The Son and Two Saints

The Son and Two Saints

Fifth after Epiphany and Presentation of Christ in the Temple (February 2) Transferred

Collect for Candlemas: Almighty and everliving God, we humbly beseech thy Majesty, that, as thine only-begotten Son was this day presented in the temple in substance of our flesh, so we may be presented unto thee with pure and clean hearts, by the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

Collect for Fifth after Epiphany: O Lord, we beseech thee to keep thy Church and household continually in thy true religion; that they who do lean only upon the hope of thy heavenly grace may evermore be defended by thy mighty power; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

Gospel: Luke 2:22-40

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; (as it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord;) and to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons. 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. And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. 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, then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: for mine eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel. And Joseph and his mother marveled at those things which were spoken of him. 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; (yea, a sword shall pierce through thine own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed. And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher: she was of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity; 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. 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. And when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city Nazareth. And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him.

Babies are mesmerizing. If a mother brings a newborn into a house of adults, everyone will stand, gather around the baby, and wait for a chance to see him. If she places him on a blanket on the floor, he will do nothing, but all eyes will be fixed him.

St. Luke tells us the story of the most mesmerizing baby of all history, Jesus the Messiah, when he was first brought into his Father’s House and greeted by two Old Testament saints, Simeon and Anna.

In this account we have the Law and the Prophets.

1. Law

Jesus said: “Think not that I am come to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, till heaven and earth pass away, not one jot or one tittle shall in any wise pass from the law till all be fulfilled” (Matthew 5:17-18).  

Jesus fulfilled the Law his whole life, from his birth forward.

1.1 Fulfillment

1.1.1. Circumcision One verse before our Gospel reading, St. Luke tells us Jesus was circumcised following his birth: “And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the Child, His name was called Jesus, who was so named by the angel before He was conceived in the womb” (Luke 2:21). This was a fulfillment of the commandment the Lord gave to Abraham:

This is My covenant which ye shall keep between Me and you and thy seed after thee: every manchild among you shall be circumcised...and it shall be a token of the covenant between Me and you. And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every manchild in your generations...

Jesus was circumcised. His circumcision was a sign of the covenant God made with his people that he would be their God and the God of their children. Jesus was circumcised to fulfill the Law and bring him into God’s covenant.

1.1.2 Purification On the fortieth day Joseph and Mary went to the Temple to undergo purification according to the Law. In Leviticus God commanded:

If a woman have conceived seed and borne a manchild, then she shall be unclean seven days; according to the days of the separation for her infirmity shall she be unclean. And on the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised.And she shall then continue in the blood of her purifying three and thirty days... She shall touch no hallowed thing, nor come into the sanctuary until the days of her purifying are fulfilled...And when the days of her purifying are fulfilled... she shall bring a lamb of the first year for a burnt offering, and a young pigeon or a turtledove for a sin offering...unto the priest, who shall offer it before the Lord and make an atonement for her... This is the law for her... And if she be not able to bring a lamb, then she shall bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons, the one for the burnt offering and the other for a sin offering, and the priest shall make an atonement for her...

Mary kept the Law, and underwent the ritual of purification,  taking two birds, one for a burnt offering, the other for a sin offering, to make atonement for her sins and to restore her to  the community and to participation in public worship.

1.1.3 Consecration St. Luke summarizes the teaching of the Law about firstborn sons:

...they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord; (as it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord;)

After God killed all firstborns in Egypt, he said that all firstborns in Israel, both animal and human, belonged to him. Firstborn cows, sheep, and goats were sacrificed. Humans lives were redeemed. When Joseph and Mary went to the Temple that day, they brought Jesus, their firstborn to redeem his life and consecrate him to the Lord.

1.1.4 Luke gives great emphasis to the Law throughout this account and concludes it by saying:

And when they had performed all things according to

      the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their

      own city Nazareth.

1.2 Significance

We should ask the question, “Why this emphasis on the Law?

1.2.1 It gives us insight into the lives of Joseph and Mary. They were Old Testament believers devoted to the Lord. They were like the parents of John the Baptist: “both righteous before God, walking blameless in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord.”

Two things characterized sincere Old Testament believers: (1) they trusted in the God who promised one day he would redeem them from their sins through the Messiah, and (2) they were serious about following the commands of the Lord in devotion to him. Today as New Testament believers we follow their pattern: (1) we trust in Jesus Christ the Messiah who came and accomplished our redemption, and (2) we seek to live for God by doing his will.

1.2.2 This emphasis on the Law reveals to us what Christ had to do to redeem us from our sins. He had to fulfill the Law. St. Paul wrote:

God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the

       Law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we

       might receive the adoption of sons (Galatians 4:7,8).

The problem we have with the Law is that we cannot keep it well enough to be righteous before God. People like John the Baptist’s parents were righteous in two ways: (1) They were like Abraham, who “believed God and it was counted to him for righteousness,” and (2) out of that faith they lived in devotion to God. But neither they, nor we, can be right with God by obedience. Paul also writes:

But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for “the just shall live by faith.”... Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us.

Christ kept the Law in all its details for us. Then, as the only truly righteous man who ever lived, he took all our law-breaking and disobedience on himself and submitted himself to the penalty of the Law, dying under the curse of sin. There is no other way of salvation for us. Don’t rely on being a good person or doing good things. Trust in Christ who kept God’s law for us and suffered its penalty for us.

2. Prophets

When Jesus was brought into the Temple he was greeted by two Old Testament saints, Simeon and Anna.

2.1 Anna

Anna was a prophetess. The Lord had not spoken to his people through prophets since the time of Malachi, but now he began to raise up prophets again, and Anna was among them. She was an elderly widow. She either lived in the Temple or spent her days there. She was a godly woman who serve God by times of fastings and daily prayers. No doubt in her fastings and prayers she was looking for the redemption of Jerusalem - the salvation of God’s people through the Messiah. She was praying that he would come and come soon.

The Lord revealed to her that this baby being brought to the Temple was the Messiah who would redeem God’s people. Her response was immediately to being thanking God and to tell others who also who like her were waiting for God’s salvation that she had seen the Messiah.

2.2  Simeon

Then there was Simeon. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel - the day when God would comfort his people by sending the Messiah to redeem them. The Holy Spirit was with him, guiding him and revealing to him things about what what God was doing at that time. He had received a remarkable revelation - that he would not die till he saw the Lord’s Messiah.

On this particular day, the Spirit guided him into the Temple. And as soon as Mary and Joseph entered the Temple with the baby, the Spirit told Simeon, “That’s him! The Messiah, the Consolation of Israel.” Simeon took the baby and held him in his arms. Het blessed God and said the words we know as the Nunc Dimittis:

Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: for mine eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.

The Lord had kept his promise. Simeon had seen the Messiah, God’s salvation. He knew this Messiah not only was the glory of Israel - what greater glory could Israel desire than to be the people who give the world the Messiah - but also the Light to bring the light of the knowledge of God and salvation to the Gentile world.

Simeon prophesies over the baby, and his prophecy is both joyful and ominous. It is joyful because this Child’s life and work will lead to the rising of many to salvation. They will see him as they Messiah, their Redeemer and Deliverer, and they will put their trust in him. It is ominous because he will to the falling of many who will reject him. He will be the Stone the builders rejected. He will be the sign of God’s salvation, and many will speak against him, reject him, and ultimately put him to death. By their responses to him, the thoughts of people will be revealed - some trusting, some rejecting.

Jesus is the most divisive person who ever lived. He divides the whole of humanity into those who receive him and those who reject him. All fall into one of those two categories.

Do you  receive him? Have you risen to salvation by trust in him? Come, then, and by faith receive his body and blood, the tokens and guarantors of your salvation.