Simeon Holds the Baby Jesus in the Templeby CBPepper
2:30Luke 2:30
For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,
About forty days after Christ's birth, when Joseph and Mary brought Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord and offer sacrifice according to the law, the aged Simeon took the child in his arms and blessed God that his own eyes had now seen God's salvation. The salvation he had seen was Jesus Himself, the divinely appointed Saviour and source of redemption prepared before the face of all people, not for Israel alone, as a light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of Israel. Nothing in the baby's outward appearance marked who He was, but Simeon, a just and devout man waiting for the consolation of Israel with the Holy Spirit upon him and led into the temple by the Spirit, discerned His mission at once, which the proud priests and rulers could not see because they did not search and understand Moses and the prophets, the types, shadows and prophecies of His mission. That sight gave him peace and readiness to depart in death according to God's word, for God had preserved his life and Anna's for the joyful privilege of testifying that Jesus was the promised Messiah, the hope of both Jews and Gentiles come at His first advent to suffer for sinners and bring redemption.
Temple Presentation Setting
About forty days after Christ's birth Joseph and Mary took Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord and to offer sacrifice. This was in conformity to the Jewish law in every particular, for Christ as man's substitute had to conform to it fully, having already been subjected to circumcision as a pledge of His obedience to the law.
Simeon was an aged, just and devout servant of God, waiting for the consolation of Israel, with the Holy Spirit upon him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death until he had seen the Lord's Christ. He came by the Spirit into the temple when the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for Him after the custom of the law.
In the temple he took the infant Jesus up in his arms, joyfully blessing God and blessing the child. Joseph and Mary who brought Him marveled, while an aged woman looked on. God had preserved the lives of Simeon and Anna for this moment, giving them the joyful privilege of testifying that Jesus was the promised Messiah.
Faithful aged Jews shared this hope, praying to see the Saviour before they died. They expected the Messiah to come at God's appointed time, reveal God's will clearly, and free their faith from traditions and needless ceremonies.
Nothing in Jesus' outward appearance as a baby gave assurance of who He was, yet Simeon knew Him at once, with a soft heavenly light upon His face. Led by the Spirit and inspired by the Holy Spirit impressing his heart, he discerned Christ's mission and understood it. What God could show to him could not be made known to the proud and selfish priests. Seeing Jesus with his own eyes gave him peace and readiness to depart in death according to God's word.
Christ Seen as Salvation
In seeing Jesus, Simeon had seen God's salvation, for the infant Jesus Himself is that salvation. Christ Himself is the salvation God prepared before the face of all people. The child Simeon held in his arms was the Messiah, the divinely appointed Saviour and source of redemption. He was discerned as the hope and salvation of both Jews and Gentiles, though nothing in His outward appearance as a baby gave assurance of who He was. His testimony in the temple declared Jesus' divinity, and Jesus had come at His first advent to suffer for sinners and bring redemption. God had preserved the lives of Simeon and Anna for this moment, giving them the joyful privilege of testifying that Jesus was the promised Messiah.
This salvation was prepared for all people, not for Israel alone. The words that follow explain it as a light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of Israel. By seeing Christ, Simeon had seen the salvation so prepared, a light for the Gentiles and the glory of Israel.
Simeon added blessing and warning that the child is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel and that a sword would pierce Mary's soul, so that the thoughts of many hearts would be revealed. Mary standing by the cross realized the truth of those words, for that time had come when the sword pierced her soul. Then the hearts of persecutors, revilers and murderers were revealed as unbelieving Israel sided with evil.
Simeon's recognition stands against the priests and rulers and Jewish teachers who did not recognize Christ. They did not search the Scriptures beginning at Moses and the prophets nor carefully study the types, shadows and prophecies of His mission, but read God's Word without understanding and, helped by Satan the prince of darkness, drifted into darkness and unbelief. What God could show to His old true servant who had been given the promise that he would not die until he had seen the Saviour could not be made known to the proud and selfish priests. As soon as Simeon saw Jesus he knew this child was the Promised One, with a soft heavenly light upon His face. Spoken over the infant Saviour, his testimony was heard by Satan as proof that One had come to dispute his authority, and his recognition of Christ's divine identity enraged Satan.
About forty days after Christ's birth, when Joseph and Mary brought Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord and offer sacrifice according to the law, the aged Simeon took the child in his arms and blessed God that his own eyes had now seen God's salvation. The salvation he had seen was Jesus Himself, the divinely appointed Saviour and source of redemption prepared before the face of all people, not for Israel alone, as a light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of Israel. Nothing in the baby's outward appearance marked who He was, but Simeon, a just and devout man waiting for the consolation of Israel with the Holy Spirit upon him and led into the temple by the Spirit, discerned His mission at once, which the proud priests and rulers could not see because they did not search and understand Moses and the prophets, the types, shadows and prophecies of His mission. That sight gave him peace and readiness to depart in death according to God's word, for God had preserved his life and Anna's for the joyful privilege of testifying that Jesus was the promised Messiah, the hope of both Jews and Gentiles come at His first advent to suffer for sinners and bring redemption.
Temple Presentation Setting
About forty days after Christ's birth Joseph and Mary took Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord and to offer sacrifice. This was in conformity to the Jewish law in every particular, for Christ as man's substitute had to conform to it fully, having already been subjected to circumcision as a pledge of His obedience to the law.
Simeon was an aged, just and devout servant of God, waiting for the consolation of Israel, with the Holy Spirit upon him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death until he had seen the Lord's Christ. He came by the Spirit into the temple when the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for Him after the custom of the law.
In the temple he took the infant Jesus up in his arms, joyfully blessing God and blessing the child. Joseph and Mary who brought Him marveled, while an aged woman looked on. God had preserved the lives of Simeon and Anna for this moment, giving them the joyful privilege of testifying that Jesus was the promised Messiah.
Faithful aged Jews shared this hope, praying to see the Saviour before they died. They expected the Messiah to come at God's appointed time, reveal God's will clearly, and free their faith from traditions and needless ceremonies.
Nothing in Jesus' outward appearance as a baby gave assurance of who He was, yet Simeon knew Him at once, with a soft heavenly light upon His face. Led by the Spirit and inspired by the Holy Spirit impressing his heart, he discerned Christ's mission and understood it. What God could show to him could not be made known to the proud and selfish priests. Seeing Jesus with his own eyes gave him peace and readiness to depart in death according to God's word.
Christ Seen as Salvation
In seeing Jesus, Simeon had seen God's salvation, for the infant Jesus Himself is that salvation. Christ Himself is the salvation God prepared before the face of all people. The child Simeon held in his arms was the Messiah, the divinely appointed Saviour and source of redemption. He was discerned as the hope and salvation of both Jews and Gentiles, though nothing in His outward appearance as a baby gave assurance of who He was. His testimony in the temple declared Jesus' divinity, and Jesus had come at His first advent to suffer for sinners and bring redemption. God had preserved the lives of Simeon and Anna for this moment, giving them the joyful privilege of testifying that Jesus was the promised Messiah.
This salvation was prepared for all people, not for Israel alone. The words that follow explain it as a light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of Israel. By seeing Christ, Simeon had seen the salvation so prepared, a light for the Gentiles and the glory of Israel.
Simeon added blessing and warning that the child is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel and that a sword would pierce Mary's soul, so that the thoughts of many hearts would be revealed. Mary standing by the cross realized the truth of those words, for that time had come when the sword pierced her soul. Then the hearts of persecutors, revilers and murderers were revealed as unbelieving Israel sided with evil.
Simeon's recognition stands against the priests and rulers and Jewish teachers who did not recognize Christ. They did not search the Scriptures beginning at Moses and the prophets nor carefully study the types, shadows and prophecies of His mission, but read God's Word without understanding and, helped by Satan the prince of darkness, drifted into darkness and unbelief. What God could show to His old true servant who had been given the promise that he would not die until he had seen the Saviour could not be made known to the proud and selfish priests. As soon as Simeon saw Jesus he knew this child was the Promised One, with a soft heavenly light upon His face. Spoken over the infant Saviour, his testimony was heard by Satan as proof that One had come to dispute his authority, and his recognition of Christ's divine identity enraged Satan.