Empirical Truth Finders

Modern people tend to think ancient people weren’t serious about empirical truths involving hypothesis, testing, retesting, observation, and conclusion. TV shows and newspapers say, “We’ve finally resolved _________ with modern technology.” The industrial revolution has indeed changed the world greatly. But so much of modern medicine, technology, science, astronomy, etc., are based on Greek, Roman, Chinese, Indian, and Persian principles. The ancient people were as keen on empirical truths – observation, testing, and conclusion – as we are.

As soon as the Angel of the Lord and an entourage of angels left, the shepherds said to one another:

“Shall we go to Bethlehem and see this word that has come to us – the word which the Lord had spoken to us?” (Luke 2:15)

They wanted empirical evidence of what they heard. They believed it; they thought it was “the word which the Lord[YHWH] had spoken to them.” They wanted to see it to rejoice at the good news.

They hurriedly left the open area where they were guarding the sheep and found again Mariam, Joseph, and the baby lying in a feeding trough. Luke purposefully added “again” in the verb ana-efrisko, meaning “to find again,” because they were convinced that Angel’s word was God’s. But seeing the mother, father, and baby was finding again God’s word was truthful – everything said about the baby was as truthful as they heard (2:17).

Once they saw the baby, they went around proclaiming this message about the birth of a miraculous child. Everyone who heard was amazed (2:18). They were the first apostles and missionaries to proclaim the Savior’s birth (2:11). Once they announced the good news to the surrounding villages, they went back to the open fields while praising and glorifying God for all that they had heard and seen what they were told (2:20).

In the meantime, the shepherds’ visit and their retelling of the angels’ visit impacted Mariam.

“She preserved (syn-tireo) and compared (syn-ballo) these words in her heart.” (Luke 2:19)

As a young virgin, she had gone through so many miraculous events – visitation from Gabriel, her pregnancy, her cousin’s pregnancy, her husband’s devoted love, travel to her husband’s hometown, childbirth, and the visitation of shepherds from the fields (perhaps Joseph’s ancestors, of David’s lineage and profession). All she could do was to gather these truths, preserve them and compare them – both with syn meaning “collaborating” as in synchronizing them) – to conclude that she already knew: This was truly a miraculous child, the savior of humanity.

(Much later, she would become Luke’s source.)

In daily life, we can become calloused to miracles happening all around us. In 1998, we went from a sweltering city, Chennai, to a hill station, Ooty, for a church retreat. As we galloped around a lake on horseback, we saw a beautiful house by the lake in an isolated place. Lori said, “I would love to live in that house.” Two years later, we moved to Ooty and found a house. Only a year later, while we were galloping around that lake again, we realized we were living in the home we had dreamed of. Similarly, living in Maui was a dream come true. Lori had wished that nearly 40 years ago, and God granted us that gift last year.

We must keep our eyes open to see God’s miracles in our lives – they occur daily!