Wednesday, June 17, 2020

The writings of Luke the physician starting with his version of the gospel - Luke 2:25-40 comments: Simeon sees Christ





Luke 2:25 ¶  And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him. 26  And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. 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, 28  Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, 29  Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: 30  For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, 31  Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; 32  A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel. 33  And Joseph and his mother marvelled at those things which were spoken of him. 34  And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against; 35  (Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed. 36  And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity; 37  And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. 38  And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem. 39  And when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city Nazareth. 40  And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him.

What Simeon was waiting for, the text says, was waiting for the consolation of Israel, that is, the coming of the Messiah. The Holy Ghost, the very mind of God was upon him and revealed that this baby was, indeed, the Messiah to come, the Lord’s Christ.

Consolation is linked to patience in Romans 15:5, salvation and comfort in 2Corinthians 1:6 and 2Corinthians 7:7 and hope through grace in 2Thessalonians 2:16.

Simeon was on a divine appointment to meet Jesus Christ, mankind’s Saviour. He prophesied to Mary the grief she would experience at the Crucifixion in verse 35.

Anna was a prophetess. As I have already shown from Nehemiah, prophets preach. Here are some other notable prophetesses.

Exodus 15:20  And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances.

Judges 4:4  And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time.

2Kings 22:14  So Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam, and Achbor, and Shaphan, and Asahiah, went unto Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe; (now she dwelt in Jerusalem in the college;) and they communed with her.

Anna had been widowed after only seven years of marriage and was now 84 years old. She chose to serve the God who created her through her entire widowhood, in the temple. The text reports that she was a real prayer warrior. She, too, was given the wisdom to recognize Israel’s Saviour.

Verse 33 is an interesting one. In the second century harmonization of the Gospels known as Tatian’s Diatessaron showing early evidence of the text we have the verse is written just as we have it here not has modern Bibles often say, “his father and his mother,” revealing their Gnostic bent in undermining the divinity of Christ.

Verse 39 makes us aware that Joseph and Mary have obeyed the ordinances of man and God. Jesus will reinforce this idea those who follow Him live in two worlds; the kingdom of heaven and God and the kingdom of man. There is usually a clear division between the two. In Matthew 17:24-27 Jesus paid His taxes by a supernatural method and here in this passage later in Luke He states the difference between man’s rule and God’s and what belongs to whom.

Luke 20:20 ¶  And they watched him, and sent forth spies, which should feign themselves just men, that they might take hold of his words, that so they might deliver him unto the power and authority of the governor. 21  And they asked him, saying, Master, we know that thou sayest and teachest rightly, neither acceptest thou the person of any, but teachest the way of God truly: 22  Is it lawful for us to give tribute unto Caesar, or no? 23  But he perceived their craftiness, and said unto them, Why tempt ye me? 24  Shew me a penny. Whose image and superscription hath it? They answered and said, Caesar’s. 25  And he said unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which be Caesar’s, and unto God the things which be God’s. 26  And they could not take hold of his words before the people: and they marvelled at his answer, and held their peace.

There can be no law against the evidence of having the Holy Ghost, the very mind of God, indwelling a person.

Galatians 5:22  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23  Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

But, at times when man’s law crosses the line there is no expectation from God for the Christian to obey.

Acts 5:26 ¶  Then went the captain with the officers, and brought them without violence: for they feared the people, lest they should have been stoned. 27  And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them, 28  Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us. 29  Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.

Some people possessed of a rebellious spirit do draw the line where God does not. But, God did not make Mary and Joseph into revolutionaries. Remember, when Jesus faced His trial under Governor Pontius Pilate He told the Roman about God’s permissive will.

John 19:8  When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he was the more afraid; 9  And went again into the judgment hall, and saith unto Jesus, Whence art thou? But Jesus gave him no answer.10  Then saith Pilate unto him, Speakest thou not unto me? knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee? 11  Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin.

The boundary is drawn so that when a military chaplain is forbidden to pray in Christ’s name or when people are forbidden in Vietnam or Saudi Arabia or even America to worship God in Christ’s name it is clear that disobedience to man’s law is required.

God was careful in that His plan, up to a point, followed the prevailing laws of Rome and the religious and social customs of the Jewish people. Is rebellion and revolution ever justified? Sure, it is. Oppression and evil must be fought with actions and not just with words. But, just don’t couch your not wanting to do anything you’re told in religious terms using Christ as an excuse to disobey a city zoning law or to disobey a township ordinance requiring a permit to go door to door. Civil protest is one thing as is petitioning to have a law changed but disobedience without a Godly cause in Christ’s name is another.

In verse 40 modern versions often remove in spirit. Man’s spirit can refer to the mind and its faculties of reason as the heart refers to the mind and the faculties of emotion, both of which must work together to learn and make decisions.

God uses our minds, our spirits, to search our thoughts. There is nothing hidden from Him.

Proverbs 20:27  The spirit of man is the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly.

1Chronicles 28:9  And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever.

Psalm 139:23  Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:

Compare and contrast this with John the Baptist.

Luke 1:80  And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his shewing unto Israel.

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