Through Their Eyes

How often have we listened to the story of the Child born in a manger? How many times have we pored over the texts of Matthew and Luke to catch every conceivable detail of a narrative that dumbfounded angels and amazed generations of readers who opened Scripture so that they, too, could see the Lamb of God? 

In this issue of Adventist Review we have attempted something new: we wanted to see the birth story of Jesus, the Messiah, through the eyes of those who were part of the cast in that drama. How did Joseph or Mary respond to the many strange happenings in their lives? What did shepherds and Wise Men see and hear as they came to worship a newborn King who looked so different from other royal babies? How did the angelic cast of the story respond to the unthinkable of God becoming part of humanity through the Incarnation? Add to this a more general introduction to the cultural, religious, and political landscape of first century A.D. Palestine, and you gain a better understanding of the story. 

We asked four pastors and a Bible scholar to help us catch a glimpse of the story as we may have never seen before. Like all of us, they come to the biblical text with their own experiences. You will hear different tones in their voices and notice unique understandings. Consider once again the amazing story of a God willing to become part of a fallen creation because He wants to offer us a way home to find grace, forgiveness, hope, and eternity with Him.