Luke 2:21-32 (The circumcision and presentation in the temple.)

Rachel Workman: It's evident that God loved Simon by him allowing him to see Jesus. In fact he promised him he would see the Messiah. There is no telling how long Simon had to wait. God is faithful even when we are not. But not only did he see the Messiah he had an understanding of who the Messiah really was. God revealed to him that Jesus was indeed our salvation. He has prepared the way for all people. What a realization. I love verse 32. He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and he is the glory of your people Israel. One of my favorite descriptions of Christ is that of him being called a light. With so much darkness around us we can cling to Christ who IS light.

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John Burnett:  Luke 2:21-32

²¹ On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived.

Jesus Presented in the Temple

²² When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord ²³ (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord”^[a]), ²⁴ and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.”      

²⁵ Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout.  He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him.  Another example that the Holy Spirit was active even before the day of Pentecost. ²⁶ It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. ²⁷ Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, ²⁸ Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:

²⁹ “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,  And He always keeps his promises even though we cannot.
    you may now dismiss^[c] your servant in peace.
³⁰ For my eyes have seen your salvation,
³¹     which you have prepared in the sight of all nations:
³² a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
    and the glory of your people Israel.”  Like Simeon, I can’t wait to see my Savior and I am thankful that he gave himself for us Gentiles as well as Israel.

Have a great weekend.

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Krista Cook:  - "Jesus, Jesus, there's just something about that name".  This song came to my mind when I read this.  Simeon also knew the importance of this Jesus.  He had been waiting for years to be able to see the Messiah - the salvation sent by God.  We are so blessed - we don't have to wait - Jesus is always there waiting for us to take hold of the salvation He offers. 

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Mike Grimm:  Luke 2:21-32

²¹ Eight days later, when the baby was circumcised, he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel even before he was conceived. Jewish law required the parents to circumcise a newborn boy on the eighth day of his life. They circumcised a baby boy in order to commit him to a covenant relationship with God and identify him with the covenant community. God instituted the practice of “brit milah” (Covenant of Circumcision) when He made His covenant with Abraham (Gen. 17:10-14).

²² Then it was time for their purification offering, as required by the law of Moses after the birth of a child; so his parents took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord. ²³ The law of the Lord says, “If a woman’s first child is a boy, he must be dedicated to the Lord.” ²⁴ So they offered the sacrifice required in the law of the Lord—“either a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.” God told Moses in Exodus 13:2 “Consecrate to me every firstborn male. The first offspring of every womb among the Israelites belongs to me, whether man or animal.”

The Prophecy of Simeon

²⁵ At that time there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon. He was righteous and devout and was eagerly waiting for the Messiah to come and rescue Israel. The Holy Spirit was upon him (They did not see themselves as above or beyond the Law. Observing the Law was a nonnegotiable. They would uphold their side of God’s covenant relationship with them. God was behind the Law and keeping the Law was a way of enjoying God’s provision and protection. We also realize from these passages that God is not above His own Law. He established the Law as a framework through which he would bless His people.) ²⁶ and had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. ²⁷ That day the Spirit led him to the Temple. So when Mary and Joseph came to present the baby Jesus to the Lord as the law required, ²⁸ Simeon was there. He took the child in his arms and praised God, saying,

²⁹ “Sovereign Lord, Simeon understands and correctly affirms that God is sovereign in all the affairs of men and is right now unfolding His perfect plan. No one can stop Him or out-maneuver Him. now let your servant die in peace,
    as you have promised. We do not know how God revealed to Simeon that he would have a role in this drama before he died. We don’t know how many long years he might have waited in faith and expectation. We don’t know if he wavered in doubt or if he persevered with unwavering faith. What really matters is that when the critical time came to trust and obey God he did.

³⁰ I have seen your salvation,
³¹     which you have prepared for all people. God has now put this agent of salvation onto the public stage of humanity. The process of securing salvation for people will take place for all to witness, for all to scrutinize and for all to have the chance to either reject it or receive it.

³² He is a light to reveal God to the nations,
    and he is the glory of your people Israel!”

Simeon’s theme is God’s salvation for all people. According to a Jewish worldview there were, and still are, two categories of humanity: Jews and Gentiles. Jesus would not be just the instrument of salvation for the people of Israel but for all people, including the Gentiles. When

God made His covenant with Abraham 2000 years before this He told Abraham that all the

nations would be blessed through his descendants. By this time, however, many Jews hated the

Gentiles so much that they ignored this or thought in terms of a Jewish government that would rule over the Gentiles with an iron fist. Simeon, however, is not talking about oppressive rule but salvation.