The angel gave the shepherd a sign that would enable them to find Christ, the Lord (“Christos Kyrios” in the original Greek). The sign was unusual in itself, a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger (12). The anointed was poor and destitute from birth. Christ did not work in worldly riches, glory, and grandeur.
Then, a great company of the heavenly hosts appeared and praised God, whether in song or spoken is not clear. The church calls their praise the “Gloria in Excelsis Deo”, meaning “Glory to God in the Highest”. Jesus, leaving heaven and coming as a man with bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh, lying in a manger, was recognized as displaying the glory and majesty of God.
Some have ridiculed the second half of the angel’s praise, saying, “Peace on earth did not come.” Peace is not assured to all, but only to those pleasing to God -the objects of his good pleasure as seen in Luke 3:22, 10:21, and 12:32. The Roman world was experiencing the Pax Romana (Roman Peace), marked by external tranquility. But the angels proclaimed a deep, soulful, and mindful everlasting peace made possible by Jesus, Christos Kyrios. Receive the Lord’s peace by faith in Jesus.
