how old was simeon when he saw jesus

According to Luke 2:2224, [Joseph and Mary] brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the law of the Lord, Every firstborn male shall be designated as holy to the Lord [quoting Exodus 13:2, 12]) and they offered a sacrifice according to what is stated in the law of the Lord, a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons [based on Leviticus 12:28].. i have a tremendous teachin about the physiologic process a body experiences, during crucifixion. She changed strategies, "Well, how about $15,000? Subscribers receive full access to the archives. I see this in Simeon's personal statement, "For my eyes have seen your salvation" (2:30), and from Luke's account of Anna's actions, "And coming in that instant she gave thanks to the Lord, and spoke of Him to all those who looked for the redemption of Israel" (2:38). Continue Learning about Religious Studies. Simeon had an insight into dispensational truth, as verses 30-32 indicate. He saw this baby as the reason for his godliness. And that is what we are going to examine today: what did Simeon see when he looked into the face of the Messiah. The holy family had made its little pilgrimage from Bethlehem to Jerusalem, a distance of about five miles, to accomplish what was called the purification of Mary. Granted it is glorious and attractive, but it is not safe. Please include the following statement on any distributed copy: by Mark Vroegop. Anna was 84 years old, and she stayed in the temple serving God. Shes pondering all right, shes pondering just how hard shes gonna tan his little hide when she gets him home. The article was first republished in Bible History Daily on February 12, 2013. How did the 2nd February come to be called Candlemas ? Their patient waiting is now being fulfilled as Simeon and Anna both converge in temple area and meet the Messiah face to face. When the parents brought the child Jesus to do for him what was customary under the Law, 28 Simeon took the infant in his arms and praised God, saying, 29 Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace according to your promise, No wonder they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, (luke 2:17). Luke may also have seen Anna as the second witness in or around the Temple needed to validate Jesus significance. She knew who he was! Harold John Ockenga is president of Gordon College and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (Wenham, Massachusetts), positions he assumed after serving as pastor of Park Street Church in Boston for over thirty years. You can be sure God the father and Holy Spirit let Him know about it. Simeon at the Temple is a figure in the Gospel of Luke. "Yeah, you know what I really don't need this job if you are going to make me do that." The very order of Simeons prophecy foretold that Israel would believe in this Child. GOD THE FATHER, HOLY SPIRIT, JESUS AND MARY AT THE TEMPLE The Spirit rested upon Moses, and his face shone like that. The house of Abijahs servicetime was the number 8, thus the second half of the 4th month of the jewish year which was about June. Brown adds, however, that Luke does not leave Mary on the negative note of misunderstanding. Peace is not linked to an absence of conflict or pain, but to the assurance that God keeps His word. He was a prophet and teacher. Hey, if the Holy Spirit tells Simeon he will not die till he sees the Messiah, and if hes been waiting his entire life perhaps, and hes faithful and in the temple and he comes and serves as that second witness ~ that may be Gods total will for his lifes ending, different from Annas, but just as powerful. Zacharias the father of John the baptist was from the house of Abija, we read in Luke 1.5. THE PRESENTATION IN THE TEMPLE. She may have been able to undertake this role in the Temple because she was no longer in periodic states of ritual impurity caused by menstruation. As you celebrate this holiday, exchange gifts, enjoy days of rest, and time with family - I just want to remind you that this holiday is about the glory and the beauty of the gospel! There are critical moments in life when everything depends upon immediate submission to the impulse of the Spirit. Rather in 2.51 [his mother treasured all these things ] he stresses her retention of what she has not yet understood and her continuing search to understand.2. In this, Mary contrasts sharply with Simeon and Anna, two elderly individuals who happen to be in the Temple when Joseph and Mary bring the infant Jesus to Jerusalem for the first time. Simeon knows that God's target is not just Israel but all people. Notice, in Luke 2:25-35, some of the characteristics of this man who waited for the coming of Christ: He had no doubt about this, as we learn from verse 26. Simeon takes Jesus in his arms and praises God: "Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel" (Luke 2:28-32). Jesus is the one that they have been longing and looking for. In the free ebook Who Was Jesus? Simeon praised God. See something we missed? Thus, Simeon was speaking not of the Saviour but of the apparatus fitted to bring salvation. The Holy Spirit revealed to him that he would die before he saw the He kept the law inwardly and outwardly, looked for the Messiah, and the very presence of God was in his life. A widow . We are told this in verse 25, and it means that his life was honest and upright in the eyes of men. So you are saying that when the Shepards and the wise men came Mary had no idea Jesus was Messiah? Simeon declared the Child to be the glory of thy people Israel. That an Israelite should first mention Christ as the means of enlightening the heathen and then emphasize the glory of Israel was an unusual order in pre-Christian times and thinking. Jesus, the adolecent, wasnt sining or lying here he was jumping the gun. "But the plans of the LORD stand firm for ever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.". The Holy Spirit allowed Simeon to recognize Jesus as the Messiah. The redemptive offerings, the Day of Atonement, the Passover, all spoke to them of the coming Christ. I think one of the things Mary was pondering in her heart must have related to the Shepherds visit Even the most unjustified, unfair, and evil event in human history was a part of God's gracious plan? By now my food was getting cold so I said, "YeahI really wouldn't like $15,000 either." Mary and Joseph bring Jesus into the temple to dedicate Him forty days after his birth. 30 because my eyes have seen your salvation, They likely would have communicated to her the sign they had been given by How old was Simeon when he introduced Jesus? There are many speculations as to who this Simeon was although there is no record of his genealogy. Healing the man blind from birth in John 9:1-7. It is sign that reveals the attitude of human hearts. At the Temple, the family is approached by a man named Simeon, who has been told by the Holy Spirit that he will not die until he has seen the messiah. At the opening of Aeschyluss Agamemnon, a sentinel, set to watch for the appearing of fire that was to announce the taking of Troy, beholds at last the signal so impatiently expected, and he sings at once, both of the victory of Greece and of his own release. The Holy Spirit was in him. He sees the Christ child with his own eyes and finds fulfillment. Verse 26 tells us that God had revealed to him that he would not see death until he had seen the Lord's Christ. I was wondering if you ever thought of changing the structure of your Lukes Christmas story is full of surprising reversals of fortunes and roles, in which outsiders become more intimate associates than family members, and in which women play a more active role then men. All that we have is the fact that Simeon was sufficiently old; he was just and devout. He holds the Th.B (Westminster Seminary) and Ph.D. (University of Pittsburgh). 19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God (Eph 2:19). website? The small child that Simeon holds will be a light to the Gentiles. Who is Katy mixon body double eastbound and down season 1 finale? MY SHOPPING CART. I love the balance that Simeon has - the kind balanced spiritual eyesight that we all need. Luke 2:21-40 tells how Simeon went to the Temple in Jerusalem where he met the Holy Family. . Luke records that Jesus' parents "marveled at what was said about him" ( Luke 2:33 ). He took Jesus in his arms, held him close and began to bless the Lord. Fear God, love God and honor God for the multitude of things he has done in our behalf, the love He has given us and the graciousness He has shown us through His Son and the Holy Spirit! thus the feast of Sukkoth is a symbol for God dwellling among us in Jesus . . Anna belonged to the tribe of Asher. See Alfred Plummer, Luke, International Critical Commentary (Edinburgh: T & T Clark, 1905), p. 71. must be consecrated to the Lord. It has provided much food for thought. Simeon appears to be a normal Jewish man. Never has there been a sign more spoken against than that of the Virgin Birth and its attestation to the deity of Jesus Christ, namely, that he is God with us, or Emmanuel. When Simeon saw Him for whom his soul had been longing, he took Him in his arms. This required the presentation of a lamb, or for those who were poor, of two pigeons. Simeon waited and watched for the Babe of Bethlehem, and you and I are to wait and watch for the Lord who said, I will come back, and take you to be with me (John 14:3). The picture presents the contrast of age and of youth, of one nearing the end of the journey of life and one at the beginning. This apparatus was prepared by God for the salvation of all people. Simeon declared, Mine eyes have seen thy salvation. The Child is here equated with Gods salvation. May God give us the kind of spiritual eyesight to see it and lives to live it! I said that I had not. In John 21, Jesus is asking Peter if he really loves Him. The peace that Simeon is talking about is linked to two phrases - "according to your word" and "for my eyes have seen your salvation." Seems to me, she was there to let the rest of us know. This is clear. Let a man be confronted with Christ as a supernatural person, one born without a human father, brought into the world through the womb of a virgin, as the apparatus of redemption, and he will reveal his own hearts condition by his attitude toward this supernatural Christ. Simeon understood the treasure of a godly life. The nunc dimittis of Simeon emphasizes the end of a long vigil of waiting. to say. Nicely done Ben. . All you need to do is come down to our service center to learn about our products, pick up your keys, and you will have chance to start a 2006 Chevy Blazer. And that was when we both started laughing. Where was he really bornBethlehem or Nazareth? The story of Simeon is a reminder that this Christmas season is essentially about the far-surpassing joy that a personal relationship with Christ brings. Simeon accepted the Baby Jesus as the Christ of God. Simeon does not domesticate the gospel or the Messiah. August 22,2014 2:02 am. How old was Jesus when simeon and Anna saw him? Anna, also old in years, had been faithfully worshiping God through fasting and prayer in the temple for 84 years. After Pushing for UMC Unity, Former Bishop Joins New Denomination, I Was the Proverbial, Drug-Fueled Rock and Roller, Jesus Revolution Director: Were at the Forefront of a Return to God, Christian Conservationists Sue to Protect Ghana Forest, Complete access to articles on ChristianityToday.com, Over 120 years of magazine archives plus full access to all of CTs online archives. Simeon had the infant Jesus in his arms and, moved by the Holy Spirit, sang the Nunc Dimittis, Latin words for "now dismiss." We . And she wont for several years. 6 months later, thus about December Jesus was conceived in Mary, and born 9 months later which gives us September for the birth of Jesus which is the time of the feast of Sukkoth which is now fullfilled in the coming of the Word of God to dwell among us in a human body: Greek skenos means tent and figuratively the human body . Ipinanganak si Jesus. That is what Simeon saw, and that is what all godly people should see - even to the point of death. Do you follow Christ even when it proves costly? It is . . A suffering messiah was not yet on See who and when the Apostles wrote their stories. He was satisfied with the gospel. As a crowning reward of his life, God showed him that he should not die until the Christ came. Simeon's prayer captures the beauty of the gospel: He begins his praise to God with an expression of ultimate satisfaction in God and it is tied to the word peace: "Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace," (v 29). It is surely significant that his name means Hearing with alacrity. Simon is one Latinised version of the name, the others being Simeon or Symeon. Simeon in the Bible (pronounced Sim-ee-uhn) was a devout and just man. See answer (1) Best Answer. Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace (Luke 2:28, 29). disciple. I like the stress on Mary and Joseph as good parents who nevertheless dont get it. When Simeon saw Jesus he took Him in his arms and praised God. Simeon was righteous and devout, and the Holy Spirit was with him. There is no great incentive to holy living than to believe, to live and to labour in the conviction that the Lord Jesus is coming again look up 1 John 3:3. I enjoyed your article and found only one flaw which to some lends itself to your research or thoroughness of it. Simeon believed in the imminence of the Messianic age. We shall never be perfect while we are in the flesh, but the Lord has made provision for us to be blameless (verse 25), which means that our lives should be such that they bring glory to His name and show forth His praise to those amongst whom we are living. This will come through the ministry of Jesus and particularly through the cross and resurrection.. Good Stuff Ben and I love preaching on Simeon and Anna over the years, thanks. It was Mary and Josephs job to bring up Jesus the Son of Man, as Jesus often referred to himself, in the nurture and admonition of the Lord to be a responsible adult in the Jewish culture. The presentations by all, are excellent and non-controversial. Here Simeon looked across three decades to a picture of a Man hanging on a cross, dying for the sins of his people, and suffering the penalty of the Law, thus emptying death of its sting and the Law of its curse. Simeon thanked God that he was able to see Jesus the savior! As Paul put it in Ephesians 2:19 - no longer strangers or foreigners, but fellow citizens! The Spirit gave Simeon divine revelationit was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lords Christ. The word translated revealed is actually a divine response. In the active tense the word means to transact business, to make an answer to those who seek advice. The use of the word in the passive bespeaks revelation made by God in response to the seeking of man. Learn more about Anna in Robin Gallaher Branchs Bible History Daily article Anna in the Bible.. Verse 25 tells us this, and it means that while he was honest and upright in the sight of men, he was holy (as the word really means) in the sight of God. Dig into the illuminating world of the Bible with a BAS All-Access membership. The reason we assume him to be old is that when he holds Jesus in his arms, he says to God, "Now you are letting your servant depart in peace." He may have been old, but not necessarily so. Of course, in the end, Luke portrays Mary as successfully making the spiritual journey into the family of faith; in Acts 1:14, when the apostles gather in the upper room after the resurrection and ascension of Jesus, Mary is with them. Under the impulse of the Spirit, he had come to the Temple and was performing his devotions when Jesus arrived. He had been told by God, as a much younger man, that he would definitely see the Jewish Messiah before he died. We know far more of Jesus through the New Testament revelation than Simeon ever could have known from the Old Testament prophecy, but do we embrace him in the arms of faith as the Lords Christ as Simeon did? 2010-07-06 11:03:12. Surely youll recall how the unborn John the Baptist leaped in his mothers womb at the presence of Mary and the unborn baby Jesus? the angels (you will find the babe swaddled and laying in a manger.). He was a good man and very religious. Your statement says she is the only woman in New Testament explicitly described as a prophetess. There is a remarkable identity in the Greek between this phrase and Peters confession, Thou art the Christ of God. Simeon identified this baby with the pre-existent Lord of Glory, with the Christ of prophecy, the Incarnate God, the Saviour who was to work out the deliverance of the nations. The passage in which Simeon blessed the baby Jesus and prophesied great things was an opportunity to prove to the readers of Luke's Gospel that Jesus was indeed the son of God. Alfred Plummer, in his classic commentary on Luke, suggested that the difference between Anna and Simeon provides a clue to Luke as a salvation historian, a chronicler of the mighty acts of God for his people through the ages. It wasnt that Mary had forgotten that Jesus was also the Son of God that she didnt understand. bringing peace to earth and rebuilding the temple. Simeon was a righteous and devout man who lived in Jerusalem. They were devout in their worship and righteous in their dealings with their fellow men. The neuter gender is used for the word salvation. Luke wants to show that both of these people have been patiently waiting for the Messiah. 3 Ang lahat ay pumunta upang makapagpatala, bawat isa sa kaniyang sariling lungsod. I like to think it was the shepherds. A graduate of UNC, Chapel Hill, he went on to receive the M.Div. Thus Simeon describes himself as free, released from the heavy burden of life. 4 Si Jose ay umahon din mula sa Galilea, mula sa lungsod ng Nazaret . Luke portrays the rise of a form of Judaism that would rely on the testimony of women as well as men, and that would empower them once again to fulfill roles like Miriam of old. Jesus was never the Messiah ! Dig into more than 9,000 articles in the Biblical Archaeology Societys vast library plus much morewith an All-Access pass. Mary was required to make an offering at the temple (Leviticus The earth-shaking miracles and wonders are . "Yeah, I know that we could buy that, but we'd rather give our money away." In what has become known as the Nunc Dimittus, Simeon's poetic blessing to God a few verses later, Simeon recognizes the fulfillment of God's promised salvation as "a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel" (vv 30-32; see Isa 9:1-2; 40:5; 42:6; 49:6; 52:10; etc). Clearly, Luke is not painting an idealized portrait of Mary or Joseph. I mean not just a chuckle, but a hearty laugh. Like the disciples who will follow her, she is driven to bear witness to what she has seen. "A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel" (Luke 2:32) disciple. "Oh," I said, "I really don't like Chevy Blazers". What is the overall storyline of jesus existence according to johns gospel. She became a widow after seven years of marriage to her husband. If you ever want to read something that fills in the blanks an,d plays out like a movie, read MYSTICAL CITY OF GOD by SISTER MARY of AGREEDA. He is called "devout." He was careful about his religious observances. According to the Biblical account, Simeon had been visited by the Holy Spirit and told that he would not die until he had seen the Lords Christ. My soul magnifies the Lord; my spirit has found joy in God, who is my Saviour, because he has looked graciously upon the lowliness of his handmaid. In fact, people may even laugh at your Christ-centered satisfaction. In which christian text are the teachings of jesus recorded? wish to examine some-more about his analysis? He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. He will bring the revelation to non-Jewish people in order to bring Jews and Gentiles to God. He is not identified as a priest, or ruler. Simeon finds them coming into the temple, takes the child in his arms, and offers a beautiful prayer of thanksgiving to God. Mary also tells the Archangel Gabriel she agrees to having the Son of God. The pairing of Simeon and Anna reflects Lukes penchant for male-female parallelism when he writes about the recipients of divine blessing and salvation. When that old man went out of the world he took nothing but a soul. Biblical Archaeology Society, [] Witherington IIIs full essay Mary, Simeon or Anna: Who First Recognized Jesus as Messiah? is accessible online for free. 42 In a loud voice she exclaimed: Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! So we know from this that Jesus was 7 + 33 = 40 days old at the time of this ceremony. On the next day we who were Pauls companions departed and came to Caesarea, and entered the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him. Most of parenthood is like this for me. Let us begin each day, as Simeon must have begun each day, by saying, I wonder if my Lord will come today!. Bauxite mining would threaten birds, plants, and clean water. Anna was the prophetess who saw Jesus when he was presented in the temple by his parents. 14 For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility" (Eph 2:11-14). Their hearts were right with God. Godly people are supremely satisfied and they celebrate a costly gospel. According to Luke, Anna never left the Temple but worshiped there with fasting and prayer night and day (Luke 2:37). For the Holy Spirit to rest upon a man is the highest experience God has for him. The Law also allowed, in the cases of poverty, for two pigeons or turtledoves to be offered instead of a lamb. It was God the Fathers and Holy Spirits job to prepare Jesus until he was ready to start His ministry. He held him and knew that one day this baby would call people to choose between God and themselves. At first glance, Simeon and Anna could be easily overlooked within the narrative. Simeon recognised Jesus as the Christ as soon as he saw him, and blessed the young family. The gospel is rooted in God's faithfulness. 34 Then Simeon blessed them and told Mary, his mother, This infant is destined to cause many in Israel to fall and rise. May Almighty God, Jesus, The Holy Spirit and Christianity be our guiding lights, our safety nets and our inspiration for loving happiness with Almighty God! Therefore, the ages of Simeon and Anna are very important. Your email address will not be published. That Child, by the combining in him of a divine nature and a human nature through a virgin birth, was the prepared apparatus to work out salvation for the world. Did he marry? 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. Being first to hear doesnt always mean being first to understand. The Global Methodist Church welcomes Scott Jones, who led Methodists in Texas and had advocated for the extreme center and staying at the table., Emily McFarlan Miller - Religion News Service. at the manger. how old was simeon when he saw jesus 43 But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? You see, treasuring godliness and the worth of the gospel are tested when following Christ costs you something. Luke 2:36-38 tells us that Anna, a prophetess, from the tribe of Asher, was an 84 year old widow, when she saw Jesus at the temple. Also read Numbers 8:17 and Numbers 18:14-1, The angel Gabriel spoke to Mary about the birth of Jesus, An angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, Angels praised God for the birth of Jesus, Jesus at 40 days old was taken to the Temple, Magi traveled from the East to find Jesus, King Herod the Great plans how to kill Jesus, Timeline for Birth of Jesus The Christmas Story, Background Information Birth of Jesus The Christmas Story. God told Simeon that he would see Jesus who was the Son of God. Simeon . What distinguishes Simeon is not his position, but his godliness. In response, Mary made it quite clear to Gabriel that she understood: Simeon met baby Jesus and blessed Him, in fulfillment of a promise to Simeon from God. It is evident from scripture, by the fact that the people in His hometown and His siblings didnt know He was the Messia (after thirty yrs), that Mary, Joseph or Jesus ever revealed this. Then Simeon announced that the Child was for a sign which shall be spoken against that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed. This also was a quotation from Isaiah (7:14). Amen! To look for the Messianic Age is a consolation to all believers in every critical time. news about the Christ Child to everyone in Jerusalem looking for They had dedicated the baby Jesus according to the law of Moses, and they traveled to Jerusalem each year to celebrate Passover. "Yeah, I know that you are going to kill me, but I won't recant on my belief in Christ.". That Lord Jesus Christ has come not only for Jews but also for the Gentiles is seen here in Luke Chapter 2:21-35 where description of one named Simeon is given. He had a personal encounter with Jesus, and foresaw Christ's future crucifixion. Who are we to really imply something different for the amazing Simeon and his song??!!! Looking at Jesus inspired him in two ways: the feeling of . She, too, recognizes Jesus as messiah, but she has a very different reaction: At that moment, she came and began to speak about the child to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem (Luke 2:38). Browse 60+ years of magazine archives and web exclusives. 31 And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus . Youre on the money. 26 The Holy Spirit told Simeon that he would not die before he saw the Christ promised by the Lord. But maybe you could a little more in the way of content so people could connect with it better. But the prophetic insight into Gods intentions is a gift which keeps on giving and renewing the people of God. That is also why she stood at the cross and did not kneel. Teaching Women of the Bible. That hope motivated the righteous in Simeons day to hold on to the things of God despite the terrible events happening round about them. He saw one of the most important events in world history! Simeon had been 40, then 50, then 60 years old.

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how old was simeon when he saw jesus