This will be the text for the final sermon of the "bit players" series I've been doing this Advent/Christmas. Check back to the blog the week of January 5th if you would like to read the sermon that will grow out of this text (no, it's not written yet!).
The story-line blends the expected, Mary and Joseph present their son Jesus at the Temple for purification (2: 22-4), and the unexpected, Simeon and Anna are waiting and offer their prophetic responses (2:25-38).
1. the point is made that Jesus is rooted in the Jewish tradition. He will follow the purification laws. This, of course, sets the stage for when Jesus challenges the law, or at least reinterprets the law. But it is important to note that Jesus does not come from outside the tradition; rather, he is the Son of the God on who all the tradition rests.
2. Note the presence of the Holy Spirit in this story. We have already seen and heard from the Spirit quite a bit in Luke, and this will be matched by the strong presence of the Spirit in Luke's next writing, the Book of the Acts of the Apostles.
3. Simeon confirms who Jesus is, which amazes his parents (2: 29-33). I wonder why they are amazed. It would seem from the way his birth came about that Simeon's reaction would have been expected.
4. Anna also confirms who Jesus is.
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