BIG IDEA:
PROPHETIC INSIGHT INTO THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE BIRTH OF JESUS REVEALS HIS GLOBAL MESSIANIC AND REDEMPTIVE MISSION
INTRODUCTION:
Surprisingly few details are given of the life of Jesus on earth before the beginning of His public ministry. Therefore, all of the incidents that are related must be treated with special significance. Here we have some important details of the weeks just after the birth of Jesus followed by a more general description of His youthful growth and development.
PROPHETIC INSIGHT INTO THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE BIRTH OF JESUS REVEALS HIS GLOBAL MESSIANIC AND REDEMPTIVE MISSION
(:21-24) PRELUDE – JESUS FULFILLED THE LAW OF MOSES
A. (:21) Circumcision and Naming of Jesus
“And when eight days were completed before His circumcision, His name was then called Jesus, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb.”
Circumcision — Identified Jesus with his Jewish covenant people; fulfilled requirements of the Law – Lev. 12:3
B. (:22-24) Purification of Mary and Presentation Before the Lord in the Temple at Jerusalem
1. (:22) Context
“And when the days for their purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him up to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord”
For a woman who gave birth to a male child, she would be ceremonially unclean for 7 days. Circumcision would take place on the 8th day. Then another 33 days were required before she could enter the sanctuary or touch any holy things.
Geldenhuys: The circumcision and purification customs after a birth had reference to the state of sin in which each human being is born and to the purification therefrom by blood-sprinkling and sacrifices … serves as a sign that He voluntarily places Himself under the Law and takes upon Himself the obligations of His people so as to procure their redemption.
Wiersbe: Our Lord’s relationship to the law is an important part of His saving ministry. He was made under the law (Gal. 4:4); and although He rejected man’s religious traditions, He obeyed God’s law perfectly (John 8:46). He bore the curse of the law for us (Gal. 3:13) and set us free from bondage (Gal. 5:1).
2. (:23) Consecration
“(as it is written in the Law of the Lord, ‘Every first-born male that opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord ‘),” Ex. 13:2, 12
Leon Morris: Two quite separate ceremonies are involved here, the presentation of the child and the purification of the mother.
Liefeld: Luke, conflating the performance of these OT obligations into the single narrative, shows how Jesus was reared in conformity with them. His parents obeyed the Lord (1:31) in naming him. The offering of birds instead of a lamb shows that he was born into a poor family.
3. (:24) Commanded Sacrifice
“and to offer a sacrifice according to what was said in the Law of the Lord, ‘A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.’”
Lev. 12:8 – indicates that this offering reflected the poverty of Mary and Joseph
I. (:25-35) PROPHETIC INSIGHT OF SIMEON REGARDING THIS INFANT JESUS
A. (:25-26) Unique Role of Simeon
1. His Identification
“And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon;”
2. His Reputation
“and this man was righteous and devout,”
Outstanding personal character in both how he treated others and how he worshiped God
3. His Orientation
“looking for the consolation of Israel;”
Most Jews were looking for a military leader to deliver them from the oppression of the Roman government. Simeon and Anna had a spiritual orientation that gave them a different perspective towards the coming of the Messiah. They understood the need for forgiveness of sins.
4. His Association
“and the Holy Spirit was upon him.”
Leon Morris: seems to mean on him continually. In the old dispensation e read of the Spirit as coming upon people on special occasions, but a continuing presence is rare. Simeon’s endowment was something special.
5. His Anticipation
“And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.”
B. (:27-32) Universal Redemptive Mission of the Messiah
1. (:27) Revealed by the Spirit
“And he came in the Spirit into the temple;”
2. (:27b) Related to Obedience to the OT Law
“and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to carry out for Him the customof the Law,”
3. (:28-29) Received in Fulfillment of OT Expectations
“then he took Him into his arms, and blessed God, and said, 29 ‘Now Lord, Thou dost let Thy bond-servant depart In peace, according to Thy word;’”
4. (:30) Recognized Upon Seeing the Baby Jesus
“For my eyes have seen Thy salvation,”
5. (:31-32) Refocused Towards Both Jews and Gentiles
“Which Thou hast prepared in the presence of all peoples,”
a. Directed Towards the Gentiles
“A light of revelation to the Gentiles,”
b. Directed Towards the Jews
“And the glory of Thy people Israel.”
C. (:33-35) Ultimate Impact of the Child
1. (:33) Wow Factor
“And His father and mother were amazed at the things which were being said about Him.”
Geldenhuys: Simeon’s words especially, regarding the universal purport and significance of the redemption wrought by God through Jesus, bring to Joseph and Mary a clearer perception of the divine majesty of the Child.
2. (:34-35) Watershed Fulcrum
“And Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His mother, ‘Behold, this Child is appointed for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and for a sign to be opposed– 35 and a sword will pierce even your own soul– to the end that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.’”
Liefeld: A negative attitude toward him, however, serves to brand the unbeliever as one who has rejected not only him but the whole of God’s revelation (v. 35; cf. John 5:45-47). This clash will inevitably wound Jesus’ mother.
Geldenhuys: But it was especially when He was nailed to the cross that the “sword pierced through her soul.” She is, therefore, rightly called Mater Dolorosa (Mother of Sorrows) and represented as such in Christian art.
Thabiti Anyabwile: Simeon blessed them with strange words. This child will be a light, but he will be the kind of light that exposes. Because he exposes, he will face opposition. That opposition will be a violent piercing – a piercing that will penetrate his mother’s heart also.
Donald Miller: The most startling thing about Simeon’s words is that they introduce for the first time the note of sorrow into the story of Jesus’ birth (vss. 34-35). . . God’s saving action always produces a crisis, a division, depending on men’s response.
II. (:36-38) PROPHETIC INSIGHT OF ANNA REGARDING THIS INFANT JESUS
A. (:36-37) Unique Role of Anna
1. (:36a) Forgotten Prophetess
“And there was a prophetess, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher.”
From the lost tribe of Asher; insignificant up to this point in time; but her life was about to take a dramatic turn
2. (:36b) Fatigued Widow
“She was advanced in years, having lived with a husband seven years after her marriage, and then as a widow to the age of eighty-four.”
She had been a widow for an exceptionally long time and had dedicated herself to serving the Lord; she had to have been tired out by this time; difficult to keep the flame lit on her messianic expectations
3. (:37) Faithful Servant
“And she never left the temple, serving night and day with fastings and prayers.”
B. (:38) Unrelenting Thanksgiving and Testimony to the Redemptive Role of the Long-Awaited Messiah
“And at that very moment she came up and began giving thanks to God, and continued to speak of Him to all those who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.”
Importance of older people having a thankful spirit based on experiencing God’s faithfulness over the years; rather than becoming cranky and bitter
(:39-40) EPILOGUE – JESUS CONTINUED TO GROW AND DEVELOP
A. (:39) Settling in Hometown of Nazareth
“And when they had performed everything according to the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own city of Nazareth.”
B. (:40) Positive Development of Jesus
1. Physical Development
“And the Child continued to grow and become strong,”
2. Wisdom Development
“increasing in wisdom;”
3. Spiritual Development
“and the grace of God was upon Him.”