Simeon and Anna

In Lk 2:25-39 we read about two people who saw Jesus in the temple when Jospeh and Mary came to “present him to the Lord”, Lk 2:22.  These two people are Simeon and Anna.

Simeon

His character, Lk 2:25:

• Just – he was morally upright, a man of faith Hab 2:4
• Devout – devoted to his religious duties (in these two aspects of his life, he was like Cornelius, Acts 10:2, 22)
• Expectant – waiting for the consolation of Israel.  Consolation is comfort.  See Is 40:1-2.  Israel will be comforted when her “warfare is accomplished… and “her iniquity is pardoned”.  Jesus is the one who does both of these.  Happens at Second Coming of Jesus; could have happened at first if…

His Spirituality, Lk 2:25-27:

• The Holy Ghost was upon him.  As in Num 11:17, 25-29
• The Holy Ghost revealed he would see the Lord’s Christ.  He would see the Lord’s Christ in his lifetime. See Acts 4:26.
• The Holy Spirit led him to the temple (while Jesus was there).  Divine appointment.  Like Lk 4:1, Acts 8:29.

When Joseph and Mary brought Jesus into the temple, Simeon took him up and blessed God, Lk 2:27-28.

His Prophecies, Lk 2:29-35

• The Lord had fulfilled his word to Simeon, Lk 2:29, v. 26.
• He said, “Mine eyes have seen thy salvation”, Lk 2:30.  The Lord is the salvation of Israel, Ps 27:1, 53:6, Is 25:9.  Simeon recognized that this baby had to be God manifest in the flesh who had come to fulfill his promise to Israel.
• “Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people”, Lk 2:31.  See the prophecies in Is 40:2-5 and 52:10.
• “A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel”, Is 49:5-6 and 42:1-6.  In these references, Simeon knew that Jesus not only came as the Lord’s Christ for the consolation of Israel, but for the salvation of the Gentiles, as well.  See Acts 26:23.

Hearing these things caused Joseph and Mary to marvel, Lk 2:33.  Then Simeon continued to prophesy.

• “This child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel”, Lk 2:34.  According to Paul, those who fall are the ones who stumble “at the stumblingstone”, Rom 9:31-33.  And the ones who will rise again are the ones who believe on him, Rom 8:33.
• “And for a sign which shall be spoken against”, Lk 2:34.  They said, “He hath Beelzebub, and by the prince of the devils casteth he out devils”, Mk 3:22.  They said he blasphemed, Matt 26:65.  They called him a deceiver, Matt 27:63.  And they accused him of perverting the nation, Lk 23:2.
• “That the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed”, Lk 2:35.  When Jesus confronted the people and asked, “Why go ye about to kill me”?, Jn 7:19, they answered, “Thou hast a devil; who goeth about to kill thee”?, Jn 7:20.  They lied about their intentions.  But by the time of Pilate’s trial, the true condition of their hearts was revealed.  They cried out, “Crucify him”.  Likewise, the thought of the heart of the thief on the cross whom Jesus saved was revealed, as well.
• “Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also”, Lk 2:35.  Jesus was literally pierced, Jn 19:34.  And Mary’s soul would be pierced also. In other words, she would suffer the mother’s loss of her son when he died.

Anna

Her Bio, Lk 2:36-37

Simeon and Anna both spoke of Jesus.  Anna was a prophetess.  She was like Miriam, Ex 15:20; Deborah, Jud 4:4; and Huldah, 2 Ki 22:14.  Her father was Phanuel of the tribe of Asher.  She had been married only seven years when her husband died and she remained a widow.  At this time, she was nearly 84 years old.  And she “served God with fastings and prayers night and day” in the temple.

Her Prophecy, Lk 2:38

• First, she gave thanks unto the Lord for this child.
• Then she spake of him to them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem.  See Is 52:7-10, particularly v.9.  This is what they were looking for in Jerusalem.

Joseph and Mary return to Nazareth with Jesus, Lk 2:39

After the visits from Simeon and Anna, the family returned to Galilee.  In v.39, there is a comma before “they returned into Galilee”.  It’s important to realize that a significant amount of time can pass where there is a punctuation mark.  See Matt 2:11-23.  During this “comma” the wise men came to see “the young child” in Bethlehem.  Joseph, Mary, and Jesus went down to Egypt and stayed there until Herod died.  And then they returned and went into Galilee and dwelt in Nazareth.  The accounts in the gospels supplement each other, they don’t contradict.

To study the previous lesson, see Jesus’s Birth. To study the next lesson, see Jesus in Adolescence.