TGBC Wednesday, Feb 14, Luke 2:22-52
The Good Book Club
WEDNESDAY, February 14 Ash Wednesday Luke 2:22-52.
When the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought Jesus 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’), and they offered a sacrifice according to what is stated in the law of the Lord, ‘a pair of turtle-doves or two young pigeons.’
Now 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. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah.
Guided 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, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying,
‘Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace,
according to thy word;
For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,
which thou hast prepared before the face of all people,
To be a light to lighten the Gentiles,
and to be the glory of thy people Israel.’
And the child’s father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him. Then 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 so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed—and a sword will pierce your own soul too.’
There 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 for seven years after her marriage, then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshipped there with fasting and prayer night and day. At 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.
When they had finished everything required by the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favour of God was upon him.
Now every year his parents went to Jerusalem for the festival of the Passover.
And when he was twelve years old, they went up as usual for the festival. When the festival was ended and they started to return, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it. Assuming that he was in the group of travellers, they went a day’s journey. Then they started to look for him among their relatives and friends. When they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem to search for him. After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. When his parents saw him they were astonished; and his mother said to him, ‘Child, why have you treated us like this? Look, your father and I have been searching for you in great anxiety.’ He said to them, ‘Why were you searching for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?’ But they did not understand what he said to them. Then he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them. His mother treasured all these things in her heart.
And Jesus increased in wisdom and in years, and in divine and human favour.
+++++++++++++++
Wednesday for Thought. The two stories in the reading appear in Luke’s gospel only: it is crucial to Luke’s overall story to remember Jesus in the Temple. First the Purification & Presentation as Jesus is taken to Temple, for his mother Mary to receive the rite of purification Jewish law (Leviticus 12) prescribes for women after childbirth. + Why is it different for boy babies and girl babies?
+ While the Holy Family are in the Temple they meet two “early saints.” We hear the Song of Simeon (which I have corrected to the version that we sang to Anglican Chant when TEC was uniquely beautiful) then Simeon’s ominous warning to Mary; and Anna acknowledges Jesus as the long awaited one. What sort of redemption does Anna expect Jesus to bring to Israel?
+ In Luke’s second story Jesus is 12 years old in the Temple, a great story that I well remember from Baptist Sunday School as a boy. What do you see as key elements of this story (i.e., in Jesus conversing with the marveling teachers, and in Jesus’ comment to his mother?). + What does Luke mean for us to learn about Jesus from these stories?
Although they are not named here, Luke says Jesus’ “parents” - - so, is Joseph his father? + I once had an ordained RC deacon tell me that the Holy Spirit was Mary's husband. I said, her husband was Joseph. He said, No, that would be adultery. I asked, Does your bishop know you are teaching this? He said Yes. OOOOkay.
Visualize yourself as Jesus parent: are you going to blister his behind for worrying you so, or are you relieved to tears to find him safe and well? I love the KJV verse when Jesus, just a child to his parents but to the ages of ages, the Son of Man from all eternity, asks so innocently and matter-of-factly, "Wist ye not that I must be in my Father's house, and about my Father's business?"
Why are these stories, which appear only here, important to Luke?
WEDNESDAY, February 14 Ash Wednesday Luke 2:22-52.
When the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought Jesus 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’), and they offered a sacrifice according to what is stated in the law of the Lord, ‘a pair of turtle-doves or two young pigeons.’
Now 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. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah.
Guided 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, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying,
‘Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace,
according to thy word;
For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,
which thou hast prepared before the face of all people,
To be a light to lighten the Gentiles,
and to be the glory of thy people Israel.’
And the child’s father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him. Then 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 so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed—and a sword will pierce your own soul too.’
There 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 for seven years after her marriage, then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshipped there with fasting and prayer night and day. At 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.
When they had finished everything required by the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favour of God was upon him.
Now every year his parents went to Jerusalem for the festival of the Passover.
And when he was twelve years old, they went up as usual for the festival. When the festival was ended and they started to return, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it. Assuming that he was in the group of travellers, they went a day’s journey. Then they started to look for him among their relatives and friends. When they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem to search for him. After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. When his parents saw him they were astonished; and his mother said to him, ‘Child, why have you treated us like this? Look, your father and I have been searching for you in great anxiety.’ He said to them, ‘Why were you searching for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?’ But they did not understand what he said to them. Then he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them. His mother treasured all these things in her heart.
And Jesus increased in wisdom and in years, and in divine and human favour.
+++++++++++++++
Wednesday for Thought. The two stories in the reading appear in Luke’s gospel only: it is crucial to Luke’s overall story to remember Jesus in the Temple. First the Purification & Presentation as Jesus is taken to Temple, for his mother Mary to receive the rite of purification Jewish law (Leviticus 12) prescribes for women after childbirth. + Why is it different for boy babies and girl babies?
+ While the Holy Family are in the Temple they meet two “early saints.” We hear the Song of Simeon (which I have corrected to the version that we sang to Anglican Chant when TEC was uniquely beautiful) then Simeon’s ominous warning to Mary; and Anna acknowledges Jesus as the long awaited one. What sort of redemption does Anna expect Jesus to bring to Israel?
+ In Luke’s second story Jesus is 12 years old in the Temple, a great story that I well remember from Baptist Sunday School as a boy. What do you see as key elements of this story (i.e., in Jesus conversing with the marveling teachers, and in Jesus’ comment to his mother?). + What does Luke mean for us to learn about Jesus from these stories?
Although they are not named here, Luke says Jesus’ “parents” - - so, is Joseph his father? + I once had an ordained RC deacon tell me that the Holy Spirit was Mary's husband. I said, her husband was Joseph. He said, No, that would be adultery. I asked, Does your bishop know you are teaching this? He said Yes. OOOOkay.
Visualize yourself as Jesus parent: are you going to blister his behind for worrying you so, or are you relieved to tears to find him safe and well? I love the KJV verse when Jesus, just a child to his parents but to the ages of ages, the Son of Man from all eternity, asks so innocently and matter-of-factly, "Wist ye not that I must be in my Father's house, and about my Father's business?"
Why are these stories, which appear only here, important to Luke?