Faith Worship Prince of Peace throughout 2007
JOE MILLER JR.

Luke 2:1-20

Who cares about Quirinius? Do you have a clue as to who he was? He was an important official in the Roman Government who exercised quite bit of power, but his power is overshadowed by the very powerful Caesar Augustus, the Roman Emperor.

With these two very powerful men, Luke begins his narrative of the oft repeated Christmas story that is read in churches throughout the world.

In the first century, power and station in life were what defined the culture. If we did not know the “rest of the story”, we would assume that these two would both have prominent roles in what follows in the gospel of Luke. However, neither is ever mentioned again by name; instead, the major characters in the birth narrative are some lowly shepherds.

Not only were shepherds near the bottom of the socioeconomic ladder of the day, they were not a particularly trustworthy lot. Who would have ever dreamed that the birth of the King of Kings would be witnessed by such a motley group?

But there is more to this juxtaposition of the powerful and the weak than the contrast; there is a deep irony. The world was ruled by Rome. Nothing important happened that was not preordained by Rome, and the Greco-Roman “peace” permeated and controlled all of society.

All of the important literature, science, and learning in general were somehow touched if not created by Rome. Where one stood in the culture was defined by where one fit within the hierarchy of the Roman structure. Quirinius and especially Augustus were at the very top of this hierarchy. Augustus had the power to change the world and mold it to his own personal liking.

Yet, where is the Roman Empire today and where is the immense power of Augustus? Augustus and Quirinius are long gone without any residual prominence in the world today. Perhaps Luke mentions them in his story to emphasize the radical change coming to the world through the birth of the Christ child.

The world was being turned upside down. No longer would authoritative power and control be the defining attribute of humankind. No longer would greatness be defined by brutality and violence.

The Way of Christ would be accomplished by God's Peace rather than Rome's socalled peace. As the angels announced to the shepherds:

“…and on earth peace among those whom he favors!” God's Peace, the Prince of Peace had entered the world!

Christmas, the day we celebrate as the birth of the baby Jesus has come and gone. But God's Peace is still very much in the world. Christmas was and is just the beginning. Worship the Prince of Peace throughout the year in 2007! I hope and pray that you had a very blessed and Merry Christmas! Email me at newtonumc@ valornet.com with your thoughts.

Joe Miller Jr. is pastor of the First United Methodist Church in Newton.