Jesus is brought to the temple by Mary and Joseph to be presented to the Lord. He was her first born son and they were doing what was commanded. When they arrived, they found Simeon and then came Anna, two witnesses to the entrance of the light of the world. But before Jesus begins his Ministry, there is John, one who called people to repentance and proclaimed the good news, a savior coming for his people. Now, Jesus is baptized by Johnas in Matthew 3:15 “to fulfill all righteousness” and the Holy Spirit descends on Jesus with these words from heaven in Luke 3:22 “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”
He Was Named Jesus
Luke 2:21-24
Looking Forward to the Consolation of Israel
For the Redemption of Jerusalem
Luke 2:36–40
As Joseph and Mary present Jesus in the temple, the Lord brings two witnesses. Simeon in Luke 2:27 “came in the Spirit into the temple” and then Jesus parents came in with Jesus. Anna as it says in Luke 2:28 “at that same hour she approached and began to … speak about him”. When the Lord is moving, he presents his plan and then confirms it. No one had to schedule a meeting or confirm attendance, they all were moved by the Holy Spirit, a God designated appointment. These two witnesses were beyond reproach. They were well known and faithful servants of the Lord. And, neither of them had a connection to Jesus, Mary, or Joseph. The message was clear in Luke 2:34 “Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rise of many in Israel” and Anna in Luke 2:38 “began to give thanks to God, and to speak about him to all those who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem”.
In the House of My Father
Luke 2:41-52
All Flesh Will See
He Proclaimed Good News to the People
Luke 3:12-20
John began in Luke 3:3 “And he went into all the surrounding region of the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins”. And people of every walk of life responded. As they did, beginning in Luke 2:10 “the crowds were asking him, saying, “What then should we do?” then in Luke 2:12 “the tax collectors … said … what should we do” and also in Luke 2:14 “those who served in the army were also asking … what should we do”.
His answer should have been known to them as he responds in Luke 2:8 “produce fruit worthy of repentance”, and in Luke 2:11 “share with the one who does not have” because the Lord had always said for them to care for the widow and orphan and stranger in the land. The Lord had said to them, “Do not ill-treat foreigners because you were sojourners yourselves in Egypt (Exod. 22:21; Exod. 23:9; Lev. 19:33–4; Deut. 23:7); do not pervert justice due to an alien (Deut. 24:17; Deut. 27:19); do not wrong the alien, the orphan or the widow (Jer. 22:3)”1
Right behavior is summed up simply in Ezekiel 18:5 “if a man is righteous and does justice and righteousness”. Son in Luke 2:13 he says “collect no more than what you are ordered to” and in Luke 2:14 “Extort no one, and do not blackmail anyone”. But the whole system around them was corrupt and in every position there was bribery and graft and extortion and anything they could get a way with for personal gain.
John’s message of repentance was, in Luke 2:16 “He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire”. and in Luke 2:17 “he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” and in Luke 2:18 “ he proclaimed good news to the people”. But it was only good news to those that were downtrodden, to those that were abused. To those in power that refused to acknowledge their wrong, John heralded the end. And some, like Herod, who were exposed in their “evil deeds” in Luke 2:19-20 “locked John up in prison”.
Jesus Also Was Baptised
Luke 3:21–22
In these two short verses we understand that Jesus was not in a hurry, he was not pressing to get this baptism out of the way. In fact, he waited in Luke 2:21 “when all the people were baptised” then he stepped up to John. And we learn from Matthew 3:13-14 that John at first resisted. Certainly Jesus was without sin and John was correct when he said “I need to be baptised by you”, but Jesus answered him in Matthew 3:15 “in this way it is right for us to fulfill all righteousness”. John was calling people to the Kingdom of God, and certainly Jesus wanted to be identified there. But more than that, Jesus did walk the earth as a man and “what happened in the baptism was an experience personal to Jesus. The voice of God came to him and told him that he had taken the right decision. But more—far more—that very same voice mapped out all his course for him.
God said to him, ‘You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.’ That saying is composed of two texts. You are my beloved Son—that is from Psalm 2:7 and was always accepted as a description of the Messianic King. In whom I am well pleased—that is part of Isaiah 42:1 and is from a description of the servant of the Lord whose portrait culminates in the sufferings of Isaiah 53”.2
Study Verses
- Luke 2:36–40 For the Redemption of Jerusalem
- Luke 3:12-20 He Proclaimed Good News to the People
- Luke 3:21–22 Jesus Also Was Baptised
Today’s Reading
- Luke 2:21-52
- Luke 3:1-22
References
- 1. Day, A. C. (2009). Collins Thesaurus of the Bible. Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.
- 2. Barclay, W. (2001). The Gospel of Luke (pp. 45–46). Louisville, KY; London: Westminster John Knox Press.