Luke 2:22
And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord; And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord;
About forty days after His birth, when He was six weeks old, Joseph and Mary brought Jesus to the temple at Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord and offer sacrifice according to the law of Moses for the first-born son. The law called for a year-old lamb for a burnt offering and a young pigeon or turtledove for a sin offering, but allowed poor parents to bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons instead, which is what they brought. Though He was God's own Son and the Prince of heaven, the Saviour of the world and High Priest of the heavenly temple, He was made obedient in all things as man's substitute to conform to the law in every particular, and His bringing was His dedication to the work He had come to do. The priest saw only a helpless, ordinary infant of simple working people, but Simeon, guided by the Holy Spirit, recognized Him as the promised Consolation of Israel and God's salvation for all people and took Him in his arms in peace, while the aged prophetess Anna was also present. Their poor offering of two doves was precious and acceptable to God, showing He values a gift by willing heart, love, and motive rather than monetary amount, and their thanks and prayers ascending with the altar's smoke give a pattern for families to remember God's goodness and bring Him a thank offering with gratitude.
Setting and Legal Background
About forty days after birth, when He was six weeks old, at the appointed time Joseph and Mary brought Jesus to Jerusalem to the temple to present Him to the Lord and to offer sacrifice. Mary held the swaddled child with Joseph standing beside her as they brought Him to present Him at the temple. They appeared as simple working people with nothing outwardly different from the many other fathers and mothers bringing their children every day.
This was done according to the law of Moses given to Israel and Jewish custom. The presentation applied only to the first-born son of each family to remember when Israel was enslaved in Egypt and God sent Moses to demand the release of Israel as His first-born son. The law required for the mother's purification a year-old lamb for a burnt offering and a young pigeon or turtledove for a sin offering, with provision for poor parents to bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons instead, one for each offering. The offerings presented had to be without blemish, and because they represented Christ this shows Jesus was free from physical deformity, with no defect marring His structure, strong and healthy in body, living in conformity to nature's laws as physically as well as spiritually an example of what obedience makes humanity.
Christ's Obedience and Identity
About forty days after His birth Joseph and Mary took Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord and to offer sacrifice, and this was done according to the Jewish law. As man's substitute and humanity's substitute He had to conform to the law in every particular. He had already been circumcised as a pledge of His obedience to the law.
Though He was God's own Son and the Prince of heaven, He was made obedient in all things, and by His example teaches obedience. His bringing to the temple was His dedication to the work He had come to do. He was in fact the Saviour of the world and the High Priest of the heavenly temple, and the Son of the living God.
The priest saw only a helpless, ordinary infant in Jesus, as fathers and mothers with nothing outwardly different were coming every day with their children. Had the priest been obedient to God's word the Lord would have taught him who the child was. But Simeon, guided by the Holy Spirit, recognized Him as the promised Consolation of Israel and God's salvation for all people. The aged Simeon took the child in his arms and declared that he could now depart in peace because his eyes had seen God's salvation, with the aged prophetess Anna also present and watching.
Worship Pattern for Families
Joseph and Mary were poor and could not bring a costly or great offering, so they brought two doves or turtledoves according to the provision the law made for the poor. Though they had little to give, their willing heart and love made the offering acceptable to God. He values a gift by its motive rather than its monetary amount, and accepts offerings according to what a person has, whether rich or poor. After giving ourselves, the best offering to God is our property, and what is required is a gift according to what a man has, be it ever so simple. Even so simple a gift as two turtledoves is accepted and precious in His sight in return for His great gift.
At the temple they gave thanks to God for the gift of His Son and that He had provided them an offering to bring to Him. Their prayers went up with the smoke ascending from the altar. True worship joins prayer, gratitude, and a tangible offering to God.
Their example gives a pattern for birthdays and for family life. Parents are to remember God's goodness and care and His mercies and preservation through the year with a thank offering, including on a child's birthday. They are to teach children to do the same, to remember God's mercies and to bring God a thank offering instead of cultivating selfishness by giving presents only to one another.