What Simeon Saw (Luke 2:22-52)
Journey with Jesus to the Cross (Monday, March 7)
Read Luke 2:22-52
It would be difficult to overstate the importance of the temple to the Jewish people of the first century. It was at the center of their city, at the center of their lives, and at the center of their identity as the people of God.
The temple represented the presence of God among his people. If we are familiar with the grand scope of the biblical drama, we realize how important this is. After all, ever since the Garden was spoiled by human rebellion, humanity had lived “east of Eden” — at arms-length distance from God.
The rescue from Egypt and the covenant on Mount Sinai was the result of God’s desire, once again, to live among his people. We may find the 15 chapter description of how to build the tabernacle to be tedious; the Israelites certainly did not. At last! God is among us!
When, later, a beautiful temple was built by King Solomon, the glory of God’s presence was so thick that the priests could not even continue their work,
What an unspeakable tragedy it was, then, when the temple was destroyed, the glory of God departed, and people were exiled to Babylon. Had God given up on them?
Once the people returned from exile, a new temple was constructed — but it seemed a shadow of its former self. Had God returned to live in the temple? Nobody was certain; many were doubtful. In light of this, a new prophetic hope began to emerge during this period: someday God would return to Israel.
What has any of this to do with today’s reading? More than we might expect. For many of the scenes we’ve read thus far are set right in the temple: Zechariah’s vision which opens the book (1:5-23), the presentation of Jesus at the temple (2:22-24), the blessings of Simeon (2:25-35) and Anna (2:36-38), and the curious story about the lost Jesus being found in the temple (2:41-49).
“Did you not know I must be in my Father’s house?” Jesus asked. Hmmm. Clearly, even as a young child, Jesus had a sense of destiny about him. Who did he really think he was? We’ll soon find out. But this much is already clear: He was no ordinary child.
We will discover that the presence of God, which had been in a temple, was now in a Person. This Person will undo the damning effects of human rebellion by his sacrificial death and glorious resurrection. He will repair the fracture between God and humanity so that, once again, God can live among his people.
But his presence will no longer be confined to a place, nor even to a Person: God's presence will be found in a people. His work completed, Jesus poured out his Spirit into his church, so that the presence of God is now living in the people of God. “You are God’s temple and … God’s Spirit lives in you” (1 Cor. 3:16).
Simeon and Anna hardly glimpsed this truth, but they could see that God was up to something special with this little baby in the temple. Their hearts were full of thankfulness and joy that God’s work of salvation and redemption was bound up in the life of the child they held in their arms. How much more might we, who see the bigger picture, rejoice in the beauty of God’s salvation?
Lord, we are grateful that you did not give up on us when we rebelled against you. Thank you that you dwell within us by your Holy Spirit. Thank you that, like old Simeon, our eyes, too have seen your salvation."