Simeon Holds the Baby Jesus in the Templeby CBPepper
2:32Luke 2:32
A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.
Simeon spoke these words in the temple when Joseph and Mary presented the infant Jesus to the Lord about forty days after His birth according to the law. Taking the child in his arms under the Holy Spirit's guidance, he declared that he had now seen God's salvation prepared for all peoples. Jesus is that salvation as a light bringing redemption to the Gentiles and as the honor and glory fulfilling Israel's hope, not for the Jews only but for the world. This fulfills Isaiah's prophecy that God's servant would carry salvation to the ends of the earth in the Messiah of David's line. That light is received only by humble hearts taught by the Spirit, while proud leaders who clung to exclusive privilege rejected it and remained in darkness.
Temple Presentation Setting
About forty days after His birth Joseph and Mary made the visit with Christ to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord and to offer sacrifice, which was the dedication of the infant Jesus at the Temple in Jerusalem. This was done according to Jewish law, which Christ as man's substitute had to keep in every particular. He had already undergone the rite of circumcision as a pledge of His obedience to the law.
The words were spoken in Jerusalem by Simeon, a just and devout man waiting for the consolation of Israel with the Holy Ghost upon him, to whom it was revealed that he would not see death until he had seen the Lord's Christ. Coming by the Spirit into the temple when the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for Him after the custom of the law, he took Him up in his arms and blessed God. He declared that his eyes had seen God's salvation prepared before the face of all people in Jesus, given to bring light to the Gentiles and glory to Israel. He knew at once on seeing Him that this was the Promised One, with soft, heavenly light on Jesus' face before him, while Joseph and Mary marvelled at his words. Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit he prophesied of Jesus near the close of the Jewish dispensation as a light for the Gentiles and the glory of Israel, recognizing the infant as the long-awaited Consolation of Israel whose mission reaches beyond Israel while fulfilling Israel's hope.
The revelation was given as Jesus came to usher in redemption to God's true, humble, aged servants Simeon and Anna. They praised God and testified to Jesus' divinity as the promised Messiah and Saviour. They spoke of Him to those looking for redemption. At the same time it was hidden from the proud and selfish priests.
Satan heard the aged prophet's words in the temple while he held the infant in his arms, and knew that One had come to earth to dispute his authority over the human race. Even in humiliation Jesus possessed all things and had come with authority to challenge Satan's rule. Mary realized the truth of Simeon's words as she stood by the cross on which her Son hung, when the time he foretold had come and the thoughts of many hearts were revealed in the persecutors, revilers, and murderers.
Messiah's Worldwide Salvation
The infant presented in the temple is the Messiah, God's salvation prepared before the face of all people, a light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of Israel. His mission brings redemption to all and not to the Jews only, for He is the light and hope of the Gentiles while fulfilling Israel's hope and honor. Simeon, taking Him in his arms, recognized Him as the long-awaited Consolation of Israel and saw that His work extended beyond Israel to the nations. Satan heard those words in the temple and knew that One had come to earth to dispute his authority over the human race.
His saving work reaches beyond Israel while also fulfilling Israel's hope, honor, and glory. The angels' announcement of His birth as good news for all peoples confirms this wide scope, for His work is not limited to delivering Israel but is to redeem the whole world. In this the verse applies Isaiah's prophecy that God's servant would bring salvation to the ends of the earth, understood as referring to the Messiah. He is the promised Messiah of the seed of David and Saviour of men.
The Gentile wise men looked for His coming as the one who would bring salvation to the ends of the earth. Light from God in the star guided these eastern seekers to the newborn King, even while Jerusalem's religious leaders remained in darkness. His coming belonged to the hope of pious Jews who waited and prayed for the Messiah. It brought a clear revelation of God's will to dispel the ignorance and bigotry clouding minds, so that Israel would no longer be a reproach to the heathen, yet Simeon's prophecy also shows the Messiah's mission would involve suffering, not an unobstructed reign.
In Him the Gentiles were to enjoy religious privileges on an equality with the Jews and be recognized as children of God. At Antioch in Pisidia Paul and Barnabas preached Jesus as that Messiah, and while the Gentiles rejoiced exceedingly to hear it, the Jews clung tenaciously to the idea that the blessing of God was reserved exclusively for them. That exclusiveness had ever been their great sin. Moved by envy and jealousy and wounded national pride and prejudice, the Jewish priests and rulers were beside themselves with rage, distorted the apostles' words, were unfitted to weigh evidence, and contradicted them with blasphemy and insulting language. Such Pharisaic hostility was stirred when Christ was presented as bringing hope and redemption beyond the Jewish nation.
Even in humiliation He had no darkness at all, being possessor of all things. He is the light God intended never to burn dim or go out. As the Sun of Righteousness and the Bright and Morning Star He was made the light of the world by coming down from heaven to manifest God to men and to lead men to God as the true Teacher sent to reveal God's character. That is the same light the burning sanctuary lamp represented, not to lighten heaven but to represent His church giving light to the world through His chosen Israel.
Receiving And Sharing Light
Simeon understood that the child was a light for the Gentiles and the glory of Israel because the Holy Spirit illuminated him, and the same openness still brings light to all who are willing to be taught by God, while pride and refusal to accept truth leave resisters in deeper darkness. The priests, rulers, and teachers should have recognized Jesus as the promised Messiah from Simeon's witness given under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, together with Moses and the prophets and the types and shadows pointing to Christ. The Scriptures concerning Him were sufficiently clear and were being fulfilled before men's eyes in His teachings and miracles, yet they read God's Word without understanding. Their minds were darkened by misapplication of Scripture, and aided by Satan the prince of darkness they drifted into darkness and unbelief and rejected the true Light. At times they felt convinced of the truth, yet they refused to acknowledge it because the humiliation was greater than they would endure.
The claim that Jesus is the Light for the Gentiles and the Glory of Israel is what Nicodemus came to examine, seeking to learn whether Jesus was truly this promised One. Recognizing that mission requires more than evidence or argument, for a person must receive a new heart and be born again to discern the kingdom of God. God's light and grace in this salvation prepared before all people are meant to reach the world. The light and grace given are to be cherished and used so that they shine on the path of others, and when people walk in that light they can pass it on without allowing any ray to be eclipsed.
Simeon spoke these words in the temple when Joseph and Mary presented the infant Jesus to the Lord about forty days after His birth according to the law. Taking the child in his arms under the Holy Spirit's guidance, he declared that he had now seen God's salvation prepared for all peoples. Jesus is that salvation as a light bringing redemption to the Gentiles and as the honor and glory fulfilling Israel's hope, not for the Jews only but for the world. This fulfills Isaiah's prophecy that God's servant would carry salvation to the ends of the earth in the Messiah of David's line. That light is received only by humble hearts taught by the Spirit, while proud leaders who clung to exclusive privilege rejected it and remained in darkness.
Temple Presentation Setting
About forty days after His birth Joseph and Mary made the visit with Christ to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord and to offer sacrifice, which was the dedication of the infant Jesus at the Temple in Jerusalem. This was done according to Jewish law, which Christ as man's substitute had to keep in every particular. He had already undergone the rite of circumcision as a pledge of His obedience to the law.
The words were spoken in Jerusalem by Simeon, a just and devout man waiting for the consolation of Israel with the Holy Ghost upon him, to whom it was revealed that he would not see death until he had seen the Lord's Christ. Coming by the Spirit into the temple when the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for Him after the custom of the law, he took Him up in his arms and blessed God. He declared that his eyes had seen God's salvation prepared before the face of all people in Jesus, given to bring light to the Gentiles and glory to Israel. He knew at once on seeing Him that this was the Promised One, with soft, heavenly light on Jesus' face before him, while Joseph and Mary marvelled at his words. Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit he prophesied of Jesus near the close of the Jewish dispensation as a light for the Gentiles and the glory of Israel, recognizing the infant as the long-awaited Consolation of Israel whose mission reaches beyond Israel while fulfilling Israel's hope.
The revelation was given as Jesus came to usher in redemption to God's true, humble, aged servants Simeon and Anna. They praised God and testified to Jesus' divinity as the promised Messiah and Saviour. They spoke of Him to those looking for redemption. At the same time it was hidden from the proud and selfish priests.
Satan heard the aged prophet's words in the temple while he held the infant in his arms, and knew that One had come to earth to dispute his authority over the human race. Even in humiliation Jesus possessed all things and had come with authority to challenge Satan's rule. Mary realized the truth of Simeon's words as she stood by the cross on which her Son hung, when the time he foretold had come and the thoughts of many hearts were revealed in the persecutors, revilers, and murderers.
Messiah's Worldwide Salvation
The infant presented in the temple is the Messiah, God's salvation prepared before the face of all people, a light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of Israel. His mission brings redemption to all and not to the Jews only, for He is the light and hope of the Gentiles while fulfilling Israel's hope and honor. Simeon, taking Him in his arms, recognized Him as the long-awaited Consolation of Israel and saw that His work extended beyond Israel to the nations. Satan heard those words in the temple and knew that One had come to earth to dispute his authority over the human race.
His saving work reaches beyond Israel while also fulfilling Israel's hope, honor, and glory. The angels' announcement of His birth as good news for all peoples confirms this wide scope, for His work is not limited to delivering Israel but is to redeem the whole world. In this the verse applies Isaiah's prophecy that God's servant would bring salvation to the ends of the earth, understood as referring to the Messiah. He is the promised Messiah of the seed of David and Saviour of men.
The Gentile wise men looked for His coming as the one who would bring salvation to the ends of the earth. Light from God in the star guided these eastern seekers to the newborn King, even while Jerusalem's religious leaders remained in darkness. His coming belonged to the hope of pious Jews who waited and prayed for the Messiah. It brought a clear revelation of God's will to dispel the ignorance and bigotry clouding minds, so that Israel would no longer be a reproach to the heathen, yet Simeon's prophecy also shows the Messiah's mission would involve suffering, not an unobstructed reign.
In Him the Gentiles were to enjoy religious privileges on an equality with the Jews and be recognized as children of God. At Antioch in Pisidia Paul and Barnabas preached Jesus as that Messiah, and while the Gentiles rejoiced exceedingly to hear it, the Jews clung tenaciously to the idea that the blessing of God was reserved exclusively for them. That exclusiveness had ever been their great sin. Moved by envy and jealousy and wounded national pride and prejudice, the Jewish priests and rulers were beside themselves with rage, distorted the apostles' words, were unfitted to weigh evidence, and contradicted them with blasphemy and insulting language. Such Pharisaic hostility was stirred when Christ was presented as bringing hope and redemption beyond the Jewish nation.
Even in humiliation He had no darkness at all, being possessor of all things. He is the light God intended never to burn dim or go out. As the Sun of Righteousness and the Bright and Morning Star He was made the light of the world by coming down from heaven to manifest God to men and to lead men to God as the true Teacher sent to reveal God's character. That is the same light the burning sanctuary lamp represented, not to lighten heaven but to represent His church giving light to the world through His chosen Israel.
Receiving And Sharing Light
Simeon understood that the child was a light for the Gentiles and the glory of Israel because the Holy Spirit illuminated him, and the same openness still brings light to all who are willing to be taught by God, while pride and refusal to accept truth leave resisters in deeper darkness. The priests, rulers, and teachers should have recognized Jesus as the promised Messiah from Simeon's witness given under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, together with Moses and the prophets and the types and shadows pointing to Christ. The Scriptures concerning Him were sufficiently clear and were being fulfilled before men's eyes in His teachings and miracles, yet they read God's Word without understanding. Their minds were darkened by misapplication of Scripture, and aided by Satan the prince of darkness they drifted into darkness and unbelief and rejected the true Light. At times they felt convinced of the truth, yet they refused to acknowledge it because the humiliation was greater than they would endure.
The claim that Jesus is the Light for the Gentiles and the Glory of Israel is what Nicodemus came to examine, seeking to learn whether Jesus was truly this promised One. Recognizing that mission requires more than evidence or argument, for a person must receive a new heart and be born again to discern the kingdom of God. God's light and grace in this salvation prepared before all people are meant to reach the world. The light and grace given are to be cherished and used so that they shine on the path of others, and when people walk in that light they can pass it on without allowing any ray to be eclipsed.