THE YOUNG JESUS
by Charlene & Friedhelm Dohmann

The Shepherds in the Field

The night of Jesus' birth, shepherds watched their flocks of sheep in nearby fields. They were the first to hear of the miracle which the Lord had performed.

Shepherds played an important role in stories about Jesus. Not only did they remind us that he belong to the House of David who as a boy also guarded sheep in Bethlehem, but in addition, shepherds were a symbol of charity which became a central theme of Jesus' teachings. Later, Jesus even referred to himself as the good shepherd. He knew in the Holy Land everybody understood that the relationship between a shepherd and their sheep relied on trust and caring. This is expressed in Psalm 23, which says in the Living Bible: "Because the Lord is my shepherd, I have everything I need."

The connection between a shepherd and their sheep was so close, that shepherds could distinguish one sheep from another. Sheep could even recognize the shepherd's voice. Today, you still can hear in the mountains of Juda shepherds calling their sheep in a strange ringing language. Also they lead their flocks instead of driving them which is the normal method followed in most other countries.

Being a shepherd was not easy. He lived mostly in the wild with only a wool wrap and a simple cover to protect him from rain, wind and the scorching heat of the midday sun. Shepherds only ate what they could carry: bread, cheeses, olives and if lucky, some figs and raisins.

Sheep gazed over wide areas with few watering holes. At night, they needed protection from wild animals. If one fell into a crevice, a shepherd would climb down to rescue it or pull it out with a bent staff. If a sheep was wounded in the fall, he would lift it on his shoulders and carry it to a safe place where it could be nursed back to health.

Many dangerous predators roamed in the mountains around Bethlehem. Shepherds armed with a slingshot and maybe a fighting stick (one with flints or nails) or a heavy mallet had to protect their sheep from the sudden attack of bears, lions, leopards, panthers or jackals.

In an attempt to better protect their flocks, shepherds often built pens. They erected high walls from air-dried clay tiles which were topped with a crown of thorns to hinder wild animals from climbing over. These pens could not be closed with a gate so a shepherd would lay down in front of the entrance to close it off. Often several shepherds shared a pen which allowed them to alternate the watch during the night. This luxury permitted those not on guard to rest, even sleep.

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