SPECIAL SHEPHERDS

He wrote,” It is a wonderful thing that the story should tell that the first announcement of God came to some shepherds. Shepherds were despised by the orthodox good people of the day. They were unable to keep the details of the ceremonial law; they could not observe all the meticulous hand washings and rules and regulations.

But these were in all likelihood very special shepherds. In the Temple, every morning and evening, an unblemished lamb was offered as a sacrifice to God. To see that the supply of perfect offerings was always available the Temple authorities had their own private sheep flocks; and we know that these flocks were pastured near Bethlehem.