“When he was born in Bethlehem, the city of David, shepherds assigned to the tending of flocks were instructed by angels that the King of heaven had deigned to take on human flesh, subject to the law of birth and dwelling upon the earth among men. They then sang a song befitting this message to the listening shepherds, announcing the Lamb’s birth first to the shepherds, and the Shepherd’s to [their] flocks…Therefore in the forty-second year of Octavianus Augustus Caesar, when Herod was king of the Jews and all sovereignty had been taken away from the Jews [themselves], the Lord Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem, a town of Judea, to the race of David, from the Virgin Mary. This came about as was fitting: that when the succession of kings and pontiffs descending from the race of Jacob had run its course, the eternal King and Pontiff should be born.”

Translation John Carey, King of Mysteries

We know almost nothing about this anonymous monk who has left us this manuscript in which he sought to defend the integrity of God against those who might accuse Him of inconsistency or conjuring.

Augustine (not to be confused with Augustine of Hippo) did not want anyone to be able to say of God’s miracles that they were “new creations,” because the Scriptures explained that God ceased from that work at the end of the sixth day. Now His work consists of governing or maintaining that which He has created. Sometimes, as in the case of miracles, God governs in ways which are consistent with Himself and His purposes, but lie beyond the scope of what we as mere mortals can fathom.

Nor should anyone think to charge God with dark powers – such as magic – in performing miracles. These were only His way of fulfilling His purposes within the scope and “laws” of the universe as He devised and maintained them.

Thus, Augustine referred to miracles as “unaccustomed acts of government” on the part of God, but only as perceived by men. We are used to seeing the cosmos function predictably, according to what we conveniently refer to as “laws of nature.” But there are no such laws, only the regular, comprehensive, orderly governing of the cosmos by God, according to His steadfast love and faithfulness. And when He chooses to depart from that normal manner of operating, we perceive a miracle, but for Him it is just another way of accomplishing His purpose, a way He intends especially, it seems, to remind us of His presence and sovereignty.

The incarnation or our Lord was such an act, for by the “unaccustomed” means of a virgin giving birth, God came to earth in the form of His Son. Jesus was born of the union of God’s Spirit with Mary, subject to everything we know about how humans give birth, but by a means we could not begin to understand though it were explained to us from on high.

Augustine does not regard the appearing of the angels as a miracle. Angels are part of the creation and, from time to time, it is not beyond God’s ordinary purposes of government to have them appear to men. The miracle of Christmas is the miracle of Jesus’ birth, not the appearing of angels. Celtic Christians had a much more realistic and practical view of unseen things than believers today.

I take issue with John Carey’s insertion of “their” in the first set of brackets in the excerpt above. The brackets indicate, of course, that a word is missing and the translator is seeking to supply what is implied. I would have put “the” or even “His” in the brackets, giving the following rendering: “…announcing the Lamb’s birth first to the shepherds, and the Shepherd’s to the (or “His”) flocks (meaning, the shepherds).” Jesus came both as Lamb of God and Good Shepherd – a nice turn of phrase, I think. Such poetic phrasing is not uncommon among the writers from this period.

Augustine accepts the historical pinning provided by Luke and pulls out the spiritual significance of Christ’s birth at just this time. Israel was without a King and without a “pontiff” – a single spiritual head. Jesus, in His coming, supplies both these needs. He is Lord and Savior, Priest and King, Redeemer and Deliverer.

The reference to “pontiff” here may be a not-so-subtle attempt on the part of the Celtic believer to let the readers know where his ultimate loyalty lies and where that of all such Christians should. Celtic missionaries on the European continent had, just prior to Augustine’s day, come into conflict with priests and bishops loyal to Rome. Following the lead of Columbanus, they made it plain that they did not regard themselves as subject to the Roman hierarchy but, being Irish and independent of Rome, looked only to Jesus as their “pontiff.” It would be another generation following Augustine before the Roman Church would begin energetically to bring Irish Christians into submission to the Bishop of Rome.

Augustine’s is not a political purpose in this book; rather, he simply wants to declare his complete trust in God and His belief in God’s infinite – and therefore, ultimately unfathomable – wisdom and power. His book can sound simplistic and almost childlike at times. But oh, that more of that attitude might prevail among Christian theologians, thinkers, and pastors in our day, for of such, we recall, is the Kingdom of God.

For more insight to the legacy of the Celtic Christian period, order a copy of T. M.’s book, The Legacy of Patrick, from our online store.