Luke 2:27
And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law, And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law,
Led by the Spirit, Simeon entered the temple just as Joseph and Mary brought the infant Jesus about forty days after His birth to present Him to the Lord and to offer sacrifice after the custom of the law. Though the priest saw only an ordinary child of a poor family presenting their firstborn son, Simeon recognized through the Spirit that the infant was the long-awaited Consolation of Israel, the Messiah and Savior bringing salvation and light to all peoples. With joy he took Jesus into his arms and declared he could now depart in peace because his eyes had seen God's salvation, and with Anna testified to His divinity as the promised Messiah. As man's substitute Christ conformed to the law in every particular, having already undergone circumcision as a pledge of obedience, and being free from physical defect and obedient to God's laws He showed what God designed humanity to be.
Presentation After the Law
About forty days after His birth, Joseph and Mary brought the swaddled infant Jesus into the temple in Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord and to offer sacrifice, to do for Him after the custom of the law. This bringing to Jerusalem was done according to the Jewish law for dedication.
Mary knelt holding the child with Joseph standing behind her as they presented Him before the temple entrance.
The law placed this presentation within definite requirements for the mother, calling for a lamb with a bird, or, for parents too poor to bring a lamb, two birds. Those offerings had to be without blemish and represented Christ.
As man's substitute Christ had to conform to the law in every particular. He had already been subjected to the rite of circumcision as a pledge of His obedience to the law. Jesus Himself was free from physical defect and lived in obedience to God's laws, showing what God designed humanity to be.
Simeon Led by Spirit
Simeon was a just and devout man waiting for the consolation of Israel, one of the devout Jews who awaited the Messiah and prayed to see the Savior before they died. They expected His coming to reveal God's will clearly and to free the people from teachings and ceremonies that had obscured their faith. He came into the temple by the Spirit under the Holy Spirit's guidance and warning. There he met Mary and Joseph as they brought Jesus for the presentation required by the law, seeing a poor family presenting their firstborn son.
Though the priest saw only an ordinary child, Simeon recognized through the Spirit that the infant was the long-awaited Consolation of Israel, the Messiah and Savior. His coming brought salvation and light to all peoples. Simeon's spiritual openness enabled him to understand Christ's mission, in contrast to the priests and rulers who resisted the light because of pride and selfishness. With joy he took Jesus into his arms while an aged woman looked on, declaring he could now depart in peace because his eyes had seen God's salvation.
In the temple Simeon with Anna received Jesus as the Savior, testifying to His divinity as the promised Messiah. God had preserved their lives so they could bear this testimony. There he prophesied of Jesus as a light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of Israel. His prophecy marked the reappearance of the spirit of prophecy and gift of prophecy at the close of the Jewish dispensation to usher in the Messiah, after it had nearly disappeared for a few centuries because of corruptions in the church.