Bible Commentary (1871–1879 Edition) (continued)
Simeon and AnTia Prophesy of Christ, LUKE 11, His First Conscious Visit lo Jen-usalem.
of many In Israel" through unbelief, during our Lof-u's earthly career, and the subsequent "rising again" of bring another turtle-dove or young pigeon ; and, if even lliis was beyond lier means, llien a portion ol fine flour, but witliout tlie usual Iragrant accompaniments of oil and frankincense, as it represented a siu ottering (Leviticus 12. ti-8; 5. 7-11). From tiie intermediate otl'ering of "a pairof turtle-doves or two young pigeons," we gather that Joseph and the Virgin were in poor circumstances (2 Corinthians 8. 9), though not in abject poverty. Being a first-born male, they "bring him to Jerusalem, to present liim to the Lord." All such had been claimed as " holy to the Lord," or set apart to sacred uses, in memory of the deliverance of the first-born of Israel from destruction in Egypt, through tlie sprinkling of blood (Exodus
Z/te sa»jeie»-«onj after the effusion of the Spirit at PentC' cost threw a new light to them on the whole subject; while the latter clause describes the determined enemies of the Lord Jesus. Such opposite views of Christ are taken from age to age. yea, <tc.—
' Blessed as thou art among women, thou shalt have thine own deep share of tiie struggles and sufferings which tliis Babe is to occasion'—pointing not only to the continued obloquyand rejection of this Child of hers, those agonies of His which she was to witness at the cross, and her desolate condition thereafter, but to dreadful alternations of faith and unbelief, of hope and fear regarding Him, which -she would have to pass through, that the thoughts, &c. men's views and decisions regarding Christ are a mirror
13. 2). In lieu of these, however, one whole tribe, that of Levi, was accepted, and set apart to occupations exclusively sacred (Numbers 3. 11-38); and whereas there were ill wliicli the very " thoughts of their hearts" are seen. 36, 37. Anna—or, Hannah—a prophetess—another evidence that " the last times" in wliicli God was to " pour out His Spirit upon all flesh" were at hand, of the tribe of Aser—one of the ten tribes, of whom many were not carried captive, and not a few reunited themselves to Judah alter the return from Babylon. The distinction of tribes, though practically destroyed by the captivity, was well enough known up to their final dispersion (Homans 11. 1
273 fewer Levites than flrst-born of all Israel on the first reckoning, each of these first-born was to be redeemed by tlie payment of five shekels, yet not witliout being "presented (or brought) unto tlie Lord," in token of His rightful claim to them and tlieir service (Numbers 3. 44-47 ; 18. 15,
16). It was in obedience to this "law of Moses," that tlie Virgin presented her babe unto the Lord, ' in the east gate of the court called Nicanor's Gate, where herself would be sprinkled by the priest with the blood of her sacrifice.' [LiGHTFOOT.] By that Babe, in due time, we were to be redeemed, "not with corruptible things as silver and gold, but with the precious blood of Christ" (1 Peter 1. 18,
Hebrews 7. 14) ; nor is it now entirely lost, lived, &c.— she had lived seven years with her husband, and been a widow eiglity-four years; so that if she married at the earliest marriageable age, twelve years, she could not at this time be less than 103 years old. departed not from tiie temple—was found there at all stated hours of the day, and even during the night-services of the temple watchmen (Psalm 134. 1, 2), "serving God with fastings and prayer." (See 1 Timothy 5. 5, suggested by this.) coming in—'presenting herself.' She had been there already, but now is found 'standing by,' as Simeon's testimony to the blessed Babe died away, ready to take it up
19), and the consuming of the mother's burnt offering, and the sprinkling of her with the blood of her sin offering, were to find tlieir abiding realization in the "living sacrifice" of the Cliristian mother herself, in the fulness of a "heart sprinkled from an evil conscience," by "the blood wliich cleauseth from all sin." a5. just—upright In his moral cliaiacter. devout—of a religious frame of spirit, vi'alttng for the Consolation of Israel—a beautiful title of the coming Messiah, here intended, tlie Holy Ghost was—supernaturally—upon him—Thus was the
' in turn' (as the word rendered "likewise" liere means), to all tliein, &c.—the sense is, 'to all tliem in Jerusalem that were looking for redemption'—saying in eflect, In that Babe are wrapt up all your expectations. If tliis was at tlie hour of prayer, when numbers flocked to the temple, it would account for her having such an audience as the words imply. [Alford.] 39. Nothing is more diflicult than to fix the precise order in which the visit of the Magi, with the fliglit into and return from Egypt (Matthew 2.), are to be taken, in relation to the ciicuincision and presentation of Christ in the temple, here recorded.
Spirit, alter a dreary absence of nearly 400 years, returning to the Church, to quicken expectation, and prepare for coming events, revealed by the Holy Ghost—Implying, beyond all doubt, the personality of the Spirit, should see death till he had seen—'sweet antithesis!' [Bengel.] How would the one sight gild the gloom of the other ! He was, probably, by this time, advanced in years. 37, US. The Spirit guided him to the temple at the very moment when the Virgin was about to present Him to the Lord. 39. took him np in his arms—immediately recognizing in tlie child, wi til unhesitating certainty, the promised Messiah, witliout needing Mary to inform him of what had happened to her. [Olshausen.] The remarkable act of taking the babe in his arms must not be overlooked. It was as if he had said, ' This is all my salvation and all my desire' (2 Samuel 23. 5). 39. Liord— ' Miister,' a word rarely used in tiie New Testament, and selected here witli peculiar propriety, when the aged saint, feeling that his last object in wisliing to live had now been attained, only awaited his Master's word of command to "depart." now Icttest, &c.—more clearly, 'now thou art releasing thy servant;' a patient yet reverential mode of expressing a desire to depart. 30. seen thy Salvation—many saw this clilld, nay, the full-grown "man, Clirist Jesus," who never saw in him "God's Salvation." This estimate of an object of sight,
It is perhaps best to leave this in the obscurity in which we find it, as the result of two independent, though if we knew all, easily reconcilable narratives. 40. His mental development kept pace witli His bodily, and " the grace of God," the Divine favour, rested manifestly ami increasingly upon Him. See v. 52.
41-52. First Conscious Visit to Jerusalem. ' Solitary floweret out of the wonderful enclosed garden of the tliirty years, plucked precisely there where the swollen bud, at a distinctive crisis (at twelve years of age), burst* into flower. To mark that is assuredly the design and the meaning of this record.' [Stier.] went up—'were wont to go.' Though males only were required to go np to Jerusalem at tlie three annual festivals (Exodus 23. 14-
17), devout women, when family duties permitted, went also, as did Hannah (I Samuel 1. 7), and, as we here see, the mother of Jesus. 43. when twelve years oUI—At this age every Jewisli boy was styled 'a son of the law,' being put under a course of instruction and trained to fasting and attendance on public worship, besides being set to learn a trade. At this age accordingly our Lord Is taltcn up for the first time to Jerusalem, at the i'assover season, tlie chief of the three annual festivals. But ob with what thoughts and feelings must tills Youth have gone up! Long ere He behold it. He had doubtless "loved tlie habitation of God's house and the place wlicre His honour dwelt" (Psalm S), a love nourished, we maybe sure, by that " word hid in His heart," with whieii in after life He showed so perfect a familiarity As the time for His first visit approached, could one's
Bii un(!onsclous, helpless babe, was pure faith. He "beheld liis glory" (Jolin 1. 14). In another view, it WUH prior faUh rewarded hy present sight. 31, 33. all people— ' all the peoples,' mankind at large, a light to tlie Gentiles—then in thick darkness, glory of tliy people Israel-already thine, and now, in the believing portion of it, to lie so more gloriously than ever. It will be observed tliat this 'swan-like song, bidding an eternal farewell to this terrestrial life' [OnsnAUSKN], takes a more comprehensive view of tlie kingdom of Clirist tlian that of Zacliarlas, Ihongli the kingdom tlK-y sing of Is one. 34, 35. set—appointrd. fall and rising again of many in Israel, luad for a sign spoken against—perliaps tlie former of these clauses expresses the two stages of temporary " fall