GREENWICH, N.Y. — The Nativity tells the story of the birth of Jesus Christ which is celebrated at Christmas. This well-known and important story includes many interesting characters such as Jesus’ humble parents Joseph and Mary, the barbarous King Herod who sought to take the young Jesus’ life, the wise and mysterious Magi bringing gifts from afar, and more. One of these characters are a group of shepherds who are the first to visit the newborn Jesus. Shepherds played an important role in the agriculture of Middle Eastern Antiquity.

To begin, the story takes place in Bethlehem, a small village south of the city of Jerusalem in what is present day Palestine. The region in which Bethlehem resides was referred to as Judea at that time. Judea was under occupation of Ancient Rome with Caesar Augustus ruling as emperor at the time of Jesus’ birth. While Rome was the prevailing power, the region was ruled by the local Herodian kingdom that was led by Herod the Great. Joseph & Mary were in Bethlehem due to a census that had been called by the Roman authorities which required all men and their families to return to their ancestral villages to be registered for taxation purposes. It was while in Bethlehem that Jesus was born, famously in a space where animals were kept because there was no room available for them.¹

It is after Jesus’ birth that the shepherds enter the story. In the Bible in the book of Luke chapter 2 verses 8-20 tells the shepherds’ part in the story. It says that while watching their flocks of sheep at night an angel visited them and told them of Jesus’ birth and where to find him. Upon hearing this good news, they quickly went to Bethlehem to see Him themselves, and afterward told all who were willing to hear what was told them by the angels.

Shepherding was a common occupation in Ancient Judea and in other parts of the Levant in general. The combination of pasture and rugged terrain made sheep and goats an ideal animal to raise in the area. The fat-tailed sheep was the variety most likely raised during that time. Sheep were an important part of the region’s economy as they were used for their meat, milk, wool, fat, skin, and horns. They were also essential for the animal sacrifices which were a necessary part of Jewish religious practices.² In short, if a family did not own a flock themselves, they likely knew someone who did, and seeing shepherds at work with their flocks was a daily sight for most.

The Jewish people had a long history of sheep herding dating back to when they were a nomadic people. For families that owned flocks it was a customary practice that the youngest son would be shepherd, especially if the family were also farmers since other family members would work other duties. Owners of large herds might also hire shepherds to tend their sheep.³

The shepherds work revolved around providing food for their flocks of sheep based on the season. In the spring, pastures were abundant in the region so sheep would graze near the shepherd’s home village. The grain harvest also took place in the spring in Israel. Sheep would be allowed to graze in the harvested fields after the grain was collected and the poor allowed to collect what remained after the harvest as was Jewish custom. In summer, shepherds would have to lead flocks to pastures further from their towns. In late fall and winter when pasture was most scarce shepherds would stable sheep at their homes and feed them. The birth of Jesus likely occurred in the spring as the shepherds were in pastures near the town of Bethlehem.⁴

The daily routine of a first century shepherd started early in the morning when he would lead the sheep out of the fold, which was a fenced-in pen, to the pasture. The shepherd would call the sheep who would follow behind him wherever he led. Sheep come to know their shepherd and will recognize and obey his commands. Once at the pasture the shepherd would watch them all day as they grazed, paying close attention that all were always accounted for. If a sheep went astray, he would have to go out in search of the lost one and return it to the flock.⁵ If a sheep was injured, he would have to serve as veterinarian and treat the injured animal too.⁶

At some point during the day the shepherd would also have to lead the sheep to water at either a natural running source or at a man-made well. The job did not end when night came. After leading the sheep back to the fold, counting each one as it entered, the shepherd would sleep in front of the entrance of the fold acting as a door so that no sheep got out and nothing else got in.⁷

To accomplish these tasks the shepherd was armed with several tools. A shepherd would normally wear a tunic with an outer cloak called an aba which would help provide protection from the elements. A staff that sometimes had a crook on the end served as a walking staff and helped in moving the sheep. A shorter wooden rod that had a knob carved at the end would be carried as a weapon to ward of beasts and thieves. A shepherd may also have a sling made of sinew, rope, or leather to throw stones as a means of protection or to goad unruly sheep into moving. Carrying the stones for the sling as well as food and other needs was a small leather bag called a scrip.⁸

Shepherding was not easy task as it required constant vigilance over long periods of time. It could be a lonely task as a shepherd may be alone for hours or days on end with no one around but his flock of sheep. Shepherds were exposed to various forms of weather which they had to contend with. They were under the threat of robbers who would want to steal the sheep. They also faced attacks from wild animals like bears or kinds of wild cats that would want to eat the sheep. In either case the shepherd would be called on to risk his life to protect his flock.⁹

Despite their long history with shepherding, by the time of Jesus’ birth the profession was looked down upon by Jewish society. While they raised animals that were vital to their region’s economic, agricultural, and spiritual life, shepherding was viewed as a lowly profession, and they suffered from stereotypes that called them second-rate and deemed them untrustworthy. They were barred from some aspects of civic society such as serving as witnesses in court and were labeled “sinners” by religious leaders.¹⁰

Given their status within society, it is interesting and meaningful that they are the first visitors of Jesus. It is not the more “respectable” members of society. Rather it is the lowly, weather-worn individuals who spent more time around sheep than around people who got to meet the one who would be their Savior and play a part in one of the most important events in history.

This article was first published on December 15, 2022.

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