The purpose of preaching is to better understand the meaning of the law for our lives.
21 And when eight days were completed for the circumcision of the child, his name was called Jesus, the name which the angel had given him before he was conceived in the womb.
22 And when the days of their purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, 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 that opens the womb shall be holy to the Lord,
24 and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord, two turtledoves or two young pigeons.
25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. He was a just and devout man, waiting for the consolation of Israel; and the Holy Spirit was upon him.
26 It was revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death until he had seen the Lord's Christ.
27 And he came by inspiration into the temple. And when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him the custom of the law,
28 He took him in his arms, blessed God, and said,
29 Now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, O Lord, according to thy word,
30 For my eyes have seen thy salvation,
31 which You have prepared before the face of all peoples,
32 a light to lighten the Gentiles, and glory to Your people Israel.
33 Joseph and his mother were amazed at these things which were said about him.
34 And Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that will be spoken against.
35 And a sword will pierce through your own soul, so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.
36 And there was Anna a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher, who was of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity,
37 a widow of about eighty-four years of age, who did not depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers day and night.
38 And she came at that time and glorified the Lord and spoke about Him to all who were looking for redemption in Jerusalem.
39 And when they had done all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own city Nazareth.
(Luke 2:21-39)
A person living in conditions of instability and constant changeability of the external situation needs to rely on something constant and stable. A person cannot be in conditions of constantly changing external coordinates of bad – good, because of this he is in constant stress. To get rid of this situation, we need to turn to the example of the Holy Scripture in order to update our own guidelines and return to the correct perception of the external situation. Why is this important for you and me?
1. Law and legality are the foundation of life in society in any state. Even on the islands in the Pacific Ocean and in the Amazon jungle, the tribes living there have established traditions of social life and way of life. For normal life and development of society, generally accepted external norms of behavior are necessary.
2. As a result of the fall, man lost communication with God and became the bearer of a sinful nature. Without external restrictions, he becomes a bloodthirsty killer. William Golding's "Lord of the Flies" describes a situation where a group of teenagers found themselves on a desert island, and without external restrictions, they become mad killers, and this often happens in our real lives.
3. External law and a set of rules are not only a limitation on the absolute freedom of the sinful nature of man, but they are also a source of our security and compliance with the law supports the stable development of society and the security of its individual members.
Thus, it can be argued that maintaining and observing the rule of law is the basis for the security of life in any society.
Why did God, who came into this world 2023 years ago as a Jewish baby, completely submit himself to the requirements of the law of that time, which was in force in Jewish society, and undergo the procedure of circumcision?
Some might argue that these were the requirements of the time, and that any Jewish boy born went through all the legally required procedures.
But today we know for sure that it was the Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Spiritual Son of God, who was born. This is indicated by our chronology, which begins with His Nativity, and the presence of such a day as Sunday in our calendar, and the fact that Christianity is today the most widespread religion with approximately 2.5 billion followers. Why did He, the Supreme Lawgiver and sinless Person, need to go through all the procedures of the law established for man?
It is no coincidence that this holiday is celebrated next to the feast of the Baptism of the Lord. And we can recall the words of Jesus Christ when John tried to prevent Him from baptizing: "Suffer it now, so it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness!"
So, let us consider the historical context of the Gospel of Luke, which describes the events we are considering, in order to see with our own eyes that God not only sets requirements and standards for man, but He also completely subordinates Himself to them.
The Gospel of Luke does not name its author. However, Luke 1:1–4 and Acts 1:1–3 clearly indicate that the same author wrote both books, addressing them to “the most honorable Theophilus,” perhaps a Roman official. According to early Church tradition, these two books were written by Luke, a physician and close associate of the apostle Paul (Colossians 4:14; 2 Timothy 4:11). This makes Luke the only pagan known to have written a book of Scripture.
The Gospel of Luke was most likely written between 58 and 65 AD.
As with the other two synoptic Gospels, Matthew and Mark, the purpose of this book is to reveal the Lord Jesus Christ and all that He “began to do and teach…from the beginning until the day He…was taken up into heaven” (Acts 1:1–2). Luke’s Gospel is unique in that it is a “continuous account” (Luke 1:3), in keeping with Luke’s medical mindset – often revealing details that are omitted in the other Gospels. Luke’s account of the life of the Great Physician highlights His ministry and dedication to Gentiles, Samaritans, women, children, tax collectors, sinners, and others considered outcasts in Israel.
We see a historically important moment. The God for whom the temple was built and whose resting place it is, comes to it, but in the form of a baby. We often expect the action and presence of God, but more often than not, we do not notice Him.
The events described take place on Mount Moriah, where Abraham sacrificed Isaac and on which the city was later built.
The family of Jesus Christ fulfills all the requirements of the law of that time for a newborn Jew. God comes into people's lives, but He does not violate the law He established, but obediently fulfills it.
The book of the Gospel of Luke is written in the genre of biography, maximally tied to the chronology of events.
Book plan:
I. Prologue to the Gospel and the Purposes of Writing It (1:1-4)
II. The Birth and Years of Maturation of John the Baptist and Jesus (1:5 – 2:52)
A. Announcements of their birth (1:5-56)
B. The Birth and Childhood of John and Jesus (1:57 – 2:52)
III. Preparation for the Ministry of Jesus Christ (3:1 – 4:13)
A. The Ministry of John the Baptist (3:1-20)
B. The Baptism of Jesus (3:21-22)
B. The Genealogy of Jesus (3:23-38)
D. The Temptation of Jesus (4:1-13)
IV. Jesus' Ministry in Galilee (4:14 – 9:50)
A. The Beginning of Jesus' Ministry (4:14-30)
B. Jesus' Authority Authenticated (4:31 – 6:16)
B. Sermon on the Plain (6:17-49)
D. Jesus' Ministry in Capernaum and the Surrounding Cities (Chapters 7-8)
D. Jesus gives instructions to His disciples (9:1-50)
V. Jesus goes to Jerusalem (9:51 – 19:27)
A. Rejection of Jesus Christ along most of this path (9:51 – 11:54)
B. Jesus' Instructions to His Followers in Light of the Rejection of His Truth (12:1 – 19:27)
VI. Jesus' Ministry in Jerusalem (19:28 – 21:38)
A. His Entry into Jerusalem as the Messiah (19:28-44)
B. Jesus in the Temple (19:45 – 21:38)
VII. The Death, Burial, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ (Chapters 22-24)
A. The Death and Burial of Jesus (Chapters 22-23)
B. The Resurrection of Jesus Christ and His Appearances (Chapter 24)
The second section speaks of the birth of John the Baptist and Jesus, of the miraculous circumstances of the announcement of their birth and of their birth.
Our passage is key in this section to understanding the need to keep the law and follow it with the utmost precision.
21 And when eight days were completed for the circumcision of the child, his name was called Jesus, the name which the angel had given him before he was conceived in the womb.
22 And when the days of their purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, 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 that opens the womb shall be holy to the Lord,
24 and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord, two turtledoves or two young pigeons.
25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. He was a just and devout man, waiting for the consolation of Israel; and the Holy Spirit was upon him.
26 It was revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death until he had seen the Lord's Christ.
27 And he came by inspiration into the temple. And when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him the custom of the law,
28 He took him in his arms, blessed God, and said,
29 Now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, O Lord, according to thy word,
30 For my eyes have seen thy salvation,
31 which You have prepared before the face of all peoples,
32 a light to lighten the Gentiles, and glory to Your people Israel.
33 Joseph and his mother were amazed at these things which were said about him.
34 And Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that will be spoken against.
35 And a sword will pierce through your own soul, so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.
36 And there was Anna a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher, who was of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity,
37 a widow of about eighty-four years of age, who did not depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers day and night.
38 And she came at that time and glorified the Lord and spoke about Him to all who were looking for redemption in Jerusalem.
39 And when they had done all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own city Nazareth.
(Luke 2:21-39)
The plan of our passage
I Jesus was the firstborn and, according to the Law, was dedicated to God
A Jesus was circumcised on the eighth day
B Jesus was given the name given by the Angel
Jesus was brought to the Temple
D The ransom was paid and the sacrifice was made for Jesus
II In Jerusalem there was a man, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.
A He was told that he would not see death.
B Simeon came to the temple as usual
With Simeon blessed God
D Simeon prophesies
III Here also was Anna, a widow who served God.
A I was in the temple day and night, in fasting and prayer
B She glorified the Lord and proclaimed Salvation
Having done everything according to the law, they returned to Nazareth
The Christian religion is built on the substitutionary sacrifice. The Lord Jesus Christ took upon Himself our sins and bore our punishment. But, according to the law, the sacrifice must be sinless. The priest carefully examined the lamb brought for sacrifice. So the life of Jesus Christ is presented to us in the Scripture for careful study for full compliance with the law of the Old Testament.
What does sacrificial submission to the law of the Lord Himself mean to us in these troubled times? I think we can see the following aspects here for ourselves.
1. We do not read or study the criminal code. The Ten Commandments of Moses are enough to live calmly, confidently and happily. We need to observe this law ourselves and teach our children. All other laws of society, state, morality are built on these Ten Commandments.
2. Unfortunately, a sinful person cannot fulfill the whole law, and the Scripture says that the law was a schoolmaster to bring us to Christ. Yes, we do not always keep the law, and if a police officer drives a hundred kilometers behind my car, she will notice some violation. What should we do? This is what grace and the substitutionary sacrifice of Jesus Christ are for. Where I am not able to fulfill the law, the grace (my undeserved forgiveness) of Jesus Christ “turns on” for a believer. If we again give an example from traffic rules, these are the 20 km/h by which I can exceed the prescribed limit. Not 21, and certainly not 40 or 60. That is, grace has its own conditions when it works. But as the Scripture says, “If we sin willfully, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sin.”
3. The law is not only our restraint, but also our protection. If the Scripture says that a false witness will die, then so it will be. We need to live holy lives to see the work of God's wrath on the wicked, but we also need to tell people the good news (the gospel) that the wicked can be forgiven, just as believers in Jesus Christ have been forgiven.
May the Lord bless you in your search for Truth.
With respect, God's love and prayers for you
Rustam Nasyrov.