Luke 2:22-38

The gospel of Luke reports that when Simeon saw the child, Jesus, he praised God and said: "Now, Lord, you can let your servant depart in peace as you promised. For my eyes have seen the salvation you have prepared for all people to see."

This story appears only in the gospel of Luke. Mary and Joseph bring Jesus to the temple to fulfill the requirements of Jewish law (Leviticus 12:2-8). Because of their poverty, they are permitted to present a pair of turtle doves, rather than a lamb and a dove, as a burnt offering to purify Mary (because her flow of blood has made her unclean) and as a sin offering to atone for any sins they may have committed. Simeon, an old man waiting in the temple to see the coming of the Messiah, takes Jesus in his arms and blesses God. His song of praise has come to be known as the "Nunc Dimittis," because these are the first words of the Latin translation.

Simeon says that Jesus will be "a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to thy people Israel." (v. 32) At the time the gospel of Luke was written, Gentiles were already a part of the church in many cities of the Roman Empire. Moreover, the gospel seems to be written for Gentile Christians. But the words of Simeon come from Isaiah 42:6, which is generally translated: "I am the LORD, I have called you in righteousness, I have taken you by the hand and kept you; I have given you as a covenant to the people, a light to the nations . . .." The word "Gentiles" was not in use when Isaiah wrote his prophecy, because the descendants of the Israelites were not known as "Jews" until the time of the Roman empire, when Jews were recognized as having a different religion and were exempted from imperial rituals. The word "Gentiles" came into use by Jews to refer to non-Jews. The author of the gospel of Luke has changed the word "nations" to "Gentiles" so the text from Isaiah points to the Gentile church in the Roman Empire.

Grace and peace...Bob