Luke 2:22-35 Simeon’s Song of Salvation
Good morning! Turn with me in your Bibles to Luke chapter 2 and verse 22, that’s page 857 in the pew Bibles.
There have been a number of songs sung in these first two chapters of Luke’s Gospel. Songs sung by angels, and Mary, and Zechariah, and now we have the last song sung around the time of Jesus’ birth and infancy, the song of Simeon.
There’s some things to talk about before we get to the song, lots of Old Testament today, so let’s look at the text and jump in.
22 And when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”) 24 and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.” 25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 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. 27 And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, 28 he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said, 29 “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; 30 for my eyes have seen your salvation 31 that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, 32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.”
33 And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him. 34 And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed 35 (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”
Let’s pray.
You may remember from our last time together in Luke’s Gospel that we considered Jesus’ circumcision and naming on the eighth day and how significant that was. Circumcision was a Jewish ritual that identified baby boys as members of the nation of Israel as well as symbolized the putting off of sin. And as a member of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Judah, it was natural that Joseph and Mary would subject Jesus to this ritual.
Fast forward another 33 days or so to what is now Jesus’ fortieth day in the flesh and that’s where Mary and Joseph take Him to the Temple in Jerusalem for the first time.
They were doing this to be obedient to the Law of God from Exodus 13:1-2, and Leviticus 12:1-8.
Exodus 13:1-2 says, The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Consecrate to me all the firstborn. Whatever is the first to open the womb among the people of Israel, both of man and of beast, is mine.”
There is a significant reason for this command, it isn’t arbitrary at all. God commanded all the firstborn of Israel, people and animals, to be set aside for Him in remembrance of the tenth plague in Egypt, the final plague when the all the first born of Egypt were killed by the angel of death at the first Passover. You can read about that on your own from Exodus chapter 12.
And as far as obedience to the Law for purification, that comes from Leviticus 12:6-8.
6 “And when the days of her purifying are completed, whether for a son or for a daughter, she shall bring to the priest at the entrance of the tent of meeting a lamb a year old for a burnt offering, and a pigeon or a turtledove for a sin offering, 7 and he shall offer it before the Lord and make atonement for her. Then she shall be clean from the flow of her blood. This is the law for her who bears a child, either male or female. 8 And if she cannot afford a lamb, then she shall take two turtledoves or two pigeons, one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering. And the priest shall make atonement for her, and she shall be clean.”
We can see from this proof of Joseph and Mary’s poverty. They couldn’t afford a lamb so they had to bring two turtledoves to the Temple for their sacrifice. 2 Corinthians 8:9 says, For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.
Paul also wrote in Galatians 4:4-5, when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.
Why are these things important? Why does it matter that Joseph and Mary would make sure that Jesus got circumcised according to the Law, that they would present Him at the Temple on His fortieth day according to the Law, that Mary would go through the rites of purification according to the Law? Why does that matter?
I think the principle is simple: they didn’t worship God according to their imagination but according to His instruction. They knew God’s Word, they trusted God’s Word and they obeyed God’s Word.
There’s a lesson there for us.
So that’s what got them to the Temple in Jerusalem, obedience.
But then along comes Simeon. What got Simeon to the Temple that day was hope.
25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 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.
Simeon is a unique character, actually he wasn’t unique at all but he had a unique experience. Simeon sort of represents the Old Testament faithful.
Verse 25 says that he was righteous and devout. This is a reference to the two tables of the Law. You remember from last week I mentioned the Ten Commandments. And in the Ten Commandments there are two tables, two sections.
The first four Commandments are all concerned with man’s relation to God, or devotion: Having no other gods, not making idols, not taking the Lord’s Name in vain, and keeping the Sabbath.
The second table of the Law is Commandments 6-10 which all have to do with man’s relation to other people: honoring your mother and father, not murdering, not committing adultery, not stealing, nor lying, nor coveting our neighbor’s possessions.
So when Luke says that Simeon was righteous and devout he means that Simeon generally kept the commandments, not perfectly as that is impossible for anybody but Jesus, but he did pretty well as far as other people were concerned.
Luke also says that he was waiting for the consolation of Israel. We understand this to mean that he was waiting for the coming of Messiah. It literally means that he was waiting for Israel’s prayers to be answered. Jesus is the answer to that prayer!
JP Lange wrote, “Simeon is in the noblest sense the eternal Jew of the Old Covenant who cannot die before he has seen the promised Messiah. He was permitted to fall asleep in the peace of his Lord before His crucifixion.”
Simeon spent his days in hope, confidently looking forward to Messiah’s coming, and today was the day.
26 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. 27 And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, 28 he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said,
29 “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; 30 for my eyes have seen your salvation 31 that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, 32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.”
The salvation that He has prepared in the presence of all people. Messiah was not to be Messiah to the Jews only, but for everybody. A light for revelation to the Gentiles is a beautiful picture of the people living in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone from Isaiah 9:2.
It is that salvation that is the light. The veil of ignorance has been lifted and the light of the grace of God in Christ has illumined our hearts.
That salvation is also for the glory, or for the splendor, of Israel. Messiah was promised to Israel, Messiah was born to Israel, Messiah died for Israel, and was raised again for Israel.
Would that Israel would listen to the Gospel and come to faith in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of their sins along with ours and accept the glory that is theirs through faith in Him!
By the Spirit Simeon could see what would come for this baby he held in his arms.
33 And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him. 34 And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed 35 (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”
Jesus was and still is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel. They fall by rejecting Him and rise by faith in Him.
Matthew 21:42-44 records Jesus saying: “Have you never read in the Scriptures: ‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?
43 Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruits. 44 And the one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him.”
Peter and Paul both called Jesus “a rock of stumbling and a stone of offence.” He is only that who choose to reject Him, it’s them that fall.
But as Jesus said, He will give the kingdom of God to those who produce its fruit, those who have faith in Him. It is them that will rise.
The fall and rise of many on account of Christ means that there is no lasting neutrality.
The day is coming when every person will have to decide what to do about Jesus, to accept Him as He is and all the ramifications that go with that or to reject Him for who He is and accept the ramifications that go with that. Salvation or destruction, there is no middle ground.
Simeon also warned Mary of the heartache that was to come for her, the sympathizing motherly anguish during the rejection, suffering and crucifixion of Jesus her Son, a sword piercing her own soul.
So what can we learn from Simeon? First, hope in God’s Word and trust in His promises. And second, hope in God’s salvation by trusting in His Son.
John Calvin wrote, “If Simeon, when holding a little child in his arms, could stretch his mind to the uttermost boundaries of the world, and acknowledge the power of Christ to be everywhere present, how much more magnificent ought our conceptions regarding Him to be now that He has been set up as a standard to the people and revealed Himself to the whole world?”
As Simeon patiently hoped for Messiah’s first coming, so too must we, His church, patiently hope for His second coming.
Amen.
