RECOGNITION Luke 2:21-40 Separation. Jewish families had religious ceremonies they were to carry out after the birth of a child. Every Jewish boy was named and circumcised on the eighth day after his birth. That is what Luke recorded as he wrote this account because it informs Gentile believers, as well as the Jews, that instructions that come from God are to be carried out. The angel had told Mary and Joseph that the son born to Mary was to be named “Jesus.” The words “Savior” and “salvation” were used by Luke, who was fully aware of the meaning of the name “Jesus.”
We may not fully understand what we are called to do as believers. For example, many who are saved have not yet grasped the importance of believers’ baptism, but it is enough for them that the Lord Jesus commanded them to be baptized, and they want to obey Him. The implications of being raised to “walk in newness of life” mean more than most Christians are willing to accept as possible. Newness of life is living eternal life as our present possession by which we rise above all that goes on around us. We are positionally “seated with Christ in heavenly places,” which keeps us from dissatisfaction, discouragement, and disappointments.
Circumcision was the sign or symbol of the separation of Jews from all other people and of their separation unto God. That principle of separation of those who belong to the Lord is still to be maintained by the children of God today. Our relationship with God through our Lord Jesus Christ carries with it the responsibility to “come out from among them and be ye separate, saith the Lord.” We are not to be connected (touch) the unclean things of this sinful world, whether it be in a personal way, a religious way, a social way, or a public way. Obedience to divine instructions is expected of every child of God.
Presentation. A month later, the ceremony of presenting the firstborn son to the Lord was an important event. In Exodus 13 and Numbers 18, we read that this was important to God because the firstborn belonged to Him. The child had to be “redeemed” from sin and presented unto God through an offering made unto the Lord as a substitute for the firstborn. That was an acknowledgment that the child belonged to the Lord who gave him or her life. God alone is the Life/Source. Samuel was redeemed, so he stayed in the Tabernacle and served the Lord.
We are not our own because we have been bought with the price of the precious blood of Christ. Therefore, all who are children of God by faith in Jesus Christ have been redeemed and can serve our Lord in the place of His choice and by doing what He directs us to do for Him. This is not a burden imposed upon us but rather a freedom to be what God wants us to be and do what He wants and knows is best. There is no higher privilege given to human beings than to be a child of the living God and to share life with Him.
Purification. There was another ritual that had to be carried out at the temple by Mary and Joseph to declare her legally clean according to the law. Forty days after the child was born, the parents of a newborn son were to bring offerings for cleansing. If the child were a daughter, it would be done after eighty days of birth. They were to bring a lamb for a burnt offering and a dove or pigeon for a sin offering. The priest would offer these on their behalf, and then he would make a declaration of cleansing. If the parents could not afford a lamb, they could bring a dove or a pigeon instead. Mary and Joseph had brought Jesus to be consecrated to the Lord at the temple, and they offered two of the birds, which, as poor people, they could offer for Mary’s purification.
Dedication. By divine guidance, the Holy Spirit directed Simeon, a devout, righteous man who knew he wouldn’t die until he had seen Christ, was directed to that one couple with the child Jesus. He knew they were the ones he would see and talk to among those there. Divine guidance isn’t some strange experience to those who know and love the Lord. When we read God’s word and understand its interpretive meaning, we can apply it to ourselves. The Holy Spirit will then guide us into all truth, show us things to come and reveal Christ to us in all His fullness.
The religious leaders of that day didn’t recognize Jesus as “the Christ,” but God had arranged for His own two chosen witnesses to testify to the fact that God was here in the Person of Jesus, even though He was still a child. Simeon was a just, righteous man who was devout in his dedication to God. He had been looking with expectation for the “consolation of Israel.” The Spirit guided him, and in four ways, he is an example to us in our service to God. He was fair and just, he was dedicated and devout, he was expecting the Lord to come, and he was getting his directions from God.
In Simeon’s song of praise, he declares his readiness to die as he gives Mary three prophecies about Jesus. Jesus would be why many people would fall and many others would rise. Secondly, He was a sign that would be rejected and spoken against by many people. Also, Mary would be grieved because of the suffering He would endure when the thoughts of many hearts would be revealed. People would either accept Jesus as the Savior and Messiah or reject Him and have the consequences of their rejection. There was no middle ground when their attitude toward Him was revealed. The words of Isaiah 8:14-15 and Malachi 4:2 would be fulfilled. Simeon and Anna were both loyal Jews looking for a bright future for Israel and for “the redemption of Jerusalem.” As further evidence of the Holy Spirit speaking through them, Simeon told of the Messiah’s mission of reaching out to other nations and Israel. Anna also said that for those looking for the Messiah, she knew Jesus was the One they were looking for.
What blessing it has brought us as Gentiles when we know that God’s salvation reaches the ends of the earth. Jesus's words and works make sinners uncomfortable and divide people because He declares and demonstrates the truth. Because of Jesus, people have to make a choice. Some will fall and be eternally lost. Others will rise and be forever with the Lord, seated with Him in heavenly places. There is no middle ground for those who want salvation and sin.
In the Gospel of Luke, male and female characters are together several times. The validity of testimony requires two witnesses, and in the New Testament, the equality of the personhood of men and women is given in several of Luke’s accounts in this book and the book of Acts. In this passage, Luke gives a fairly full description of Anna compared to a brief comment about Simeon. She was an old woman who was respected and familiar to people who visited the temple. No matter who a person is or their age, the consistency of life and testimony concerning their faith adds much weight to their words. Anna’s words were spoken out publicly as they related to the Lord Jesus Christ being here. Simeon’s words were private, relating to himself and Mary.
Grace can be especially evident in old people who have experienced and enjoyed the blessings of God’s grace for a lifetime. Joy, grace, and hope go well together when true faith exists in a man or woman. Then, our faith seems fulfilling to us, and we rejoice in the Lord, in faith and hope. Even though there is not much in the written record of the early life of Jesus, we have at least one incident. Perhaps of greater importance are the few words that describe His attitude. “The child grew… became strong… filled with wisdom… and the grace of God was on Him.”