Luke | Chapter 2

 Luke 2:1-7

“Jesus is born. The earthly conditions”

• Introduction
• 1-5 The earthly conditions globally (the edict from Caesar)
• 6-7 The earthly conditions locally (no room for them)

Introduction

We start on a new chapter in our examination of Luke’s gospel to his friend Theophilus as Luke presents an historical account derived from an extremely thorough investigation from eyewitnesses and ministers of the word. I remind us of this at the start of our examination of the 2nd chapter due to the reality that for the next 38 verses we are going to be walking through perhaps one of the most familiar stories in the Bible that many read every year, especially as we celebrate Christmas, namely the birth of Christ.

While we do not know how much of this information Theophilus knew we need to understand that in our case our familiarity may be a liability instead of an asset. It has been my experience that the familiarity of a story or passage in the Bible often hinders my examination as I tend to skip over important truths without any questioning of what I’ve just read because I have read it many times before. So, to avoid my tendency to do that we will do two things:

• Slow down
• Build an outline to ensure our careful study

As it relates to the second activity, I will share for the purpose of our study an entire fourfold outline of these 38 verses even though today we will only be investigating the first seven verses:

1. 2:1-7 Jesus is born..the earthly conditions
2. 2:8-14 Angels announce to shepherds
3. 2:15-20 Shepherds visit the Christ
4. 2:21-38 The events of Christ’s presentation at the temple

 It is also important to find a theme of the section that we are about to study over the next several weeks in these 38 verses. I always find it helpful, when I can, to find the theme in the actual words of the text and in these 38 verses I can find none better than the 11th verse even though it won’t come under our study until the next time we meet. This verse is the proclamation from an angel to the shepherds in the field saying, “For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior who is Christ the Lord.” Though this proclamation was specifically made to those shepherds gathered in that specific field on that exact time I’m convinced that in the simple three letter word, “YOU”, we are all included, all us shepherds gathered in the fields of time and space. And to all of us the proclamation declares that NOW at this time in human history “HEAVEN CAME DOWN” to earth for the sole purpose to save humanity and all that would call on the name of Jesus who is the Lord God the Messiah!

What follows over the next seven verses is what the world looked like at the very moment that “HEAVEN CAME DOWN”. And Luke writes down two observations with regards to the world’s condition both “globally” and “locally” and no doubt both would have surprised most readers of this text for the first time.

 

Vs. 1-5 The earthly conditions globally (the edict from Caesar)

Vs. 1 These first five verses describe not only the condition of the world at the time that “HEAVEN CAME DOWN” but also how that condition affected the citizens of the world even those in a forgotten little piece of it.

Luke chose to use a word in the Greek for “decree” that means a “mandate” which means an opinion that has the authority over others. The scope of the “others” is brought out in the sentence “all the world” and the word for “world” literally means “whole inhabited land”. And the purpose of this mandate was to order all people inhabiting land to be “registered” which in the Greek means to enter a list which is further clarified in verse two as census. The word used here “registered” is used elsewhere in the ancient languages to describe adding to a list to draft able body men to fight and also used to add to a list as in a tax roll for the purpose of imposing taxation upon them.

Now we know that the men of Israel were exempt from military recruitment under Roman law so it is reasonable to believe that the purpose of this mandate was to make sure that the Roman government would be better able to tax the “whole inhabited land”.

All the above information from the first verse is to get us to think about this person Caesar Augustus as we ask the obvious question: Who could this person be that he would have enough power and authority to force “whole inhabited land” to register to pay a tax to him. To answer that question would require us to go outside of the Bible to ancient history. Caesar Augustus real name was Caius Octavius and he was the great-nephew of Julius Caesar on his mother’s side.

He was apparently very close to him as ancient history tells that in Julius Caesar’s will he was to be adopted for the purpose of becoming a son by heir. History also gives us the account of the time that he joined forces with Mark Anthony in their defeat of the assassins of Julius Caesar. But this partnership was apparently short lived as he chases Mark Anthony along with his wife Cleopatra to Egypt forcing them to commit suicide rather than risk capture and it was this that elevated him to being the leader over all Roman lands. The later name changes from Caius Octavius to that of Caesar Augustus came at the end of what had been previously the Roman Republic and what emerged in its place was a Roman Empire as he became the first Roman Emperor. So, he took on the name Caesar by adoption, but it was a process of time that brought about the title of Augustus which means the “illustrious one”. Such a title came with it a view of deity as he became the center of public worship in what was known as an imperial cult where he was seen and worshiped as a god.

The progression to such a title came about gradually as he didn’t want to be known as a dictator as such a title was too temporary and he didn’t want to be called a king as title didn’t signify enough power, so he consulted with the Roman Senate, and they created he name for him.

This is further illustrated by a temple in Rome dedicated to the god Janus who was represented by two faces and can be seen in coins of that era. Those two faces represent this god’s power of being able to see what was in the past as well as what lies in the future and was worshipped in that temple in those days. There was a tradition in that temple that the gates of the temple Janus were to remain open during times of war but closed during times of peace and for a decade the gates of the temple had been closed and would remain closed for a total of 30 years signaling there were no more wars throughout the Roman empire. As Luke wrote this about the time of Christ’s birth in the words “In those days” the world was at peace.

Through my life I have heard this prayer and wish many times even in song: “All we are saying is give peace a chance”. But what is often not thought of is the manner that is utilized that brings peace and maintains that peace. And that is the case at that time as “peace” had come about because of a despot a ruler who believed he was god bludgeoned the whole world under his feet. World peace came into being through brutality and being conquered. It was “in those days” that “HEAVEN CAME DOWN”, days in which there was no appeal to this man that believed he was a god. Oh, there was no war, but it had come and was maintained by sure certain power of brutality.

Vs. 2 It was this census that we notice the power that Caesar Augustus had. We are informed that this census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. The critics of the Bible of specifically of this gospel will be quick to point out that Luke was not that great of a historian as Quirinius didn’t rule over Syria until 10 years after the actual birth of Christ because he was born four years before the change of the calendar from B.C. to A.D. Quirinius governing Syria also included Israel. Fortunately, this claim against Luke’s ability as a historian has been settled in Luke’s favor by archaeologists. But in reality in this particular indictment we need to only what Luke himself writes in Acts 5:37 as he writes later of the “days of taxing” by Quirinius and by this we know that Quirinius had become govern a 2nd time in the time of Acts 5:37 which means that the time recorded here is associated with the first time he was appointed governor and not the 2nd time as supposed, as census were taken around every decade or so.

Vs. 3-5 In verse 3 we read the phrase, “So all went to be registered” and this as the story indicates involved Joseph and his betrothed wife, Mary. Notice in verse 5 as Luke is careful to call Mary Joseph’s “betrothed” wife as they were married but had not yet consummated their relationship. We can get a much better understanding of the difficulty of this journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem when we realize that this was some 80 miles and that this journey was being made during a time when Mary was 9 months pregnant as it was at the time of birth of Jesus. It is here that we can go back and reconsider the words of Mary herself in chapter 1:38 as Mary prayed “Let it be according to your word”. Did she recall her own faith gained at that time and use it to both strength and comfort herself in this struggle?

As we note this young women was well versed in the scriptures and I wonder if the Holy Spirit prompted her from the prophecy with regards to the location of the birth of the Messiah that she was carrying in her final trimester found in Micah 5:2 that clearly states “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose going forth are from old, from everlasting.”

It is here that the edict of Caesar collides with the true God. Consider what this shows us: We have in Caesar Augustus the world’s most powerful man who believes he is a god and worshipped as such. He commands and is accomplished to all who live under his rule for he is god. And in so doing this family is forced to travel 80 miles while the woman is 9 months pregnant.

These two people who had never been a thought in the mind of Caesar Augustus they were entirely insignificant and yet were impacted by this decree but not for the reason that Caesar thought but for the purposes of the Living God and touching all of humanity not with the peace from being beaten into submission but from One who would suffer and through His love save all of humanity. These two traveling those 80 miles on foot and in her womb was the Son of God as she traveled along the dusty road. Caesar issued a degree that like a rock thrown into a pound a rippling effect as even Joseph and Mary must go to Bethlehem during the 9th month of her pregnancy.

But there in the prophecy of Micah some 650 years to this decree we see this little man that dared to call himself a god was nothing more than a puppet ensuring that what he decreed fulfilled God’s promise. And that promise from the Living God included the reason for “HEAVEN COMING DOWN” in 5:4-5 “And He shall stand and feed His flock in the strength of the Lord. In the majesty of the name of the Lord His God; and they shall abide, for now He shall be great to the ends of the earth; and this One shall be peace.”

Vs.6-7 The earthly conditions locally (no room for them)

Vs. 6 Having shown the earthly conditions “globally” in the first 5 verse we finish this section with what Joseph and Mary encountered upon arriving at Bethlehem. With millions of people forced to comply with the command of a man who called himself a god we are reminded that the True God was moving millions to move these two to fulfill His promise to all of humanity! First, let’s consider he location of Jesus birth, Bethlehem which names means, “House of Bread” which I submit to you is a perfect place for Him who would refer to Himself in John 6:35 as the “Bread of Life” to be born. But this small little hamlet had a rich heritage as according to Gen. 35:16-20 it was birthplace of Benjamin as well as the burial location of Rachel who was Benjamin’s mother.

 According to Ruth 4:11 it was also the location of the marriage between Ruth and Boaz. It was also the location of many of the exploits of David.

Second of interest to note is that “no one was expecting them nor were they even on watch for this little couple”. That is the “local condition” as it relates to those who dwelt in this little city with such an important prophecy that was over 650 years old.

There was no “welcoming” even though both Joseph and Mary were of the linage of David and Ruth and Boaz. The band did not break out and play a song of celebration, there was no reservation at the local Inn. I don’t fault the Inn keeper as no doubt the city was swelled full of those people forced to register or the census. But when we look at this further, we are struck by the utter humility of the location and delivery of our Lord.

We are prone to think of the word inn in light of today’s meaning which is a hotel, but that is not what the original word means. It is only used this way here, and not in the rest of the entire New Testament. Typically, the word would imply a shelter where a person might find temporary refuge away from the heat, dust, and danger of thieves. It would have no provision of food and limited supply of water, and was most often used for those who had their sheep with them, so it was walled with an entrance to keep the animals in. This one we are told had a feeding trough which was made of hollowed out stone. There was no time to find something better the time of delivery was at hand and there was only this little covering in stone. Jesus was born outside, and this couple was alone as we are told that “SHE brought forth her firstborn Son…laid Him in a manger”. She did it all by herself.

We go back to Luke’s words at the start of the chapter “in those days” and locally we realize that when it “came to pass” God saw fit to by-pass the palace, pass by the lodges, pass by the inn, pass by the lean-to and He was born outside. There could be no more of a humble birth than His. Then Mary wrapped him in scraps of cloth bound around him as best she could and placed in a stone animal feeding trough. In all of this loneliness of humanity soon heaven will surround them all with songs of praise.

There was no place for Jesus, at His birth and during His ministry Jesus would say in Luke 9:58 that “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” Have you ever considered the truth that throughout Jesus’ earthly life from birth to His death the only place humanity ever had room for Him was the cross? This statement here at His birth is symbolic of how humanity has treated Jesus. He has always only wanted a place to stay in the crowed rooms and lives of people’s hearts, and He is still searching for those who welcome Him in to make His home. Here in this stone cradle lay the virgins child, Israel’s Messiah, world’s Savior, and God’s only Son. That cradle does two things at the same time: It concealed Jesus’ power and majesty while it revealed His grace and love! I’m reminded of John’s gospel in 1:11-12 where we read that, “He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.”

Luke 2:8-14

“Jesus is born..Angels and Shepherds”

Introduction

Vs. 8-14 Angels announce to shepherds

Introduction

We continue our study in the 2nd chapter of Luke and by way of review we start with the examination of both the outline of the entire passage and a brief look at what we discovered the last we were together. First, we noted the outline:

1. 2:1-7 Jesus is born..the earthly conditions

2. 2:8-14 Angels announce to shepherds

3. 2:15-20 Shepherds visit the Christ

4. 2:21-38 The events of Christ’s presentation at the temple

I mentioned, as far as study goes, it is important to discover what the writer wanted to convey as the theme of the section in these 38 verses. I believe that the 11th verse best offers this as we read: “For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior who is Christ the Lord.” Luke records that at this time in human history “HEAVEN CAME DOWN”. What follows over the next seven verses is what the world looked like at the very moment that “HEAVEN CAME DOWN”. 

Luke writes down two observations with regards to the world’s condition both “globally” and “locally” and no doubt both would have surprised most readers of this text for the first time. In the first 5 verses our focus was upon the global conditions of when Heaven came down. We noted the “mandate” and who issued it in Caesar Agustus whose real name was Caius Octavius as he was the great-nephew of Julius Caesar on his mother’s side. His name meant the “illustrious one” and came with it a view of deity as he became the center of public worship in what was known as an imperial cult where he was seen and worshiped as a god. So, we saw that the manner that brought about peace and maintained it was because of a despot a ruler who believed he was god as he bludgeoned the whole world under his feet. 

That was the global condition of “those days” when “Heaven came down”. The 2nd focus was on the “local conditions” of when “Heaven came down”. And is often the case the “Global conditions” almost always impact the “local conditions”. There we recognized that Mary was 9 months pregnant and forced to travel some 80 miles but as she herself had said in response to Gabriel’s words in 1:38 as she prayed “Let it be according to your word”. 

This young couple had Micah 5:2 to encourage them that what Caesar had decreed God had ordained 650 years earlier as we read his words, “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose going forth are from old, from everlasting.” Such assurance of God’s plan is followed by verses 4-5 as we remember “And He shall stand and feed His flock in the strength of the Lord. In the majesty of the name of the Lord His God; and they shall abide, for now He shall be great to the ends of the earth; and this One shall be peace.” 

With millions of people forced to comply with the command of a man who called himself a god we are reminded that the True God was moving millions in order to move these two to fulfill His promise to all of humanity! To Bethlehem which names means, “House of Bread” the perfect place for Jesus who would refer to Himself in John 6:35 as the “Bread of Life” to be born. We also noted that upon their arrival was no room for them!

Jesus was born outside, and this couple was alone as we are told that “SHE brought forth her firstborn Son…laid Him in a manger”. There was no place for Jesus, at His birth and during His ministry Jesus would say in Luke 9:58 that “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” The truth is that throughout Jesus earthly life from birth to His death the only place humanity ever had room for Him was the cross and a rented tomb.

Vs. 8-14 Angels announce to shepherds

Vs. 8 In contrast to the “earthly conditions” we note the “heavenly activity” of “those days”. There are two things I see immediately:

• It was night

• And the shepherds were at work

That tells us two things:

• First, that the day that the world and many in Christianity have

adopted as the date for the birth of Christ can’t be true as no shepherd would be out in winter with their flocks at night. Because I know you may be asking: Then what was the time frame of the birth of Christ if NOT the 25th of December? Some like the date of the Feast of Tabernacles which is also called Sukkoth which would have been September 26 – October 3rd of the year he was born 3 BC. 

Others prefer to place His birth around the Passover but all of these cause us a challenge due to Luke’s words in verse 3 where we were told that the census required travel for everyone to their own city and this would almost certainly would exclude any of the three major feasts (Passover, Tabernacles and Shavuot/Pentecost ) as Jewish men were required to be in Jerusalem during those feasts under the law seen in Deut. 16:6,11,16. And we need to remember that they traveled to Bethlehem and not Jerusalem. The Romans would not have selected those feast dates as they wanted compliance to the census. There are other clues, but I find the Feast of Trumpets date the most compelling as it is a better fit which would have been, interestingly, on September 11th 3 BC which would of meant that they would have stayed in Bethlehem for the feast of Tabernacles a few weeks later and that they traveled for the census to Bethlehem at the time of the Feast of Trumpets. 

This feast also known as Rosh Hashanah is ten days of consecration and repentance before God starting with a day of rest, a memorial of blowing trumpets, and a holy convocation. The primary significance of this lies in the sounding of the shofar (a ram’s horn…hum what Abraham found in the thicket that God provided instead of Isaac). And the purpose of this feast is a musical prayer and a reminder of God’s presence and power.

• The 2nd thing it tells us is that these Shepherds were busy tending the flocks. Their location based upon verse 15 was a distance from Bethlehem which was 6 miles from Jerusalem and is a strong indication that they were temple shepherds. If that is true than we need to understand that these shepherds had constant demands placed upon them that other shepherds didn’t have. 

They had the responsibility to provide unblemished lambs for temple sacrifices for the temple authorities every morning and evening. As shepherds they were under the Rabbinical ban from being in the temple because of their very duties and inability to keep the ceremonial law as they couldn’t maintain the meticulous hand-washing and other rules and regulations. They were despised by the religious all the while they provided the lambs they were sacrificing.

So, to this outcast group that the religious were dependent upon to maintain their religion that God comes to announce the only lamb of God that was perfect and unblemished. These men who had seen so many lambs for sacrifice were given the privilege of being the first to look upon Him who was the One to take away the sin of the world. God sent His angel not to Caesar’s place in Rome, neither did He send him to the High Priest in the temple but instead to these ostracized temple shepherds.

Vs. 9-10 It was to these men alone in the fields of humanity victimized by the very service others required to be religious that the Shekinah Glory of God shown round about them. Their response was to be filled with fear. I can’t think of a better response than this at that moment. Oh, how I wish that when in the presence of the glory of God in His word, as it reveals all of my blemishes, that I would gaze upon all of my dark imperfections in great fear before I look up and come near to see my Savior, who is Christ the Lord! I’m afraid that if we do not have such an encounter, we will miss the words of great grace and eternal joy of “Do not be afraid”. Those who have no fear of their own darkness shall miss the glory of the Lord that has shone around them! Gabriel had twice used those same words but this time he followed those words with the reason NOT to be afraid which was that he had come to bring to them “Good tidings” of “great joy which will be to all people”. 

Our word gospel comes from those two words “good tidings”. To a world lacking joy, who had heard good news for generations that had learned only to be afraid under tyranny and oppression that had produced so called world peace that had only filled humanity with sadness and despair the angel came with the presence of God to these temple shepherds. This gospel had first come in the garden of Eden in the 4th chapter as Eve understood that through a woman that humanity would acquire … even the Lord. 

It was brought to Abraham and to the people of Israel throughout their history and lastly in 30 plus years it will be heard from by John the Baptist in John 1:29 where he saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” The Bible is the story of the gospel which is all about His blessed Son. It is why Paul would say in Galatians 1:8 that, “If we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed.” 

Notice this “good news” is not limited to a few elect, but for all people. The angel that evening was inviting all people through their stay on earth to trust their Savior whom God has sent into the world.

Vs. 11 The angel gives three titles to who this child is and, in the Greek, there are no articles as seen in the words, “a, who is and the” so that this literally reads: “For there is born to you this day in the city of David” Savior, Christ, Lord! This newborn was to be:

• Savior: Someone confronting all sin of all the world who alone

has the regal authority to redeem all fallen humanity.

• Christ: Someone that can confront all that sin has unleashed

upon humanity in the world that is witnessed in the chaos of civilizations since the fall. He alone will have the leadership and authority to set right the Kingdom of God.

• Lord: Someone who will not only confront all of humanity through all time but will also be able to unite all peoples of all time for all eternity.

The “Good News” has not come forth in God sending an edict nor was Good News pronounced upon these shepherds and all of humanity in the announcement that God was sending a soldier, judge, or reformer…NO 

He sent a Savior to meet humanities greatest need. In infamous “Pax Romana” or “Roman Peace” had been in place since 27 BC but God in “those days” sent a Savior to safe humanity from its peace! Epictetus the Stoic philosopher over a hundred years later would write, “While the emperor may give peace from war on land and sea, he is unable to give peace from passion, grief, and envy. He cannot give peace of heart for which man yearns more than even for outward peace.” 

The Jews longed for “shalom” or as we would say “PEACE” but that word to them meant far more than a truce in the battles of life. It meant well-being, health, prosperity, security, soundness and completeness. The word as the Jews understood it has more to do with character than in does circumstances. Life at that time was like life today: Taxes and unemployment were high while morals and moral was low. Roman law, Greek philosophy and even Jewish religion could not meet the need for peace that humanity’s heart longed for.

Vs. 12 I can’t help but notice that the angel didn’t wait for a reply or questions from those shepherds out alone in that field. NO there is only the offer of a sign followed by an immediate heavenly praise! I’m of the opinion that the heavenly praise broke out as soon as the last word “manger” was spoken. I make this assessment based not upon the text as much as what my questioning response would have been at contrast between:

• That of the long awaited “shalom” of humanity who was Savior,

Christ and Lord!

• Next, the sign of a Babe wrapped in pauper’s rags lying in a

stone animal feeding trough!

Had there been any delay between the angels sign and the heavenly praise I’d be questioning what I had heard. This Savior, Christ and Lord must be placed in royal surroundings in comfort, surrounded by innumerable throngs of well-wishers. What humanity was silent on, Heaven could not help but break forth in praise over!

Vs.13 The angels according to Job 38:7 had praised God at the creation where we read, “When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy”. They had praised God at the beginning and had watched that which God had declared as good become ruined because of the fall of man, the wickedness of man being great and every intent of the thoughts of their hearts being only on evil, (Genesis 6:5). Oh, how wonderful this heavenly praise must have been in light of that! God’s Glory had returned to earth in the person of His Son Jesus as John would say in his gospel in 1:14 This lowly stone manger was now the Holy of Holies because of the person who lay in it!

Vs.14 The praise words start off with the meaning of the coming of this Child, “Glory to God”! The phrase “in the highest” does not mean in the highest degree, but instead the “highest” means “above” as it is a descriptive word for heaven the dwelling place of God. The Glory of God in the heavens has always been for those who worship Him alone the natural consequence of providing earth peace! The question is how does the Glory of God in heaven provide peace of earth? 

The phrase “goodwill towards men” in the Greek is “to men of good-will” or as some versions may render it “among men in whom He is well pleased”! Humanity was always talking about peace, try to produce peace but to no avail. This heavenly praise is often misinterpreted by many who think that the heavenly chorus sang, “Peace on earth good will to men” that they meant that “peace will come by the exercise of man’s good-will”, That is not what the angels sang that night as there is no peace for the earth, except among men in whom God is well-pleased. That is always the basis of peace, people who are the recipients of His good pleasure. 

Some 30 years later at Jesus baptism in Matt. 3:13-17 a voice from heaven would be heard that declared “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” This baby became the Man in whom God was well pleased. Peace will come to mankind when people become like Him, that is the way of peace and there is no other way! You must be born again! You must become a new creation in Christ Jesus! 

A new race will rise from broken humanity wounded by the first Adam, but made new by the 2nd Adam, Jesus!

 Luke 2:15-20

 “Shepherds visit the Christ”

• Introduction
• Vs. 15-16 Shepherds go to Bethlehem
• Vs. 17-19 When they had seen Him, they made known 
• Vs. 20 Shepherds returned

Introduction

As Luke recorded the time in human history when “HEAVEN CAME DOWN” we are now at the last thing that happened that night of our Lords birth. The general division as I see it is three things that surrounded the Shepherds visit. It is so brief as to make it nearly invisible:

• Vs. 15-16 The first thing of note is the faith exercised in going and it is in the backdrop of the angel’s departure

• Vs. 17-19 The second note is that the first evangelists of the new age, “the age of Christ”, is these same shepherds as we are told that “when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying that was told them concerning this Child”

• Vs. 20 The third and final act involving these shepherds is their return to life forever changed as they went “glorifying and praising God” for what they had “heard and seen”

Vs. 15-16 Shepherds go to Bethlehem

Vs. 15 In reading this I can’t help but wonder what it must have been like for these shepherds alone in the fields when at once they were surrounded by a heavenly host singing “Glory to God in the highest” contrasted against when the angels had gone away from them into heaven! As mentioned previously, it was the Jewish custom to have musicians play if the child born was a boy and these temple shepherds had been treated to the greatest choir that ever preformed as they sang in praise what would have been impossible for fallen humanity to sing at that time. Now, they were back alone in the dark fields with the song still ringing in their ears and hearts. I think that that the contrast fairly represents every born-again believers encounter with the Living God. We are enraptured by His presence, overwhelmed by His praise, basking in the moment as we take in the Light of the world only to have that moment not last near as long as we had hoped as we are again thrust back into the night of our former life. 

It is what we do after such an encounter that determines its true impact upon our souls. And here we read that these shepherds had a far different response than did the disciples after the ascension of Christ. We are told in Acts 1:9-11 “as He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight” they continued steadfastly gazing up into heaven until two men in white apparel had to remind them “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go to heaven.” 

But NOT these shepherds as they said to one another, “Let us NOW GO”. Did you notice that? That represents the impact of the presence of God upon a human soul “Let Us NOW GO” there was no gazing into heaven, wishing for the encounter to continue, no hesitation nor procrastination, only the response of NOW GO! Every encounter we have with God is an opportunity to NOW GO, an invitation for a life of discovery. Such a journey into a life of discovery starts the same dear Christian with a step of faith into the darkness of uncertainty. Their uncertainty was NOT without a word from God to point them in the right direction as they were already told where they could make this “discovery” in the City of David, Bethlehem. You may be tempted to think this was not a step of faith if they were told where to go but the step of faith was not in going in the right direction, it was in acting without hesitation towards Whom they had been told they would discover. 

Notice carefully that these shepherds said to each other on this journey into a life of discovery, “And see this thing that HAS COME TO PASS, which the Lord has made known to us.” Did you see that? They didn’t say to each other “IF this thing has come to pass.” These shepherds were persuaded BEFORE they went, before they SAW, this thing that was made known to them. That my dear friend is what a step of faith always looks like!

Vs. 16 What a strange journey into the night this must have been, the silent night, no bright lights, or villagers out in the streets crowding close to get a glimpse of Him. Still Luke tells us that they “came with haste”, not slowed down by the lack of enthusiasm that silent night. Oh Christian, so often in our worship, our praise is whipped up by enthusiastic crowds thronging together as what is worshipped is the enthusiasm and not Him lying in a manger! Let that speak to your heart and “make haste” in the quietness of faith without the expectation of exhilaration come and worship Him alone! It is only in that that will truly make the discovery of finding “Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger”. 

The word “found” in the Greek only appears here and in Acts 21:4 and it indicates finding by the discovery of the facts, in other words after a thorough search. They went by faith believing what was told them before they left but their search was through and investigative. I see in that how we must approach our Bible study, believing what we are told before we investigate after a thorough search. In the Greek the names Mary, Joseph and the Babe is preceded by a definite article so as to say, The Mary, The Joseph and The Babe which suggests a careful examination of all the people that these shepherds saw.

• Mary: Perhaps leaning over the manger. Her secret now revealed in the Majestic Babe, a picture of motherhood, of womanhood. The opposite of Eve’s disobedience who demanded independence from God, Mary’s surrender reversed Eve’s disobedience as she had said in Luke 1:38 “Let it be to me according to your word”. Her selfless surrender made it possible for God to use her.

 • Joseph: We don’t think enough of his sacrifice and surrender. His story is one of dignity and obscurity as he yields to God’s demands upon his heart. He accepted the unimaginable responsibility to be the foster-father to his Lord and Savior. Think of that for a moment! He was asked to be his Saviors protector and provider. Every father has experienced this, but Joseph embraced his responsibility to be the human protector of the Hope of Humanity!

• Jesus the Babe: Here we note the lesson of humility and obedience as he lay in the manger. His mere presence that night a sermon on surrender and obedience. A lesson on what each of our hearts must practice if we are to grow in maturity….total dependence upon God!

As these shepherds gathered and gazed in upon this babe, they no doubt remembered the words of the angel to them concerning Him, “Savior who is Christ the Lord!” The word Savior is a complex and compound word as it has in it:

• All human nature and at the same time, all Divine nature

• All of past human history and all the possibility of prophecy

• All the terror of the end of time and all the tenderness of the

embrace of love

• All the majesty of humility and the humbling of the pride of

kings

Vs. 17-19 When they had seen Him they made known

Vs. 17 Our attention moves from the shepherd’s discovery to their proclamation as they become the first evangelists of the New Testament. These shepherds are great examples of what we ought to be today as we see five things that they did, and we should emulate:

• We are to receive the message by faith

• We are to respond to it by immediate obedience

• We are to thoroughly investigate what we have already believed

• We are to widely testify of the truth told us

• We are to return to everyday life glorifying and praising God 

What is amazing in looking at these five responses of these shepherds is that heaven saw fit to use them to replace the angels, while at the same time shepherds were not permitted to testify in a court. The angels, as great a witness to the glory of God as they are, can never testify of the experienced grace of God as these shepherds could!

Vs.18-19 Here Luke records the two responses to the evangelistic crusade of these shepherds.

• Vs 18 Wondered: First we note that “all who heard the

shepherds’ testimony MARVELED at those things which were told them concerning this Child.” The first is more of an emotional response of excitement, isn’t it? I’m not against excitement, or wonderment, as it’s a normal human response to become excited but mere excitement doesn’t lead anywhere, doesn’t on its own change anything or anyone. It will soon pass away when something else excites it. 

Dear saints when we are in God’s Word, we must never settle for just the experience of excitement! Our bible study must never be a fireworks display, a loud bang, pop, and fizzle followed by colorful lights that quickly fades into the darkness.

• Vs. 19 Pondered: This is contrasted against Mary’s response to the shepherd’s testimony as she PONDERED them in her heart. The word in the Greek means to “bring together, comparing and weighing the truths”. To so value them as keeping them in the treasure chest of the heart, so that you will know where to find them to remind you of the benefits and blessing that they will always be! The word also carries the idea of putting these word treasures together, combining them in a harmony that plays sweet music to our souls. Because they are in our heart, they are safe guarded to not be lost or taken from our memories from the lies and thief of the god of this world.

Think for a moment of the treasures that Mary had already placed in her heart that year. She would need those truths in the passing years to pull out to regularly strengthen her in her daily walk. How about you, do you only wonder, or do you ponder the truths from God’s Word? Do you neglect reflection, or do you cultivate it by keeping it and caring for it? It is always better to read and study a little and keep it well, than to read and study a lot and not take the time and opportunity to ponder what we have studied! Speed in divine things is always a sign of immaturity as a moment spent in contemplation is worth far more hours than without it! 

Some of that contemplation must always include self- examination. Where there is a lack of contemplation, there will always be feeble hold of spiritual truths. A mere familiarity with God’s Word may enable a person to quote what they otherwise don’t know or practice.

Vs. 20 Shepherds returned

Vs. 20 We close our study with what a life in Christ is to look like practically as we note the shepherds simply “return” to their duties and responsibilities. We can see that though their surroundings didn’t change they were in every way changed as they were now functioning with a new energy and purpose as they did so “glorifying and praising God”. This last verse is a summation of what a life that ponders what they have heard and seen with regards to all that was taught us looks like. Yes, it is a return and I admit that sometimes we don’t want to return to where we have been, but let’s not forget that our return to our old surroundings is not as we were but as we now ARE! 

That is our “homework” this week to “return” with a new energy and purpose because we have taken these truths of Luke 2:15-20 and treasured them in our hearts, pulled them out and reexamined them. You will know if you have done so effectively as your day will turn into “glorifying and praising God”!

Luke 2:21-24

“Something old pointing to Someone new”

Introduction

Vs. 21 The circumcision of Christ

Vs. 22-23 The redemption of the first born

Vs. 24 The purification of Mary after the birth of Christ

Introduction

Though we are still examining the birth of Christ we have now moved beyond the “NIGHT HEAVEN CAME DOWN” to the events that immediately followed, all of which took place within the first 40 days of Jesus’ birth. This passage is from the 21st verse to the 38th verse with the greater amount of the text (verses 25-38) being devoted towards the reaction of two dear saints that witnessed the final event on the 40th day, namely Simeon and then Anna the prophetess which we will examine in detail when we get together again. Upon reading all 18 verses of this section I have some general observations that I think help greatly in our interpretation:

• First as to Luke and his investigation in gathering the history of this section we are reminded that in 1:2 he said to Theophilus that he did so from two primary sources, “eyewitnesses and ministers of the Word”. And Luke wrote what they told him exactly “as they delivered them”. The reason for this reminder is my interest in just “who delivered to Luke this source material”? 

We need to reason into this equation the reality that the gospel that bears his name wasn’t written until the mid or late 60’s AD. The reason for this question is that it helps with the context. As you noticed when we read this passage assuming it is firsthand testimony, that only five people were available that witnessed the events and only three of them were at all three events. Four of them were no longer alive at the time when Luke gathered the testimony. 

Simeon according to verse 26 and 29 was quite elderly and believed that God had kept him alive for this very moment. Anna, according to verse 36-37 was of “great age” and had been a widow for “84 years” which places her well into her 90’s or beyond. 

So, I can say with some certainty that neither of those two could NOT have been the source. It is also well believed that Joseph had long ago passed away. And Jesus 33 years later from this story was crucified not to mention that He was only 40 days old or under at the time of the events and Luke never met Him while he was on the earth. So, I can again say with some certainty that neither could be the source. That only leaves one person who could have been the eyewitness to the events of this story that Luke recorded “as they delivered them” and that is none other than Mary who had “pondered” these events in her heart. 

This is important for the context as this is not only her firsthand testimony but the ONLY testimony of these events. I’m impressed with her clarity and detail, and I believe that Luke must have been blown away with her testimony and this will become more apparent when we get together next and hear what she told Luke of Simeon’s prayerful song the “Ode to the Christ”!

• Second, both Luke and Theophilus are Greeks, yet this section is steeped in three Jewish ceremonies in the first four verses and why there is very little explanation of these three ceremonies with the exception of two comments found within verse 22-24. Luke informs Theophilus the reason why this young family was back in the temple 40 days after Jesus’ birth, 32 days after His circumcision and what was offered for the purification after childbirth. The importance of this can’t be underestimated because Mary knew all the significance of these three ceremonies and didn’t convey them to Luke as he just recorded them. That means that it is up to the reader to dig into this for the understanding.

The question we need to ask is, “Do these three ceremonies reveal anything about our Lord and His incarnation?” Before we answer that question lets first realize that these 18 verses reveal Jesus’ first interaction between three people, two of them directly (Simeon and Anna) and the other one through the very ceremonies he instituted, Moses, as 5 times in 20 verses the word “LAW” is used. And it is here that we understand in Jesus that He came according to Gal 4:1-7 to deliver His people from the bondage of the law so He was made under the law and obeyed its commandments and ceremonies. According to Jesus’ own words in Matt. 5:17-18 He did not come to destroy the law or the Prophets but to fulfill them.

I’m going to take an educated guess that you may be wondering about my assertion that there are “Three Ceremonies” recorded in verses 21-24. Again, there is a reason for our inability to spot them let alone understand them and that is Luke didn’t do more than record Mary’s testimony and did very little to explain what ceremonies he is recording nor is there significance and the fact that very few gentile Christians have much familiarity with Jewish customs and ceremonies. So, what follows in our study is my attempt to do so and the three ceremonies are:

• Vs. 21 The circumcision of Christ

• Vs. 22-23 The redemption of the first born

• Vs. 24 The purification of Mary after the birth of Christ

The first one “the circumcision of Christ” is the only one that happened on the 8th day from His birth the last two happened on the 40th day from His birth.

What we immediately realize is that the past work of God coming together at this very moment to these quaint group as God was fulfilling His promise to Abraham as well as the prophets. They were all pilgrims as the author of Hebrews declares of Abraham in 11:10 that “he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.” Everything in the law, the ceremonial system, the national life of Israel had been moving forward to this very moment. Some have said in reference to this that we can see, “The magnificent march of majesty and mercy”. 

This reveals that humanity’s redemption had always been His plan for humanity and it didn’t JUST BEGIN with the coming of Christ! NO, His coming culminated it, gathered it all together and fulfilled it. God had from before time began loved the world, before He sent His only Son, that at the right time He would give His only Son! 

Go back to Hebrews and read it for yourself in chapter 10:5-7 The Old Testament revealed the God’s design, but in Jesus we see God’s desire: “When He (Jesus) came into the world, he said, Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, but a body You have prepared for me; in burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You had no pleasure. Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come in the volume of the book it is written of Me to do thy will, O God.” This is what God’s real design was, He was never interested in the rivers of blood that flowed from the altar. All the blood of the animals slain never gave the guilty conscience any rest. 

God’s only interest in them was that they taught something, they pointed to Someone. But not just a man, but the only one in which people could chose to depend upon! That was what was needed and why we read the quote of Psalm 40:6-8 in this passage of Hebrews 10:5-7. Prior to the incarnation Jesus paused on the threshold of heaven, and said, “A body You have prepared for me.” There in the womb of the virgin named Mary a human body was being formed, a body with nerves and muscles and sinews and hair and eyes and feet, growing through all the stages that the normal human embryo goes through. Within that body was a human soul with the capacity to reason, to feel and to choose. But in that human body, He would never once act on His own, never once take a step apart from dependence upon the Father who dwelt within. Jesus said this in John 14:10 where He says, “Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works.” That is the principle that God had been after all along. When Jesus allowed this direction in the form of the Word of God, His life, His every temptation that He endured, every problem that He experienced, He would go back to what God had said saying, “It is written”! That is what led Him to the cross, where He laid down His life. And by means of that sacrifice, we are now able to join Jesus in this victorious life that is God’s original plan for man. That is what is in view with these three ceremonies under our study!

Vs. 21 The circumcision of Christ

Vs. 21 Every Jewish boy underwent circumcision on the 8th day after his birth. It was so sacred a ceremony that if the 8th day fell upon the Sabbath, then circumcision superseded even the day of rest on the Sabbath. And the law on the Sabbath forbade almost every other act which was not deemed essential so it’s safe to say that the Jew’s viewed male circumcision essential.

This is a far different reason then gentile circumcision practiced today mainly for hygienic reasons. Before we get into the history and background with regards to Jewish circumcision it is interesting to note the medical significance of it happening on the 8th day. It is of significant medical importance that male circumcision be carried out on the eighth day after birth since the level of vitamin K along with Prothrombin both play a pivotal role in regulation and control of the important clotting factors in the coagulation pathway that helps in stopping bleeding and these are at their highest levels on the 8th day.

As far as the significance of circumcision for the Jews we need to realize that it was God who gave Abraham the rite of circumcision in Genesis 17:9-11 and it was this rite that placed every Hebrew boy into a relationship with the national life of the people of God. His birth to Jewish parents didn’t accomplish this. From the time of Abraham forward, a male was not a member of God’s nation unless or until he was circumcised. 

That is noticed in Matthew’s genealogy of Jesus where he lists them out of chronological order mentioning David before Abraham and in so doing is saying that Jesus is connected to the Jewish people both royally and relationally. To the Jew circumcision was a sign from God, a symbol of His covenant and by this act on the 8th day Jesus was placed into the life of the nation which God had made. His first suffering for us came on that 8th day, it symbolized what He would do on our behalf on the cross by being “cut off” from the living not for Himself but for us! And by this as Peter wrote in 1 Peter 2:9 we who trust in Him Jew and gentile become, “a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.”

It was also traditionally the custom at this ceremony of circumcision to give this son a name. And Luke draws attention to the fact that neither Mary nor Joseph gave Him His name, but it was revealed by heavens messenger. That is also significant as He entered Jewish national life with the named bestowed upon Him not from birth but before time began! And that name was fitting as it means God is salvation and so He alone would be. As you remember Gabriel’s words to Mary in 1:31, “Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son and shall call His name Jesus”. When you look at Matthew 1:21 you notice that the angel added to Joseph this, “for He will save His people from their sins.” Jesus entered the nation by circumcision and received a heavenly name which indicates what we are told in Acts 4:12 that there is not, “salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

Vs. 22-23 The redemption of the first born

Vs. 22 This verse links together the other two ceremonies that happened both of which would have been 40 days from His birth and both of which happened in the temple area in the court of the women. This ceremony of Moses known as “The redemption of the first born”, is interesting in that it is first mentioned in Exodus 13:2 where we read, “Consecrate to Me all the firstborn, whatever opens the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and beast; it is Mine.” That is the verse that Luke quotes from Mary here. But if you dig further, you will realize later in Numbers 3:12-13 we read “Now behold, I Myself have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel instead of every firstborn who opens the womb among the children of Israel. Therefore, the Levites shall be Mine, because all the firstborns are Mine.” The tribe of the Levites was set apart for the priestly function and the first-born male from each family of this tribe was to take the place of the firstborn of all the families of Israel. 

God saw through the human weakness and when the nation couldn’t rise to the ideal in ritual and ceremony he came to the nations level. His ideal was that the people in relationship with Him would be a kingdom of priests and Theocracy having no King but God. And here we note at 40 days from His birth God reestablishing His ideal through a relationship with His Son as we already noted in 1 Peter 2:9 that we who trust in Him become, “a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.”

• Jesus not only entered the national life through circumcision

• He entered the priesthood by the rite of the redemption of the firstborn

According to Numbers 18:16 the price of this redemption of the firstborn was that “those redeemed of the devoted things you shall redeem when one month old, according to your valuation, for five shekels of silver, according to the shekel of the sanctuary” So when Mary and Joseph came with their firstborn Child, Jesus, at 40 days old they had to pay five shekels of silver to Levites to redeem their son because the Levites had took His place in being dedicated to God for service. Do you get the significance of this moment? 

They had to pay five shekels to redeem the Redeemer who would one day redeem us with His precious blood as we read in 1 Peter 1:18-19 “knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.”

Vs. 24 The purification of Mary after the birth of Christ

Vs. 24 The last of the three Jewish ceremonies also happened on the 40th day from birth of a male child and 80 days if the child was a female. This ceremony was known as “Purification after childbirth” as after childbirth for either 40 or 80 days the woman was considered “unclean”. As such she could go about her normal family life but could not enter the temple or share in any religious ceremonies according to Leviticus chapter 12 until after she made a sacrifice at the end of her time. 

The sacrifice was to be a lamb or that of a turtledove or pigeon, (difference in birds is that turtledoves were migratory birds and may not be always available here pigeons were not migratory). But the lamb would be quite expensive sacrifice so according to Lev. 12:8 a provision was made that instead of a lamb if they couldn’t afford it, they could bring another turtle dove. And we note that from Mary’s words to Luke that they were not able to afford a lamb and instead a sacrifice for the One who would be The Lamb of God was a pair of turtledoves. What we see is the poverty that Jesus was born into but of greater importance is to realize that Jesus was born into a home that could not afford a “lamb for the very One who was the lamb of God”! We note in these three ceremonies:

• His first suffering for us came on that 8th day as it symbolized what He would do on our behalf on the cross by being “cut off” from the living not for Himself but for us!

• They had to pay five shekels to redeem the Redeemer who would one day redeem us with His precious blood

• Jesus was born into a home that could not afford a “lamb for the very One who was the Lamb of God

 Luke 2:25-38

“My eyes have seen Your salvation”

Introduction

Vs. 25-35 Simeon’s song to the Savior 

Vs. 36-38 The evangelism of Anna

Introduction

Tonight, we conclude the first 40 days of Jesus’ life with the testimony of two witnesses that were at the temple on the 40th day, Simeon, and Anna.

You will recall that Luke got his information, I believe, from the eyewitness testimony of Mary, the mother of our Lord. We spent our study in understanding the significance of the “Three Ceremonies” recorded in verses 21-24 which will play a part in the timing of the passage tonight. Remember the ceremonies were:

• Vs. 21 The circumcision of Christ: Jesus only entered the national life through circumcision even though He was seen as having to Jewish parents.

• Vs. 22-23 The redemption of the first born: He entered the priesthood by the rite of the redemption of the firstborn

• Vs. 24 The purification of Mary after the birth of Christ: You will recall that this was the only of the three ceremonies that had no direct correlation to Jesus as a sacrifice had to be made to restore Mary’s right to enter the temple and share in any religious life of Israel according to Leviticus chapter 12. 

Here we noted that the significance wasn’t in the ceremony but rather in what they did and didn’t sacrifice.

The “circumcision of Christ” is the only one that happened on the 8th day from His birth the last two happened on the 40th day from His birth. What we note in these three ceremonies is that:

 • His first suffering for us came on that 8th day as it symbolized what He would do on our behalf on the cross by being “cut off” from the living not for Himself but for us!

• They had to pay five shekels to “redeem the Redeemer” who would one day redeem us with His precious blood

• Jesus was born into a home that could not afford a “lamb for the very One who was the Lamb of God”

Vs. 25-35 Simeon’s song to the Savior

These verses can be best divided into three parts:

• Vs. 25-27 These four verses offer the reader very important

details on the character of Simeon, and also the timing of the event.

• Vs. 28-32 Here in these five verses we are given the 5th and final song of the “First Christmas Album” as seen in the Gospel of Luke, (Elizabeth 1:42-45, Mary 1:46-55, Zacharias 1:68-79 the heavenly host of angels 2:13-14).

• Vs. 33-35 Lastly in these three verses we see that after Simeon’s song he had a prophetic word directed specifically towards Mary.

Vs. 25 Here the focus is clearly upon Simeon and Luke informs us that he had four characteristics that set him apart:

• Just: Elsewhere this word is rendered “righteous” and this word is used to describe the outward evidence towards his fellow man that he had a relationship with the Living God. Here I believe Simeon characterizes a person who was clearly taught by the Word of God!

• Devout: This word in the Greek is only used of Luke and speaks of being cautious and careful in practicing piety. You could say that Simeon was a man that was “obedient to the will of God”! This is most obvious in the only story of him recorded as he is patiently waiting in obedience to the will of God for the Messiah to come and demonstrated that by faithfully coming into the temple regularly in anticipation as he was told that he wouldn’t see death until he laid eyes on the Messiah. We aren’t told how long he had been doing this but I’m of the mindset that it had been for quite a time.

• Waiting for the Consolation of Israel: This phrase comes from one of the traditional Jewish prayers of the nation. It references the arrival of the Messiah and the redemption of Israel. It highlighted the Jewish hope for a time when God’s people would be restored to a state of peace and well-being, although varying groups viewed this occasion quite differently. It was so important that it was often used when to Jews as a departure greeting from each other as they would frequently say, “So may we see the consolation”. It was the Messianic blessing of hope for the nation from the Messiah Himself as we read in Isa. 11:10 where the promise is made to the nation that, “In that day there shall be a Root of Jesse, Who shall stand as a banner to the people; for the Gentiles shall seek Him, and His resting place shall be glorious.” What is in view here is that Simeon was a man of faith as clearly, he was by faith believing this and practiced his faith by regularly coming to the temple!

• And the Holy Spirit was upon him: Here Luke simple records twice in two verses that in Simeon the “Holy Spirit was upon him” (verse 25) and in verse 26 that “the Holy Spirit had revealed to him”. The point that Luke is making is that Simeon was a man that was led and empowered by the Spirit of God!

As we consider those four characteristics of Simeon, we note that he was a man who was:

• Taught the Word of God

• Obedient to the will of God

• Maintained faith in God

• Led and empowered by the Spirit of God

Now think of these four characteristics and what they enabled Simeon to enjoy in verse 30 as we are told that “his eyes would see God’s Salvation”. Those godly attributes enabled his own eyes to see the Child of Promise who was his salvation. May I just add that it has been my personal experience that during seasons of my life where I have had a blurred vision, seasons where I have a difficult time in seeing Him who alone is my salvation. I can’t help but notice a practical application in those four characteristics that would serve as a great diagnostic tool for my soul. Here then are four questions I can ask myself when I am experiencing this blurred vision: Am I being taught the Word of God, am I obedient to the will of God, am I maintaining my faith alone in God, am I led and empowered by the Spirt of God?

Vs. 26-27 One last thing in this section and this has to do with the timing of this as it relates to the “Consolation of Israel”. You see as I mentioned, Simeon was a part of a very small group within the nation of Israel that believed that God would directly by supernatural means intervened into human affairs. They had no dreams of violent overthrow through armies. They no doubt knew that what Daniel wrote of in chapter 9 was coming due and would 33 years later at Jesus triumphal entry, but Simeon didn’t believe as the Zealots did that they were to bring about the “Consolation of Israel”. 

You may remember that even one of Jesus’ own disciples, (oddly enough his name is Simeon “the Zealot”), was from that philosophy and Luke will mention him in Luke 6:15 and again in Acts 1:13. Instead this Simeon from the temple practiced the belief in the “Consolation of Israel” without banners and protests, armies and insurrections instead he quietly, devotionally practiced his faith by constant prayer, a quiet watchfulness and an active worship directed towards God who always keeps His promises. To this man with those four characteristics on this very moment God fulfilled not only the promise made to him but also the one made to the nation.

Notice in verse 27 that Luke is very specific as to the exact moment of this as we read, “So he came by the Spirit into the temple.” We are very of the exact time that the Holy Spirit did this as we further read that it was, “When the parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the law.” That was the exact time that Simeon took Jesus up in his arms and blessed God with the song. All we need to do to uncover this time is go back over those three ceremonies and you will eliminate the circumcision as that had transpired 32 days earlier and was an intimate affair, one in which Simeon would not of been present. Next you can eliminate the “purification of Mary” as Luke tells us that the exact time had to do with what they did “for Jesus according to the law” and NOT what they had to do for “Mary” according to the law. So, then this exact time of the “Consolation of Israel” that was promised by God for the nation and Simeon personally was the ceremony of “The redemption of the first born” where Joseph and Mary had to pay five shekels to redeem the Redeemer who would one day redeem us with His precious blood! And this fact did not escape Simeon as we will note as he sang his song with Jesus in his arms!

Vs. 28-32 Here as I previously mentioned in these five verses, we are given the 5th and final song of the “First Christmas Album” as seen in the Gospel of Luke, (Elizabeth 1:42-45, Mary 1:46-55, Zacharias 1:68-79 the heavenly host of angels 2:13-14). Here we can note two aspects of Simeon’s song;

• First, in verses 29-30 we see that this song of praise was a “salvation hymn” and looking at it was PERSONAL as Simeon uses personal pronouns to describe this experience of his salvation. It started out that way as Simeon mentions getting to personally set his eyes on his salvation in this Child, Jesus.

Look carefully at the first phrase in verse 29 that states that at his witnessing of Jesus in his arms he in now ready to die. He uses the word “depart” and in the Greek the word had four meanings and each of them tells us something about a believer’s death. First, the word was used of releasing a prisoner. Secondly, it was used for untying a boat so that it could set sail. Thirdly, it was used to take down a tent, to pull up its stakes. Fourth, it was used to unyoke a beast of burden from its earthly tasks. Oh, dear saints, how different the believers view of death then the poor sinner’s soul. Is there any wonder why Simeon at that moment took baby Jesus into his arms and began to praise without any hesitation! It’s as if he was saying, “This is the Child I’ve been waiting for all my life!” God’s salvation was bound up in a PERSON, that’s what Simeon sang as he said, “In YOUR Salvation”. You will NEVER see salvation apart from seeing Jesus, THE REDEEMER who paid the ransom for our souls. Simeon saw by the power of the Holy Spirit that very moment in his arms the only One who through His death would forever break death!

• Second, in verses 31-32 we see that it was a “missionary hymn”. Look at the wording that Simeon uses that even though God’s salvation in the babe Jesus was personal to him it was not his alone, as Simeon says that it was universal “before ALL PEOPLES”. Simeon recognizes that this didn’t just come upon the world suddenly as it had been “prepared” it had always been God’s plan and He had sent His Word from the very beginning of human history even to Adam and Eve and through Noah, and the patriarchs of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. On through Joshua and the Judges. David the great king and Psalmist wrote songs of God’s plan and the prophets had prophesied of it! Simeon was only given the opportunity to hold in his arms what so many prior to him had longed to see! 

Simeon knew what so many in Israel had deliberately forgotten and that this Child in his arms was to be a light to bring revelation to the Gentiles as He is the glory of God’s people Israel. So bright a Light was this Child Jesus in his arms that He alone would be able to break through all the Gentile philosophies and grand kingdoms with all their false hopes of some solution to the human condition. Simeon held on to the “Light of the World” and sang His praise!

Vs. 33-35 Lastly in these three verses we see that after Simeon’s song he had a prophetic word directed specifically towards Mary. First again we note the impact that this brief song had upon Joseph and Mary as they were again filled with wonderment followed by the fact that we have this story recorded the pondering of it. Simeon not only praised God for Jesus he equally took the time to pray for them both before he had a prophetic word over both Jesus as well as what it would cause Mary to experience personally. Notice that Simeon uses three images in his prophetic word: A stone (fall and rising), a sign and a sword.

• Jesus, Simeon prophesied, was “destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against”. Because of Jesus, many in Israel would stumble over Him as that is what Isaiah said in 8:14-15 that, “He will be as a sanctuary, but a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense to both the houses of Israel, as a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. And many among them shall stumble;
they shall fall and be broken, be snared and taken.” Many Simeon said would fall in conviction and then rise in salvation. There are only really two races of people, Unbelievers and believers and all believers started out as unbelievers. Jesus would also be a “sign” and the word here is where we get our word for miracle but here it doesn’t mean a demonstration of power instead it means a revelation of divine truth! Simeon says as he held Jesus that He would be the kind of Person in whom people could not be neutral on!

• Mary, notice the first thing even before the prophetic word is the fact that only Mary is mentioned and not Joseph which tells her that he won’t be with her throughout her life. I can’t help but wonder how those words on that day came to her throughout her life: The time in in the temple where they lost sight of Him for days, when Joseph left her alone at his death,  the times when the crowds so thick and people so agitated that they sought to take him by force and make Him king and they sought because of the circumstances that things were out of His control. Then of course at His arrest, death, and resurrection. Mary had endured so much for this “blessing” bestowed upon her! Oh, how Jesus loved His mother, as at the cross He knew she would need some special attention and told both her and John to watch over each other. Then after the resurrection and ascension, at Pentecost, Mary with her other sons were there in that upper room when the Holy Spirit came upon them. Oh, I can only imagine how glorious that was for her, I don’t believe she could have ever spoken of this apart from having the Holy Spirit fill her on that day. Drenched in the Balm of Gilead, soothed in God’s love, healed by His continual presence, I know something of this myself!

Vs. 36-38 The evangelism of Anna

Vs. 36-38 We close the passage with a sweet prophetess named Anna or as we would say “grace”! She was a godly widow of some great age, from the tribe of Asher but had moved away from that area and was now in Jerusalem around the temple waiting for the appearing of the promised Messiah. She becomes the 2nd evangelist’s just behind the shepherds in the field 40 days earlier. Her beauty is quite amazing to me; you may ask where this is mentioned, and though I could quote you that women from the tribe of Asher were known throughout the tribes of Israel as the most beautiful women. You might reply to me, “Well that very well may be true but at her older age I doubt it was still true”. My reply is that in part is why her beauty stands out to me.

You see there are two things that if not handled well in the life of all people will rob them of their beauty and those are great sorrow and all the difficulties of age. We are told that Anna had suffered through both and yet look at her, there is no bitterness instead she never ceased serving the Lord night and day through fasting and prayers and here we see her coming at the very moment that Simeon is holding Jesus and she gave thanks in praise. Then she went out and told everyone who were looking forward to the redemption in Jerusalem that she had laid eyes upon the babe Jesus! Do see how beautiful she is now? She was not distant; she had no detachment nor despair. No, she had spent her life in the temple amongst God’s people serving and praising God!

 Luke 2:39-41

“The growth and increase of Jesus, part 1”

Introduction

Vs. 39-41 From babyhood to boyhood

Introduction

We start our study in the gospel of Luke again with material that could have only come from Mary the mother of Jesus. This material only appears here in Luke and has been a great source of curiosity of many folks. The lack of information should make it abundantly clear that God didn’t desire to give humanity much information into the life of our Lord’s incarnation from His 40th day on earth to that of His life prior to His ministry. 

I’m reminded of the apostle John’s amazing words in his gospel in 21:25 where he wrote, “And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.” I’m not certain if John was referring to the events that encompass these 14 verses here in the 2nd chapter of Luke or if they are instead reflective of what he wrote of in 20:30-31 where he has said, “truly Jesus did many other signs in the PRESENCE OF HIS DISCIPLES, which are not written in this book…” The question not answered by John is whether “what was not written was only that which was not also in the presence of His disciples or was it also material such as this extremely brief interlude describing Jesus early life”? 

Because of the lack of inspired information some of those “curiosity seekers” have been driven to uninspired speculators who have written about weird myths and fanciful stories about Jesus’ childhood, adolescence, and adult pre-ministry. 

If that was the only reason for our fascination of these 14 verses then it would be worthy of our intense study but there are far more reasons that we all ought to be thankful for Luke’s gospel and these 14 verses than just to answer all the questions about the myths, fanciful stories, and speculations in an attempt to satisfy our curiosity of the so called “hidden years of Christ”.

First, generally, my examination of these 14 verses has given me the impression that Luke’s questioning of Mary was specific into the development of the personality of Jesus which as a Greek physician and historian would have naturally been interested in the development of the “perfect man” and as such centers upon two distinct phases of His life. 

This is very different than the Jews who marked 9 different stages of a male child’s development from new-born to fully adult male, all of which can be seen in the first testament. Based upon these 14 verses here I only note two stages that Luke focuses in on:

• Vs. 39-40 Here the time frame is around 12 years from babyhood to boyhood and is characterized by the organic phrase “And the Child grew” which is then followed by three ways that this growth was visibly noted as we are told that this growth was seen in Him growing as He became “strong, filled with wisdom and the grace of God was upon Him”. 

Look at those three areas and you will notice a phycological examination in which Jesus’ development from babyhood to boyhood was organic in two areas: physically and mentality. But notice interestingly, when we see His spiritual development, we see that this was NOT organic as the grace of God was “UPON HIM”. Jesus spiritual life was NOT organic, it was supernatural. This is brought forth in the illustration provide for us by Mary in verses 41-50 of Jesus at the Passover feast in Jerusalem when he was but 12 years of age.

• Vs. 51-52 Here the time frame is around 18 years from adolescence to adulthood and the characterization of Jesus’ development is very different as we are told that Jesus“increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.” The word “increased” is NOT an organic word instead it is a word that implies strenuous activity and NOT a passive organic development. The question left unanswered is, “What caused the change in the method of development and is such a change normal for all other male humans?” This is further understood as there is no mention of physical growth which is a natural organic development. This increased development of the personality of Jesus is illustrated in the brief statement of verse 51 as we are told that Jesus went down to Nazareth with his parents and while developing there “was subject to them”.

Vs. 39-41From babyhood to boyhood

Vs. 39 In this brief verse, we are told that after this 40th day, that we saw last week, this young family was obedient not only in performing all things according to the law of their Lord, but also in returning to normal life in Galilee, to their own city, Nazareth. What we see immediately is that there were no outside special forces in those so called “hidden years” that were used in the development of the personality of Jesus. Instead, those 12 years were filled with obedience and mundane normalcy where this young family slipped back into a life that allowed the child to develop organically: Physically, Mentally, Socially, and that this went along with the supernatural grace of God being upon Him. 

There is no mention of Jesus raising dead birds back to life, nothing about His physical or mental growth appeared out of the ordinary. The only conclusion one can make is that in the essential things of a child’s development Jesus was normal except for the grace of God being upon Him! As a toddler, He first started to crawl then stood up and took His first steps. He picked things up and put things down. Then came His first words and being weaned from His mother’s milk to eating solid food. 

Joseph and Mary went on to have children as Matt. 1:25 tells us that they didn’t have normal marital relations until she had brought forth her first born Son but did resume them as we have listed (four half-brothers as well as at least two sisters) as we are told in Matt. 13:55-56 and John 7:1-10. He worked with Joseph in the carpentry business according to Matt. 13:55 and Mark 6:3 and most likely continued to run the business after Joseph died as he took care of the family being the oldest. I think Paul eloquently explains Jesus during this period of time in His life when he writes in Phillip. 2:5-8 when he admonishes his readers to, “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.”

Vs. 40-41 This is brought forth in these two verses by first explaining the development of the personality of Jesus during those years and then in verse 41 by placing that into the context of this family’s annual religious expression of attending the Passover. The point of that is to say to the reader of this gospel that for 11 years there was no unique occurrencewhile attending the Passover in Jerusalem instead what is noted in verse 40 that Jesus’ development from babyhood to boyhood was organic as He simply grew becoming stronger both physically as well as mentally.

• Became Strong: Just to note that the word spirit here was added later and is not in the best manuscripts. The business of every child from babyhood to boyhood, in the activity of life, is to grow and there is no responsibility in the realm of a child’s will, that will aid in this growth. There is no place in the life of a child in the physical realm of power that can accomplish growth apart from God’s wonderful design. Physical growth is done entirely apart from human responsibility. This is important because as we look at Jesus from babyhood to boyhood Luke is keenly aware that He is Supernatural, yet during this time frame of His earthly existence His physical growth came about exactly like every other child without any sense of responsibility except obedience to parental authority which is largely aimed at perfect freedom to do just what God has designed the body to do and that is grow. Such physical growth is gradual in nature as it is organic thus the use of the word grew indicates that it was not a sudden change that occurred.

•  Filled with wisdom: We ought not assume by the use of the word filled, as it relates to the mental development of Jesus, that this was a sudden immediate event or that Jesus from birth had this mental development as that is not what Luke describes. Instead, what Luke describes is normal organic intellectual intelligence, which is gained the same by all children, through observation, asking questions and receiving instruction. Again, Luke is very aware of the Supernatural origin of Jesus, yet His mental development was normal in terms of human development. 

Let that sink into your heads and hearts as we realize that prior to His incarnation according to Psalm 33: 6-9 “By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth, He gathers the waters of the sea together as a heap; He lays up the deep in storehouses Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him. For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast.” I’m again brought back to Paul’s words in Phillip. 2:5-8 “Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man.”

• And the grace of God was upon Him: Here in the development of Jesus from babyhood to boyhood is the only supernatural element as it is described as “coming upon Him” which is not organic. Jesus’ spiritual development was different as He clearly exhibited something very different with regards to sin! Jesus never sinned as a child either in omission or commission and that was due to God’s grace resting upon Him. Jesus was the perfect child, the ideal child and not effected by the fallen flesh that satan influences and that the world system encourages. 

That is what the author of Hebrews declares of Jesus in 4:15 “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.”

So, the conclusion of the early physiological development of Jesus is upon three areas two of which were normal and organic to every child and the third that was supernatural. Those three areas were Physically, Mentally and Spiritually!

It is here that we will close for now and take up next week: 

• Vs. 42-50 About My Fathers business

• Vs. 51-52 From adolescence to adult

 Luke 2:42-52

“The growth and increase of Jesus, part 2”

• Introduction
• Vs. 42-50 About My Fathers business 
• Vs. 51-52 From adolescence to adult

Introduction

We started our study in the gospel of Luke in the so called “hidden years of Christ” with material that could have only come from Mary. We acknowledged that the general lack of information should make it clear that God didn’t desire to give humanity much information into the early life of our Lord’s incarnation. Also of note was that these 14 verses give us the impression that Luke’s questioning of Mary was specific into the development of the personality of Jesus. 

Based upon these 14 verses we noted two stages of development that Luke focuses in on:

• Vs. 39-40 The first is what we went over last week. The time frame is around 12 years from babyhood to boyhood and is characterized by the organic phrase “And the Child Grew” followed by three ways that this growth was visible in Luke’s physiologicalexamination

Jesus’ development from babyhood to boyhood was organic in two areas: physically and mentality. But notice interestingly, when we see His spiritual development, we see that this was NOT organic as the grace of God was “UPON HIM”. Jesus spiritual life was NOT organic, it was supernatural. Simply put, in the essential things of a child’s development Jesus was normal outside of the grace of God being upon Him!

That brings us to the second stage found in verses 51-52 and that time frame is around 18 years from adolescence to adulthood. The characterization of Jesus’ development in this 2nd stage is very different as we are told in verse 52 that Jesus “increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.” The word “increased” is not an organic wordinstead, it is a word that implies strenuous activity and not a passive organic development. The question left unanswered is, “What caused the change in the method of development and is such a change normal for all other male humans?” Or perhaps we might at least want to know “When was this transition first noticed?” And I believe that the answer to that is to be found in the verses 42-50 in the story of the time when Jesus was 12 in the temple.

Vs. 42-50 About My Fathers business

We will now examine this section in three parts:

• First in verse 42 we will look the timing with regards to the

transition of Jesus personal development.

• Second in verses 43-45 we will look at the incident of Jesus not

being where his parents thought He would be.

• Finally, in verses 46-50 we will note the responses of those that

observed Jesus’ transition in the temple and the response from both Jesus and His parents’ reaction.

Vs. 42 In the 41st verse Luke records that Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover and clearly this sentence was in part to reveal the contrast from those previous 11 years to that of the 12th year. These 9 verses describe the events of Jesus’ 12th year at the Feast of the Passover. It is here that we see the transition from the phrase of verse 40 that described Jesus’ development as organic growth to that of the “increase” of what can only be described as intense personal activity. 

The best way to understand this transition in the development of Jesus’ personality is by asking, “What would happen to a Jewish boy from a devote Jewish home at 12?” We know that even in devote Jewish homes today the Jewish Boy comes to his Bar-mitzvah. This word “Bar-mitzvah” comes from two words: Bar = Son and Mitzvah = Commandment or as we might say Son of the Law, where the adolescent would become a man and take on the obligations to observe the law personally upon himself. We are not told when Jesus went through the ceremony, it could have been prior to this recorded event in his synagogue at Nazareth or here when He went into the temple. What we know for sure is that when Jesus went into the temple at this time He did so as the Son of the law. Until that time when Jesus had gone before, His father and mother were responsible for His religious and spiritual development but here Jesus assumed the responsibility for Himself. He entered the temple this time by going into the teachers as already a Son of the law!

Vs.43-45 As this relates to the above question, “When was this transition first noticed?” It is clear from these verses that Jesus’ parents had not yet noticed this transition. We are told that this occurred when they had “finished the days” with regards to fulfilling the laws obligation of attending the feast, which would have been after the 3rd day of the Feast of Passover as that was when a family’s obligation was up, and they could return home. This makes sense as they returned to find Jesus in the temple and if they had left after the 7th day of the feast, they would not have found Jesus in the temple. 

We know this because at the Feast of Passover, after the Passover itself was over, it was customary for the 71 men of the Temple-Sanhedrin to meet in a public place in the temple court to take religious and theological questions from the people. In the Talmud which is the commentary on the Law or Mishnah which is made up of 63 chapters discussing Jewish ethics, philosophy, customs, and history as well as many other topics from thousands of teachings from noted rabbinical authorities we are told what such a gathering would have looked like. 

On Feast days, such as this, the Temple-Sanhedrin would have come out upon the terrace of the temple and teach. It was popular instruction with the utmost latitude being given to questioning. The audience would sit upon the ground surrounding and mingling with the teachers both listening, asking, and answering questions.

We must not assume in this story either neglect from the standpoint of Jesus’ earthly parents nor some sort of rebellion from an adolescent Jesus as neither are true.

• First, from the position of the parents, it was customary for Passover Feast pilgrims to travel by caravans in which women and children would lead the way setting the pace. They would be followed by the men and young men who would travel later as they had a faster pace in walking. It is most likely that both Mary and Joseph assumed that Jesus was with the other parent or going back between the two groups as adolescent children often did. This is the reason why we are told in verses 43-44 that they didn’t realize that Jesus “lingered behind in Jerusalem” and Mary and Joseph were unaware of this. It is also explaining that they would not have been conscious of this until the two groups met up together and did a head count and began their thorough search of Jesus and why this was done a day into their departure and why it took a day to get back as we are told in the Greek that they searched for him along the way back and then it took another day to find Jesus in Jerusalem.
• Second, from the standpoint of Jesus this was not rebellion as we already mentioned that at His Bar-mitzvah Jesus became a Son of the Law and took responsibility for His own religious and spiritual development. Jesus didn’t under the law need to ask permission from His parents to stay in Jerusalem to study God’s Word in fact it was His responsibility to do so. It is important to note that when they finally found Jesus in the circle that Jesus was among the students and not as one of the teachers. 

I skip to verse 48-49 as Mary and Joseph are clearly upset at Jesus’ departure from the returning caravan and took it personally as Mary said, “Look, your father and I have sought you anxiously.” Both the words, “Look” and “anxiously” indicate that Mary’s statement was reflective of their anxious and thorough search over the last 2 days. I suppose most parents could understand this and we would be quite sympathetic to Mary’s corrective reply to her Son. But I offer this clarification as both of Jesus’ parents were very aware of who He was and had already treasured those truths in their hearts. To which we note in Jesus’ answer, “Why do you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?” I find this same dilemma in my life where my emotions over power the truth that has been placed in my intellect! These blessed parents had nothing to worry concerning Jesus as His time was not yet come as Jesus would tell Mary 18 years later at the miracle in Cana when she would request the transformation from water to wine. Jesus would yet be destined for the rising of many in Israel, (Luke 2:34). Jesus would later say in Luke 21:18 that “Not a hair of your head shall be lost”, but they still had the emotions of parents. One last thing to point out in Mary’s words “Your father”, as up to this time Joseph had obviously always been called such by Jesus, why else would she make that statement if Jesus had never called Joseph father. But with that said, I believe that Jesus never again referred to him as such and it will be in Jesus reply to them in verse 49!

Vs. 46-50 Now we take up the responses and first we note is the observation that when they found Jesus He was “sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking questions.” This implies that when the parents’ found Jesus that they observed Him for a bit of time before their questioning of Him as they had enough time of observation to see Jesus both actively listening to what was being taught as well as intelligently asking questions to what He had just heard. Furthermore, as this story comes from Mary’s memory, she also noted the response of the people to her Son as “All those who heard Him were astonished at His understanding and answers.” The word “astonished” in the Greek means to “to strike out or drive away from” and is used to describe utter amazement we might say “blown away”. I rather believe in verse 48 that Mary and Joseph were equally blown away by Jesus understanding and answers as well as the response of the multitudes by them.

Now we look at Jesus’ reply to Mary, and we note that for the first time we have Jesus words recorded for us and this is what we are given. Jesus takes the name that He had always before given to his surrogate father Joseph and gives it directly to God! When did Jesus start to realize this? We are not given that, but this discovery of His own unique relationship was first spoken of here and in a blaze came the realization in His consciousness that He was like no other man, and that He had a relationship to God as Father that no other has ever had or will ever have! Jesus’ response isn’t harsh nor rebellious He instead asks tenderly, “Mother, surely you understood about Me; how is it that you sought Me?” And then Jesus said the central part of His answer to her, “I MUST be about My Father’s business”. The words “I must” convey Jesus’ view of His appointed work and express both the inevitable fulfillment as well as the constraint of such a responsibility upon Himself. Literally in the original language, Jesus says, “I must be IN the things of the Father in Me”. 

Whenever Jesus spoke of the Father as, My Father, He only always did so in the definite article, and He never used the definite article before Father when speaking of anybody other than Himself. What this means to the reader of Greek is that Jesus is declaring that He and He alone has a unique and special relationship with God and that is born out in the first recorded words of Jesus to Mary when He said to her, “I must be in the things of the Father of Me.” 

Mary and Joseph had been searching high and low for their Son and the question she asked was not what He had been doing but where had He had been. And Jesus response is mother is, “Where should a child be found but in His Father’s house about His Father’s business.” We close out this section with a statement from Mary about herself at that time and that is that she didn’t fully understand. This was part of the sword that Simeon had spoken to her about in Luke 2:35.

Vs. 51-52 From adolescence to adult

Vs. 51 First notice that Jesus’ realization as to His true identity didn’t make Him proud or arrogant, and neither did it cause Him to look down upon his earthly parents as we are told in verse 51 that Jesus “went down with them to Nazareth, and was subject to them” As God’s only begotten Son, this relationship didn’t make Him anything more than the “Perfect Son” to His human parents and the Perfect older brother to His siblings as well as the rest of society. 

This speaks to us about our relationship to our God as it ought to cause us who profess such a relationship to live it out in our earthly relationships and human responsibilities as to reveal this identity to all we are around by demonstrating how having a relationship with God perfects our relationship with every other relationship we have. We will become better husband’s and wives’, better brothers and sisters, sons, and daughters etc.

Vs. 52 We are now on to the last verse in Luke chapter 2, and it goes back to Luke’s interest in Jesus’ personality development over the next 18 years and Luke says that Jesus “increased” or advanced and as noted above describes an intense personal activity on behalf of Jesus. 

Jesus not only grew, but He also advanced by actively practicing yielding His earthly body to His heavenly Father in all things! This was visible in advancement alongside that of His Father in wisdom, stature and in favor with His Father and with all He encountered. The abiding Grace that had been upon Him from the very start of His life continued to progress through His life. His life was what all humanity longs for a “balanced life” without neglecting any part of that life as His priority was always about His Father!