Luke 2:15-20 The narrative implies that the shepherds went the same night. They found the baby lying in a manger, just as had been told them by the angels. We have no idea how long Joseph and Mary stayed in the barn, but one suspects they would not have stayed any longer than necessary. The shepherds must have told many people as the record is that all who heard wondered at the things the shepherds told them - again not gossip. Mary treasured in her heart what the shepherds told her. She had seen the angel nine months earlier - perhaps she welcomed this confirmation that God was really in this, despite the circumstances.

Luke 2:21-24 The requirements for circumcision of male children after birth, and for ritual purification for a woman after childbirth are spelled out in Lev 12:1-8. This passage tells us that Mary and Joseph observed the law of Moses in this respect. What do these two rituals signify spiritually?

            I have read that public health implications of male circumcision are favorable but it is most widely practiced in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Paul indicates that the true circumcision is that which is inward, of the heart by the Holy Spirit (Romans 2:29) and this person receives praise from God. He goes on to explain that Abraham received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while uncircumcised, so that he might be the father of all who believe without being circumcised, that righteousness might be credited to them (Romans 4:11). And Paul goes on to say that  and in Him we were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ. (Col. 2:11). Since Jesus was righteous and the body of flesh that He had was not polluted by sin, I infer he was circumcised for the same reason that He was baptized (see Matt 3:15).

            What is the significance of the ritual purification of a woman after childbirth? Moses indicates that a woman was unclean for seven days after the birth of a male child, and then remained in the blood of her purification for 33 days (Lev12:2&4). After the time has elapsed and she makes the required offering, then she is clean (Lev 12:8). There are probably health reasons for a woman who is recovering from childbirth to abstain from normal marital relations immediately after childbirth. But why would she be considered unclean, and what is the significance of the blood sacrifice?

            Ritual uncleanness due to blood seems to carry many connotations. One aspect is simply the significance of blood - 'Life is in the blood' - that is, life is identified with the blood. (Lev 17:10-16) In this context, it relates to clean and unclean foods. There are many essential elements to biological life, but for animal life, blood is essential at the cellular level. There is no way to transport the basics that cells need to operate, such as fuel and oxygen, and dispose of waste products at the cellular level, except for the mechanism of blood. On a macroscopic level, the outflow of blood through a wound brings with it the healing power of the body.  But blood is also the carrier of diseases - if the blood of a sick person (or animal) is ingested by another person or even enters through an open wound, it can easily convey any of a large number of very serious diseases.

            There is a a paraphrase or summary (by Luke) of Ex 13:11-16 referring to the statement that the firstborn male is called holy to The Lord. The passage in Exodus refers to the first Passover, from which Moses gave command that the firstborn male of all animals was to be sacrificed, but the firstborn male son was to be redeemed. The death angel passed over the sons of Israel because they painted the blood of the lamb on their doorposts and frame, but this pointed to the true lamb, the perfect lamb. Not to beat a dead horse, but the point of the blood on the door posts is that that it traced out the shape of a cross, assuming that the blood on the top of the doorframe dripped downward. The redemption of the firstborn male in the case of Christ seems to have been reinterpreted by Luke as 'Every firstborn male that opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord'. Because Christ did not need to be redeemed - He was the Redeemer.