Luke 2:22-26 - At the temple

2:22-24

Luke has been careful to show how Jesus came from a “good Jewish” background, a background that involved faithfully observing the Law. This was important because most of the early opposition to the gospel came from the Jewish religion. A key question was whether the gospel was the fulfilment of the Law and the Prophets, or opposed to them. Luke is clearly presenting the case that Jesus and the gospel are the fulfilment of the Law and Prophets, entirely consistent with them, and he is doing this by describing the early life of Jesus. Lev 12:1-8 describe the purification rites after childbirth. This took place forty days after the birth. Jesus was also dedicated to the Lord (Ex 13:2,12). Again in keeping with the Law, a sacrifice was offered (Lev 12:8).

2:25,26

Now although Mary and Joseph were going through the time honoured practice of following the Law something unusual was going to happen. There was a man called Simeon there, he was “righteous and devout”, ie another good Jewish man. Simeon was waiting for the consolation of Israel, ie the salvation that the Messiah would bring. The Holy Spirit was also upon him.

“It had been revealed to him ...” We are not told when this happened, presumably some considerable time before the event we are reading of now. Throughout the Bible we read of the Holy Spirit communicating to people, and this still happens today. Now there are some, called cessationists, who claim the gifts of the spirit, in particular tongues and prophecy, ceased and are no longer necessary since we have the full canon of Scripture. These arguments are both nonsensical and unbiblical. Now there are plenty of “prophets” who are nothing of the sort and who babble a load of nonsense, but the teaching of Scripture is clear. God speaks to His people. He does this primarily through the Bible, but that is not the only means. Every other communication must be measured against the Bible and in no way supersedes it, but from Genesis to Revelation God has communicated with His people as individuals and as a body on a personal level, and there is no reason whatsoever to believe He has stopped doing so.

So God had spoken to Simeon personally, revealed to him that he would see the Messiah. God spoke to him, and God had a purpose in doing so.