The above passage is one that is well-known and oft-read. An angel proclaiming the birth of Christ to shepherds in the fields around Bethlehem. A baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.
Who were these shepherds and why was this “sign” given to them? Was the sign simply a way for them to identify the Christ-child from other babies in Bethlehem? Or was there much deeper meaning to a baby being wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manager that pointed to the real identity of Jesus?
