emperor declared both sides heretics. But forasmuch as she was the mother of Christ, Matthew 1:23, and Christ is God; in bringing forth Christ, she was th e mother of God. θεοτοκος non θεοδοχος, ut voluit Nestorius. Whether she continued after this a virgin, pie credimus sed nihil affirmamus. But that she vowed virginity, as Papists say, we deny: for how could she promise virginity to God, and marriage to Joseph? There is a story, that when the old Romans had founded Templum pacis, Temple of peace, they sent to ask Apollo how long it should stand? he answered, Until a virgin brought forth: this they took to be perpetual. But therein they were as much mistaken as those Africans, who having an oracle, that when the Romans sent an army into Africa, Mundus cum tota sua prole periret, thought that then the world should be at an end. But afterwards the Romans sent an army thither under the conduct of one Mundus, who in battle was slain, together with his sons, by the Africans; and discovered the illusion of the devil. Wrapped him in swaddling clothes] This pains she was at (such was her love), though newly delivered, and much weakened thereby. His swaddling cl othes were poor and ragged, as may be gathered out of the Greek word here used. Σπαργανοω, of σπαρασσω, to rend. Laid him in a manger] Non in aureo reclinatorio, saith Ludolphus, not in a stately room, as the Porphyrogeniti in Constantinople; not in the best but basest place of the inn, which is counted the meanest house of a city. Oh humble Saviour, whither wilt thou descend?
Ver. 8. Keeping watch over their flock] At the tower of Edar, say some, between Jerusalem and Bethlehem, where Jacob, returning from Mesopotamia, stayed with his flock, after he had buried Rachel, Genesis 35:21 Mic 4:8. By night] Hence some gather that our Saviour was not born in the winter, because in winter they housed their cattle, and fed them not out doors, Proverbs 27:25.
Ver. 9. And, lo, the angel of the Lord] Gabriel, likely, was sent, not to Zacharias or Simeon, &c., but to certain shepherds. God goes a way by himself, Had the sages of the East met with these shepherds, they had received better intelligence than they did from the learned scribes. And the glory of the Lord] As when a king’s son is born, bonfires are made, &c.