Because that is what Simon said. Nicely done Ben. The telemarketer called and asked me if I had received my car keys in the mail last week. Granted it is glorious and attractive, but it is not safe. But maybe you could a little more in the way of content so people could connect with it better. The prophet Anna was a widow who never left the temple after her 2:25 Now a man named Simeon was in Jerusalem. May God give us the kind of spiritual eyesight to see it and lives to live it! The story of Jesus birth is framed by two such storiesthat of Elizabeth and Zechariah in Luke 1 and Anna and Simeon in Luke 2. It was attacked by Porphyry and Celsus and other ancients, and many unbelievers center their attacks upon it today. This man was righteous and devout. Adding to what David said, Two important points, to say the least: 1. 11 Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, 12 waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! 2. 35 Indeed, a sword will pierce your own soul, too, so that the inner thoughts of many people might be revealed. A graduate of UNC, Chapel Hill, he went on to receive the M.Div. Let us know if corrections need to be made. Verses 22-24 tell us what is happening here. Please include the following statement on any distributed copy: by Mark Vroegop. We have a drawing for $15,000 cash!" He expresses this so well in verse 32, "a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.". You see, treasuring godliness and the worth of the gospel are tested when following Christ costs you something. Simeon's righteous faith qualified him to see something incredibly special. He was a satisfied old man. Romans 11:33-34 and Isaiah 40:28. 34 Then Simeon blessed them and told Mary, his mother, This infant is destined to cause many in Israel to fall and rise. Anna was about 106 years old depending upon when she wed. Which scripture acknowledges by saying Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. He was obident and honored them for another 18 yrs until the God given time had come and He revelled himself by changing the water into wine at the Cana wedding. 27 Led by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. In Hebrew Baby Names the meaning of the name Simeon is: Obedient; listening; little hyena. That hope motivated the righteous in Simeons day to hold on to the things of God despite the terrible events happening round about them. When that Child came into the world, he brought nothing but a soul. Luke records that Jesus' parents "marveled at what was said about him" ( Luke 2:33 ). Routing number of commercial bank of Ethiopia? This apparatus was prepared by God for the salvation of all people. MY SHOPPING CART. The nunc dimittis of Simeon emphasizes the end of a long vigil of waiting. 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! We then count 3 and a half months from 1. Seems to me like they didnt get it. By this time Simeon was a very old man. It wasnt that Mary had forgotten that Jesus was also the Son of God that she didnt understand. 27 The Spirit led Simeon to the Temple. Seven Signs Changing water into wine at Cana in John 2:1-11 the first of the signs Healing the royal officials son in Capernaum in John 4:46-54. 30 The angel said to her, Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. news about the Christ Child to everyone in Jerusalem looking for God is testing us everyday and has given us the right to make our own choices. Messiah. Seems to me, she was there to let the rest of us know. August 22,2014 2:02 am. 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 is ready to die - he is at peace - because he has seen the future hope of Israel and the world. Anna then approaches the Holy Family. He was a prophet and teacher. God bless you and your work. Furthermore, Joseph seems to be Marys equal regarding getting it. Lets not forget that God spoke to Joseph in dreams and he obeyed each time. . When Simeon saw Jesus he took Him in his arms and praised God. He saw that the fall of Israel would be the riches of the Gentiles and that Israels restoration will be comparable to a resurrection from the dead for the whole of humanity. Surely youll recall how the unborn John the Baptist leaped in his mothers womb at the presence of Mary and the unborn baby Jesus? In the biblical Joseph narrative, when Joseph, having settled in Egypt, asks his brothers to bring Benjamin to him, he takes Simeon hostage to ensure that they return. blessed the family. Godly people are supremely satisfied with a costly gospel. Verse 28 gives us a beautiful picture. He is now considered one of the top evangelical scholars in the world, and is an elected member of the prestigious SNTS, a society dedicated to New Testament studies. Where was he really bornBethlehem or Nazareth? Simeon represented himself as a sentinel whom his master had placed in an elevated position and charged to look for the appearance of the Star. He was sincere and he was known to be, as we say today, above reproach. The very order of Simeons prophecy foretold that Israel would believe in this Child. Jesus was never the Messiah ! The earth-shaking miracles and wonders are . Global Relief Fund | Earthquake Relief Efforts in Turkey and Syria. Your email address will not be published. Who was Anna? By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. 4 Si Jose ay umahon din mula sa Galilea, mula sa lungsod ng Nazaret . She was very old, around 84 years old when she saw Jesus in the temple.Refer also to Luke 2:36-38. i know PROTESTANTS dont credit private interpretations. 2) Im not sure why Simeons reaponse has to be considered less than Annas? 1. In the free ebook Who Was Jesus? They have much to speak into our context. "A sword will pierce through your own soul also." Many, many years before Jesus came to earth as a baby, God had given Moses laws for His people to obey. How old was Jesus when simeon and Anna saw him? Want to learn some-more about his research? One of the themes of Jesus in the Synoptic tradition seems to be the emphasis that ones own family can become a stumbling block to their walk of faith. Now, as Simeon lived just prior to the first advent and anticipated the first coming of the Lord Jesus, so you and I today live just prior to His second advent and should be anticipating His return. He waited for the consolation of Israel, the Messiah, the Lords Christ. This is a stand that is very difficult for me to follow how one gets there, since Mary was told by Gabriel, John (to be the Baptist) at 6 mos responded, Elizabeth told her, again all the torment when she rtnd from Elizabeths, the shepards and the wise men the woman would have had to of had amnesia not to know. And while there they met an old man called Simeon who, upon seeing Jesus, was very moved and filled with joy and gratitude. When Simeon saw Him for whom his soul had been longing, he took Him in his arms. "Yeah, you know what I really don't need this job if you are going to make me do that." 3 Ang lahat ay pumunta upang makapagpatala, bawat isa sa kaniyang sariling lungsod. Thus - Simeon was ready to welcome the Lord Jesus when He came. Anna begins to preach: She came, and began to praise God and to speak about the child to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem. Both are quicker than Mary to comprehend who Jesus is. 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. The word Messiah, in Hebrew, and the word Christ, in Greek, mean: Anointed One. Simeon went to the temple and held the Christ. Simeon at the Temple is a figure in the Gospel of Luke. He was waiting for the time when God would help Israel. The religious signs, moral signs, commercial signs, political signs, Jewish signsthese all proclaim the truth declared in James 5:8! was saying and revelling himself at this age God had her back on this one! For these people, whether in Jerusalem or in other cities of the Holy Land, the sacrificial system of the Old Testament and the spiritual teachings of the prophets were adequate preparation for the coming of Christ. 161162. Behold, from this day forward all generations will count me blessed; because he who is mighty, he whose name is holy, has wrought for me his wonders. Permissions: You are permitted and encouraged to reproduce this material in any format provided that you do not alter the content in any way and do not charge a fee beyond the cost of reproduction. how old was simeon when he saw jesus . This was Simeons one opportunity to see the Lords Christ. December 21, 2008 College Park Church, What Simeon Saw: Lessons From a Satisfied Old Man. He will bring the revelation to non-Jewish people in order to bring Jews and Gentiles to God. Yes, a messiah has arrived, as Simeon recognizes, but, as the prophetess Anna suggests, a new era, with a new and living voice of prophecy, has at the same time dawned.1 In this new era, the living voice of God will continue to speak about the messianic one. He holds the Th.B (Westminster Seminary) and Ph.D. (University of Pittsburgh). Central to the beauty of what Simeon sees is the breadth of what all of this means: "that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples." In verse 32 he stated that the Lord Jesus was to be, first, a light for revelation to the Gentiles; and second, for glory to your people Israel. Before this baby was born an angel named Gabriel told Mary what to name Him. Jesus is the one that they have been longing and looking for. To unlock this article for your friends, use any of the social share buttons on our site, or simply copy the link below. Anna was the prophetess who saw Jesus when he was presented in the temple by his parents. Most of parenthood is like this for me. Look, your father and I have been searching for you in great anxiety. Jesus responds, Did you not know that I must be in my Fathers house? But, Luke reports, they did not understand what he said to them [but] his mother treasured all these things in her heart (Luke 2:4851). An old man called Simeon lived in Jerusalem. Simeon asked God to allow him to "depart in peace, according to Your word" (verse 29). Healing the man blind from birth in John 9:1-7. 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). It's interesting to compare Mary's 40 days of . Combine a one-year tablet and print subscription to BAR with membership in the BAS Library to start your journey into the ancient past today! I believe it's more likely he was already getting up there in years and he was beginning to worry. But Mary is also puzzled by the divine message; she is perplexed when the angel greets her and must ponder the meaning of his words (Luke 1:29; see also 2:19). Let us begin each day, as Simeon must have begun each day, by saying, I wonder if my Lord will come today!. Gospel account The episode is described in Luke 2:4152. 30 because my eyes have seen your salvation, What is are the functions of diverse organisms? disturbing images regarding jesus future. Healing the paralytic at Bethesda in John 5:1-15. The presentations by all, are excellent and non-controversial. Elizabeth proclaims How is it that the mother of our Lord should come to me? My bet is even if Mary, as you infer, had no idea who Jesus was, then Elizabeth was the first to notify her of the significance of Jesus. Brown adds, however, that Luke does not leave Mary on the negative note of misunderstanding. All men will not accept Jesus. In addition to his many interviews on radio networks across the country, Professor Witherington has been featured on the History Channel, NBC, ABC, CBS, CNN, The Discovery Channel, A&E, and the PAX Network. Who were the models in Van Halen's finish what you started video? He did not know just when He would come, but as his hair whitened and his limbs became enfeebled, these were signs to him that the Lords coming was very near. Godly people are supremely satisfied and they celebrate a costly gospel. How did the 2nd February come to be called Candlemas ? Mary and Joseph were so amazed at the things Simeon was saying about Jesus! 2 Nangyari, nang mga araw na iyon, na lumabas ang isang batas mula kay Augusto Cesar na nag-uutos na dapat magpatala ang buong sanlibutan. Their patient waiting is now being fulfilled as Simeon and Anna both converge in temple area and meet the Messiah face to face. Acts 4:11; 1 Pet. Your statement says she is the only woman in New Testament explicitly described as a prophetess. Can you be godly through seasons where God makes you wait? Here is the picture of a surrendered life - a life which recognises Jesus as the Lord, which takes the place of a bond-servant under His authority and which is completely submissive to His word. In addition, a gift of five shekels to the Temple was required as an acknowledgment of Gods claim over the firstborn male of the household; the child was thus redeemed from sacred duties to enter the secular life. The Law also allowed, in the cases of poverty, for two pigeons or turtledoves to be offered instead of a lamb. 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). Mary at the Cana wedding sensed, maybe with the Holy Spirits nudging, that perhaps this was the time for Jesus to reveall him self in a big way. At the time of Jesus being dedicated to the Lord at the Temple and Mary and Joseph offering their sacrifice for purification, both Simeon and Anna recognized the infant Jesus as the Messiah and sang his praises to all around them. 3 Pilgrimage Paths from Galilee to Jerusalem, Dating the Oldest New Testament Christian Manuscripts, The Bethesda Pool, Site of One of Jesus Miracles. What is that point? Joseph and Mary were in at the Temple in Jerusalem for the redemption of Jesus as the firstborn and the purification of His mother, Mary, as per the Law of Moses in the first five books of the Bible. Jesus Brings Revelation to the Nations. Thus Simeon was driven under the impulse of the Spirit into the Temple, and when he was confronted with the Christ Child, it was necessary to receive him into his arms, not doubting because of the poverty, the humility, or the insignificance of this family. It was this little child who creates the means by which people separated by their sins can come back to their God. Consolation meets us in our. Anna, also old in years, had been faithfully worshiping God through fasting and prayer in the temple for 84 years. wish to examine some-more about his analysis? In this way Luke both prepares for and signals one of his major themes in the Gospel of Luke and in Actsthe least, the last and the lost are becoming the most, the first and the found with Jesus coming. In this beautiful scene, the aged Simeon takes the Baby Jesus up in his arms and expresses his delight and joy to God in a brief prayer. 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. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 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. You can be sure God the father and Holy Spirit let Him know about it. He had been baptized and already started gathering his disciples. Under the impulse of the Spirit, he had come to the Temple and was performing his devotions when Jesus arrived. Mary startles when Gabriel and God the Father appear in her home and interrupt her prayers. birthing the sacrificial lambs for the nearby temple, as some scholars claim, then this sign would present some Verse 26 makes this clear! I enjoyed your article and found only one flaw which to some lends itself to your research or thoroughness of it. Which she knows fullwell, she had pondered this in her heart. He would not die until he saw for himself the coming Messiah. He could not be as he did not fulfill the requirements, i.e. What a beautiful picture! Two kinds of persons were involved; first there were those who would apprehend Christ as the Rock and find in him a spiritual sanctuary; second, those who would reject him and find him a stumbling stone and a rock of offense (cf. By this time Simeon was a very old man. we are in the 8th month. He knew that although He had come to His own people they would reject Him, and the gospel would be preached to the Gentiles (John 1:11; Acts 28:28). Keeping with SOLO SCIPTURUAE, we have left out the first procession of CORPUS CHRISTI, which is MARY visiting ELIZABETH. 25 A man named Simeon lived in Jerusalem. Good Stuff Ben and I love preaching on Simeon and Anna over the years, thanks. She spread the Why does Gary Soto's work seem autobiographical? It was this little child who would life a sinless life, declare words of life, and then absorb the wrath of God so that the creator God and his people could be reunited. It will not make sense to them, and honestly it shouldn't. 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. The Holy Ghost is the author of all scripture (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:21), and the great message of the scriptures concerning the future is that Jesus is coming again - look up John 14:1-3; Acts 1:9-11; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 and 1 John 3:1-3). Rather, he paints a very human and realistic picture of Mary and Joseph as good parents, anxious, concerned, striving to be obedient and understanding, but not yet comprehending. To me, this is a powerful image and one that begs a very important question - "What did he see?" Let me first give you my thesis, and then try to show you three ways that I see this in the text. A teacher walks into the Classroom and says If only Yesterday was Tomorrow Today would have been a Saturday Which Day did the Teacher make this Statement? Of course, no one knows how old Simeon was when God gave him this assurance. This season of uncleanness was terminated by the offering of a sacrifice (a lamb for a burnt offering and a pigeon or turtledove for a sin offering). In the Bible , Simeon was the old man who recognized Jesus as the Messiah. It is sign that reveals the attitude of human hearts. For some reason, Simeon, alone of all people, had been promised that he would not die before he saw the Lord's Anointed (Christ). And she wont for several years. 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 addressed Mary with the words, This child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel. This was an application of the prophecy of Isaiah that the Christ was to be a rock of offense, causing the fall of many in Israel (Isa. In Hebrew Simeon means: hearing or listening. Notice how the text describes him. I really didn't care about $15,000 at that moment. Simeon takes the Child Jesus in his arms and blesses God in order to present it to the Lord. When he heard the account given by Mary and Joseph to the priest, he interrupted the process of dedication by taking the Child in his arms and making a great spiritual prophecy under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Notice also that the Holy Spirit always leads to and glorifies the Lord Jesus - compare verse 27 with John 16:13-14. 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 Davids time the yearly service of the highpriest priests was divided in 24 houses, each makng the service in the temple in Jerusalem for half a month. What did Simeon do when he saw Jesus? He held him and knew that one day this baby would call people to choose between God and themselves. Hebrew Sukkot is the plural from Suka booth, tent, tabernacle. It is surely significant that his name means Hearing with alacrity. This lesson is about Simeon, an old man, who had a special hope fulfilled by God. ANNA. How old was Simeon when he introduced Jesus? Wikimedia CommonsThe Greek transliteration of Jesus real name , Isous, and the late Biblical Hebrew version Yeshua. In these Old Testament types and experiences, they saw Christ. See something we missed? This button displays the currently selected search type. Luke's point for Theophilus is that this Christ-child is the one that God-fearing, law-keeping, and faith-filled people looked for. He prayed, "God, You kept Your promise, and I have You and I, who live in the light of the second coming of Christ, have the same glorious word of assurance. He will either accept him or reject him. Luke 2:25-35 When Simeon saw Jesus he took Him in his arms and praised God. This account is reminder to all of us that this day is not just about time with family or wonderful expressions of love. Only after years of pondering the message in her heart does she become a true follower of Jesus. Museo Civico, Recanati, Italy/Scala/Art Resource, NY. 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. Simeon had been 40, then 50, then 60 years old. Shes pondering all right, shes pondering just how hard shes gonna tan his little hide when she gets him home. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die until he had seen the Lords Messiah. 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. Home / / how old was simeon when he saw jesus. Simeon was a part of the group of brothers who sold Joseph into slavery and then lied to Jacob, saying that Joseph had been killed by a wild animal ( Genesis 37 ). (The same Spirit told him to go to the Temple that day, too.) The violations of the Law of God, the iniquity, immorality, and injustice of their day, only deepened their desire for the fulfillment of prophecies concerning the advent of 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. A widow . 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 more than 9,000 articles in the Biblical Archaeology Societys vast library plus much morewith an All-Access pass. That is what Simeon saw, and that is what all godly people should see - even to the point of death. 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. That is also why she stood at the cross and did not kneel. I believe that Luke records this account to show Theophilus and all of us that Simeon saw the gospel - an attractive, broad, costly, and satisfying gospel. Being first to hear doesnt always mean being first to understand. SCRIPTURE, proclaims elizabeth asking in wonder, how is it that the MOTHER of my LORD comes to me? i could go on and on. 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? When Simeon saw the Lords Christ, he took him up in his arms and blessed God, saying, Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word. This taking Jesus into his arms was an act of the will by Simeon. If these shepherds were in charge of It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Messiah. "A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel" (Luke 2:32) Simeon ( Greek: ) at the Temple is the "just and devout" man of Jerusalem who, according to Luke 2:25-35, met Mary, Joseph, and Jesus as they entered the Temple to fulfill the requirements of the Law of Moses on the 40th day from Jesus' birth, i. e. the presentation of Jesus at the Temple . We often picture Jesus taking little children in his arms, and we sing, I would like to have been with him then , but this thought of another receiving Jesus into his arms is much less familiar to us. When Simeon saw Him for whom his soul had been longing, he took Him in his arms. So, I'd like to call you to be like Simeon - a man supremely satisfied with a costly gospel. Simeon praised God. Mary, for example, does not fully understand what Anna immediately recognizes. Your email address will not be published. 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). was a very old man, and was waiting to see the messiah and die. What an act of faith that was! Thus Simeon describes himself as free, released from the heavy burden of life. Browse 60+ years of magazine archives and web exclusives. Instead of the adolecents response, Jesus said this time, my time has not yet come. Followed immediatly by changing the water into wine. Didnt Jesus family try to kidnap him at one point during his ministry. When the divine illumination concerning Christ comes to us, we too must act immediately in submission and receive the Christ. I said that I had not. Therefore, the ages of Simeon and Anna are very important. Exploring the History of Jesus Life, examine fundamental questions about Jesus of Nazareth. The late New Testament scholar Raymond Brown wrote: Lukes idea is that complete acceptance of the word of God, complete understanding of who Jesus is, and complete discipleship is not yet possible. He kept the law inwardly and outwardly, looked for the Messiah, and the very presence of God was in his life. Wiki User. Another assumption that is often made is that Simeon was a priest. He sees baby Jesus, God incarnate, and sings, "Lord, now let your servant depart in peace according to your Word, for my eyes have seen your salvation which has been prepared for all people.".