Luke 2:27

Luk_2:27

Brought in the Child Jesus

Dedicating children to the Lord

When the Duke of Kent was dying, he desired that the little princess Victoria should be placed beside him, and then he offered a very affecting prayer that if ever she became the Queen of England, she might rule in the fear of God.

How many of our noble Queens virtues and good deeds have resulted doubtless from her godly training I In my first Circuit I knew the excellent family of the late eminent Rev. Benjamin Field. At his birth his very godly father solemnly dedicated him to God. He began to preach in his seventeenth year, and by his ministry and by his very good Handbook to Scripture Doctrines, he has been useful to thousands. Holy children generally live to be great in the sight of the Lord, and, if faithful, with Gods blessings, eminently useful. (H. R. Burton.)

Singleness of aim

Parents should have one single object before them regarding their children, and that is, to bring them up for the Lord. To that everything else should give way. The natural tendency is to bring them up very genteelly, very respectably, to educate them for some station where they can make a great deal of money. This is the natural tendency on the part of parents. Well, they may obtain the desire of their hearts, but to the injury of the souls of their children. How I would press this on the hearts of my brethren! Of course I do not at all mean they should not have the best of education, and such an education as will be suitable to their station in life. But everything should give way to this point: my son, my daughter, are to be brought up for the Lord. My son, my daughter, are to become heirs of the kingdom that fadeth not away. Everything ought to give way to this one point. If we do not keep this before us, we shall constantly take wrong steps. Let me give an illustration. A Christian gentleman of good position in life articled his son to a very wicked lawyer, notoriously wicked. This son used to come home on the Saturday afternoons to spend the Lords day with his family. There he attended family prayers. He used to say strong things about his fathers petitions, such as, My father prays for me that God would preserve me in the midst of temptation; he puts me in the lions mouth, and then asks God to preserve me! (George Muller.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

2:27 to the Temple: This was the Temple compound, not the sanctuary. See study note on 1:8-9.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Luk 2:27. Ἐν τῷ εἰσαγαγεῖν, when they were bringing in) For it was afterwards that they went through the ceremony of offering the sacrifice, Luk 2:39. This was by way of a declaration, that it was for no ordinary cause that Jesus was submitting to the law of purification.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Luk_2:27 f. Ἐν τῷ πνεύματι] by virtue of the Holy Spirit, instigante Spiritu, Grotius; comp. Mat_22:43.

The expression τοὺς γονεῖς (procreators) is not appropriate to the bodily Sonship of God, which Luke narrates, and it betrays an original source resting on a different view. Comp. Luk_2:41. On the form γονεῖς, see Lobeck, ad Phryn. p. 69.

κατὰ τὸ εἰθισμένον τοῦ νόμου] According to the custom prescribed by the law.

καὶ αὐτός] also on His part, for the parents had just carried Him in, Luk_2:27. The reference to the priest, qui eum Domino sistendum amplexus erat (Wolf; Kuinoel also mixes up this), is erroneous, since it is in the bringing in that the child is also taken into his arms by Simeon.

Simeon has recognised the Messiah-child immediately through the Spirit. He needed not for this the august form of the mother (in opposition to Lange).

Meyer — Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament — English translation by Peter Christie, edited by Frederick Crombie (T&T Clark, 1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Luk 2:27 . ἐν τῷ Πνεύματι : observe the frequent reference to the Spirit in connection with Simeon, vide Luk 2:25-26 . εἰθισμένον ( ἐθίζω ), here only in N. T.: according to the established custom of the law.

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Joseph and Mary: and so he speaketh, as it was commonly taken.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

The Spirit guided him to the temple at the very moment when the Virgin was about to present Him to the Lord.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 27. He came by the Spirit into the temple] Probably he had in view the prophecy of Malachi, Mal 3:1, The Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple. In this messenger of the covenant, the soul of Simeon delighted. Now the prophecy was just going to be fulfilled; and the Holy Spirit, who dwelt in the soul of this righteous man, directed him to go and see its accomplishment. Those who come, under the influence of God's Spirit, to places of public worship, will undoubtedly meet with him who is the comfort and salvation of Israel.

After the custom of the law] To present him to the Lord, and then redeem him by paying five shekels, Nu 18:15-16, and to offer those sacrifices appointed by the law. See Lu 2:24.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(27) He came by the Spirit.—Better, as in Rev_1:10, in the Spirit—i.e., in a spiritual state in which the power of the Divine Spirit was the pervading element.

The parents.—Here, as in Luk_2:33; Luk_2:48, St. Luke does not shrink from reproducing what was obviously the familiar phraseology of the household of Nazareth. In common life it is almost obvious that no other phraseology was possible.

To do for him after the custom of the law.—In common practice, the child would have been presented to the priest who offered the two turtle doves on behalf of the parents. In this instance Simeon, though not a priest (there is, at least, nothing but a legend in an Apocryphal Gospel to fix that character on him), takes on himself, standing by the priest, to receive the child as he was presented. This fits in, as far as it goes, with the idea of his having been an Essene, revered as possessing prophetic gifts. (See Notes on Luk_2:25.)

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

27. by the Spirit] Rather, in the Spirit.

brought in the child] The Arabic Gospel of the Infancy (vi.) says that he saw Him shining like a pillar of light in His mother’s arms, which is probably derived from Luk_2:32.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And he came by the Spirit into the temple,.... By the same Spirit of God, that revealed the above to him. The Ethiopic version renders it, "the Spirit brought him into the temple": but Simeon was not brought thither, as this version seems to suggest, in such manner as Ezekiel was brought by the Spirit to Jerusalem.Eze 8:3 or as Christ was brought by Satan to the holy city and set upon the pinnacle of the temple; but the Spirit of God, who knows and searches all things, even the deep things of God, and could testify beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow, knew the exact time when Jesus would be brought into the temple; and suggested to Simeon, and moved upon him, and influenced and directed him, to go thither at that very time. The Persic version renders the whole verse thus, "when he heard that they brought Christ into the temple, that they might fulfil the law, Simeon went in"; which version spoils the glory of the text, making Simeon's coming into the temple, to be upon a report heard, and not the motion of the Holy Ghost,

And when the parents brought in the child Jesus; when Joseph and Mary brought Christ into the temple. The Vulgate Latin, Arabic, and Ethiopic versions read, "his parents", Mary was his real parent, Joseph is called so, as he is his father in Luk 2:48 because he was supposed, and generally thought to be so, Luk 3:23.

To do for him after the custom of the law; as was used to be done in such a case, according to the appointment of the law: or as the Syriac version renders it, "as is commanded in the law"; namely, to present him to the Lord, and to pay the redemption money for him.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

27 And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law,

Ver. 27. And he came by the spirit, &c.] So still, "the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord," Psa 37:23. He sets his Spirit as tutor, to direct and convince us into all truth Simeon, likely, had done as Daniel did, Luk 9:2, found out by diligent search, that the fulness of time was come, and is therefore thus answered from heaven.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

By the Spirit - By the direction of the Spirit.

Into the temple - Into that part of the temple where the public worship was chiefly performed - into the court of the women. See the notes at Mat 21:12.

The custom of the law - That is, to make an offering for purification, and to present him to God.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

And he came by the spirit, or moved by the holy Spirit. (Witham)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

27. Came by the Spirit—The Spirit, which was attested by its own self-evidence beyond mistake, led the holy man into the temple at the time that Jesus was being brought. The mature saint and the young Messiah met, and the venerable representative of the old law did profound homage to the infant and divine founder of the new Gospel.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And when the parents brought in the Child Jesus. This was evidently the usual expression which the Nazareth family adopted when they spoke of the Child Jesus (see, again, in Ver. 48 of this chapter; and also in Ver. 33, where the older authorities read" his father" instead of "and Joseph"). The true story, which they both knew so well, was not for the rough Galilaean peasant, still less for the hostile Herodian. The mother knew the truth, Joseph too, and the house of Zacharias the priest, and probably not a few besides among their devout friends and kinsfolk. The Nazareth family, resting quietly in their simple faith, left the rest to God, who, in his own season, would reveal the secret of the nativity.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

By the Spirit - By a particular Revelation or impulse from him.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

27. Came in the Spirit into the temple. Directed by and filled with the Spirit. After the custom of the law. Offered the required sacrifices. The law was strictly observed, because Jesus was “born under the law.”

B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.

Led by the Spirit

This can be stated in active form. AT: "As the Holy Spirit directed him" (See: Active or Passive)

came

Some languages may say "went."

into the temple

"into the temple courtyard." Only priests could enter the temple building. (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

the parents

"Jesus' parents"

the custom of the law

"the custom of the law of God"

he took him into his arms

"Simeon took the infant Jesus into his arms" or "Simeon held Jesus in his arms"

Now let your servant depart in peace

"I am your servant; let me depart in peace." Simeon was referring to himself.

depart

This is a euphemism meaning "die" (See: Euphemism)

according to your word

"Word" here is a metonym for "promise." AT: "as you have promised" (See: Metonymy)

translationWords

temple

law

praise

servant

peace

word of God

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

27. ἐν τῷ πνεύματι. ‘In the (Holy) Spirit.’

ἐν τῷ εἰσαγαγεῖν … τὸ παιδίον. The Arabic Gospel of the Infancy (vi.) says that he saw Him shining like a pillar of light in His mother’s arms, which is probably derived from Luk 2:32.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

27. ἐν τῷ πνεύματι. Not “in a state of ecstasy” (Rev 1:10), but “under the influence of the Spirit,” who had told him of the blessing in store for him. By τὸ ἱερόν is probably meant the Court of the Women.—ἐν τῷ εἰσαγαγεῖν.“After they had brought in”: see on 3:21. The verb is a favourite with Lk. (14:21, 22:54, and six times in Acts): elsewhere only Joh 18:16; Heb 1:6.

τοὺς γονεῖς. We cannot infer from this that either here or ver. 41 Luke is using an authority that was ignorant of the supernatural birth of Jesus. It is more reasonable to suppose that the whole of this “Gospel of the Infancy” comes from one source, viz. the house of Mary, and that in these passages the narrator employs the usual expression. Joseph (4:22) and Mary were commonly called His parents: comp. ver. 33.—It is possible to take περὶ αὐτοῦ after νόμου or after εἰθισμένον; but more probably it belongs to τοῦ ποιῆσαι. For κατὰ τὸ εἰθισμένον see on 1:8.

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

By the Spirit [εν τω πνευματι] . Lit., as Rev., "in the Spirit :" the Holy Spirit prompting him. Indicating rather his spiritual condition, as one who walked with God, than a special divine impulse.

After the custom [κατα το ειθισμενον] . Lit., according to that which was wont to be done. Only here in New Testament; and the kindred words, eqov, custom, and eqw, to be accustomed, occur more frequently in Luke than elsewhere. Very common in medical writings.

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.