Introduction
We often overlook the presentation of Jesus at the Temple in Luke’s Gospel. During the seasons of Advent and Christmas, people turn to the the angels’ announcement and the shepherds’ amazement. We love to hear the songs of Mary, Zechariah, the angels, and Simeon. However, we tend to focus our attention on the beginning of Luke 2. We tend to stop after the angels say, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”
I do not blame people for spending their Christmas mornings reading this passage. These words are glorious! However, later in Luke 2, there is another glorious statement. This is not an announcement by angels of the Lord’s coming. Instead, it comes from Simeon, a man who sees the baby Jesus when his parents present him at the Temple.
Before we get to Simeon’s song of celebration, we need to look at the event that precedes his song: the presentation of Jesus at the Temple.
The Presentation of Jesus at the Temple
Luke 2:21-24 says, “And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
And when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it was written in the Law of the Lord, ‘Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord’) and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, ‘a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.’”
Four things occur in these verses: 1) circumcision and naming, 2) the purification, 3) the presenting of Jesus according to the custom of the Law, and 4) the offering.
Instead of dissecting each event, I want to point out that Jesus’ parents performed each action to fulfill the Mosaic Law.
Obeying the Law
Luke references the Law three times in these few verses. He calls it the “Law of Moses” in v. 22 and the “Law of the Lord” in vv. 23 and 24. Although Luke does not mention the Law in v. 21, Jesus’ circumcision corresponded to Leviticus 12:3.
Purification
Leviticus 12:22 lies behind the description of the purification. In that passage, we read that the mother of the male child is unclean for seven days. In addition, she was to abide by the cleanliness laws for thirty-three days following a son’s circumcision. Because Luke 2:22 informs us that it is the time of their purification, we can deduce that the days of isolation are over. Thus, Mary and Joseph bring a sacrifice to purify her.
Offering
The Law of Moses called for the offering to be a lamb and a turtle dove (Lev. 12:6). However, if the woman could not afford a year-old lamb, she could offer two turtledoves or two pigeons (Lev 12:8). It is this accommodation that Luke points out in v. 24 when describing the fulfillment of the Law. This action indicates the economic status of Joseph and Mary. Though they were not destitute (Joseph was a carpenter), they were not wealthy. However, even in their poverty, they were obedient to the Law.
Circumcision
Their obedience extended beyond Mary’s purification and Jesus’ circumcision. It also included the presentation of Jesus before the Lord. Luke writes, “They brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as is written in the Law of the Lord, ‘Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord’” (Luke 2:22-23). Luke is not quoting the Law directly in v. 23, but he is drawing upon the commands of Exodus 13:2 that directs the people to consecrate to God the firstborn son.
Naming
The final aspect of obedience we observe is not a direct passage of the Law. It is, however, in adherence to the word of God revealed. When Joseph and Mary presented Jesus for circumcision, they also gave him his name. Luke is explicit that he is named “Jesus” because this is “the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb” (Luke 2:21). This reminds us of the announcement the angel Gabriel made to Mary in Luke 1. Gabriel came as the spokesperson of God, speaking God’s will to Mary. Thus, when the angel says to name the child, “Jesus,” he is not commanding Mary by his authority but by the authority of the Lord God.
The significance of this is not simply that Mary and Joseph obeyed the Law. Rather, these scenes show us that even from his earliest days, Jesus kept the Law. This fact is important. For Jesus to be the salvation of God, the light of the nations, the one who will take his people’s sins on himself, Jesus had to be the perfect, spotless lamb. He would go to the cross and bear the sins of his people, taking their judgment on himself, and imputing his righteousness to them. For all this to happen, he had to be without fault and blameless before the Law. This passage shows us that reality.
To the first-century observer, Joseph and Mary’s actions were nothing out of the norm. All devout Jews would have their sons circumcised, would dedicate them to the Lord, and would go through the purification rituals. However, in Jesus’ case, these obedient actions resulted in extraordinary responses.
The Responses to the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple
Simeon’s Response to the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple
After Luke tells us that Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to the Temple courts, he introduces us to a new character, the man, Simeon. Luke does not give us much information about him. But he tells us that Simeon was righteous and devout and that Simeon had been waiting.
Later traditions speculated that he was a priest. However, the text never calls him one. And since the priest was a formal office within Israel, we would expect Luke to tell us so. It is better to understand him as a layman within Israel. Others have wondered if he was old. Luke records that he was “waiting for the consolation of Israel” (Luke 2:25), and Simeon says he can now “depart in peace” (Luke 2:29). That is a strange thing to say if he were still a young man. However, the passage does not indicate his age. All we know is that he was a devout man waiting expectantly for God to fulfill his promises.
The Promise to Simeon about the Messiah
Luke 2:25 calls the promise “the consolation of Israel.” This refers to the hope that God would one day deliver his people (cf. Isa 40:1; 49:13). Yet, there was a more specific promise directly to Simeon. Luke 2:26 says, “It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.”
We do not know how he received this communication. Perhaps he saw a vision. Or maybe God’s Spirit impressed this truth upon his spirit. We cannot say with certainty how Simeon received this revelation since Luke does not tell us the specifics. But we do know that he was waiting to see, with his own eyes, the Lord’s Messiah.
Waiting for the Messiah
There is no certainty about how long Simeon had been waiting. He did not know when he would see the child of promise. And waiting can be difficult.
Most people are not good at waiting. We like quick resolutions. We want things done fast. And while Simeon lived in a time when people likely had greater stamina for waiting, the pull of the promise would have been strong. Each morning, you might wonder, is today the day? At the sight of every child, you might ask, is this the one? After weeks, months, or years of not seeing the promise come to fruition, it would be easy to doubt. Maybe I had not understood what the Spirit communicated. Maybe I missed the Messiah because I was too busy with other things. Yet, God was faithful to his promise. As the holy family came to the Temple, Simeon saw the Messiah and held him in his arms.
Nunc Dimittis
Luke tells us that Simeon was led by the Spirit to the Temple. There would be no question about the identity of this child now. When he saw the baby Jesus, he took him in his arms and sang praise to God. We call this song of praise the Nunc Dimittis, which means, “Now you let depart,” a Latin translation of the first line of Simeon’s song. Simeon said, “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for the glory to your people Israel” (Luke 2:29-32).
What Simeon is singing is that his life is now complete. He can die in peace because he has seen the promised Messiah. He knows that salvation comes from this child: “for my eyes have seen your salvation” (Luke 2:30). Notice he did not say, “a” salvation, but, “your salvation.” He is speaking to God, so “your” refers to God. Simeon understands that through Jesus, all the promises of God about salvation are coming to fruition. This salvation is not merely for Israel but is “a light for revelation to the Gentiles” (Luke 2:32). This salvation would extend to the nations.
Rising and Falling
Simeon did not end his words with a song of praise, however. He turned to Jesus’ mother Mary and said, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed” (Luke 2:34-35).
The language of falling and rising refers to a stone of stumbling (Isa 8:14-15). This stone will divide the people between those who trust in Christ and those who do not. Simeon’s final words to Mary emphasized this understanding. He said, “that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed” (Luke 2:35). The hearts of men and women will be revealed by how they respond to Jesus. If they trust in him as God’s Messiah, they will rise. However, if they stumble over him and do not accept him as the savior, they will fall. He will expose the truth about whom and what men and woman worship.
Anna’s Response to the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple
Simeon is not the only person who understands the significance of the child Jesus. Luke also tells the reader about a woman named Anna.
Luke gives us some specifics about Anna that we did not receive about Simeon. She is a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, and from the tribe of Asher. Also, Anna was “advanced in years” (Luke 2:36), and she was a widow.
Most women in this culture were married in their early teenage years. So, the reference to living with her husband for seven years before she became a widow indicates that she became a widow sometime in her early twenties and remained a widow. Luke indicates that she was a devout woman when he says she was at the Temple daily and spent her time fasting and in prayer.
Luke does not give us Anna’s words, as he did with Simeon. Instead, Luke tells us that she thanked God and said to all who were there that the redemption of Jerusalem that they hoped for had come. We don’t know why Luke omitted Anna’s words. However, it is not difficult to imagine that she spoke words of praise. Surely, having beheld the Messiah, her call to those around her would have been filled with celebration and rejoicing.
Mary and Joseph’s Response to the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple
There remains one more response to highlight: that of Mary and Joseph. Sandwiched between Simeon’s song and Anna’s word of thanks is a single verse describing Joseph and Mary. In v. 33 Luke writes, “And his father and mother marveled at what was said about him” (Luke 2:33). They were amazed at what was being acknowledged and declared about their son.
What Simeon spoke of was in keeping with what Gabriel had declared to Mary. However, the revelation of the breadth of Jesus’ salvation confirmed to Mary and Joseph the uniqueness of their son. They marveled and were in awe at these words about their son. Simeon and Anna made public what the angel had shared only with Mary by the Angel. The coming of the Messiah was not good news only for the holy family, but was good news for all who would believe.
Our Response to the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple
Like those who were at the Temple that day, we too must respond to this Jesus. How will we respond? We could look back and find this to be an interesting historical event. Or, we could view this event as simply the continuation of Jewish history. Perhaps we could minimize what Luke tells us and think of Jesus as just another Jewish boy.
But, like Simeon and Anna, we should see him as he is, the promised Messiah who was brought to the Temple in accord with the law, was circumcised, dedicated to God, would grow and live a perfect life, and die for the sins of his people, only to rise again.
He is more than just a child. He’s more than a historical figure. He is the hope of the nations. He has come and he gives life to all who believe in him. This was good news then, and it is good news for us today.
Recommended Resources
“Come Thou Long-Expected Jesus” by J. Ligon Duncan.
“Nunc Dimittis” by Philip Graham Ryken in The Incarnation in the Gospels
