Commentary - Luke 2:21-38

Bird's-eye view

In this passage, Luke transitions from the private circumstances of Jesus' birth to His first public, albeit quiet, appearance at the center of Israel's covenant life: the temple in Jerusalem. The entire narrative is saturated with the theme of covenant faithfulness. Joseph and Mary are meticulously obedient to the stipulations of the Mosaic Law, and in this, the infant Jesus, the Son of God, is placed squarely under the Law He Himself authored. This is His active obedience, begun in infancy. The scene is not just about legal compliance; it is a divinely orchestrated appointment. The Holy Spirit gathers the faithful remnant of Israel, represented by Simeon and Anna, to bear witness to the arrival of the Messiah. Simeon's prophecy, the Nunc Dimittis, reveals the stunning scope of Christ's work: He is not just for Israel, but a light for the Gentiles. At the same time, Simeon prophesies the divisive nature of Christ's ministry. He is the great continental divide of human history, appointed for the fall and rise of many, a sign to be opposed. The joy of His coming is immediately tempered by the shadow of the cross, a sword that will pierce Mary's own soul. This passage establishes from the outset that Jesus is the faithful Israelite, the fulfillment of the Law, the Savior of the world, and the non-negotiable crisis point for every human heart.

Outline

Context In Luke

This section is the culmination of Luke's birth narrative. Having detailed the angelic announcements, the miraculous conceptions of both John and Jesus, and the humble birth in Bethlehem, Luke now brings the infant King to His own house, the temple. This event serves as a crucial bridge. It demonstrates Jesus' identity as a true son of Abraham and a faithful Israelite, subject to the law. It also provides the first human, Spirit-inspired testimony to His identity and mission outside the immediate family. The prophecies of Simeon and the witness of Anna set the stage for the themes that will dominate Luke's Gospel: the inclusion of the Gentiles, the opposition Jesus will face from the established leadership, and the way His ministry reveals the true condition of men's hearts. This temple scene is the quiet, formal beginning of a mission that will end with a world-shaking climax in the same city of Jerusalem.

Key Issues

The Obedient King and the Sword of Division

One of the central glories of the incarnation is that God the Son did not come to earth and stand aloof from the structures He had given to His people. He did not arrive with a host of angels and declare the law obsolete. Rather, He was born under the law, in order to redeem those who were under the law (Gal. 4:4-5). This passage shows us the very beginning of that redemptive, law-keeping work. The one who wrote the law with His own finger is now having the precepts of that law applied to His own infant body. He is the true firstborn, holy to the Lord, and yet His parents offer the sacrifice of the poor to redeem Him. This is the great condescension. And in the midst of this quiet, humble obedience, the Holy Spirit ignites the hearts of the faithful few, Simeon and Anna, to declare that this child is not just another Jewish baby. He is the salvation of God, a light to the nations, and the stone upon which all of Israel will either be built up or broken to pieces.

Verse by Verse Commentary

21 And when eight days were fulfilled so that they could circumcise Him, His name was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb.

The very first recorded act in the life of the Christ child after His birth is an act of submission to the covenant law. On the eighth day, as commanded in Genesis 17, He receives the sign of the covenant in His own flesh. The sinless one undergoes a bloody rite meant to signify the cutting away of sin. In this, He identifies Himself completely with His people, Israel. He is a true son of Abraham. At the same time, He is formally given the name that defines His mission: Jesus, which is Greek for the Hebrew Joshua, meaning "Yahweh saves." The name was not chosen by His parents, but was assigned by God through the angel Gabriel. So on this eighth day, we have both His covenant identity as an Israelite and His divine mission as Savior formally declared.

22-24 And when the days for their cleansing according to the Law of Moses were fulfilled, they brought Him up to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “EVERY firstborn MALE THAT OPENS THE WOMB SHALL BE CALLED HOLY TO THE LORD”), and to offer a sacrifice according to what was said in the Law of the Lord, “A PAIR OF TURTLEDOVES OR TWO YOUNG PIGEONS.”

Luke emphasizes the meticulous law-keeping of this holy family. Three distinct commands are being obeyed here. First, Mary undergoes the rite of purification after childbirth as prescribed in Leviticus 12. Second, they present Jesus to the Lord, fulfilling the command in Exodus 13 to dedicate every firstborn male to God as a reminder of the Passover. Third, they offer the prescribed sacrifice. And notice what sacrifice they offer: two turtledoves or pigeons. This was the specific concession God made in the law for the poor, for those who could not afford a lamb (Lev. 12:8). Think of the staggering reality here. The Lord of glory, who owns the cattle on a thousand hills, enters His own temple and is redeemed by the offering designated for the poor. The Word made flesh did not simply become a man; He became a poor man. This is the humility of our King.

25-26 And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the comfort of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.

Now the scene shifts to the human reception committee, appointed by God Himself. Simeon is presented as the model of the faithful remnant. He is not defined by his office or rank, but by his character. He was righteous in his conduct and devout in his piety. Crucially, he was waiting. He was living in active, forward-looking expectation of God fulfilling His promise to send the Messiah, here called the "comfort of Israel." And the engine of this faith was the Holy Spirit, who was "upon him" and who had given him a direct, personal promise: you will not die until you see the Messiah. This is how true faith operates; it holds fast to the Word of God, waiting for Him to act.

27-28 And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to carry out for Him the custom of the Law, then he took Him into his arms and blessed God, and said,

This was no chance meeting. Simeon did not just happen to wander into the Court of the Women at the right time. Luke tells us "he came in the Spirit." The same Spirit who gave the promise now gives the prompting. Providence is the intricate work of God weaving together all the threads of circumstance for His own glory. As the obedient parents come in to fulfill the law, the waiting saint is moved by the Spirit to intercept them. And then we have this beautiful image: the old man, representing the old covenant, the centuries of waiting and longing, takes the infant, the new covenant in person, into his arms. His first response is not to prophesy, but to bless God. True piety always begins with worship.

29-32 “Now Master, You are releasing Your slave in peace, According to Your word. For my eyes have seen Your salvation, Which You prepared in the presence of all peoples, A LIGHT FOR REVELATION TO THE GENTILES, And for the glory of Your people Israel.”

This is Simeon's swan song, traditionally called the Nunc Dimittis. He addresses God as "Master" (Despota in Greek), acknowledging His absolute sovereignty. He sees himself as a slave, a servant whose watch is now over. He can die in peace because God has kept His word. And what is the substance of that fulfilled word? "My eyes have seen Your salvation." He does not say "I have seen the one who will bring salvation." He says the baby is the salvation. Then he unpacks the earth-shattering scope of this salvation. It was prepared "in the presence of all peoples." This is not a secret, tribal affair. It is a light for the Gentiles and the glory of Israel. In the heart of the Jewish temple, this devout Jew declares that the Messiah has come to bring the nations out of darkness. The mission to the Gentiles is not a Pauline invention; it is right here at the very beginning.

33 And His father and mother were marveling at the things which were being said about Him.

Even Joseph and Mary, who had received angelic announcements and knew this child was the Son of God, were filled with wonder. This should encourage us. We can know the catechism answers, we can have our theology straight, and yet the gospel should never cease to amaze us. The profundity of God's plan is such that we will spend an eternity marveling at it. Their wonder was not the result of ignorance, but of a deepening understanding of the glory of the child they held.

34-35 And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this Child is appointed for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and for a sign to be opposed, and a sword will pierce through your own soul as well, that the thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”

After the blessing, the tone shifts dramatically. The comfort of Israel is also the crisis of Israel. This child is a divine stumbling block. For those who receive Him in humility, He is their rising, their resurrection to new life. For those who oppose Him in pride, He is their fall, the rock that crushes them. There is no middle ground. He is a "sign to be opposed." And this opposition will bring profound personal sorrow to Mary. The "sword" that will pierce her soul is the suffering she will endure watching her Son be slandered, rejected, and ultimately crucified. The purpose of all this conflict is revelatory: "that the thoughts from many hearts may be revealed." Christ forces a decision. His presence exposes the hidden rebellion or the secret faith within every human heart. You cannot remain neutral about Jesus Christ.

36-38 And there was a prophetess, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years... She never left the temple, serving night and day with fastings and prayers. And at that very moment she came up and began giving thanks to God, and continued to speak of Him to all those who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.

God provides a second witness, as the law requires. Anna is another portrait of the faithful remnant. She is a prophetess, a widow of great age, and from the tribe of Asher, one of the northern tribes largely lost after the Assyrian exile, showing God's faithfulness to all twelve tribes. Her life was characterized by singular devotion: constant presence in the temple, worship, fasting, and prayer. And notice the divine timing: "at that very moment she came up." Like Simeon, she is led by God. Her response has two parts. First, like Simeon, she gives thanks to God. Worship precedes witness. Second, she becomes an evangelist. She "continued to speak of Him" to the whole network of believers in Jerusalem, "all those who were waiting for the redemption." She saw the Messiah and immediately began to spread the good news.

Application

This passage is a profound rebuke to any form of casual, sentimental, or disobedient Christianity. First, it teaches us that the Son of God took the law of God with the utmost seriousness, and so should we. Our obedience does not save us, but it is the necessary fruit of our salvation and the shape of our love for the one who obeyed perfectly in our place. Second, it calls us to be like Simeon and Anna. True piety is not about frantic activity but about righteous, devout waiting on the Lord, trusting His promises, and being led by His Spirit. We should be people who are looking for the "comfort of Israel," the advance of Christ's kingdom in the world. Third, we must be prepared for the sword. The gospel is not a message of universal affirmation. It is a sign to be opposed. It divides families, communities, and nations. To follow Christ is to invite opposition, and we must not be surprised when it comes. Finally, our response to Christ should be like Anna's. Having seen His salvation, our lives should be characterized by constant thanksgiving to God and a joyful readiness to speak of Him to all who are waiting for redemption.