Luke 2 - Jesus is Born, Simeon and Anna's Hopes Are Fulfilled, Jesus Gets Left Behind at the Temple

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The Birth of Jesus

God always uses the events of this world to accomplish his purposes. In this case, the Roman Emperor, Caesar Augustus, took a census of the entire Roman world. This was the entirety of civilization as we know it at this time. The census was taken to efficiently and effectively collect as much tax as possible. Joseph took the long journey with his pregant fiance Mary. The trip was 80 miles and was costly. Joseph was from the house and line of David, which tied him to King David. The Davidic covenant was that a Messiah would come from the line of David. The king of all kings. 

When a baby is ready to come there is not much you can do about it. And, in this case, Mary gave birth to her firstborn in a manger, because it was the only place available. 

According to the Roman law, Mary didn’t have to go with Joseph for the tax census; but it made sense for her to go with Joseph, especially because she was in the latter stages of a controversial pregnancy – surely the subject of much gossip in Nazareth.

One of the distinctives in Luke's gospel is the story about the shepherds out watching their fields at night. It underscores the humble circumstances of Jesus' birth. Not only was he born in a barn, but the first witnesses of the birth of the Son of God were shepherds, not kings. It is not coincidental that later in John's gospel that Jesus would be called the "good shepherd", who watched over and laid down his life for his sheep. 

Bethlehem’s shepherds were known to care for the temple flock. These men may have also protected and cared for the lambs used in temple sacrifice. - Guzik 

As the angels had appeared to Mary and Zechariah, they now appeared to the shepherds. Though they were terrified, the angel told them not to be afraid because the greatest event in all history had just happened. The Son of God, the promised Messiah, had been born in Bethlehem just as the scriptures had prophecied. The angels started singing. The first praise team. 

“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

The shepherds did not wait, they responded quickly by journeying to Bethlehem. We don't know how they found baby Jesus, but when they did they became the first evangelists by spreading the Good News. 

“It is a lovely thought that the shepherds who looked after the Temple lambs were the first to see the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” (Barclay)

Mary treasured these things in her heart. Her great faith had become sight. 

Mary had good reason to meditate. What brought her to Bethlehem? A Roman emperor’s great decree and perhaps gossiping tongues in Nazareth. God works through all kinds of people and all kinds of events to accomplish His plan.

Jesus Presented in the Temple

On the eight day he was circumcised and given the name Jesus, the name the angel had given him. This shows that Mary and Joseph were completely obedient to the Jewish law. The days for purification according to the Law were forty days when a son was born, and eighty days if a daughter was born. Mary would have been considered unclean according to the Law, which is ironic since she had just given birth to the son of God. 

Next, we meet Simeon, a devout man who was waiting for the Messiah. Once again we see the role of the Holy Spirit, which was "on him". The same Holy Spirit revealed to him that he would not die until he met the Messiah. Simeon went and picked up baby Jesus in his arms and proclaimed these famous words, 

“Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.”

Note Jesus brought salvation and deliverance from sin for both the Jews and the Gentiles. This was the reason that God had set apart the Jewish people. The covenants of promises God made with Abraham, Moses, and David had all come true in the birth of the Messiah, and Simeon knew it. 

Simeon’s prophecy was filled with love for his Savior; and he hardly knew Jesus. We who know so much more about Him should love Him even more. - Guzik

There was also a prophetess, Anna, who was a widow for many years. A prophet spoke God's word and this is an example of a woman speaking God's word, which gives biblicial precedence for women speaking God's Word today.  Day and night she was also praying and fasting for the Messiah to come. She was eighty four years old. The one who had sought so earnestly had found the one she was hoping for. 

Anna was a remarkable woman. As a widow she knew pain and loss but had not become bitter. As an elderly woman she had not lost hope. Perhaps it was because she was a woman of worship and a woman of prayer.  - Guzik 

After this Mary and Joseph went back to Nazareth, where he grew up filled with wisdom and growing with grace. It will be fascinating some day to find out what Jesus' life was like growing up. I.e. Did his parents ever have to discipline him? We find out later he had brothers, so I wonder if there was any sibling rivalry. 

The goodness and favor of God was evident in His life, even as a child. - Guzik

The Boy Jesus at the Temple

Again Mary and Joseph, being good Jews, went back to Jerusalem for the Passover festival every year. But when Jesus was 12, Mary and Joseph had left the festival and apparently lost track of their teenager. Mary and Joseph likely traveled with other extended family members and/or other people from their community, which is why it might have been easy to lose track of their son. They had traveled a full day before they realized he was gone and spent three days looking for him in Jerusalem.  

But little did they know when they went back to get him that he would be sitting in the temple asking questions and conversing with the elder rabbis. Nobody could believe a 12 year old could have so much knowledge and wisdom. But before his parents could rejoice in his performance, Jesus had a little explaining to do, especially to his mother. Then we hear Jesus first recorded words, 

“Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house."

This statement implies that Jesus had at least thought his parents might have known about his unique identity, and that they had possibly discussed it before. 

The surprise implied by these words of Jesus means that He knew that Mary and Joseph did know of His special relationship with God His Father. It means that it must have been an item of discussion and perhaps instruction in the upbringing of Jesus in their home.

After the Festival was over, Jesus and his parents returned to Nazareth, where Jesus continued to grow in wisdom and stature and favor with both God and men. We won't learn anything more about Jesus for 18 more years. But we do know he was obedient to his parents, and mom and dad treasured these years with their son. They saw his development not only in their son, but also the Son of God!  

Why do you think God revealed the Good News about Jesus' birth to lowly shepherds? What qualities did they have that God was looking for? How can we be like the shepherds as we share the Good News of Jesus?