I begin with a theological consideration of Luke 2:22-40. The Infancy narrative continues in the spirit of traditional Jewish piety. Luke provides the setting for this episode in the infancy narrative by bring two requirements of Tora observance together. The issue of identity of Jesus is a recurring theme in the infancy narrative of this gospel. Luke relates his identity to the religious and political aspirations of the Jewish people and to show that through him the promise that Abraham’s descendants would bring blessing to all peoples would find their fulfillment (Genesis 12:1-3; cf. Luke 2:30-32). While there was a celebration regarding the birth of John the Baptist, this celebration will be greater as it moves toward the message contained in what Simeon and Anna say. Torah requires only the ritual purification of the woman after birth, the parents bring Jesus to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, in accord with Exo 13:20 that every firstborn male is holy to the Lord, although Torah did not require the presence of the child for his redemption with five shekels or 20 denarii, as would be the requirement in Num 18:15-16, although not redeeming him in this way may be the point for Luke, for the life of Jesus rendered service to the Lord. The pattern here is the presentation of Samuel at the sanctuary in I Samuel. Curiously, nowhere in the Old Testament or Mishnah is there evidence for the presentation of the firstborn. However, the point Luke may make is that with the coming of Jesus, such setting apart for the service of God is the responsibility of all believers. Their sacrifice of young pigeons, in accord with Lev 16:16, one of which was a sin offering. Luke is stressing that Mary and Joseph carry out all things the Torah required, as Luke understood them. One dramatic goal of Luke here is to bring the Holy Family in contact with Simeon, who was a righteous and devout man looking forward to the consolation of Israel as referred in Isa 40-55, and like that prophet, the Holy Spirit rested upon him, even as the Spirit will rest upon Jesus (4:16-21). He had received an oracle through an intimate encounter with God through the Holy Spirit that he would see the Messiah before his death. The Spirit guided Simeon to the Temple and saw the Holy Family Fulfilling Torah, he took the child in his arms and praised God. The praise he offers, the Nunc Dimitis, recognizes the new form of salvation in the birth of this child. His Master can dismiss him in peace, according to the word of the Lord, for he has seen in Jesus, the salvation which the Lord has prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the gentiles and for the glory of Israel. The fulfillment of the time of Israel has come and a new time, which fulfills the previous time, has come.[1] The parents were amazed, of course, and Simeon blessed both, but said to Mary, in imitation of Hannah, the ominous message that this child will be the occasion for the falling and rising of many in Israel, a sign that will be opposed, revealing the inner thoughts of many, with a sword piercing her soul. she will witness the cross and the uniting of political and religious powers to oppose Jesus. Luke then shifts to Anna, continuing parallels with the story of Hannah in I Samuel. Anna was a prophet, married seven years and widowed for 84 years. She did not leave the Temple with her discipline of fasting and prayer. She praised God and spoke about the child to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem. Luke concludes with showing his interest in connecting this story with that of Samuel, as the Holy Family returns to Galilee, to Nazareth, and, like I Sam 2:26, Jesus grew, became strong, filled with wisdom, with the favor of God. He will need to grow. Mary and Joseph will help their child grow into adulthood. Though unnoticed, this time is vital to the family of Jesus and vital to us as well. The drama of the past several months is over. The parents of Jesus must get back to the reality of raising a child. They were back to waiting for the child to grow up and become an adult. They dedicated themselves to the task of raising their child in faithfulness and love. These are the kinds of things which often go unnoticed, even as it does in the biblical story. Yet, they are vital to the family.
I now offer further exegetical and homiletical considerations.
The Infancy narrative continues in the spirit of traditional Jewish piety. Luke provides the setting for this episode in the infancy narrative by bring two requirements of Tora observance together.
The issue of identity of Jesus is a recurring theme in the infancy narrative of this gospel. This issue arises at least in part from a concern found in each of the canonical gospels to clarify the relationship between Jesus and John the Baptist. Only here in Luke is there any indication that the two were in some way relatives. However, the concern with the identity of Jesus for this Gospel goes far beyond competing claims between disciples of Jesus and John. Here the concern is to relate Jesus not only to the religious and political aspirations of the Jews, but to show that through him the promise that Abraham’s descendants would bring blessing to all peoples would find their fulfillment (Genesis 12:1-3; cf. Luke 2:30-32).
This episode in the infancy narrative moves toward the message contained in the statements of Simeon and Anna. To do that, the Holy Family needs to meet them. The first prelude to their message occurs in verse 21, eight days after the birth of Jesus, as the parents have their child circumcised. Luke has recorded the celebration that occurs with the birth of the Baptist. The celebration will be greater here. The second prelude occurs in verses 22-24. 22 When the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, a puzzling reference, since Torah required only the purification of the woman after she gave birth. The parents brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, (as it is written in the law of the Lord, based upon the instruction in Exodus 13:20, “Every firstborn male shall be designated as holy to the Lord”). Factually, again, the redemption of the child did not require the presence of the child. Luke does not mention the payment of five shekels, or 20 denarii, which would be the requirement according to Numbers 18:15-16. They do not buy him back from service to God, which may well be the point of Luke, for the life of Jesus will render that service. The pattern here is the presentation of Samuel at the sanctuary in I Samuel. Curiously, nowhere in the Old Testament or Mishnah is there evidence for the presentation of the firstborn. However, the point Luke may make is that with the coming of Jesus, such setting apart for the service of God is the responsibility of all believers. Further, 24and they offered a sacrifice in accord with Leviticus 16:6, a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons, one of which was a sin offering. Luke is stressing that Mary and Joseph carry out all things the Torah required, as Luke understood them. Some of his information may be inaccurate. Such minor deviations from the usual Jewish practice of the time may hint at the Gentile origin of the author of this Gospel. He has accurately separated the rite of circumcision in verse 21 from the rite of purification and redemption in verses 22-24. His primary goal, however, is to get the Holy Family into the presence of Simeon and Anna.
Luke 2:25-35 tell the story of the manifestation to Simeon as he encounters the infant Jesus. 25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, a reference to II Isaiah (40-55). Significantly, the Holy Spirit rested on him. The same was true in II Isaiah. It will be true of Jesus in 4:16-21. The writings of Luke will make special note of the role of the Holy Spirit throughout the story of Jesus and the early church. 26 It had been revealed (κεχρηματισμένον, divinely revealed as an oracle in an intimate encounter with God) to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. Thus, as the Holy Family is fulfilling the requirements of Torah, 27 Guided by the Spirit, Simeon came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him what was customary under the law, He sees the Holy Family doing for their child what the law required, 28Simeon took him in his arms and praised God. Simeon reminds us of Eli with Samuel and Zechariah with the Baptist. The content of his praise, the Nunc Dimitis, recognizes the new form of salvation in the birth of this child. Jesus is the promised bearer of messianic peace, salvation, and light. It takes us beyond what the angels proclaimed to the shepherds as it moves beyond the welfare of Israel to the welfare of all persons. His first canticle (verses 29-32) is a song of praise directed to God. The Lord can dismiss him in peace. 29 “Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace, according to your word; 30 for my eyes have seen your salvation (σωτήριόν), 31which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, 32 a light for revelation (ἀποκάλυψιν) to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.” The offer of salvation challenges the imperial ideology of Rome. Clearly, Jesus is not just another in a lengthy list of Jewish prophets and teachers. Simeon can depart because Jesus has come.[2] The fulfillment of the time of Israel has come and a new time, which fulfills the previous time, has come.[3] Of course, 33 And the child’s father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him. 34 Then Simeon blessed them, but said to his mother Mary, in imitation of Hannah in I Samuel. “This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed 35 so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed (ἀποκαλυφθῶσιν)—and a sword will pierce your own soul too.” This ominous message looks to the cross. “Savior” was the title Augustus applied to himself. Those who recognize salvation in only political terms will oppose Jesus. Mary will witness the uniting of political powers in their opposition to this Savior.
Luke 2:36-38 relate the manifestation to Anna (Hanna), continuing the parallels between the story in I Samuel of Hannah and Samuel on the one hand and the story of Mary and Jesus on the other. 36 There was also a prophet, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, having lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, 37 then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped there with fasting and prayer night and day. 38 At that moment she came, and began to praise God and to speak about the child to all who were looking for the redemption (λύτρωσιν, also 1:68) of Jerusalem.
The conclusion of this episode in Luke 2:39-40 rounds out the connection with the story of Hannah and Samuel. We receive affirmation of the interest of Luke in forming this episode. 39 When they had finished everything required by the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. With this simple statement, Luke tells us that with all this celebration that God is present at the beginning of the life of Jesus, the Holy Family must return to the unnoticed task of being a faithful and loving family. Like I Samuel 2:26 and its description of Samuel, we learn that 40 The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. Further, the favor of God was upon him. Luke portrays Jesus, in the words of the creed, as “very man,” struggling to obey, seeking, and finding. He will need to grow. Mary and Joseph will help their child grow into adulthood. Though unnoticed, this time is vital to the family of Jesus and vital to us as well. The drama of the past several months is over. The parents of Jesus must get back to the reality of raising a child. They were back to waiting for the child to grow up and become an adult. They dedicated themselves to the task of raising their child in faithfulness and love. These are the kinds of things which often go unnoticed, even as it does in the biblical story. Yet, they are vital to the family.
Interestingly, Jesus as an adult will say that if people want to enter the rule of God they will need to become like children (Luke 18:17). God sent Jesus in order that we might receive adoption as children of God (Galatians 4:4-7). Yes, we need to grow and become strong, independent persons, as did Jesus. Yet, consider the possibility that there are no grownups in heaven. In all our desire to be adult, we dare not forget the playful child who is still within us. Maybe accepting the responsibilities of life leads us toward the illusion that we are in control. For many of us adults, the Christmas and New Year time is an opportunity to express that inner playfulness that needs to express itself.
Charles Tazewell tells the story of "The Littlest Angel." The little angel was a nuisance to everyone because of his pranks and the sound of his voice. When the child Jesus was born, the angels collected their gifts. The littlest angel did not know what to give, but he thought of his small wooden box. He put it among all the nice gifts, but when God came, he wanted to hide it. Yet, when the hand of God came, God picked out the box. Inside was a butterfly, a skyblue egg, two white stones, an old dog collar. This is what pleased God. The box began to glow and suddenly it became the star of Bethlehem. Maybe there are no grownups in heaven because children remind us that none of us, even the most wise and responsible among us, have much to offer to God.
Anthony Campolo was at a Junior High camp. Each cabin had responsibility for devotions for the whole camp. One cabin had a physically deformed boy with them. They made fun of him unmercifully as he struggled around the camp. When it was their turn, they had him get up to the stage to give their devotional. It took him 15 minutes to get there. Everyone was giggling and laughing at him. Finally, he struggled out the few words of his devotional: "Jesus loves me, this I know." There was a change in that room as tears formed in the eyes of those Junior Highs. The adults of that camp could not have taught a lesson any better. God used what was weak in the eyes of everyone to speak a powerful truth.
[1] Barth (Church Dogmatics., III.2 [47.1], 481)
[2] Barth (Church Dogmatics IV.2 [64.3], 160)
[3] Barth (Church Dogmatics., III.2 [47.1], 481)
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