A word that says: look
Behold, I Bring You Good Tidings
On an ordinary night, to ordinary working men, the sky broke open with the greatest announcement ever made. Fear not, the angel said, and then, Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy. The message was not for the palace but for shepherds in a field, and through them, for all people everywhere.
“And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.”Luke 2:10
Where it is said
Where it is said. This Behold is spoken by an angel of the Lord to shepherds near Bethlehem on the night of Jesus' birth, recorded in Luke 2:10. The shepherds are keeping watch over their flock by night when suddenly an angel appears and the glory of the Lord shines around them, and they are terribly afraid. The angel calms 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 2:10-11). The angel gives them a sign, a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. Then a great multitude of the heavenly host appears, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men" (Luke 2:14). The choice of hearers is striking. Shepherds were lowly laborers, often looked down upon, yet they are the first to receive the news of the Savior's birth. They hurry to Bethlehem, find the child, and become the first to spread the tidings abroad (Luke 2:16-18).
What it asks us to see
What it asks us to see. This Behold asks us to see that the coming of Jesus is good news of great joy, and that it is meant for everyone. The angel does not begin with a demand but with comfort, fear not, and then with a gift. The message is described as good tidings of great joy, not heavy duty or bad news. It is for all people, not a privileged few, which is why it came first to humble shepherds rather than to rulers. This Behold tells us why the child was born, for the angel names Him a Saviour, Christ the Lord. It answers the deepest human need, not with advice or example only but with a rescuer. It also shows that the right response to this news is joy and worship. The shepherds' fear turns to wonder, and heaven itself erupts in praise. To behold these good tidings is to let the birth of Christ strike us again as joyful news addressed personally to us, unto you is born this day a Saviour, and to join the shepherds in seeking Him and telling others.
How it points to Christ
How it points to Christ. This Behold is the announcement of Christ's own birth, and every word centers on Him. He is named with three titles in one breath, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. Saviour tells us His work, to rescue His people from their sins (Matthew 1:21). Christ, the Anointed One, tells us He is the long-promised Messiah of Israel. Lord tells us His divine authority and identity. Born in the city of David, He fulfills the promises made to David of an everlasting kingdom (Luke 1:32-33). The peace and good will proclaimed by the heavenly host find their source in Him, for He is the one who makes peace between God and man by His coming and His cross (Ephesians 2:14). That the news came to lowly shepherds is fitting, for the Savior would become the good shepherd who lays down His life for the sheep (John 10:11). The joy the angel announced is not fleeting. It is the settled gladness of knowing that God has kept His promise and sent His Son. To behold these tidings is to behold Christ Himself, given for all people.
Questions people ask
Why were shepherds the first to hear the good news?
The angel came to lowly shepherds to show that this good news is for all people, not the powerful few. God delights to reveal Himself to the humble, and it was fitting that news of the good shepherd, who lays down His life for the sheep, came first to shepherds.
What are the three titles the angel gives the child?
The angel calls Him a Saviour, Christ, and the Lord (Luke 2:11). Saviour names His mission to rescue His people, Christ marks Him as the promised Messiah, and Lord declares His divine authority. Together they announce the full identity of the child born in Bethlehem.