Luke 2

Lu 2:1 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world.

God might have been expected to announce the birth of his Son with a flourish: but he choose otherwise.

Caesar Augustus – The name given to Emperor Octavian (31 B.C.-A.D. 14) in 27 B.C. ‘Born in 63 B.C. he first gained power with Antony and Lepidus at Julius Caesar’s death in 44 B.C. He gained sole control at the Battle of Actium in 31 B.C., where he defeated Antony and Cleopatra, who both committed suicide. This brought Egypt into the system of Roman provinces. He thus founded the Roman Empire and ruled with popular acclaim. At his death the Senate declared him a god. Herod the Great ruled as appointed by Augustus, even though Herod originally supported Antony. Herod built temples to Augustus as a god in Caesaria and Samaria.’ (Holman)

‘It was at one time conceded that Luke had entirely missed the boat in the events he portrayed as surrounding the birth of Jesus, Lu 2:1-3. Critics argued that there was no census, that Quirinius was not the governor of Syria at that time and that everyone did not have to return to his ancestral home.

First of all, archeological discoveries show that the Romans had a regular enrollment of taxpayers and also held censuses every 14 years. This procedure was indeed begun under Augustus and the first took place in either 23-22 BC or in 9-8 BC. The latter would be the one to which Luke refers. Second, we find evidence that Quirinius was governor of Syria around 7 BC. This assumption is based on an inscription found in Antioch ascribing to Quirinius this post. As a result of this finding, it is now supposed that he was governor twice – once in 7 BC and the other time in 6 AD (the date ascribed by Josephus). ‘Last, in regard to the practice of enrollment, a papyrus found in Egypt gives directions for the conduct of a census. It reads, “Because of the approaching census it is necessary that all those residing for any cause away from their homes should at once prepare to return to their own governments in order that they may complete the family registration of the enrollment and that the tilled lands may retain those belonging to them.’ (McDowell, Evidence That Demands a Verdict, 71)

Lu 2:2 (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.)

Census – Such censuses had a twofold aim: to conduct a tax assessment and to ascertain which men were liable for military service. Since the Jews were exempt from military service, the first was the most important aim in this case. By AD 6 these censuses were taking place every 14 years, although it appears that periodic censuses were carried out at other times.

‘Some scholars dispute whether Quirinius was governor of Syria at this time. Quirinius was certainly governor of Syria during the much-remembered later census of A.D. 6, when Sepphoris and some Galilean patriots revolted against the tax census of that year. This passage seems to refer to an earlier census while Herod the Great was still king (before 4 B.C.); thus Luke’s “first census under Quirinius.”‘ (NT Background Cmty)

Quirinius – we have here a well-known case of apparent problem in harmonising Luke’s data with that of external sources. Quirinius is known to have become governor of Syria in AD 6, whereas Jesus is know to have been born before the death of Herod the Great in 4 BC. Luke is therefore thought to have made a slight error. The problem is not intractible, and it should also be noted that ‘the same Luke whose work is criticized on account of the census problem also wrote the Acts of the Apostles, where the overlap with recorded history is far greater, and in this area Luke’s accuracy in referring to the details of political institutions and appointments in Asia Minor and Greece was sufficient to cause the archeologist Sir William Ramsay to change from an inherited scepticism to a warm regard for Luke as a careful and responsible historian. The bearing of external data on the historical reliability of the gospel writers is not all in one direction.’ (R.T. France)

‘Some translations of the New Testament use the name Cyrenius, an Anglicized form of his Greek name, while others use the Latin form Quirinius. His full name is Publius Sulpicius Quirinius. Throughout his varied career, Quirinius served as consul of Rome, military leader, tutor to Gaius Caesar, and legate (governor). He died in A.D. 21.

Luke’s reference to Quirinius as governor during the nativity has caused some scholars to question Lucan historical accuracy. It is established that Quirinius was legate in Syria from A.D. 6-9, but this date is far too late for Jesus’ birth, which occurred prior to the death of Herod the Great who died in 4 B.C. Luke’s historical reference seems in direct conflict with non-biblical sources establishing that either Saturninus (9-7 B.C.) or Varus (6-4 B.C.) was legate of Syria during Christ’s birth.

The discovery of an ancient inscription has shown that a legate fitting the description of Quirinius served two different times in Syria. Apparently the nativity occurred during Quirinius’ first tenure in Syria as legate with primary responsibilities for military affairs, while Varus was the legate handling civil matters. Quirinius served a second term in A.D. 6-9.

This solution affirms Lukan accuracy without overlooking other known historical sources.’ (Holman)

Governor of Syria – The governor of Syria is mentioned because the Roman province of Syria included Palestine under its jurisdiction at this time.

‘According to Lu 2:1-5 the census of Quirinius was taken just before Jesus’ birth and hence Jesus could not have been born before the census. The date of this census is difficult to pinpoint. Although no Roman historian specifically mentions this census, there were periodic censuses. Furthermore, Luke was not confusing this with the one held in A.D. 6 because that was just after the deposition of Herod’s son Archelaus, whereas the context of the birth narrative of Jesus was in the days of Herod the Great. Trying to synchronize Quirinius’s governorship of Syria with the time just before Herod’s death proves difficult. Some suggest that he was governor not only in A.D. 6, but also from 11/10 to 8/7 B.C. Others suggest that this census took place before Quirinius was governor in A.D. 6/7, and some think that Quirinius had been proconsul of Syria and Cilicia during the last years of Herod the Great under the legates Saturninus and Varus. Regardless of what construct one may propose, it is not improbable that Quirinius was involved with a census during the last years of Nero. Toward the end of his reign Herod fell out of favor with Rome (c. 8/7 B.C.). This was followed by his sons engaging in an intense struggle for the throne at a time when Herod was extremely ill. All of these factors would allow for the Roman government to take a census in his land in order to assess the situation before his death. Although it is difficult to pinpoint the exact year of the census, it was probably sometime between 6 and 4 B.C.’ (DJG)

There is to be found in this passage a contrast between the earthly pomp of Caesar and Chris’ts heavenly glory.

‘Now it is possible to translate Lu 2:2 in a manner that obviates any need for seeking an earlier governorship for Quirinius. Well represented in the history of the discussion, it has been argued most carefully by Lagrange (RB 8 1911 8084) and has been taken up in several more recent studies (Higgins, EvQ 41 1969 200; Barnett, ExpTim 85 197374 379; cf. N. Turner, Grammatical Insights, 23; Brindle, JETS 27 1984 4850). Lagrange has shown that there is no decisive objection from word order or from the use of the genitive participle to translating Lu 2:2 as This registration happened before Quirinius became governor of Syria. (On the basis, however, of the critique by E. Power, Joh 2,20 and the Date of the Crucifixion, Bib 9 1928 286, it is clear that Lagranges appeal to Sophocles, Antigone 2.63738, must be dropped.) As a clarifying aside, such a statement would fit well. The governorship of Quirinius was an important turning point in Judean history, marking as it did the annexation of Judea, which was made profoundly visible by the census registration with which Quirinius governorship began. That registration was the registration, {cf. Ac 5:37} and it is natural that Luke should distinguish from it a preliminary registration in the time of Herod the Great. On any reading, the Greek of Lukes sentence is awkward (cf. Fitzmyer, 400), and perhaps no more so on the reading suggested here. This seems better than forcing an earlier governorship on Quirinius and more likely than the contradiction in the Lukan infancy narratives created by an identification of the census here as that of A.D. 6.’ (WBC)

Barnes refers to another possible solution, according to which, ‘the passage here means, “This was the first census of Cyrenius, governor of Syria.” It is called the first to distinguish it from one afterward taken by Cyrenius, Ac 5:37. It is said to be the census taken by Cyrenius, governor of Syria; not that he was then governor, but that it was taken by him who was afterward familiarly known as governor. Cyrenius, governor of Syria, was the name by which the man was known when Luke wrote his gospel, and it was not improper to say that the taxing was made by Cyrenius, the governor of Syria, though he might not have been actually governor for many years afterward. Thus Herodian says that “to Marcus the emperor were born several daughters and two sons,” though several of those children were born to him before he was emperor. Thus it is not improper to say that General Washington saved Braddock’s army, or was engaged in the old French war, though he was not actually made general till many years afterward. According to this Augustus sent Cyrenius, an active, enterprising man, to take the census. At that time he was a Roman senator. Afterward he was made governor of the same country, and received the title which Luke gives him.’

Lu 2:3 And everyone went to his own town to register.

Everyone went to his own town – ‘A journey to the ancestral home would have fit Jewish practice, so that the custom was done in a culturally inoffensive manner. {2Sa 24} This was important, since the tax itself would have been a painful reminder of Israel’s position before Rome.’ (IVP NT Commentary)

To register – apographo ‘primarily signifies “to write out, to copy;” then, “to enroll, to inscribe,” as in a register. It is used of a census, Lu 2:1, RV, “be enrolled,” for AV, “be taxed;” in the middle voice, Lu 2:3,5, to enroll oneself, AV, “be taxed.” Confirmation that this census (not taxation) was taken in the dominions of the Roman Empire is given by the historians Tacitus and Suetonius. Augustus himself drew up a sort of Roman Doomsday Book, a rationarium, afterwards epitomized into a breviarium, to include the allied kingdoms, appointing twenty commissioners to draw up the lists.’ (Vine)

“Augustus imagines that he is busied in advancing the glory of his name, and the lustre of his reign. And yet his orders, by means of others more powerful and absolute than his, become subservient to the accomplishment of prophecies, of which he is altogether ignorant, – to the birth of a king whom he will never know, – and to the establishment of a monarchy, which will subject him and all others to itself. This is what happens in all ages, and men take no notice of it.” (Quesnel, quoted by Ryle)

Lu 2:4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David.

‘Luke relates how it happened, that Christ was born in the city of Bethlehem, as his mother was living at a distance from her home, when she was approaching to her confinement. And first he sets aside the idea of human contrivance, by saying, that Joseph and Mary had left home, and came to that place to make the return according to their family and tribe. If intentionally and on purpose they had changed their residence that Mary might bring forth her child in Bethlehem, we would have looked only at the human beings concerned. But as they have no other design than to obey the edict of Augustus, we readily acknowledge, that they were led like blind persons, by the hand of God, to the place where Christ must be born. This may appear to be accidental, as everything else, which does not proceed from a direct human intention, is ascribed by irreligious men to Fortune. But we must not attend merely to the events themselves. We must remember also the prediction which was uttered by the prophet many centuries before. A comparison will clearly show it to have been accomplished by the wonderful Providence of God, that a registration was then enacted by Augustus Caesar, and that Joseph and Mary set out from home, so as to arrive in Bethlehem at the very point of time.’ (Calvin)

Lu 2:5 he went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.

‘Thus we see that the holy servants of God, even though they wander from their design, unconscious where they are going, still keep the right path, because God directs their steps. Nor is the Providence of God less wonderful in employing the mandate of a tyrant to draw Mary from home, that the prophecy may be fulfilled. God had marked out by his prophet-as we shall afterwards see-the place where he determined that his Son should be born. If Mary had not been constrained to do otherwise, she would have chosen to bring forth her child at home. Augustus orders a registration to take place in Judea, and each person to give his name, that they may afterwards pay an annual tax, which they were formerly accustomed to pay to God. Thus an ungodly man takes forcible possession of that which God was accustomed to demand from his people. It was, in effect, reducing the Jews to entire subjection, and forbidding them to be thenceforth reckoned as the people of God.’ (Calvin)

Lu 2:6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born,

While they were there – not, as is usually assumed, ‘upon arrival’. They had been in Bethlehem for an indefinite period of time prior to Mary going into labour. Thus the familiar image of Mary and Joseph arriving in Bethlehem and being unable to find a place to stay on the night of arrival probably has no basis in the text itself. (DJG)

Lu 2:7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

She gave birth to her firstborn, a son – ‘Midwives normally assisted at birth; especially because this was Mary’s first child, it is likely (though not clear from the text) that a midwife would assist her. Jewish law permitted midwives to travel a long distance even on the Sabbath to assist in delivery.’ (NT Background Cmty)

Wrapped him in cloths – showing care and tenderness, in contrast to the baby mentioned in Eze 16:4. The ’swaddling cothes’ were long strips of cloth used to keep babies’ limbs straight so that they would grow properly.

Placed him in a manger – this may have been in a stable, or a cave, or even outside. But see below.

A church is sited on the presumed site of the nativity. Steps on either side of the altar lead down into a cave, where the birth is said to have taken place. The splendour of the setting should not be allowed to hide the reality of the event itself.

No room in the inn – The word kataluma can mean guest room, house or inn. It has been doubted whether there would have been an inn in Bethlehem in Jesus’ day since it was not on any major road, and inns normally were to be found only on major roads, especially the Roman ones (but cf. Jer 41:17, which does not refer to a place in Bethlehem). Furthermore, when Luke wants to speak of a commercial inn he uses pandocheion Lu 10:34 refering to an establishment found on the major road between Jerusalem and Jericho. Also, when Luke uses the word kataluma in his Gospel Lu 22:11, cf. 1Ki 1:18), it clearly does not mean an inn but a guest room. (DJG)

‘It becomes more likely that by kataluma Luke means either house or guest room, and the latter translation must have the edge precisely because in the vast majority of ancient Near-Eastern peasant homes for which we have archaeological and literary evidence, the manger was within the home, not in some separate barn. The animals as well as the family slept within one large enclosed space that was divided so that usually the animals would be on a lower level, and the family would sleep on a raised dais (Bailey). In this particular case, we should probably envision Mary and Joseph staying in the home of relatives or friends, a home which was crowded due to the census being taken, a home where Luke tells us there was no longer any room in “the guest room” (noting the definite article before the noun). Consequently, Mary gave birth to her child perhaps in the family room and placed the baby in the stone manger. This means that a good deal of the popular conception of this scene has no basis in the text. In particular, the idea of Mary and Joseph being cast out from civilized accommodations and taking up temporary residence in a barn is probably based on a misunderstanding of the text.’ (DJG)

Since they had travelled to Joseph’s ancestral home, it is likely that he had relatives in Bethlehem, and that he and Mary would have found lodgings with them. But because of all the other people who had come to the town because of the census, there was no room left in the guest room. They therefore were crammed with the rest of the family on the upper level, and Mary laid here new-born baby in the stone manger amongst the animals on the lower level.

Christ is identified with the poor and the homeless from the very beginning of his earthly life. See 2Co 8:9 for the contrast between the riches which were his by right, and the abject poverty of his earthly existence.

‘That there was no room in the inn was symbolic of what was to happen to Jesus. The only place where there was room for him was on a cross. He sought an entry to the over-crowded hearts of men; he could not find it; and still his search-and his rejection-go on.’ (DSB)

‘Many of the details supplied in Christmas tellings of this story do not come from Luke. There is no indication of a long search for a place to stay or of an insensitive innkeeper who made Mary and Joseph stay outdoors. The text merely describes the arrival in simple terms: She gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.’ (IVP NT Commentary)

Lu 2:8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.

We do not know, of course, at what time of the year our Lord was born. It has often been said that Jesus cannot have been born during the wniter, because the Jews did not usually keep flocks in fields in winter.

‘Jesus’ birth itself almost certainly did not occur on December 25. This date became attached to the celebration of Christmas later because it coincided with a Roman holiday known as Saturnalia, when Christians had time off work to worship. Perhaps Jesus was born in the spring when shepherds would have been watching their flocks by night because lambs might be born.’ {Lu 2:8} (NAC on Mt 2:1-2)

‘The shepherds didn’t ask God if he was sure he knew what he was doing. Had the angel gone to the theologians, they would have first consulted their commentaries. Had he gone to the elite, they would have looked around to see if anyone was watching. Had he gone to the successful, they would have first looked at their calendars.

So he went to the shepherds. Men who didn’t have a reputation to protect or an ax to grind or a ladder to climb. Men who didn’t know enough to tell God that angels don’t sing to sheep and that messiahs aren’t found wrapped in rags and sleeping in a feed trough.’ Max L. Lucado (1955)

Lu 2:9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.

Luke 2:10  But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.

Lu 2:11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.

Simeon, Lu 2:26, had been expecting ‘the Lord’s Christ’. According to the angels, the one who is given is ‘Christ the Lord’ – not merely a messnger from God, but God himself.

Lu 2:12 “This will be a sign to you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

“This will be a sign to you”

There is something surprising about this: the humble circumstances of the Christ-child in the manger confirmed the angel’s announcement of a Saviour. We would expect it to be the other way round!

1. THE ANGELS WHO GAVE THE SIGN. Angels appear from time to time within the pages of Scripture. We read of their activities in connection with creation, the giving of the Law, the birth of the Saviour, the temptation in the wilderness, the agony in Gethsemane, the resurrection, ascension and final judgement. Angels feature strongly in Luke’s writings, especially in the first two chapters of his Gospel. They show the breaking-in of the divine into the sphere of human affairs.

2. THE SHEPHERDS TO WHOM THE SIGN WAS GIVEN. Angels heralded the new-born Saviour, but were sent not to the high and mighty, but to humble shepherds. It is not recorded that the shepherds asked for a sign; but they were given one anyway. ‘Sometimes it is sinful for us to require as evidence what God’s tenderness may nevertheless see fit as an aid to faith.’ (Spurgeon) And the shepherds became a sign to Mary, the only testimony she had at the time that her baby was indeed the one who had been promised.

  We know that throughout his life (and beyond, Ac 1:6), Jesus’ disciples clung to the notion of an earthly kingdom, with the overthrow of Rome’s tyranny by the Messiah. But the birth of Jesus was consistent with the rest of his life and ministry. Accordingly, the message to the shepherds was one of simplicity and humility. There was no temporal might, no pomp and ceremony, no superstition, no worldly philosophy there.

3. THE SAVIOUR WHO WAS THUS SIGNIFIED. A humble birth proclaimed by mighty angels – this mirrors the incarnation itself, with its meeting of divine majesty and human meekness.

The Scripture fulfilled, Isa 53:2, ‘He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground.’

The humility of his earthly existence, Lu 9:58, ‘Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.’

An example to us all in life and worship, 2Co 8:9, ‘You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.’

Lu 2:13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

A great company – or ‘army’. ‘An army,’ Bengel remarks, ‘celebrating peace!’

Praising God -

Lu 2:14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”

“Peace to men on whom his favour rests” – Not, ‘among men of good will’; nor, as in GNB, ‘to those with whom he is pleased.’

I heard the bells on Christmas day
Their old familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet the words repeat
Of peace on earth, goodwill to men.
And in despair I bowed my head:
“There is no peace on earth,” I said.
“For hate is strong, and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, goodwill to men.”
Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
“God is not dead, nor doth he sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail,
With peace on earth, goodwill to men.”

(Longfellow, “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day”)

Compare with Lu 12:51.

Luke 2:15  When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

Lu 2:16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.

So they hurried off – an early anticipation of the response of the first disciples, who left their fishing nets and followed Jesus.

Luke 2:17  When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child,

Luke 2:18  and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.

Lu 2:19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.

Unlike the Magi, Mary had seen no guiding star. Unlike the Shepherds, she had neither heard nor seen a choir of angels at the time of her baby’s birth.

The Birth of Jesus

‘History teaches us’ claimed the philosopher Hegel, ‘that we never learn anything from history.’ But here, at least, is one person who is determined to learn something from the history of her own son. Let’s ponder with Mary:-

1. THE TIME WHEN JESUS WAS BORN. ‘In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.)’

Notice how painstakingly Luke fits the nativity into its historical background.

Now, Jesus was born at a time when the nation of Israel had reached its lowest ebb. The sun seemed to be setting on a once great nation, and many must have doubted if it would ever rise again. This very enrollment reminds us that the Jews were at this time under the heel of the mighty Roman empire. They were dominated, they were repressed, and they were humiliated. Nor did their religion bring them much comfort, for it had grown cold and lifeless. The voice of prophecy, which had urged and encouraged them during many a dark day before, had been silent for 400 years. Hope had given way almost entirely to bitterness and despair.

But this was the time that God chose to give the most precious of all gifts – his own divine Son. And this was no afterthought: God had planned it that way, and he had promised it would be so. Ro 5:6 Ga 4:4.

We learn from this the simple yet vital lesson that GOD’S TIME IS ALWAYS THE BEST TIME. “Why,” Mary might have asked, “is this happening now?” And we may find ourselves asking similar questions about things in our own lives. But God alone has the right, the authority, the wisdom, to order our lives and to weave the intricate fabric of history. We can say with David, “My times are in your hand.”

2. THE PLACE WHERE JESUS WAS BORN. v4f ‘So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.’

As Joseph and Mary trudged those 60 miles from Nazareth to Bethlehem, it must have seemed to them that their only reason for doing so was the decree of the Roman emperor: he wanted his subjects counted; and he wanted them taxed.

But in reality, that journey had been ordained by God. He had determined that the Messiah, the Christ, should be descended from king David. And the attestation of Jesus as the promised Messiah is seen in his birth in the City of David. See Mic 5:2.

We learn from this the truth about THE OVER-RULING PROVIDENCE OF GOD. This story teaches us that the forces of this world, be they never so evil, can only ever move just as fast and as far as God allows. They tyrant can do his worst, but God will infailingly use it for his own glorious purpose. Another Joseph had learned this lesson, when he said to his cruel brothers, “You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good.”

3. THE MANNER IN WHICH JESUS WAS BORN. ‘While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.’

Jesus was born in loneliness, squallor, and deprivation. How do you think his mother felt? Come, let us try to comfort her in her distress: “Cheer up, Mary, look on the bright side. You’ll soon be back home in Nazareth. You’re in trouble now, but soon you’ll be able to put all this behind you.” But that would have been cold comfort for Mary. Why? Because she was slowly beginning to realise that in the future lay almost overwhelming burdens and almost intolerable difficulties. It was just beginning to dawn on her that her baby son was the living fulfilment of the OT prophecies concerning the Messiah, Isa 53.

And so, pondering all this, what do you suppose it was that sustained Mary in those years – years which climaxed in the horror of the crucifixion? Surely the Lord upheld Mary, as he upholds all believers in distress, with three strong supports:-

(a) The hope of future glory. There is coming a time when God will wipe away every tear. This is not pie-in-the-sky. This is not escapism. Just such a hope sustained our Lord himself, Heb 12.

(b) The continuing presence of God. Remember this, that the name given to Jesus in his humiliation was ‘Emmanuel’ – God with us. Now, if God is for us, who is gainst us? If God is with us, what glory and what joy are ours even now!

(c) The transformation of suffering. The ugly chrysalis is a necessary stage in the production of the beautiful butterfly. So God has considered it best to carry out his plan for us largely by transforming affliction and weakness into things of lasting beauty and abundant usefulness. This was supremely true of Christ himself, of course, whose apparently tragic death was in reality God’s greatest victory. Cf. Jas 1:2.

Luke 2:20  The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

Luke 2:21  On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise him, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he had been conceived.

Lu 2:22 When the time of their purification according to the Law of Moses had been completed, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord

Their purification – Contrary to the opinion of some critics, Luke is well-informed about Jewish customs. Here, ‘in accommodation to Hellenistic idiom, he has spoken loosely of a purification that pertained only to Mary, as “their purification”.’ (WBC)

According to the Law of Moses – The full conformity of Jesus to the Law is asserted in Ga 4:4. Note the repeated references to the Law in v 23, v24, v27.

Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem – ‘Lev 12 required that a Jewish woman who gave birth to a son should forty days after the birth go to Jerusalem and offer for the purposes of ritual purification two sacrifices in the temple. In the case of a firstborn son there was also a requirement that he be acknowledged as belonging to the Lord in a special way. {Ex 13:2,12,15} In fact the child had to be redeemed by the payment of a fee of five shekels. {Nu 18:15-16} Though this payment could be made anywhere in the land, the ideal was to present the child at the temple. {Ne 10:35-36} And when this was done, the purification and presentation would be done together. To use two turtledoves or young pigeons for the sacrifice instead of the usual lamb and one turtledove or pigeon was actually a concession for poor folk.’ {Le 12:8} (WBC)

Jerusalem – a distance of 5 miles from Bethlehem. ‘Luke is making it clear that Jesus’ parents are not spiritual renegades, but Jews who are sensitive and faithful to the Mosaic law-a point reinforced in Lu 2:40-52, when they will make their customary annual pilgrimage to Jerusalem.’ (IVP NT Commentary)

When Jesus died on the cross of Calvary, it was an act not only of the greatest love, but also of the deepest humility, Php 2:8. Yet at the very moment of his death, when evil seemed to have triumphed, and grace defeated, God gave three reminders of the true character and achievement of Christ, the Son of God. There was a supernatural darkness, the curtain of the temple ripped in two from top to bottom, and, strangest of all, the earth shook, and the rocks split, and the tombs were opened and the bodies of many holy people were raised to life, and appeared in Jerusalem after Jesus’ resurrection.

The fact is that every time we read in the Gospels of some new aspect of our Lord’s humiliation in his human state, we tend to find some reminder of his majesty as the Son of God. When he was born of a poor maiden in Bethlehem, angels announced it in glorious song. When he was hungry and tempted in the desert, angels ministered to him. When he submitted to baptism, a voice from heaven attested his sonship. When in agony in the garden of Gethsemane, once again, he was supernaturally strengthened. When his lifeless body was laid in the tomb, angels watched over it, and heralded its rising. And here: when his mother could only bring a poor woman’s offering to the temple, we find two aged but remarkable witnesses to the true character and greatness of Mary’s first-born son.

Purification – Levitical law stated that after the birth of a son a woman was unclean for the 7 days leading to the circumcision, and must keep away from holy things for a further 33 days (double these for a daughter). See Le 12:1-5. Medical science generally only discovered the importance of hygiene in relation to childbirth in the 19th century. The purification concluded with a sacrifice, v24, which the mother would bring to the priest at the door of the sanctuary.

The presentation harks back to the Exodus, when the Lord spared the first-born of the Israelites when he slew the first-born of the Egyptians. The first-born thus spared would be required to serve the Lord in a special way, but this function was taken over by the tribe of Levi. The first-born of the other tribes were effectively bought back from the service of the Lord by a payment of a ransom of five shekels, Ex 13:1-2 11-15 Nu 3:11-13,41, 44f, 47-51, 18:16.

A leading theme of this passage is the fulfilment of the Law and the prophets by Jesus. The whole of the OT was a preparation for the coming of Christ; and when he came, the old order was not pushed aside, but cherished, obeyed, and fulfilled. Duty, responsibility, and obedience are not highly valued in our day; but here we have an example in the behaviour of Jesus’ parents, an example which he continued throughout his earthly life, Mt 3:15 5:17 Ro 5:19 Ga 4:4 1Pe 2:21.

Lu 2:23 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord”),

“Every firstborn male…” – A rough quotation, taking in Ex 13:2 12 15 Nu 18:15.

Lu 2:24 and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.”

The required sacrifice, Le 12:6 ff, was a lamb and a dove or pigeon. A second dove or pigeon was allowed instead of the lamb in the case of the poor, and this is the case here.

We do well to remember that Jesus was raised in a poor family, eating the food of the poor, wearing the clothes of the poor, and doing the work of the poor. See 2Co 8:9. Such was is his humility, and such his insight into the needs and worries of the poor.

Lu 2:25 Now1 there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.

Simeon – he is often assumed to have been an old man (tradition says that he was 113). But there is nothing here to indicate his age.

Righteous – upright in character, describing his character towards man. The discription is earlier applied to Zechariah and Elizabeth, 1:6, and later to Joseph of Arimathea, 23:50, and to Cornelius, Ac 10:22.

Devout – This word is used only by Luke, {Ac 2:5 8:2 22:12} ‘and belongs to the language of Hellenistic piety’ (WBC). Simeon was ‘careful about religious duties’, describing his character towards God. ‘All the persons surrounding Jesus at his birth have a heritage of devotion to God. The testimony to Jesus stands on the shoulders of a series of highly respectable figures.’ (IVP NT Commentary)

Waiting – Gk Prosdechmai = ‘I wait in order to welcome’. Cf. Lu 3:15

The consolation of Israel – the Messiah, whose coming was expected to be preceded by great woes and who would bring comfort after these. One traditional Jewish prayers is, “May I see the consolation of Israel!” Simeon was one of a small number (cf. 2:38) – including Mary, Elizabeth, and Anna, who kept this hope alive. Cf. the language of consolation in Isa 40:1 49:13 51:3 52:9 57:18 66:10-11, which is associated with the future restoration of God’s people. But how difficult it must have been to keep that hope alive, through four hundred years of spiritual famine!

The Holy Spirit was upon him – this seems to be a continuous presence, contrasting with the occasional endowments which were more usual in the old dispensation. Note, the fullness of the Spirit can lead to patient waiting, as well as energetic action.

‘Let us not fail to note that this was before the death and ascension of Christ, and the outpouring of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost. We must never forget that Old Testament saints were taught by the Holy Ghost as really as believers after the Gospel was set up, though not in such full measure.’ (Ryle)

Let us take hope from this story. The presence of Simeon in Jerusalem reminds us that there are faithful, godly people in the darkest of times. Faith was at a low ebb when Jesus was born. But still there were some like Simeon, perhaps unnoticed by the world, who were ‘righteous and devout’ and upon whom was the Holy Spirit. True believers may sometimes seem to be in a pitiful minority, but there will always be a Lot in Sodom, a Daniel in Babylon, a Jeremiah in Zedekiah’s court, and a Simeon in Jerusalem. Elijah thought that only he was left, but God still had 7,000 left in Israel, 1Ki 19:14.

Note well that whereas the birth of Jesus was welcomed by humble shepherds, and by the aged Simeon and Anna, it was rejected by the most powerful forces in Israel – Herod, the chief priests, and the scribes, Mt 2:3-4. Cf. 1Co 1:26.

The Christian life involves waiting as well as working. We, like Simeon, are called to live godly lives while we ‘wait’ (same Gk word) for our Lord’s return, Tit 2:12-13.

“Now:” Simeon, Lu 2:22-38

When Jesus the Christ laid down his life at Calvary, it was an act not only of supreme love, but also of deepest humility. The Son of God, who had lowered himself to become a human being, descended still further to submit to death, even the brutal, shameful, accursed death of crucifixion.

Yet even while the Son was being executed, there was dramatic evidence that this was no ordinary man, and this was no ordinary death. For there was a supernatural darkness over the whole land; a tearing of the curtain of the temple from top to bottom; and – strangest of all – the2 earth shook and the rocks split. The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus’ resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people.

As it was at the end of Jesus earthly life, so it had been at its beginning. The heavenly Father chose some interesting ways to witness to the fact that this was no ordinary child, and this was no ordinary birth. Angels heralded his coming. Shepherds came and worshiped him. Magi brought him precious gifts. And, in this passage, we learn of two more testimonies to the fact that Marys son was none other that longed-for Messiah, the Saviour of the world.

The place is the temple in Jerusalem. The time is forty days after Jesus birth. The occasion is the consecration of Jesus, and the offering of a sacrifice in accordance with the ancient laws of Israel. For a few brief moments the spotlight falls on two people: a man named Simeon, and an elderly woman, Anna by name. Anna is a wonderful example of joyfulness and hopefulness in old age. But I would like you particularly to meet Simeon, and to learn about his witness to the infant Saviour.

1. THE PERSON HE WAS, v25. We are not told that he was of royal descent, like Joseph and Mary. Nor are we informed that he was a member of a priestly family, as both Zechariah and Elizabeth were. Nor was he a Pharisee, or a teacher of the law. He was, to all appearances, quite ordinary. There was nothing to make him stand out in a crowd. But there was this about him: he was righteous and devout. Folks, if you and I cannot excel in anything else, let us strive to excel in righteousness and devoutness. Such qualities may be cheap in the eyes of the world, but they are precious in Gods sight. And there was something else about Simeon: he had been waiting patiently for the3 consolation of Israel – for Christs coming. And we are in a similar situation: we are waiting for Christs return. Those who joyfully look for our Lords second coming in glory have sometimes been sneered at as being too4 heavenly-minded to be any earthly good. But the truth is far otherwise, for in every age it has been precisely those who had the next world most clearly in view who have been of most use in this world. So it is no surprise to find it written in Scripture that we should live5 self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope-the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. {Tit 2:12f}

2. THE PROMISE HE HAD BEEN GIVEN, v26. It had been revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Messiah. How had this promise been given to him? We don’t know. When had this promise been given? We cannot tell. Maybe it had been a long time ago: in which case Simeons faith must have been sorely tested as he grew older and still had not seen the promise fulfilled. Do you ever feel that God has kept you waiting a long time, and your faith has been sorely tested? Remember Simeon. Be assured that God has never broken a single promise, even though he works to his own time-scale, and not our own. To those who feel desolate, God has promised, I6 will never leave you nor forsake you. To those who have been hurt by the evil and injustice of this present world, the Scripture states, according7 to his promise we wait for new heavens and new earth, in which righteousness dwells. For those who sometimes find it hard to believe that God is good, it stands written, He8 who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all, will he not also give us all things with him? Even in the long dark days of waiting, we can, like Simeon, put our trust in the God whose promises are secure, and whose word is for ever fixed in heaven.

3. THE PRAISE HE OFFERED, v28. There in the temple, among the thronging crowd, the Holy Spirit whispers in Simeons ear: Here9 is the promised one; this is what you have been longing for. And as the old man cradles Jesus in his arms, he looks down, and sees, not just a tiny, helpless baby, but the Lords Messiah, the Saviour of the world, the one who will bring light to the nations, and glory to Israel.

Let us take this to heart, if we are ever tempted to doubt in whom we have believed. Jesus is not just a pale Galilean, not some shadowy figure from the past, nor even a fine example of self-giving love. Christian, you hold in your heart what Simeon once held in his arms: Christ the Saviour. And as Simeon rejoiced, so can you. 1Pe 1:8, Though10 you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy.

4. THE PEACE HE EXPERIENCED, v29. The picture here is that of a watchman who has been keeping vigil through the long, dark night. But now the day has dawned, the shadows flee, and golden sunlight bathes the hills and floods the valleys, and the master dismisses the watchman from his duty. His waiting is ended; his work is done; he can rest in peace. Once again, we can apply this to ourselves. For the ungodly, the prospect of death holds many terrors, for deep down they know they must meet their Maker, and they know that they are unprepared. But those who, like Simeon, have met Christ, are ready to meet death. A godly person has peace with God, and is therefore prepared for the life to come. The apostle Paul was content to serve God in this life for as long as he was needed, but he added, I11 desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far.

5. THE PREDICTION HE UTTERED, v34f. This is in three parts. The first part of Simeon’s prediction is that this baby will be a stone: ‘This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel’. The proud will trip and fall over this stone, but the humble will climb on it and be lifted up. He will be a stumbling-block to some, but a stairway to others. But such is Gods grace, that some who fall, later rise. We think of Saul, who hated Christ and persecuted his followers, who later became Paul, the great apostle. We think of James, one of the Lords brothers, who did not believe in him during his earthly life, but who later became a pillar of the Christian church and possibly one of its first martyrs. There is hope for all.

The second part of Simeons prediction is that this baby will be a sign that will be spoken against. He will point the way back to God, yet he will be hated for it. He will be the light of the world, yet the world will receive him not. He will be despised and rejected by men. This reminds us that the gospel will always attract opposition in some quarters. We are sometimes tempted to imagine that if only we can make our evangelism more user-friendly, our outreach more seeker-sensitive; if only we can lower the cringe-factor and raise the entertainment-value, then people will find the Christian faith more attractive. But we are not able, by our own efforts, to remove peoples opposition to the gospel, and we have no right to make the Christian message less offensive to the natural man than it actually is. When all has been done that it is proper to do to make our witness lively and interesting and relevant, we should remember that it is our job to present the gospel as it really is, not as people would like it to be. Remember Peter was told by Jesus to feed12 my sheep; not to entertain13 the goats.

The third part of Simeons prediction is that this baby will bring a sword; a sword which will pierce Marys heart. She will be touched by his suffering, and will bear something of his reproach. What a prospect for a new mother to ponder! This is a reminder to us that the Christian life is not a bed of roses; there is a cross to be carried as well as a crown to be worn. But let us remember too that there is ample compensation for the severest of trials. For14 our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.

And then, with a brief reference to the joyful witness of Anna, the scene fades. Before long, no doubt, Simeon and Anna went the way of all flesh, and were laid to rest, the one as full of joy as the other was of peace. And as for the baby about whom they had spoken so movingly, he became a child, and the child became a man. He became a preacher and a teacher, a healer of the sick and the bringer of the kingdom of God. He fulfilled all the expectations of those two saints of God. He brought consolation to Israel and redemption to Jerusalem, but he also became a sign that was spoken against, because men loved the darkness more than the light.

And when they had nailed him to the cross of Calvary, there was a supernatural darkness over all the land, and the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom, and the15 earth shook and the rocks split. The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus’ resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people. And I wonder – could it be? – were Simeon and Anna among those who were temporarily brought back to life, witnessing to our Lords triumph over death just as they had witnessed to his incarnation? I dont know.

But I do know this: that Simeon and Anna will rise, along with all Gods people, on that resurrection morning when the Lord’s Christ returns in glory. Perhaps we shall even have the opportunity to meet them, and to say ‘thankyou’: thankyou for encouraging us to believe that we have a work to do for God however young or old we may be; thankyou for showing us how to be hopeful in a world which sees little reason for hope; thankyou for reminding us that the child in the manger is divine; that the man Christ Jesus is God in human form, that he is the hope of Israel, and the Saviour of the world. May God help us to put our trust in him, to love and serve him, and to witness to him, just as Simeon and Anna did all those years ago.

Lu 2:26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.

It had been revealed – indicates divine action, as in Ac 10:22. How revealed? We cannot tell. But here is a reminder that whenever Jesus draws near, unexpected, remarkable, miraculous things tend to occur. When? We do not know. It may have been a long time before: in which case, his faith must have been sorely tried as he grew older and frailer and still had not seen the fulfilment of the promise.

He would not die before he had seen… – lit. ‘he would not see death before he had seen.’ How the sight of Christ changes our view of death!

The Lord’s Christ – the Messiah. See Lu 2:11.

Lu 2:27 Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required,

Moved by the Spirit – lit. ‘in the Spirit’, cf. Re 1:10 “Go into the temple courts now,” whispered the Holy Spirit, “and you will see what you have longed for and prayed for.” The same Spirit who had sustained his hope, now gave him joy in seeing his hope fulfilled. Taught by Spirit of God, he knows that no matter how poor the parents, no matter how humble the circumstances, here is the Lord’s Messiah.

The parents – There is no need to suppose that Luke has forgotten what he has already told us about the virgin birth; nor that he is using a source which is ignorant of that fact. He is simply referring to Mary and Joseph in their legal function and character.

To do for him what the…Law required – offering five sheckels to redeem the first-born, Nu 18:15-16.

Lu 2:28 Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:

Took him in his arms – This is thought to be a priestly action (cf. also the ‘blessing’, v34). But it is also a mark of great affection. He holds in his arms a tiny, helpless, infant. But by faith he knows that he holds in his arms the Lord’s Messiah, the Consolation of Israel, the Saviour of the world. Take note of this, when tempted to doubt whom you have trusted. Not just a pale Galilean, a shadowy figure from the past, the object of so much neglect, contempt and ridicule. You hold in your heart the same Jesus the Simeon held in his arms.

Praised God – To hold Jesus in the arms prompts joyful praise and thanksgiving. How much more then he is held lovingly in our hearts, 1Pe 1:8.

Lu 2:29 “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace.”

The prayer is referred to in Latin as the ‘Nunc Dimittis’. In it, he praises God for what the birth of the Messiah means both for himself and the world.

“Sovereign Lord” – Gk ‘despotes’, as in Ac 4:24.

“As you have promised” – and Simeon had nothing else to support him in his hope save the promises of God. But God is always as good as his word. Not one of his promises will fails, despite any appearances to the contrary.

‘Now’ – he is ready to die in peace now that he has seen the baby who will, in time, bring God’s salvation. This readiness to die suggests (although does not prove) that Simeon was an old man).

“Dismiss” – or, ‘release’: a euphemism for death, in the sense of being released from the troubles of life. Like a faithful watchman, he has been keeping his vigil through the long dark night. Now the day has dawned, and his master dismisses him now that his task is done.

“Servant” – or, ’slave’. The idea is that of the ‘Sovereign Lord’ now setting his servant free.

‘In peace’ – cf. Ge 15:15. Such is the death of a godly person. He has peace with his conscience, and so can bid farewell to his affairs in this world. He has peace with God, and so is prepared to enter the life to come. Death for such a person is ‘gain’, Php 1:21.

Notice how unafraid Simeon is of death. His life’s work is now complete, and he knows where he is going. Death for him will be a change for the better. We too can have the same attitude. We can know that when our working and waiting here are over, we can depart in peace and go to a better land. Faith in Christ removes the sting of death, and holds out a glorious prospect. ‘Those who have welcomed Christ may welcome death’ (Henry).

Lu 2:30 For my eyes have seen your salvation,

“My eyes have seen your salvation” – This statement is an act of pure faith. Simeon looks at the baby in his arms and sees – salvation. And how many saw Jesus, as a child, and as a man, and failed to see in him God’s salvation? And so it is today.

“Salvation” – The underlying word is used only here, and in Lu 3:6 Ac 28:28; and Eph 6:17.

God reveals such things, not to the strong and proud, but to the humble and poor, cf. Mt 11:25-26.

‘Those, and those only, can with courage see death, and look it in the face without terror, that have had by faith a sight of Christ.’ (Henry)

Lu 2:31 which you have prepared in the sight of all people,

“All people” – ‘all peoples’, cf. v32. Cf. also Isa 52:10. Perhaps refers to the two groups mentioned in the next verse: the Gentiles and Israel.The universal scope of Christ’s salvation will be made yet more explicit in v32. The old man gazes down at the child in his arms and sees in him not just the answer to the hopes of the faithful few; not even the deliverance of a nation, but world-wide salvation.

Lu 2:32 “a light feor revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.”

“A light” – Cf. Isa 9:2. Also Isa 49:1-26 9:6,7 Ps 98:3 Mal 4:2.

‘Glory for…Israel,’ but ‘light for revelation to the Gentiles’ recognizes that the Gentiles come to the light from pagan darkness while Israel is already God’s People and by God’s gracious commitment destined for glory…The setting of Jews and Gentiles in parallel here corresponds to the pattern Luke develops in Acts where Jews and Gentiles are seen as parallel beneficiaries of that salvation which is offered in the name of Jesus {Ac 9:15 11:15,18,20 14:1 15:9,16-18 18:4 19:10,17 26:18,23;…The Jews have priority, but salvation is there just as much for Gentile as for Jew.’ (WBC}

“Revelation to the Gentiles” – ‘The Jews were well acquainted with the Old Testament prophecies that spoke of the Messiah’s blessings to their nation. They did not always give equal attention to the prophecies saying that he would bring salvation to the entire world, not just the Jews (see, for example, Isa 49:6). Many thought that Christ had come to save only his own people. Luke made sure his Greek audience understood that Christ had come to save all who believe, Gentiles as well as Jews.’ (Handbook of Bible Application)

Lu 2:33 The child’s father and mother marveled at what was said about him.

The child’s father and mother marveled – They had been told the good tidings by the angels; they knew of Jesus’ supernatural conception; they had heard the words of the shepherds. But they could not yet fully grasp the significance of what was happening. This makes Simeon’s faith even more remarkable.

Lu 2:34 Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against,”

Simeon blessed them – This may be a priestly blessing (see on v28, cf. also 1Sa 2:20).

“Falling and rising” – Jesus is a rock which may be used either as a stumbling-block or a stairway. Those who proudly reject him will trip over and fall, Isa 8:14-15. Those who humbly accept him will be lifted up, 1Co 1:23 2Co 2:16 1Pe 2:7-8. Jesus is the watershed of the Jewish nation, and through them of the human race. There is no neutral ground. Yet some who at first rejected, persecuted, and reviled him later repented and believed. Such were some of Jesus’ brothers, like James, and such also was Paul.

“Rising” – used exclusively of resurrection elswhere in the NT.

“A sign that will be spoken against” – he will point people to God, yet he (and his followers) will be hated for it, Isa 53:3. Why should he be spoken against? Because men love the darkness and hate the light, Joh 3:19. Christ and his cause will always slandered by some, and it is foolish to imagine that we can arrange things (e.g. our worship and outreach) so that this will not be so.

The old man with the baby in his arms sees both the salvation he will bring, but also the rejection.

Lu 2:35 “so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.”

“The thoughts of many hearts will be revealed” – “Thoughts” – all 13 instances in the NT refer to hostile, doubting or vain thoughts. Used elsewhere in Luke exclusively of those whose thoughts were hostile or questioning towards Jesus. Our attitude to Jesus and his suffering declares what we really are. The gospel brings to light our true character. It brings to the surface the enmity to God of some and the spiritual hunger of others.

“A sword” – Mary’s heart will be pierced by the death of her son, Joh 19:25-27. She will be touched by his suffering, and will bear something of his reproach. What a prospect for a new mother to ponder! Let us remember that the Christian life is not a bed of roses. It is foolish and pointless to devise ways of presenting the gospel which will cause no offense. Indeed, when we have a message which causes no offence we will know that we have forsaken the truth of God.

Lu 2:36 There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage,

A second godly person is led by God to the child in the temple. She is Anna. There are said to be 43 references to women in Luke’s Gospel.

Anna – means ‘grace’.

Prophetess – the only woman referred to in the NT as such. {cp Re 2:20} However, there were other women who prophesied, Ac 2:17 21:9; cf 1Co 11:5. OT examples include Miriam, Deborah, Huldah, and Isaiah’s wife.

She was very old – yet had never lost her hope in the Messiah. In Jewish society, older people were respected. Our culture of course, values the energy and beauty of youthfulness over the wisdom and experience of old age. In Jewish society, however, older people were treated with much more respect and dignity. There is strong biblical teaching on old age, which we would all do well to heed. It is sometimes said that children are the church of tomorrow, and it might be supposed that old folk are the church of yesterday. But, all, of whatever age, make up the church of today. In what ways can we recognise this in our own church? God’s plan is for life-long growth in the spiritual life, see Ps 73:26 Pr 4:18.

Lu 2:37 and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying.

A widow until she was eighty-four – Married for seven short years, she remained a widow for the rest of her long life. She knew years of loneliness and sadness. Did Paul have Anna in mind in 1Ti 5:5?

‘Jewish and Greco-Roman culture often viewed widows who never remarried as pious and faithful. Judith, a famous widow in Jewish tradition, was said to have lived as a widow till her death at 105. If one adds the two numbers given in the text here, seven and eighty-four (taking eighty-four as the length of Anna’s widowhood rather than her age), and she was married at the common age of fourteen, one could see her as 105 also.’ (NT Background Commentary)

‘She had known sorrow and she had not grown bitter. Sorrow can do one of two things to us. It can make us hard, bitter, resentful, rebellious against God. Or it can make us kinder, softer, more sympathetic. It can despoil us of our faith; or it can root faith ever deeper. It all depends how we think of God. If we think of him as a tyrant we will resent him. If we think of him as Father we too will be sure that “A Father’s hand will never cause his child a needless tear.”‘ (DSB)

She never left the temple… – This may well be taken figuratively; as we might say, ‘She was always there.’ Anna was deeply devoted to the things of God, and gave her time and energy to them. God speaks to, and through, such people.

Fasting and praying – in Anna’s case, these were not done for show, as with so many, but from the heart, cf Mr 2:18. The same act of devotion can be good or evil, depending on the attitude of the heart which performs it. As far as Anna was concerned, in her heart she cherished the hope of redemption which strengthened her in all her trials.

Lu 2:38 Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.

At that very moment – ‘Anna is now at length abundantly recompensed for her attendance so many years in the temple.’ Because she was there all the time, she was there at the right time.

Spoke about the child – ‘Spoke’ – the tense in imperfect = ‘kept speaking’. Her eyes, too, were opened to the fact that this child was the Christ. And she couldn’t keep quiet about it. To all who had been longing for the coming of the Messiah, she proclaimed that God’s redemption had come; that in this baby were wrapped up all their hopes and expectations. Those whose hearts are full of Christ will find it hard to refrain from speaking about him as Anna did.

Before long, no doubt, Simeon, who was so ready to die, and Anna, who was so old and frail, were laid to rest. And the years rolled by and the baby became a child, and the child became a man, and fulfilled in every respect the prophecies that had been spoken at the time of his birth. And those who hated the light put him to death on the cross of Calvary. And as he died, there was a supernatural darkness over the land; and the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth shook, and the rocks split, and the tombs were opened. And I just wonder – could it be? That Simeon and Anna were given one more opportunity to witness to the Christ they had watched and waited for so long, who had now completed the work

Until then, let us, with Simeon and Anna, watch, and wait, and work, and pray, in joyful expectation of a Saviour who will return, not as a child in a manger, but as King of king and Lord of lords.

To all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem – ‘The seemingly hopeless exile of her own tribe, the political state of Judaea, the condition-social, moral, and religious-of her own Jerusalem: all kindled in her, as in those who were like-minded, deep, earnest longing for the time of promised “redemption.”‘ (Edersheim)

Luke 2:39  When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth.

Lu 2:40 And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him.

THE CHILDHOOD OF JESUS, vv40-52

These verses tell us all that we know about Jesus’ childhood. How we would love to know more about the events surrounding his childhood, and his family life in Nazareth!

Cf 1Sa 2:26.

Lu 2:41 Every year his parents went to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Passover.

Scripture draws a veil over many aspects of the earthly life of Jesus. The apostolic teaching about Jesus centred principally on his public ministry. Only gradually did a few details emerge concerning his birth and upbringing; and these would have come chiefly from Mary. Of course, this reserve was not sufficient for those with over-vivid imaginations, hence the plethora of silly stories about Jesus’ childhood which found their way into the apocryphal Gospels.

Every year his parents went to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Passover – The law required adult males (who were usually accompanied by their families) to attend three feasts: Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles. Distance might prevent attendance at all three, but most would manage to be present at the Passover.

The Passover commemorated the night of the Israelites’ escape from Egypt, when the angel of God passed over the Israelite homes but killed the Egyptian firstborn, Ex 12:21-36.

Such a visit to Jerusalem would have stirred the heart of any faithful Jew. Jerusalem was the city of their God, and the city of their fathers. Through its gates had passed priests, prophets, and kings. Ps 87:5-7 122:1-5. The festive company from Nazareth would have been swelled by those from other places, all singing the ‘Songs of Ascents’, Ps 120-134.

Lu 2:42 When he was twelve years old, they went up to the Feast, according to the custom.

When he was twelve years old – It was at the age of thirteen that a boy could become a ‘bar-mitzvah’ – ‘a son of the law’, that is, a full member of the synagogue. Some preparation for this would have taken place during the visits of the previous year or two.

We might well ask, with Hendriksen, ‘What can be done today to help children assume their covenant obligations?’

The approach to the temple would have been stunningly magnificent. The temple was a symmetrically proportioned edifice, on the crest of a hill. It occupied a square each side of which was almost 1,000 feet. It could hold over 200,000 people. Its lofty walls were pierced by eight gates. Within the walls ran covered colannades, or porches. Various towers soared high, including the ‘pinnacle’ mentioned in the temptation narrative. Passing out of the colonnades, you came into the court of the Gentiles, containing a market for the sale of animals for sacrifice, and the money-changers tables. Steps led beyond this to the wall of the temple-buildings proper, with their massive gates. The most splendid of these was the ‘beautiful’ gate, Ac 3:2. This gate led to the ‘court of the women’, upwards from which was the Upper Court, and beyond this again the Sanctuary itself. The Sanctuary was divided into two parts, the Holy Place, with the golden candlestick, table of shewbread, and the golden altar of incense, and the Most Holy Place, which was empty, save for a piece of rock, the Foundation Stone.

Lu 2:43 After the Feast was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it.

They returned – as we must all return from the joyful service of God in the sanctuary to the more mundane duties of our daily lives. But ‘let him who neglects the one, on pretext of attending to the other, ponder this scene. Work and Worship serve to relieve each other, and beautifully alternate.’ (JFB)

The boy Jesus lingered behind in Jerusalem – People would often travel to the festivals in caravans, for protection against robbers. Women and children would be at the front, and the men at the back. A twelve-year-old boy was regarded as almost an adult, and might have been with either group. Mary and Joseph may each have assumed he was with the other. But, in fact, Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, engrossed in conversation with the rabbis.

‘What can be done today to make young people so enthralled with their religion that it captivates them and makes them active for Christ?’ (Hendriksen)

Luke 2:44  Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends.

Luke 2:45  When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him.

Lu 2:46 After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.

After three days – That is, three days after first missing him. One day leaving, one day returning, and one searching, Jerusalem.

Listening to them and asking them questions – The educational approach of the day favoured the question-and-answer method of discussion. Such an approach has its place today, as a valuable adjunct to more didactic teaching. We can well imagine that there was far more substance in his questions than in many of their answers. Think of the many profound questions Jesus asked during his public ministry, and think too of the answers he himself gave to the questions of others.

In the temple – That is, the temple courts, famous as a place of learning. Paul, too, would study in Jerusalem, under Gamaliel, and would have frequented the temple courts. At the time of the Passover, the greatest of the rabbis would assemble there and have learned discussions. In these discussions they would often return to the theme of the long-expected Messiah. Or, they would discuss questions concerning the Passover itself.

The teachers – the rabbis, experts in the Jewish law.

Luke 2:47  Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers.

Lu 2:48 When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.”

“Why have you treated us like this?” – What parent does not understand the mixture of reproach and relief in this response!

Lu 2:49 “Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?”

Here we have the first recorded words of Jesus. The ‘you’ is plural: Jesus is addressing both parents.

“Did you not know…?” – Mary might have been expected to know if, as Edersheim suggests, she had used the occasion of this visit to the temple to tell her son about the events surrounding his first visit.

“Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” – or, “Did you not know that I must be about my father’s business?” The reference in the original is to Gk. idios – “My Father’s things.” The issue was not so much what Jesus was doing, as where he had been. At the age of twelve, Jesus already had a consciousness of his unique relationship with God. In this reply, there is a clear acknowledgement of who he is, and what he must do. But he maintained his obedience to his earthly parents, v51.

“I must…” suggests the strong motivation, the inner compulsion which drove Jesus all his life. See Lu 4:43 9:22 13:33 19:5 24:7 22:37 24:26,44. There is a divine decree behind this, 22:22; Acts 2:23, which which our Lord fully and joyfully complied.

‘Already at the age of 12 Jesus was both speaking of God as “my Father” and also feeling in inward compulsion to occupy himself with his Father’s affairs.  He knew he had a mission.  His Father had sent him into the world for a purpose.  This mission he must perform; this purpose he must fulfil.  What these were emerges gradually in the narrative of the Gospels.’ (Stott, The Cross of Christ, 25)

Luke 2:50  But they did not understand what he was saying to them.

Lu 2:51 Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart.

Obedient to them – ‘Thirty years of our Lord’s life are hidden in these words of the gospel: “He was subject unto them.”‘ (Bossuet) And this, even though he was aware of his own divine sonship, and aware too of his parents’ failure to understand him. There is an important reminder here of obedience to parents, which modern families would do well to note. True godliness does not despise human relationships or family responsibilities. We should not let our devotion to God’s work undermine our commitment to our families.

His mother treasured all these things in her heart – cf. Lu 2:19. Mary remembered, and treasured, these things, although she did not fully understand them. It was this enabled her to relate her experiences to others, including Luke (probably). Here we are reminded of the importance of prayerful meditation.

Lu 2:52 And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.

Jesus grew in wisdom… – Although he was the Son of God, there is no indication that he possessed all knowledge and wisdom from birth (on this, see Mr 13:32). He had an essentially normal upbringing and education. In a Jewish village such as Nazareth there would have been a school called ‘the House of the Book’. Here, a Jesus would have been sent at the age of six to be taught by the rulers of the synagogue. For five years the children were taught the Scriptures, especially the Pentateuch, memorising it until (in the words of Josephus) they knew it better than their own name. The first book to be studied was Leviticus. What would have been the thoughts of this eager young scholar as he read of the sacrifice which forshadowed that of the Lamb of God? Unlike Paul, Jesus did not have a university education; yet his wisdom and understanding created a stir now and later, Joh 7:15.

…and stature – The considerable physical endurance he showed later was no doubt built on the foundation of an energetic youth. His voice must have been rich and clear, in order to reach the ears of the multitudes who came to hear him teach. Although his facial appearance is never described, it would have been most attractive, if we are to take Ps 45:2 as our guide.

…in favour with God – So much so, that at the very outset of his public ministry, God can declare, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

A similar description of development and maturation is given of John, 1:80, but without the reference to Favour…with man. Perhaps this reflects a fundamental difference in personality. Jesus’ character was sociable and out-going, whereas John was too stern to be popular. Jesus’ example in this respect is notable. Godliness is by no means inconsistent with courtesy and human warmth.

Note Jesus’ all-round development – intellectual, physical, spiritual and social. A fully human life is balanced and rounded.

And this full and harmonious upbringing comes to rich fruition in his teaching. ‘The most superficial perusal of the teaching of Christ must convince how deeply sympathetic he was with nature, and how keenly observant of man. Here there is no contrast between love of the country and the habits of city life; and two are found side by side. On his lonely walks he must have had an eye for the beauty of the lilies of the field, and thought of it, how the birds of the air received their food from an Unseen Hand, and with what maternal affection the hen gathered her chickens under her wing. He had watched the sower or the vinedresser as he went forth to his labour, and read the teaching of the tares which sprang up among the wheat. To him the vocation of the shepherd must have been full of meaning, as he led, and fed, and watched his flock, spoke to his sheep with well-known voice, brought them to the fold, or followed, and tenderly carried back, those that had strayed, ever ready to defend them, even at the cost of his own life. Nay, he even seems to have watched the habits of the fox in its secret lair. But he also equally knew the joys, the sorrows, the wants and sufferings of the busy multitude. The play in the market, the marriage processions, the funeral rites, the wrongs of injustice and oppression, the urgent harshness of the creditor, the bonds and prison of the debtor, the palaces and luxury of princes and courtiers, the self-indulgence of the rich, the avarice of the covetous, and exactions of the tax-gatherer, and the oppression of the widow by unjust judges, had all made an indelible impression on his mind.’ (Edersheim)

A further eighteen years elapsed before the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry. As the oldest son, he would have had considerable responsibility in the family and with his father’s trade, Mr 6:3 Mt 13:55. It may be the Joseph died at some point during this period, since we do not meet him again. If this is the case, Jesus would have taken a leading role in providing for the family. He was well acquainted with the joys and trials of family and working life.

Cf 1Sa 2:26 Pr 3:3-4.