Simeon and Anna Understand!
Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.
And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ.
So he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when the parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the law, he took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said:
Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, according to Your Word; For my eyes have seen Your salvation which You have prepared before the face of all peoples, a light to bring revelation for the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel.
-- Luke 2:25-32
Here's an old man holding baby Jesus and making some bold claims....Your salvation which You have prepared before the face of all peoples...a light for the Gentiles...and a glory for Your people Israel....
(But, Simeon, it's only a baby!)
Notice "all peoples" and "Gentiles" are mentioned before Israel. Simeon understood Jesus' rescue mission better than most.
Then a prophetess, Anna, appears on the scene.
Coming up on them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.
-- Luke 2:38
Luke does not give any more of her speech.
But it is interesting that Luke relates the story of a man and a woman here, dual threads of the story he is weaving for Theophilus.
This is typical of Luke's writing. In his gospel he makes it clear that Christ came for all -- Jew and Gentile - men and women.
There are at least twenty-seven "sets" of stories in his book that focus on both men and women.
In Luke 15 - the parable of the shepherd who lost his sheep and then the good woman who lost her coin.
In Luke 13 the farmer who plants a mustard seed in his garden and the woman who kneads some yeast into her bread dough.
In Luke 7 we see the story of the faithful centurion whose servant was sick, and then the raising of the widow's son at Nain.
Even the mother of John the Baptist is singled out: I tell you of those born of women there is no one greater than John....Luke 7:28
And here in the story of His miraculous birth we read that Gabriel visited two people: Zechariah and Mary. Two hymns of praise are written: Zechariah's and Mary's. Two witnesses in the temple: Simeon and Anna.
When Luke looked back over the ministry of Jesus,
he must have found Christ's attention to women and the particular needs of their world rather extraordinary. Certainly nothing like this exists in any other literature of the ancient world.
[The reactions of Zechariah and Mary to the message of Gabriel are quite different. Zechariah hesitated and chose to doubt - he was struck dumb until the child was born.
Mary, however, humbly received the gift of costly discipleship. "Let it be done to me according to thy word," she said. And so she was able to witness a second miracle, the news that her cousin would also have a miracle baby.
Zachariah's response of doubt brought him also a second miracle, but one of judgment (his temporary dumbness), not one of blessing.]
Luke tells us that Mary and Joseph marveled at Simeon's words to them about Jesus. Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, His mother: 'This child is destined to cause the falling and the rising of many in Israel ..... And a sword will pierce your own soul also.'
Your own soul also....A prophecy for two.
And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ.
So he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when the parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the law, he took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said:
Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, according to Your Word; For my eyes have seen Your salvation which You have prepared before the face of all peoples, a light to bring revelation for the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel.
-- Luke 2:25-32
Here's an old man holding baby Jesus and making some bold claims....Your salvation which You have prepared before the face of all peoples...a light for the Gentiles...and a glory for Your people Israel....
(But, Simeon, it's only a baby!)
Notice "all peoples" and "Gentiles" are mentioned before Israel. Simeon understood Jesus' rescue mission better than most.
Then a prophetess, Anna, appears on the scene.
Coming up on them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.
-- Luke 2:38
Luke does not give any more of her speech.
But it is interesting that Luke relates the story of a man and a woman here, dual threads of the story he is weaving for Theophilus.
This is typical of Luke's writing. In his gospel he makes it clear that Christ came for all -- Jew and Gentile - men and women.
There are at least twenty-seven "sets" of stories in his book that focus on both men and women.
In Luke 15 - the parable of the shepherd who lost his sheep and then the good woman who lost her coin.
In Luke 13 the farmer who plants a mustard seed in his garden and the woman who kneads some yeast into her bread dough.
In Luke 7 we see the story of the faithful centurion whose servant was sick, and then the raising of the widow's son at Nain.
Even the mother of John the Baptist is singled out: I tell you of those born of women there is no one greater than John....Luke 7:28
And here in the story of His miraculous birth we read that Gabriel visited two people: Zechariah and Mary. Two hymns of praise are written: Zechariah's and Mary's. Two witnesses in the temple: Simeon and Anna.
When Luke looked back over the ministry of Jesus,
he must have found Christ's attention to women and the particular needs of their world rather extraordinary. Certainly nothing like this exists in any other literature of the ancient world.
[The reactions of Zechariah and Mary to the message of Gabriel are quite different. Zechariah hesitated and chose to doubt - he was struck dumb until the child was born.
Mary, however, humbly received the gift of costly discipleship. "Let it be done to me according to thy word," she said. And so she was able to witness a second miracle, the news that her cousin would also have a miracle baby.
Zachariah's response of doubt brought him also a second miracle, but one of judgment (his temporary dumbness), not one of blessing.]
Luke tells us that Mary and Joseph marveled at Simeon's words to them about Jesus. Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, His mother: 'This child is destined to cause the falling and the rising of many in Israel ..... And a sword will pierce your own soul also.'
Your own soul also....A prophecy for two.
Faithful Jews realized from the "suffering servant" prophecies that the Messiah would be wounded.
Now Simeon included Mary in the suffering of God's Anointed One.
Thirty-three years later she chose to stand at the foot of the cross, witnessing the cruel punishment of her Son, and she felt the sword pierce her own soul also.
She was not under arrest. She could have left. She could not have saved Him. She could not have convinced the soldiers to take her Son down and give Him to her so should could take Him home and take care of Him.
She made the free choice to stand by and enter into His suffering and feel the sword pierce through her heart. A memory she would never forget.
It's the cost of discipleship.
[I remember reading about the assassination of President Garfield in 1881. When officials went to visit his mother and give the harsh news to her, she responded in shock, "But who would kill my baby?"
That's the hard burden of love.]
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