Presentation of Jesus
Overview
- Testament: New
- Book: Luke
- Chapters: Luke 2:22-38
- Summary: Mary and Joseph presented the infant Jesus at the Jerusalem temple in accordance with the Law; the righteous Simeon held him and gave a Spirit-inspired prophecy; the aged prophetess Anna also spoke of him.
Details
When the days of Mary’s purification were completed according to the Law of Moses (Leviticus 12), Joseph and Mary brought Jesus to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord and to offer the prescribed sacrifice — “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons,” indicating the family’s modest financial means (Leviticus 12:8). There was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon, described as just and devout, who was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. He had received a divine promise that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. Led by the Spirit to the temple that day, Simeon took the infant Jesus into his arms and blessed God with the words now known as the Nunc Dimittis: “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; a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.”
Simeon then blessed Joseph and Mary and spoke to Mary specifically: “Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against; (Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.” Additionally, Anna, a prophetess of great age (having lived to 84 as a widow after seven years of marriage), who never left the temple and served God with fasting and prayers night and day, came in at that moment and gave thanks to the Lord and spoke of Jesus to all who were looking for redemption in Jerusalem.
Key People Involved
- Jesus Christ — The infant presented at the temple
- Mary (Mother of Jesus) — His mother, to whom Simeon gave his prophetic word
- Joseph — His legal father
- Simeon — The devout man who had awaited the Messiah and gave the Nunc Dimittis
- Anna — The aged prophetess who testified about Jesus
Key Places
Important Verses
“For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.” — Luke 2:30-32
“And a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also.” — Luke 2:35
Cross-References
- Foreshadowed in: Tabernacle Consecration — God’s presence meeting his people
- Related: Boy Jesus in the Temple — A later temple visit at age 12
- Related: Birth of Jesus — The infancy narrative of which this is a part
- Related books: Luke, Leviticus
Notes
Simeon’s oracle simultaneously celebrates salvation and warns of division — Jesus will be both consolation and controversy. The “sword” prophesied for Mary finds its fulfillment at the cross. Anna’s presence adds a second witness (required by the Law) and specifically identifies her prophetic ministry to those awaiting redemption in Jerusalem, signaling that Jesus is the answer to Israel’s long expectation. Simeon’s canticle is one of three hymns in Luke’s infancy narrative, alongside Mary’s Magnificat and Zechariah’s Benedictus.