Luke 2:25-35
In about 110 BC, in Babylon, a Jewish child was born. He was
given the name Hillel. He became an important figure in Jewish history and is
associated with the development of the Mishnah and the Talmud. Hillel established
a school in Jerusalem for the study of the law.[1]
Hillel had a grandson, Gamaliel. We learn in Acts 22:3 that
Gamaliel was the teacher of the Apostle Paul. Gamaliel was also the one who
counseled the Sanhedrin to exercise restraint in dealing with the Apostles in
Acts 5. Among Jewish scholars only seven have been honored with the title
“Rabban.” Gamaliel was one of these.[2]
Between Hillel and his grandson, Gamaliel, was Gamaliel’s father,
a man named Simeon. Simeon succeeded his father, Hillel, as president of the
school Hillel founded and was also a member of the Sanhedrin. Simeon was
actually the first teacher to be given the title “Rabban,” and according to
Jewish tradition he was filled with a prophetic spirit. Tradition also has it
that he was rejected and lost his place and position because he spoke against
the common opinion of the Jews concerning the temporal kingdom of the Messiah.
As a consequence, there is no mention of him in the Mishnah and the Talmud.[3]
Some believe this is the Simeon of Luke chapter 2. Those who
oppose this view point out that Hillel was still living at the time of Luke 2
and that Simeon lived many years after these events. However, the Biblical
account does not say that Simeon was old, and his saying, “Now let they servant
depart” suggests that he was willing to die but does not of necessity mean that
he was old. Another objection is that his son Gamaliel was an opponent of
Christianity, but here again, it is not unusual for a faithful follower of
Christ to have a son who is a bigoted Pharisee.[4]
Being one of only seven in all of Jewish history to be given the
title “Rabban” and then to be purposely put out of his position and left out of
the Mishnah due to disagreements concerning the Messiah, makes this Simeon a likely
candidate for being the one Luke is speaking of.
Luke tells us:
At that time there was a man in
Jerusalem named Simeon. He was righteous and devout and was eagerly waiting for
the Messiah to come and rescue Israel. The Holy Spirit was upon him and had
revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. (Luke 2:25-26 NLT)
Luke tells us that Simeon was righteous and devout. He also tells
us that Simeon was eagerly waiting for the Messiah. Later, when He actually
sees the Messiah, he says, “Lord, now let your servant die in peace.” These
things all point to a man who is in conflict with the world. He does not fit
in. A righteous man will find himself in
conflict with the world around him. Consider what Peter says about Lot, who was
living in Sodom.
But God also rescued Lot out of Sodom
because he was a righteous man who was sick of the shameful immorality of the
wicked people around him. Yes, Lot was a righteous man who was tormented in his
soul by the wickedness he saw and heard day after day. (2 Peter 2:7-8 NLT)
Do you ever find your soul tormented by the wickedness you see
and hear day after day? Do you find yourself in conflict with the world around
you?
Sometimes you find yourself between a rock and a hard place. You
want Jesus to return and put an end to evil, but you also desire your loved
ones, your family members to come to a knowledge of the Savior.
For some, the pain of loss and disappointment is a burden that is
hard to bear.
If you are eagerly waiting for the return of our Savior, or if
you find the pains and sorrows of life sometimes difficult to bear, then
Simeon’s voice is a good one to listen to.
Look with me at verse 25 of Luke 2. The NLT which I have been
using says:
At that time there was a man in
Jerusalem named Simeon. He was righteous and devout and was eagerly waiting for
the Messiah to come and rescue Israel. (Luke 2:25 NLT)
Where the NLT says “eagerly waiting for the Messiah to come and
rescue Israel,” most translations say something close to “waiting for the
consolation of Israel.” This is a significant choice of words. Another word for
consolation is comfort. Jesus spoke of Himself as being a comforter. Isaiah 9:6
says, “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given ... and his name
shall be called Wonderful Counselor.” This role of comforter or counselor is so
important that Jesus promised:
Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It
is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will
not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. (John 16:7 KJV)
When Luke, who was writing in Greek, wrote that Simeon was
waiting for the consolation of Israel, he used the same word that Jesus used
when He said He would send the Comforter.
From ancient times God spoke of comforting His people. Isaiah
40:1-4 contains words made famous by Handel’s “Messiah.”
Comfort ye, comfort ye my people,
saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her
warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received
of the Lord's hand double for all her sins. The voice of him that crieth in the
wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a
highway for our God. Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill
shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places
plain: (Isaiah
40:1-4 KJV)
Simeon, as a scholar and teacher, would have been very familiar
with this passage. I would be surprised if he did not have it memorized, and it
was this comfort, this deliverer that he was eagerly waiting for. Comfort,
encouragement and counsel are the reasons why Simeon’s voice is one we need to
hear.
Simeon said:
I have seen your salvation, (Luke 2:30 NLT)
Proverbs says, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a dream
fulfilled is a tree of life.” (Proverbs 13:12 NLT)
While we wait for God’s deliverance or salvation, it is easy to become
discouraged and heartsick. However, do you see!? Simeon says, “I have seen!”
With his own eyes, he saw that for which his heart longed. It was enough. It
does not matter how old he was. Now, he could depart in peace.
What Simeon saw was a baby. He did not see Jesus hanging on the
cross. He did not see the resurrection. He did not see the ascension. He saw a
baby coming to the temple to receive circumcision as required by the Law of
Moses. What he saw concerning salvation he saw by faith. He believed God and
like Abraham it was counted to him as righteousness.
I want to share with you what Peter said about being an eye witness.
He said:
For we were not making up clever
stories when we told you about the powerful coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. We
saw his majestic splendor with our own eyes when he received honor and glory
from God the Father. The voice from the majestic glory of God said to him,
“This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.” We ourselves heard that
voice from heaven when we were with him on the holy mountain. Because of that
experience, we have even greater confidence in the message proclaimed by the
prophets. You must pay close attention to what they wrote, for their words are
like a lamp shining in a dark place—until the Day dawns, and Christ the Morning
Star shines in your hearts. (2 Peter 1:16-19 NLT)
Peter, James and John were on the Mount of Transfiguration but he
says in verse 19 “We have the more certain prophetic word.” (Berean Literal
Translation) The phrase “we have even greater confidence” represents the
translators’ efforts to make sense of what he is saying, but the KJV got it
right, “We have also a more sure word of prophecy.” The Word of God is more certain than what we
see with our eyes. This is why Peter says, “You must pay close attention to
what they wrote, for their words are like a lamp shining in a dark place...”
Simeon saw God’s salvation in a baby because his life and
thoughts were permeated with, marinated in, the Word of God. If we want
comfort, we must first find it in the Word of God. Would you see the salvation
of God? Then you must seek it in what He has said to His people in His word. It
is in His word we see the promise of His salvation and it is by hearing His
promises that our faith is established. Many in Simeon’s generation missed the
comfort and the salvation because they did not believe what the prophets said.
This is why when Simeon tried to point out the truth to them, they put him out.
In comfort, we also find encouragement. Simeon said:
I have seen your salvation, which you
have prepared for all people. (Luke 2:30-31 NLT)
Do not let the devil convince you that this salvation is not for
you. He will try. He will tell you that God has passed you by, that God does
not love you, that you are too bad, too far gone, unworthy, but do not believe
the devil. God prepared His salvation for all people and you are part of all
people.
In comfort and encouragement we find counsel. Simeon said:
He is a light to reveal God to the
nations, and he is the glory of your people Israel! (Luke 2:32 NLT)
Jesus did not shine like a light bulb. The reference to Him being
a light is a reference to Him making the truth clear or apparent. His light is
the light of truth that brings salvation to the soul. Jesus said of Himself:
I am the way, the truth, and the life.
No one can come to the Father except through me. (John 14:6 NLT)
As the most prominent teacher of Israel of his day, Simeon was
placed by God to bear witness to the truth. As a leader of a people in bondage
to darkness in an evil world, Simeon hoped for the deliverance and comfort of
his people. However, he saw clearly and prophesied by the Holy Spirit. Luke
2:34-35:
Then Simeon blessed them, and he said
to Mary, the baby’s mother, “This child is destined to cause many in Israel to
fall, and many others to rise. He has been sent as a sign from God, but many
will oppose him. As a result, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be
revealed. And a sword will pierce your very soul.” (Luke 2:34-35 NLT)
We have been talking about comfort, but this prophecy talks about
people rising and falling and many opposing God’s work. It even goes as far as
telling Mary that a sword would pierce her heart.
While Simeon waited for a great deliverer, he also understood
from the word of God that not all would accept God’s solution. The nations
still rage against God and not all will be saved because not all want to be
saved. To become involved in what God is doing is to experience what Simeon,
Mary and Jesus all experienced. Even Paul said:
Now I rejoice in my sufferings for
your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ's
afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, (Colossians 1:24
ESV)
Jesus is in truth a Mighty Counselor, a comforter for His people.
He is a light to the nations and the Prince of Peace. We must take comfort in
the fact that our suffering is not meaningless. God is delivering His people.
Right now, we see His salvation by faith, but a day is coming when we will see
it with our own eyes. Christmas is an annual reminder that just as Jesus came
in a manger 2018 years ago, He will soon return and we will, like Simeon, see
with our own eyes God’s salvation.
Very good.
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