According to the Gospel of Luke, the first visitors to the newborn Jesus were shepherds abiding in the fields nearby. Angelic messengers revealed the birth of the Messiah to these shepherds, guiding them to the manger where the infant lay. This narrative emphasizes the humility and simplicity surrounding Jesus’s birth, as the good news was first shared with common folk, not royalty or religious elites.
The visit of the shepherds holds significant theological importance. It signifies God’s favor toward the humble and foreshadows Jesus’s ministry, which would prioritize reaching out to the marginalized. The event is a key element of the Christmas narrative, highlighting the accessibility of salvation offered through Jesus. The shepherds’ immediate responsevisiting the newborn and spreading the newsserves as an example of faithful witness.
