Presentation Of Jesus In The Temple
And Joseph and his mother marveled at what was said about him.
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.
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. This was done according to what is written in the Law of the Lord: “Every firstborn male that opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord” (Exodus 13:2).
(as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every male that opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”)
In the law of Moses, it is written: “Every male that opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord.”
It is also written in the law of Moses: “If a man has two wives, and he loves one but not the other, and both bear him sons but only one daughter; if this son dies without children, his wife who was loved by him but not by his other wife will inherit property from her husband’s estate.”
and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.”
They were to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”
This was according to the Law of Moses, which stated that on Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement) all Israelites were required to bring a sin offering in order to be forgiven. This is why Jesus’ parents had him there: he was their sin offering for that day.
Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.
Simeon is described as righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, which was the coming of Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit was upon him, indicating that he had been given spiritual insight into what would happen in the future.
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.
I think it is important to note that the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity, who gives us life and wisdom. He comforts us when we are weak.
And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law,
When he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law,
Jesus was twelve years old when his parents brought him to Jerusalem for the Passover feast. The gospel of Luke tells us that “he had completed his thirteenth year,” but this doesn’t necessarily mean that he had turned thirteen years old; it may simply refer to an age at which Jewish boys were considered mature enough to begin their schooling.
When they approached Simeon with their son, they did not know what God’s plan was for him; instead of being surprised or distressed by what would happen later on in Jesus’ life, this man recognized that God’s plan involved suffering and death (v5).
he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said,
You may have heard this story before, but I’m going to tell it again. It’s an incredible illustration of God’s love and mercy, and one that holds special significance for me.
- He blessed God:
The first thing Jesus did when he found himself on earth was praise God with a song of thanksgiving. This is something we should all do when we feel overwhelmed by all the things going on around us. Remember, God is watching over us every day!
- He said:
In addition to praising God, Jesus also spoke words of peace and hope for those who were around him at that moment in time.* He took him up in his arms:This tells us how much he loved this little boy; it says so much about what kind of father Jesus would someday become!
“Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word;
“Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation which you have prepared before the face of all peoples; a light to bring revelation to the Gentiles (nations), and the glory of your people Israel.” (Luke 2:29-32)
In this passage from Luke’s Gospel, Simeon speaks directly to Jesus as an infant. He calls Him “Lord” and says that he has been waiting for Him since he was old enough to know anything about spiritual things. The implication is that Simeon had been waiting for His salvation and would continue waiting for His coming until he died or went into eternity with Christ at His second coming.
for my eyes have seen your salvation
The salvation of God is the saving act of God in history. It refers to the work of redemption through Jesus Christ. The salvation of Jesus Christ is best understood as referring to his eternal life as God’s Son, but here it may also refer to his earthly life and ministry, especially as it relates to atoning for sin on behalf of people (Mark 10:45). The salvation of God’s people refers most directly to those who believe in Jesus Christ and have been redeemed from their sins (John 3:16). For the Gentiles, this might include those who are not Jewish or Christian but who have been given access into “the household of faith” through baptism into Christ’s death (1 Peter 3:21).
that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
The salvation of the Lord is for all people. The salvation of the Lord is for all nations. The salvation of the Lord is for all peoples and ethnicities, regardless of race or ethnicity, regardless of gender or sexuality, regardless of social status or economic standing—the salvation of our Savior Jesus Christ is for everyone who calls upon His name!
a light for revelation to[c]the Gentiles,[d]and for glory to your people Israel.”
God’s light has come to shine on all peoples. Jesus is the light of revelation to the Gentiles, and he is also the glory of Israel; he brings God’s light to both Jews and Gentiles.
This is how God will save you: by his word and by his spirit. We do not know how many people will be saved through these means, but we can be sure that our salvation comes from what we are told in Scripture, not from ourselves or anything else we might think up on our own.
And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him.
It is clear that Mary and Joseph were amazed by what was said about Jesus. They were also amazed at the things He did and what He said. As His parents, they couldn’t believe their eyes or ears!
This is an excerpt from a longer presentation on the story of Jesus’ birth and presentation in the temple. It highlights a few key sections from Matthew 2 that are important for understanding what happened during this time period and why it was significant for both Joseph and Mary.