Luke 2, Part Two

The circumcision and presentation of Jesus (vs. 21-24)—As we saw with John the Baptist, the Law of Moses required each male to be circumcised. There were other necessities as well for the firstborn son, and Luke records them here. Purification of the female after birth (v. 22) took place on the fortieth day in the case of males, and eightieth if the child was a female (Lev. 12:1-5). Until that time was fulfilled, the mother was not permitted to go to the temple, or take part in any public service. Once those days were completed, the child was brought to the temple. The firstborn male belonged to the Lord; if it were an animal, it was sacrificed, but the firstborn son was to be redeemed for five shekels (Lev. 27:6). A sacrifice was also to be made. The required offering was a yearling lamb for a burnt offering and a young pigeon (or turtledove) for a sin offering, but if the family were poor, doves or pigeons could be substituted for the lamb (Lev. 12:6-8). Joseph and Mary brought the latter sacrifice, which indicates the poverty into which Jesus was born.

The hymn of Simeon (vs. 25-35)—There was an old man in Jerusalem named Simeon, a devout man—“the Holy Spirit was upon him” (v. 25). The Spirit had promised him that he would not die until he saw the Messiah (v. 26). He came into the temple, apparently by the direction of the Spirit (v. 27), and saw the child Jesus. Somehow Simeon knew this one the one, “received him into his arms, and blessed God" (v. 28). He sung a brief song, which has been called the Nunc Dimittis, which, in Latin, constitute the first two words of the song. He thanks God, because “my eyes have seen Your salvation which You have prepared before the face of all peoples” (v. 31), and then says something he himself probably didn’t understand: “a light to bring revelation to the Gentiles” (v. 32). Not many Jews understood that salvation was to come to the Gentiles as well. The Old Testament was full of such references, but so stubborn, self-absorbed, and arrogant were the Jews that they believed salvation could only come to them. It is a narcissism they haven’t rejected to this very day. Simeon then spoke to Mary about the future of her son: “this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel” (v. 34). He would be great, but He would also cause much division among the Jewish people.

The blessing of Anna (vs. 36-39)—There was an old lady, “who did not depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day” (v. 37). Her name was Anna, and she was from the tribe of Asher, one of the ten northern tribes who had been scattered at the Assyrian captivity (vs. 36-37). She was 84 years old, and had been married for only seven years before her husband had died; the fact that she had remained unmarried for a long time was considered especially honorable and praiseworthy. Given her current age, she would have been about 24 years old when Pompey conquered Palestine for the Romans in 63 AD. She had some kind of prophetic talent, which we may suppose secured for her a modest living in one of the temple chambers. We don’t know the frequency of her fastings, but the Pharisees had introduced the custom of fasting twice a week to commemorate the days when Moses supposedly ascended and descended Mount Sinai, viz., Monday and Thursday. Where they got that information is wholly unknown; one suspects they made it up. Regardless, Anna saw the baby Jesus, “gave thanks to the Lord, and spoke of Him to all those who looked for redemption in Jerusalem” (v. 38).

Jesus as a youth (vs. 39-51)—Once all this activity in the temple was completed, Joseph and Mary returned to Nazareth. Jesus “grew”, “became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon Him” (v. 40). Not that He had sinned and needed that sort of grace; simply His Father’s blessings and kindness accompanied Him.

The next incident is the only one recorded in the gospels from Jesus’ birth to the beginning of His ministry. He was 12 years old, and his parents went to Jerusalem for the Passover feast (v. 42), which they did every year (v. 41). Men were required to go, but women were not. However, a great Jewish rabbi named Hillel, who lived 120 years (from 110 B.C. to 10 A.D.), recommended that the women go as well, so it was an esteemed practice by Jesus’ day. The feast lasted eight days, and when it was over, they headed home, but Jesus had remained behind in Jerusalem (v. 43), perhaps to take advantage of learning from the great teachers who would have been there at the time. Regardless, his parents were unaware, for over a day, that He was not with them (v. 44). This either speaks of parental negligence (not likely), or their confidence in the boy Jesus, that He would be somewhere among the company of travelers. Jews going to and from these festivals, especially from long distances like Nazareth, traveled in caravans for pleasure and safety. So there probably would have been a large number, including “kinsfolk and acquaintance(s)” (v. 44) in the procession and Jesus was not missed until camp was made the first night. Not finding Him no doubt created some angst in His parents, so they returned to Jerusalem to find Him (v. 46). On the third day, they located Him in the temple, listening to, asking questions, and answering the teachers who were there. “All that heard him were astonished” at His precociousness. Mary and Joseph were probably as amazed as anyone else, but not surprisingly, were more concerned with His well-being and actions: “Son, why have You done this to us? Look, Your father and I have sought You anxiously" (v. 49). Jesus’ answer appears to have been a mild rebuke: “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father's business?" (v. 49). The ASV has “in my Father’s house.” The Greek is, literally, “in the things of My Father.” The point being, after all Mary and Joseph had seen of Him, why should they be surprised that He was in the temple, involved in spiritual matters? They knew He was a special child; what He was doing should not have disquieted them so much. His parents didn’t really understand (v. 50), but He went home with them and honored them, as the Law required (v. 51), His mother remembering so much of all this, as mothers are wont to do. Indeed, it is entirely possible that Mary was the (human) source of this story used by Luke. Over the years He “increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men” (v. 52). And, again, that is all we know of the youth of Jesus of Nazareth.