Jesus Presented at the Temple

Scripture

Luke 2:21-40

Commentary

Jesus is presented at the temple to be circumcised on the eighth day as was required in the law.

At the temple, they meet Simeon and Anna, two people who had patiently been awaiting the coming of the Messiah.  Simeon had been told that he would not die before Jesus was born.  At the sight of Jesus he rejoices and prophesies that Jesus was destined to cause the rise and fall of many people in Israel.  The prophecy comes very true with the division that Jesus caused not only in His lifetime but the uproar that Christianity caused in Israel and throughout the Roman Empire as it spread.

Anna too rejoices at the sight of Jesus.  She then spread the word that the Messiah had been born and passed along hope to everyone who had been patiently waiting for His arrival.