Chapter Two

In those days there came a command from Caesar Augustus to take a census of all the land. This census was the first in the reign of Quirinius Syria. And they all went to sign up, each in his own city. Joseph also went 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, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was pregnant. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth; and she bore her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

The census takes place so that when everyone goes to his own country, and the Virgin comes to Bethlehem, her homeland, and thus the Lord is born in Bethlehem, and the prophecy is fulfilled. When God alone, having to stop polytheism, it was fitting for one king to reign – Caesar. Together with everyone else, Christ is also recorded. The Lord was to be recorded from the universe in order to sanctify those who were registered and to abolish slavery; for just as He abolished circumcision by undergoing circumcision, so by being registered as a slave, He abolished the bondage of our nature. For those who work for the Lord are no longer slaves of men, as the Apostle says: "Do not become slaves of men" (1 Corinthians 7:23), but if they are slaves in body, they are free in spirit, not carried away by the wickedness of masters. He rightly called the Lord the Son of the Virgin, the "Firstborn," although she did not give birth to any other, for he who was born first is called the firstborn, even though no other was born after him. It is placed in a manger, perhaps in order to teach us humility from the beginning, and perhaps in order to symbolically show that He has come into this world – a place inhabited by us, who are likened to foolish cattle (Psalm 48:13, 21). For as the manger belongs to the cattle, so this world belongs to us. Thus, the world is a manger, and we are irrational animals; and in order to redeem us from foolishness, for this purpose He appeared here.

In that country there were shepherds in the field, who kept a night watch over their flock. Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone upon them; and they were afraid with great fear. And the angel said to them; Don't be afraid; I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all men: for this day is born unto you in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord; and this is a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there appeared with an angel a multitude of heavenly hosts, glorifying God and crying out: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men!

The angel appears to the shepherds because of their simplicity of disposition and gentleness, since they apparently imitate the way of life of the righteous, for the ancient patriarchs, Jacob, Moses and David, were shepherds. The angel did not appear in Jerusalem to the Pharisees or the scribes, for they were the receptacle of all wickedness; and those, not being treacherous, were vouchsafed divine visions. The Lord showed by this that from the very beginning He chose and made preachers those who were simpler than others, for they went and began to preach about all these things. The angel announced great joy, which, he said, would be for all people; actually for the people of God. For not all Jews are the people of God. But the incarnation of God was a joy for the entire human race. What does the song of the Angels mean? Without a doubt, the gratitude of the high ranks and the joy that we, who live on earth, have been blessed. For they say: thank God, peace has now come to the earth. Formerly, human nature was at enmity with God, but now it has become so reconciled that it has become in union with God and united with Him in the incarnation. And so, do you see the peace of God with man? It can be understood in another way. The Son of God Himself is the world, as He speaks of Himself (John 14:27; 16:33). Thus, the very world, the Son of God, appeared on earth. And "in men there is goodwill," that is, the repose of God; for now God has rested and found the pleasure of God in men, whereas before He did not favor and did not find in men the pleasure of Himself.

When the angels departed from them to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go to Bethlehem and see what has happened there, what the Lord has announced to us." And they came in haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the child lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they told them what had been announced to them about this Infant. And all who heard were amazed at what the shepherds told them.

These pastors are the image of spiritual pastors – bishops. Thus, the bishops must guard their flock and play, that is, sing something spiritual and teach the people, and then they will be worthy of divine visions and hearings. Bethlehem means the house of bread. What other house of bread is this, if not the church, in which this bread is stored? Thus, the task of verbal pastors is to seek the heavenly bread, and when they see this bread, their duty to preach to others, just as the pastors, when they saw the Infant, communicated Him to others.

And Mary kept all these words, composing them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, praising and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, as they had been told.

What words did the Virgin keep? Others say that those whom the angel spoke to her, and those whom the shepherds told her. She observed them and composed them in Her heart, that is, she discussed and found in all of them one concordant thought that Her Son is God. And it seems to me that here the words are called events; it is said as it were: Mary kept all the words, that is, those events of which I am now speaking, and through this I make them words. For an event, when it is spoken of, becomes a word. The pastors returned with gratitude to God for everything; for they were not envious like the Jews.

At the end of the eight days, when the child was to be circumcised, they gave him the name Jesus, which the angel had called before he was conceived in the womb. And when the days of their purification according to the law of Moses were fulfilled, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him before the Lord, as it is prescribed in the law of the Lord, that every male child that opens the bed should be consecrated to the Lord, and that two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, should be sacrificed according to the law of the Lord.

When the Law gave commandments, then those who transgressed them were cursed. Thus, the Lord is circumcised, so that, having fulfilled the Law in this and omitted nothing of what it commanded, He may redeem us from the curse. Let them be ashamed of those who say that He was incarnate in a phantom, for how is he circumcised if he was incarnate in a phantom? It is useless to investigate where the cut part is located. For it is not proper to seek out that of which the Scriptures are silent. And it is completely useless. It can be said that after being cut off, it fell to the ground and sanctified it, just as the blood and water flowed from His side. And in a way known to Him, He preserved this particle unharmed, and after the Resurrection He took it up again, so that in this respect He would not be found to be lacking; just as we also in the resurrection will receive our body whole. Note that the Lord was conceived not immediately as the Angel said: "And behold, thou shalt conceive," but after this, when He willed. For see what it says here: "That which was called by the angel before he was conceived in the womb." This is evident from the saying itself, for he did not say, "Thou shalt conceive," but "Thou shalt conceive." From this we can conclude that the Lord was conceived at that time, but not at the very moment when the Angel spoke, but perhaps when He finished speaking. However, we do not say this in the affirmative. "When the days of their purification according to the law of Moses were fulfilled." He said well, "according to the law of Moses," for truly the Virgin had no need to wait for the days of purification, which, in the case of a male birth, were forty. The Law says: "A woman shall conceive (conceive of seed) and bear a male child" (Lev. 12:2); but the Virgin did not conceive of seed, but gave birth of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, she had no need, but came to the temple with a desire to fulfill the law. Why, then, in the case of the birth of a male, there are seven days of purification, and twice as many days of purification for a female? "If a woman," it is said, "conceives and gives birth to a male child, she will be unclean for seven days... But if she gives birth to a female child, she will be unclean for two weeks during her purification" (Lev. 12:2, 5)? For she who gave birth to the male sex brings another Adam into the world, and she who gave birth to the female sex gives birth to another Eve – a weak and feeble vessel, a broken clay vessel, a reed of deception, a teacher of disobedience. The words of the Law: "that every male child that opens the couch should be consecrated to the Lord" were fulfilled in Christ alone; for He Himself opened the bed of the Virgin, while in other mothers the bed is opened by the husband. The law commanded that a pair of turtledoves, be brought to show that procreation is from pure marriage. For the turtledove is said to be a chaste bird, so that, having lost its male, it does not copulate with another. If the parents did not have turtledoves, then they brought two pigeon chicks, so that the life of this child would serve for many children; for the dove is a bird of many fruits.

At that time there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon. He was a righteous and godly man, seeking the consolation of Israel; and the Holy Spirit was upon him, and it was foretold to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death until he saw the Christ of the Lord. And he came by inspiration to the temple. And when the parents brought the Infant Jesus to perform a lawful rite on Him, he took Him in His arms, blessed God, and said: Now Thou dost let Thy servant go, O Lord, according to Thy word, in peace, for my eyes have seen Thy salvation, which Thou hast prepared before the face of all nations, a light for the enlightenment of the Gentiles, and the glory of Thy people Israel.

Simeon was not a priest, but a God-loving man; he expected Christ to come, the comforter of the Jews and the deliverer from the slavery of sin, and perhaps even from the slavery of the Romans and Herod. For whoever believes in Christ is truly free and honored by kings and all men. Look at the apostles. Were they not slaves of the Romans? And now the kings of Rome revere and worship them. This Simeon, moved by the Holy Spirit, ascended to the temple when the Mother brought the Lord, and, taking Him in his arms, confessed that He was God. For to say: "Now Thou dost let Thy servant go, O Lord," could be the one who confessed that He was the Lord of life and death. See how the saints consider the body to be bonds. That is why He says: "Now Thou dost loose," as if Thou hast loosed from bondage. "According to Thy word": speaks of the prophecy he received that he would not die until he saw Christ. "In peace" instead of: in tranquility. For a man, as long as he lives, is troubled, as David says (Psalm 38:7); but the dead are in the world. "In peace" can also be understood in another way, namely, with the receipt of what is expected. Before I saw the Lord, he says, I was not calm in thoughts, but waited for Him and always thought with concern when He would come: and now that I have seen Him, I have calmed down and ceased to think, I am dismissed. "Salvation" was the name given to the incarnation of the Only-begotten, which God had prepared before all ages. He prepared this salvation in the presence of all people. For for this He became incarnate, that He might save the world, and that His incarnation might be manifested to all. This salvation is "a light for the enlightenment of the Gentiles," that is, for the enlightenment of the darkened Gentiles, "and for the glory of Israel," for Christ is truly the glory of the people of Israel, because from Him He shone forth, and the truly prudent find greatness for themselves in this. Thus says Simeon. And it seems to me that the words of David are also appropriate for this Simeon: "With long days I will satisfy him, and I will shew him my salvation" (Psalm 90:16).

Joseph and His Mother were amazed at what was said about Him. And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this one lies for the fall and for the rising up of many in Israel, and for the object of reproach, and the sword shall pierce thy own soul, that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.