Luke 2:18 · Bible study
Luke 2:18 Commentary: The Wonder of the Shepherds' News
Greek · 4 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Explore why hearers wondered at the shepherds' testimony about Jesus, and what their hesitation reveals about the hiddenness of the Incarnation.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The townspeople were astonished by the shepherds' testimony, but their wonder did not necessarily lead to belief.
- Key words: ethaumasan (wondered), aorist active indicative; poimenōn (shepherds), low-status messengers; akousantes (having heard), participle preceding the main verb.
- Main debate: Whether the wonder of the hearers was a positive step toward faith or a sign of hesitation that fell short of belief.
- Theological theme: The hiddenness of the Incarnation, God's glory concealed in humility, requiring more than surface amazement.
- Best use: A lens to examine the gap between hearing the gospel and truly receiving it; paired with Mary's pondering (v. 19) and the shepherds' praise (v. 20).
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
And all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.
WEB World English Bible 2000
All who heard it wondered at the things which were spoken to them by the shepherds.
KJV King James Version 1769
And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And all that heard it wondered at the things which were spoken unto them by the shepherds.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
And all who heard, did wonder concerning the things spoken by the shepherds unto them;
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And all who heard [it] wondered at the things said to them by the shepherds.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And all that heard wondered: and at those things that were told them by the shepherds.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y todos los que oyeron, se maravillaron de lo que los pastores les|strong="G4314, G0846" decían.
E todos os que ouviram se admiraram com o que os pastores lhes diziam.
Tous ceux qui les entendirent furent dans l’ étonnement de ce que leur disaient les bergers.
Und alle, vor die es kam, wunderten sich der Rede, die ihnen die Hirten gesagt hatten.
En allen, die het hoorden, verwonderden zich over hetgeen hun gezegd werd van de herders.
E tutti quelli che li udirono si maravigliarono delle cose dette loro dai pastori.
A wszyscy, którzy słyszeli, dziwowali się temu, co im pasterze powiadali.
И все слышавшие дивились тому, что рассказывали им пастухи.
凡 聽見的，就詫異 牧羊之人 對 他們 所說的話。
And all those to whose ears it came were full of wonder at the things said by the keepers of the sheep.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · Luke 2:18
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
The commentators agree that the wonder expressed here is not the same as saving faith. Gill notes that the hearers “wondered at those things” but “knew not what to say to it, neither to deny, nor believe it.” Their astonishment arose from the sharp contrast between messianic expectations and the reality of a baby born to poor parents, lying in a manger, announced first to shepherds. Matthew Henry observes that even in Christ's deepest humiliation, God provided some “discoveries of his glory” so that people would not be completely put off. Yet the response of wonder falls short of the response of Mary, who “kept all these things and pondered them in her heart” (v. 19). The Greek verb ethaumasan (aorist active indicative) captures a momentary reaction, it can signal curiosity or amazement without commitment. The popular response to the shepherds' report was thus a mixture of fascination and hesitation.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: The townspeople were astonished at the shepherds' account of the angelic announcement and the birth of the Savior; their wonder is presented as a natural but incomplete response.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Nature of the wonder | All traditions see the wonder as a real but incomplete response to the shepherds' news; it is not saving faith. | Some interpreters treat the wonder as a natural and even positive first step (awe at God's works), while others emphasize its insufficiency, noting that the text records no confession or action from the crowd. |
| Role of the shepherds | The shepherds were low-status, rural workers; their testimony is the first public announcement of Jesus' birth. | Christians differ on whether their lowliness was a stumbling block to the hearers (making the news harder to accept) or a sign that God deliberately chose the humble to shame the proud. |
| The hearers' identity | The hearers are the people of Bethlehem who encountered the shepherds after their visit to the manger. | A minor point: some suggest 'all who heard' could include a wider group beyond Bethlehem, but the narrative setting implies the local townspeople. |
| Contrast with Mary's response | Mary's 'keeping and pondering' is presented as a deeper, more reflective response than the crowd's wonder. | Some traditions see Mary's response as a model of faith, while others note that her pondering still involved ongoing reflection, not yet full understanding. |
Historical & Cultural Context
First-century Judea did not hold shepherds in high regard. Their work kept them from observing religious rituals, and they were often viewed as unreliable witnesses. That God first announced the birth of the Messiah to such men was itself a shock. The shepherds' report added to the shock: they spoke of angelic choirs proclaiming peace and a Savior born in David's city, but the sign they were given was a baby in a feeding trough. The people of Bethlehem, where the birth took place, were waiting for the Messiah (Luke 3:15). Yet their expectations, shaped by prophecies of a conquering king, collided with the lowly sight of a child in a stable.
Luke sets this scene within a broader literary pattern. After the shepherds “publicized widely the saying” (v. 17), the crowd's reaction echoes the earlier response to John the Baptist: “All who heard them laid them up in their heart, saying, 'What then will this child be?'” (Luke 1:66). But here the response stops at wonder; there is no recorded confession or action. The verb ethaumasan (from thaumazō, “to marvel”) appears repeatedly in Luke when people encounter Jesus' teaching or miracles (Luke 4:36; 5:9; 2:47). In each case, amazement can either open a door to faith or remain merely a passing curiosity.
Luke contrasts the crowd's wonder with Mary's pondering. She “kept all these sayings, pondering them in her heart” (v. 19). The shepherds themselves returned “glorifying and praising God” (v. 20). The townspeople, however, are left at a distance: they heard, they wondered, but they did not yet believe. This hesitation is not condemned, but it is noted. It reveals the difficulty of accepting that God's most glorious work would come in such ordinary, even humiliating, wrapping.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for Luke 2:18. The Greek text is well established across the manuscript tradition. The external witnesses consistently read kai pantes hoi akousantes ethaumasan, with no substantial differences that affect interpretation.
Reception History
Early Christian readers saw the wonder of the townspeople as evidence of the hiddenness of the Incarnation. Augustine, for instance, commented on how earthly lowliness concealed divine glory. In the medieval period, Nativity plays and art often depicted the crowd's mixed reaction, sometimes showing them whispering in doubt. The Reformers, particularly Matthew Henry and John Gill, used this verse to warn that amazement at the gospel story is not the same as embracing it. Mary's pondering became a model for contemplative faith. In modern preaching, Luke 2:18 is frequently used to challenge congregations: are we merely fascinated by the Christmas story, or do we allow it to change us? The verse also appears in discussions of the social reversal inherent in the gospel, since shepherds were the first evangelists.
Preaching This Verse
The shepherds' report created a wave of wonder in Bethlehem. But the gospel of Luke leaves an open question: did that wonder lead to faith? This passage invites preachers to explore the difference between amazement and belief.
Three-Point Outline
- The Unlikely Witnesses. God chose shepherds, low-status, rough men, to be the first evangelists. Their testimony carried the weight of an angelic encounter, yet their social standing made it easy to dismiss. The hearers' wonder reveals the stumbling block of lowliness.
- The Unexpected Sign. The sign the angels gave was a baby in a feeding trough. Nothing about that scene looked like royal arrival. The gap between expectation and reality produced wonder, but also hesitation.
- The Unfinished Response. Wonder alone does not save. The townspeople heard the good news and marvelled, but they are not said to have gone to see for themselves, unlike the shepherds. Luke contrasts their passive wonder with Mary's active pondering and the shepherds' joyful praise.
Five-Point Outline
- The shepherds become the first preachers of the gospel (v. 17).
- The townspeople hear the message (v. 18a).
- The townspeople respond with wonder, not yet faith (v. 18b).
- Mary models a deeper response: treasuring and reflecting (v. 19).
- The shepherds model the right conclusion: glorifying and praising God (v. 20).
Illustration Hooks
- A respected professor announces a breakthrough in science from an unusual source, a local farmer. People are intrigued but skeptical because of the messenger's background.
- A family receives news of a large inheritance delivered by a process server in a shabby coat. The good news is overshadowed by the unimpressive delivery.
- A congregation hears a testimony from someone whose past makes them hesitate. The message is true, but the vessel is hard to accept.
Questions Your Congregation Is Asking
- Why would God choose shepherds to announce the birth of the Savior? What does that say about who hears the gospel first?
- Is wonder a valid response to the Christmas story, or is it just the first step? What comes after wonder?
- What keeps people from moving from amazement to trust, in the first century and today?
Leading a Discussion
This verse captures the immediate reaction of the townspeople to the shepherds' news. Their wonder raises questions about how we receive the message of Christ's birth.
Discussion Questions
- What did the shepherds say about what they had seen and heard? (See vv. 15-17.)
- The text says “all who heard it wondered.” What do you think they wondered about most: the angels, the baby, or the choice of messengers?
- Read the Greek verb ethaumasan (to marvel). How is this different from believing? Can you think of times you have wondered at something in church without really trusting it?
- Compare the response of the townspeople in verse 18 with Mary's response in verse 19. What does each response say about the person's heart?
- The shepherds responded with praise (v. 20). What made their response different from the crowd's?
- Why do you think God chose such humble circumstances for the birth of his Son? How does that challenge our expectations of how God works?
- What would it take for the wonder of Christmas to deepen into faith, for the people then and for people now?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Isaiah 8:18 | Behold, I and the children whom Yahweh has given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel from Yahweh of Armies, who dwells in Mount Zion. |
| Luke 1:65 | Fear came on all who lived around them, and all these sayings were talked about throughout all the hill country of Judea. |
| Luke 1:66 | All who heard them laid them up in their heart, saying, “What then will this child be?” The hand of the Lord was with him. |
| Luke 2:33 | Joseph and his mother were marveling at the things which were spoken concerning him. |
| Luke 2:47 | All who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. |
| Luke 4:36 | Amazement came on all and they spoke together, one with another, saying, “What is this word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!” |
| Luke 5:9 | For he was amazed, and all who were with him, at the catch of fish which they had caught; |
| Luke 5:10 | and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid. From now on you will be catching people alive.” |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
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What the Commentators Say
4 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva annotators note that the shepherds' testimony caused widespread amazement among those who heard it. The wonder of the listeners shows that the shepherds were credible witnesses whose report about the angelic announcement stirred the public.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill highlights the paradox that struck the hearers: they expected the Messiah but never imagined He would come in such lowly circumstances, announced first to shepherds rather than to Israel's leaders. This created a stunned hesitation — they were too amazed to either fully believe or dismiss the report.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange reads the angels' song in a distinctive way: the peace on earth is not a benefit given to humanity but an offering of praise to God. The good will of God toward men is the theme that evokes glory in heaven and praise on earth. Peace here means homage, not the cessation of enmity.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry points out that Christ's humblest circumstances were always accompanied by glimpses of his glory, softening any offense from his lowly state. Even when wrapped in rags and lying in a manger, God gave unmistakable tokens of his exaltation, balancing humiliation with revelation.