Discussion of the translation error in Luke 2:14

1. The Story of Christmas
Eric Langager 王长野
Beijing Diary 2023

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1. Mary and Joseph are betrothed.
The betrothal ceremony was taken
much more seriously than modern
engagement, and essentially required
a divorce to be undone.
Was this an arranged marriage?
Joseph apparantly served as the
oldest son for Mary’s father.

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2. The angel Gabriel appears to Mary.
Isaiah 7:14 Behold, a young
woman shall conceive and bear a
son, and shall call his name
Imman′u-el.
Matthew 1:23 “Behold, a virgin
shall conceive and bear a son,
and his name shall be called
Emman′u-el”

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3. Mary stays with her cousin for
three months.
Luke 1:43 Blessed are you among
women, and blessed is the fruit of
your womb! And why is this granted
to me that the mother of my Lord
should come to me?
Luke 1:46-47 And Mary said, "My
soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit
rejoices in God my Savior,

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4. Mary is discovered to be pregnant.
Leviticus 20:10 If a man commits
adultery with the wife of his neighbor,
both the adulterer and the adulteress
shall surely be put to death.
We don’t know how Joseph got this
news—we can only imagine.
Probably some pressure to mete out
the punishment.

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5. Joseph decides to put her away quietly.
The news broke his heart, but did not
change his love for Mary.
There was no way he could marry
her.
He was perhaps pressured, but could
not be forced to have Mary punished.
Stoning was accomplished by placing
someone in the middle of a circle and
throwing rocks at her until she was
dead.

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6. Joseph has a dream.
Two doctrines: Virgin birth and incarnation.
To what extent are these doctrines inherent
in the plot of the story?
Luke 1:35 And the angel answered her,
The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the
power of the Most High will overshadow
you; therefore the child to be born will be
called holy—the Son of God.
Matthew 1:20 "Joseph, son of David, do
not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that
which is conceived in her is from the Holy
Spirit.”

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7. Caesar Augustus issued a decree.
Caesar Augustus wanted to raise money.
There were no computers in those days.
Luke 2:1 In those days a decree went out
from Caesar Augustus that all the world
should be registered.
Regarding controversy over the timing of
this census:
https://www.gotquestions.org/Quirinius-
census.html

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8. Everybody was required to go to
their home town.
Both Joseph and Mary were
descendants of David.
Joseph was descended from David
through Solomon, this making him the
legitimate heir to the throne of David.
(Matthew 1)
Mary was descended from David
through Nathan. (Luke 3)

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9. Bethlehem is very crowded.
The fact that there was no room in the inn
was seen as an burdensome inconvenience
for a new mother, but can anyone imagine
Christmas without a manger?
Have you any room for Jesus? This theme
has been repeated so often in Christmases
through the years. Surely there will be
people in Heaven who are there because
Jesus was born in a manger.

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10. The angel appears to the shepherds.
It was one angel at first—I think so as
not to startle them.
Why did the angels choose the
shepherds?
“Where meek hearts will receive Him
still, the dear Christ enters in.”
Glory to God in the highest, and on
earth peace, good will toward men.

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Luke 2:14
Luke 2:14 Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace among men in whom
he is well pleased. (RV, ASV)
Luke 2:14 Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace, good will toward men.
(King James Version)
Luke 2:14 Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace among those with
whom he is pleased! (ESV)

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Luke 2:14 (from Bible Hub)
ἐπὶ γῆς εἰρήνη,
on earth peace,
ἐν ἀνθρώποις εὐδοκίας
amg men goodwill
Error  [with whom He is pleased]

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G2107
eudokia: good pleasure
Original Word: εὐδοκία, ας, ἡ
Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
Transliteration: eudokia
Phonetic Spelling: (yoo-dok-ee'-ah)
Definition: good pleasure
Usage: (a) good-will (good-pleasure),
favor, feeling of complacency of God to
man, (b) good-pleasure, satisfaction,
happiness, delight of men.

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G2106
eudokeó: to think well of, i.e. to be well-
pleased
Original Word: εὐδοκέω
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: eudokeó
Phonetic Spelling: (yoo-dok-eh'-o)
Definition: to think well of, to be well-
pleased
Usage: I am well-pleased, think it good,
am resolved.

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11. The shepherds go to visit the baby.
What is the purpose of swaddling?
It is thought that swaddling helps to recreate
the restricted space of the uterus, helping a
baby to settle into sleep. Some studies
have shown that swaddled babies wake
less frequently and sleep longer than non-
swaddled babies.
from Pregnancy, Birth, and Baby.

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12. Mary and Joseph take the baby to the temple.
Leviticus 12:8 And if she cannot
afford a lamb, then she shall
take two turtledoves or two
pigeons, one for a burnt offering
and the other for a sin offering.
And the priest shall make
atonement for her, and she shall
be clean.

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13. Simeon saw the baby and recognized him.
What did Simeon see?
Luke 2:34 And Simeon blessed them and
said to Mary his mother, "Behold, this child
is appointed for the fall and rising of many
in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed
Luke 2:35 (and a sword will pierce through
your own soul also), so that thoughts from
many hearts may be revealed."

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14. Wise men from Persia come to Jerusalem
looking for the new King.
They were from the east (Persia).
They followed a star. The precise nature of
this star has been debated for centuries.
How did they know that this star presaged
the birth of a king?
They clearly saw him as someone to be
worshipped, not merely as a human king.
Did Thomas later baptize them?

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15. Herod is very upset and asks them exactly
when they first saw the star.
Why was Herod upset?
They told Herod that they had come
to worship the new king.
Herod was an Idumean—a
descendant of Esau, who had sold his
right to be part of the lineage of the
Messiah.
The wise men are ordered by the
angel not to return to Herod.

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16. He asks the Jewish scholars where this
child is supposed to be born.
Why did Herod ask the religious
leaders about where the king would
be born?
Clearly Herod is determined to kill the
Messiah.
Micah 5:2 But you, O Bethlehem
Ephrathah, who are too little to be
among the clans of Judah, from you
shall come forth for me one who is to
be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth
is from of old, from ancient days.

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17. Herod orders all the children in
Bethlehem killed.
Some modern sources question whether
this incident actually happened. But
Matthew takes pains to emphasize that this
had been prophesied by Jeremiah.
Mat 2:17 Then was fulfilled what was
spoken by the prophet Jeremiah:
Jeremiah 31:15 Thus says the LORD: "A
voice is heard in Ramah, lamentation and
bitter weeping. Rachel is weeping for her
children; she refuses to be comforted for
her children, because they are no more."

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18. Joseph is warned in a dream.
This was Joseph’s second dream.
There is some question about how
much Joseph knew about who Jesus
was.
Joseph obeyed what he didn’t
understand.
Jesus was not biologically related to
Joseph, but so much of his
personality reflects the personality of
Joseph.

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19. After Herod dies, Joseph returns to
Israel and goes home to Nazareth.
We see Jesus again at the temple
when he is twelve years old.
His parents leave Jerusalem and
travel for several days before
discovering that Jesus was not with
them.
Do we often persue a direction on the
assumption that God is with us?
Jesus is beginning to realize who he
is.

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20. The child grew to be a healthy child.
After the incident when he was
twelve, we do not meet Jesus again
until the beginning of his earthly
ministry.
We generally assume that Joseph
died and that Jesus took over the
family business.
Jesus is respected, but not as the
Messian.

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Peace on Earth (song)
A brilliant star was shining
Filling the Bethlehem sky
Shepherds stared in amazement
And gathered close by their fires
And as the star grew brighter
They heard a glorious song
That angels descending from
heaven
Had waited to sing for so long

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Peace on Earth (song)
Peace on earth
Goodwill to men
The saviour sleeps in Bethlehem
On this wondrous night
He brings his light
His kingdom shall not end
The angels sang
Their praises rang
To proclaim the baby's birth
He has come God's lovely son.
Peace on earth

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Peace on Earth (song)
The shepherd's eyes were shining
Watching the Bethlehem sky
Of all the world they'd been chosen
To see the heavenly choir
And when the song had faded
Their joy was greater than their fear
They ran to where the child was lying
With glory still ringing in their ears.

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