Luke 2:22-40

Applebury's Comments

Presenting the Child to the Lord
Scripture

Luke 2:22-40 And when the days of their purification according to the law of Moses were fulfilled, they brought him up to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord), 24 and to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons. 25 And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 And it had been revealed unto him by the Holy Spirit, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ. 27 And he came in the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, that they might do concerning him after the custom of the law, 28 then he received him into his arms, and blessed God, and said,

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Now lettest thou thy servant depart, Lord,

According to thy word, in peace;

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For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,

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Which thou hast prepared before the face of all peoples;

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A light for revelation to the Gentiles,

And the glory of thy people Israel.

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And his father and his mother were marvelling at the things which were spoken concerning him; 34 and Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the falling and the rising of many in Israel; and for a sign which is spoken against; 35 yea and a sword shall pierce through thine own soul; that thoughts out of many hearts may be revealed. 36 And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher (she was of a great age, having lived with a husband seven years from her virginity, 37 and she had been a widow even unto fourscore and four years), who departed not from the temple, worshipping with fastings and supplications night and day. 38 And coming up at that very hour she gave thanks unto God, and spake of him to all them that were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem. 39 And when they had accomplished all things that were according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city Nazareth.

40 And the child grew, and waxed strong, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him.

Comments

purification according to the law of Moses.See Leviticus 12:1-8 for this law of purification. It was a ceremonial purification in connection with the birth of a child. It had nothing to do with so-called original sin. The reference to their cleansing does not suggest that Jesus had inherited the taint of Adams-' sin. Adam's sin did involve all of his descendants in physical death (Romans 5:1-21; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 7:1-25; Romans 8:1-39; Romans 9:1-33; Romans 10:1-21; Romans 11:1-36; Romans 12:1-21). But as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive (1 Corinthians 15:22).

holy to the Lord.All of the firstborn were to be dedicated to the Lord, because He had saved them from death during the plague in Egypt (Exodus 13:1-6). Later, the Lord took the tribe of Levi instead of the firstborn (Numbers 3:11-12). The law of redemption of the firstborn of man is given in Numbers 18:15.

A pair of turtledoves.The law provided for those who could not afford a lamb. They were allowed to take a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons and offer them as a burnt offering and as a sin offering (Leviticus 12:8). The fact that Mary and Joseph brought such an offering indicates something of their humble circumstances.

the consolation of the Lord.Israel had been waiting for the coming of Messiah for a long time. They needed someone to help them in their weakness, someone to console them in their sorrow; they needed someone to save them from their sins.

Simeon had been told that he would not die until he had seen the Lord's Christ, for He is the consolation of Israel and the Savior of His people. The Holy Spirit who revealed this to him gave him the words he spoke to Mary and Joseph about the Child. He spoke of Him as salvation for the Lord's people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Israel.
Christ provided salvation for His people through His death on the cross. He gives light that reveals the way through the preaching of His Word even to Gentiles. He is the glorythe presence of Godto Israel.

the falling and rising of many in Israel.Christ was a stone of stumbling. Just as one might stumble over a protruding rock in his pathway, some stumbled over Christ. They were the ones who had their own idea about what Messiah should do for them: overcome the Roman bondage and restore their national dignity. But many who had fallen by the wayside because of sin were to be raised up and set on the highway of holiness and dignity in the sight of the Lord.

sign that is spoken against.Men ridiculed Jesus as He was dying on the cross, but the cross was a sign of God's love for the world and His power to save the believer (1 Corinthians 1:18-25). His resurrection is the cornerstone of our faith (Romans 10:9-10). It is because the apostles preached the resurrection of the Lord that they were persecuted (Acts 4:1-4).

a sword shall pierce through thine own soul.These words refer to the cross and to the sorrow of Mary as she watched Him there (John 19:25). No other experience is mentioned in the Gospels that can fulfill this prophecy of her grief. What memories flooded her mind in that tragic hour! How her grief must have been intensified by them! But that sorrow was turned into gladness when she knew that He had been raised from the dead.

looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.The majority of the people were looking for someone to release them from Roman bondage. Some were looking for the Savior who would redeem them from the bondage to sin. This is what Christ came to do, but the Roman bondage continued until it reached its awful climax in the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A. D.

to their own city Nazareth.Matthew says that they went back to Bethlehem and from Bethlehem they went to Egypt where they stayed until Herod was dead. Then they came back to Judea, but because Archelaus was ruling instead of his father, Joseph was warned in a dream to go to Galilee (Matthew 2:13-23). Both Luke and Matthew agree that they went to Nazareth, but Luke does not tell of the trip to Egypt, Luke usually gives these interesting sidelights, but in this case did not choose to do so.

At the Age of Twelve