Luke 2: 22-40 (January 1, 2012): The promise of Christmas

The promise of Christmas

Luke 2: 22-40 (January 1, 2012)

1)      The Text

22When the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23(as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male shall be designated as holy to the Lord”), 24and they offered a sacrifice according to what is stated in the law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”

25Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested on him. 26It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. 27Guided by the Spirit, Simeon came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him what was customary under the law, 28Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying, 29“Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace, according to your word; 30for my eyes have seen your salvation, 31which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, 32a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.” 33And the child’s father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him. 34Then Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, “This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed 35so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed—and a sword will pierce your own soul too.” 36There was also a prophet, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, having lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, 37then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped there with fasting and prayer night and day. 38At that moment she came, and began to praise God and to speak about the child to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem. 39When they had finished everything required by the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. 40The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.

2)      Perspectives/Questions

a.      What do we see in the birth of Jesus?

Picture the old man with the baby in his arms He stands chuckling with giddy joy, or perhaps he gazes with streaming tears on his cheeks, or is lost in transfixed wonder; in whatever way, he is so very happy. Then he says that this is enough now, he is ready to die. He has seen salvation and he can depart in peace.

But what has he seen, really? It’s just a little child in his arms, a powerless, speechless newcomer to the world. Whatever salvation this baby might work is still only a promise and a hope; whatever teaching he might offer will remain hidden for many years. Nothing has happened yet. Herod still sits on his throne and Caesar governs from afar. The world looks as it did before.

By the time a mature Jesus comes onto the stage of history, Simeon and Anna will be long dead. So will most of those shepherds who came to see the child in the manger, and possibly Joseph, who watched over him, and some or all of the magi. Thirty years or more will pass before the gospel story recommences in the ministry of Jesus. In the meantime they who saw the baby, knelt at the stable or laid their tributes before him would not know what became of him. They would know only what they had heard and seen back then.

We too are people who have seen something but not its full unfolding. Paradoxically, Simeon and Anna do not so much belong to the gospel’s prehistory as they are paradigmatic for our own experience of that gospel. What we have, in a sense, is hardly more than they had. We have the scriptures that school us in hope and attentiveness. We have stories and covenants and signs. We have moments, or the memory of moments, when the tender compassion of our God has come close enough to see and feel. We have something like the shepherds would have had, recalling all their lives a night of mysterious glory, or like what the magi brought back to their homelands, a vision of a different kind of king and kingdom. Their eyes had seen the glory of Israel, the light for the nations. We have that as well, though for us the world has resumed its accustomed form and, in the light of day, seems largely unsaved and unchanged.

Should there not be more, and should not the blessing be made something present rather than just a memory of the past or a hope of heaven? Having tasted the kingdom’s presence, we hunger and thirst the more for it. Having seen it, we strive to bring it home. Frustrated and yearning, we call for God no longer to tarry, to fulfill the promise, to give us today the bread of tomorrow.

With that struggle and longing we may be the more grateful for the spirit of Simeon and for those times we find ourselves with him. We have seen. It’s enough for now.

 

b. How do we know ourselves?

The human condition complicates our psyche. We are made the way we are through our genetic inheritance. We inherit our parents inclinations, mental and emotional, as well as physical. “Like mother like daughter; like father like son”. The circumstances of life also shape us. We learn behavior-patterns from our parents and friends. We learn to gain favor by kindness, or violence. Very soon our ways are set; our hearts defined. The older we get the more defined are our ways.

The scary part of all this is that we rarely see ourselves the way others see us. We assume our own balance, while easily observing the imbalance of others. We may dislike someone, but the problem is their’s not ours. They are responsible for making us feel the way we do, and as for others who don’t see things the way we do, then obviously they have a perception problem.

How can we know ourselves and to ourselves be true? When Simeon spoke of the coming messiah, he defined his role in the terms of the “suffering servant”. Jesus’ presence will cause action and reaction. Some will come to him and others will reject him. The messiah possesses a divine quality that forces us to open up the hidden self. In his presence the buried psyche is exposed for good, or evil.

In knowing Jesus we can know ourselves. A constant confrontation with Jesus through his Word, particularly in the gospels, enables us to “think Christianly.” In this constant confrontation with Jesus, the hidden thoughts of our hearts are revealed, and it is then we can apply God’s grace for the healing of our inner self.

 

c. How can we hold on to and grow the spirit of Christmas?

 

Another Christmas has passed. The glow of the season dimly lingers on. While many pack up their lights for another season, others want to hold on, even for the briefest moments, to the promise of Christmas. Peace on earth. Goodwill toward all people. Those who know Christ firmly hold that the Spirit of the season lives on, for that peace and goodwill is Jesus. In Luke’s gospel, the Spirit of Christmas not only lingers, it grows stronger. For God favors his child with wisdom and grace. And through his child he favors us all.

 

Luke portrayed the rituals in the Temple to advance his theme that Jesus would serve God as the Jewish Christ of the underclass. Let’s analyze that theme. First, Jesus was truly Jewish. His parents were devout Jews, piously following the dictates of the Law. In fact, their devotion fulfilled the Law, just as Jesus fulfilled the Law and the Prophets. [2:22-24]

 

Second, Jesus was called to be the Christ. The locale and the monologue promote his title. The Temple was the locus of Jewish devotion, for they believed God definitely dwelt within its walls. Popular Jewish belief held the coming Messiah would be a king-priest, who would rule and offer true sacrifice. By holding the presentation of Jesus (i.e., his circumcision) in the Temple, Luke not only saw Jesus as the possession of the Father, he also saw Jesus in the Temple as the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy. Jesus was the Christ-child, future king and priest.

 

The monologue of the witnesses emphasized the messianic theme. Simeon, the Spirit-filled man, announced this child as the promised One who would bring about the Day of Judgment. This child was the salvation of the nation [2:30] who would return honor to God’s people [2:32]. The non-Jews would witness his rising [2:31]. He would enlighten them with God’s wisdom [2:32].

 

Next, Simeon turned to Mary and proclaimed the child would cause the fall and rising of many. The fall and rising can refer to scandal and faith. It can also refer to condemnation (God’s judgment) and resurrection (his salvation). He would be a sign many opposed, but their actions would reveal their true intent.

 

Finally, the people in the scene stressed the underclass, the large majority of those living in the ancient world. Notice those in the passage. The poor Jewish couple, Simeon who did not seem to have family, and the widow Anna who lived alone; widows were synonymous with the homeless in the ancient world.

 

Notice who was not in the passage: priests or other Temple officials. Steeped in money and privilege, these Sadducees would later oppose Jesus in his Temple ministry. In their absence from the passage, Luke emphasized God’s presence with the common people. The Temple aristocrats were not needed as mediators. The child would be the mediator. [2:25-26, 36-37]

 

In the place of God’s dwelling, a child is presented and given a mission. In the experience of a child, God gave the world Good News. In the sight of a family, the world saw the presence of God with his people. Yes, the Spirit of the season lingers on. And it grows stronger as long as we hold the Christ Child close to us.