Translation
And it happened, as soon as the angels had departed into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Indeed, let us go to BETHLEHEM to see this word
Go to footnote numberthat has come to pass, which THE LORD has made known to us.”
Paraphrase
This is what happened as soon
as the angels had departed
into heaven; the shepherds said
to one another,
“What we must do is obvious, let’s go to THE HOUSE OF BREAD to see the proof of how this word has been fulfilled, which THE SUPREME RULER has revealed to us.”
Footnotes
1: “to see this word”
Here is that same Greek word meaning “word” which was used earlier. It can refer to a “matter, or an event” but the people of Luke’s day would have always kept in mind that it really meant a “word.” Where we would simply say a “thing” or a “matter” Luke chose a term that highlighted the reality that this was not happening in a vacuum, it was happening because it was predetermined by God to happen, and He had spoken it into reality, much like He spoke the universe into reality as described in Genesis chapter 1. By using this term the reader should know this “thing,” this “event” had to happen, for it was spoken beforehand and the spoken word of God required that it be so. Notice that the words following this word highlight fulfillment – “that has come to pass.” God’s “words” always come to pass, are always fulfilled, always become reality.
This may remind you of Isaiah 55:11, where God states, “So shall my word be which goes forth from my mouth, it does not return to me empty-handed, for it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall succeed in whatever I send it to do.” But this begs the question, “Why is not everyone who hears the word of God saved?” The reason why this causes us consternation is that we have misunderstood the purpose of God’s word. God does not intend His word to save, but to separate or divide. It does so by revealing what is in the heart of a man. The Law served that same purpose. The Law was intended to train the heart in the ways of God, and in so doing it revealed one’s attitude toward God Himself. Today each of us is either following God’s words or rebelling against them. God’s dealings with men has always been, and will always be, about the heart. In the book of Revelation this idea of dividing people by revealing what is in their hearts is featured quite prominently.
Think of the words of Jesus that follow the parable of the sower, “Indeed, whoever has will be given more, and he will be in a state of abundance; moreover, whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.” (Matthew 13:12). Why would God treat people like that? Once again it is about the heart. Jesus was saying that those who have spiritual hunger will be given more spiritual hunger, and those who have no hunger for God will continue to go further and further from God unless something shakes them up and wakes them from their spiritual stupor.
Thus, God does fulfill His words. When He speaks He fully intends to fulfill it, and He has the power to do so. We need to be sure we properly understand what God’s intentions are. The people of Jesus’ day thought they understood the reason for the coming of a Messiah, but most of them were looking for the wrong kind of Messiah.