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Luke 2:21-40 Summary
Eight days after his birth, Jesus is circumcised and given the name the angel chose. About a month later, Mary and Joseph bring him to the temple in Jerusalem to complete the purification required after childbirth and to present their firstborn son to the Lord, offering two birds, the sacrifice of a poor family. In the temple, a devout man named Simeon, led by the Holy Spirit, takes the child in his arms and praises God in the song known as the Nunc Dimittis, then warns Mary that a sword will pierce her soul. An elderly prophet named Anna gives thanks and speaks about the child to everyone waiting for Jerusalem's redemption. The family returns to Nazareth, where Jesus grows strong and wise, with the favor of God upon him.
This is the first time Jesus enters the temple, and two faithful people who have waited all their lives are there to meet him. Luke shows a family keeping God's law with care, and God keeping his promises in return. For the scenes just before this one, see Luke 2:8-20: The Angels, the Shepherds and the Good News.
Luke 2:21: Jesus is circumcised and named
"After eight days had passed, it was time to circumcise the child; and he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb."
Circumcision on the eighth day was the sign of God's covenant with Abraham (Genesis 17:12), required again in the law of Moses (Leviticus 12:3). Luke tells it the same way he told John's circumcision (Luke 1:59-63): the child is marked as a son of the covenant and given the name God chose. See What Is a Covenant in the Bible? and El Shaddai: God Almighty, the name God used when he gave Abraham the covenant of circumcision (Genesis 17:1).
Gabriel had told Mary to name him Jesus (Luke 1:31), and in Matthew an angel tells Joseph the same (Matthew 1:21). The name is the Greek form of Joshua, Yeshua in Hebrew, meaning "the LORD saves." His name announces his mission before he says a word. See Who Was Joshua in the Bible? and Yahweh: The Personal Name of God.
The moment is simple, but it says something profound. The Son of God receives the mark of the covenant in his own body. He does not stand above the law or outside his people; he enters fully into human life and into Israel's story.
Luke 2:22-24: Jesus is presented in the temple
"When the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the law of the Lord, 'Every firstborn male shall be designated as holy to the Lord'), and they offered a sacrifice according to what is stated in the law of the Lord, 'a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.'"
About forty days after the birth, Mary and Joseph make the short trip from Bethlehem to the temple in Jerusalem, the great complex Herod was rebuilding (see Herod's Temple: Dimensions and History). Luke weaves together several commands from the law of Moses.
| Command | Where in the law | What it required | In Luke 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Circumcision | Genesis 17:12; Leviticus 12:3 | Circumcise a son on the eighth day | Luke 2:21 |
| A mother's purification | Leviticus 12:2-8 | After a son, wait forty days, then offer a lamb and a bird, or two birds if she could not afford a lamb | Luke 2:22, 24 |
| Dedication of the firstborn | Exodus 13:2, 12-15 | Every firstborn son belongs to the Lord | Luke 2:22-23 |
| Redemption of the firstborn | Numbers 18:15-16 | Buy back a firstborn son for five shekels | Not mentioned |
wo details stand out.
The offering of the poor. The law asked for a lamb, but allowed a mother who could not afford one to bring "two turtledoves or two pigeons" (Leviticus 12:8). Mary and Joseph bring the birds. They are not wealthy. Yet their faithfulness to the law, even in poverty, is an example of quiet devotion. And there is a holy irony here: the family cannot afford a lamb, but they are carrying the Lamb of God in their arms. See What Animals Were Used for Sacrifice in the Bible? and The Number 40 in the Bible.
Presented, not bought back. The law expected parents to redeem a firstborn son with five shekels. Luke says nothing about a payment. Instead Jesus is "presented to the Lord," much as Hannah brought young Samuel to the sanctuary and gave him to the Lord (1 Samuel 1:24-28). Luke's point is that this child belongs to God in a unique way. See What Is the Law in the Bible? and How Much Did a Shekel Weigh?
Luke 2:25-28: Simeon meets the Messiah
"Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Messiah. Guided by the Spirit, Simeon came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him what was customary under the law, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying..."
Simeon has spent his life waiting for the promised Messiah. Luke mentions the Holy Spirit three times in three verses: the Spirit rests on him, has revealed God's promise to him, and guides him into the temple at exactly the right moment. This is no chance meeting.
"The consolation of Israel." The phrase means the comfort God promised his people after exile and suffering: "Comfort, O comfort my people, says your God" (Isaiah 40:1). Many hoped the Messiah would not only bring relief from oppression but restore the nation to its former glory. That hope did not fade quickly. Even after the resurrection the disciples asked, "Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?" (Acts 1:6). See The Ascension of Jesus (Acts 1:1-11)and God of All Comfort.
The Spirit leads Simeon into the temple courts, where ordinary worshipers gathered. There he meets Mary, Joseph and the infant Messiah. He takes the child in his arms, and his response is joy and thanksgiving. For more on this man, see Who Were Simeon and Anna in the Bible?
Luke 2:29-32: Simeon's song, the Nunc Dimittis
"Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel."
Simeon's song is called the Nunc Dimittis, from its first words in Latin, "Now you dismiss." It is a declaration of peace and fulfillment. Simeon sounds like a watchman whose long shift is finally over. He has seen God's salvation with his own eyes, in the form of a baby, and he is ready to depart in peace. The hope he waited for has arrived. All is well.
"Master." Simeon calls God his master and himself a servant (literally, a slave). The early church uses the same word for God in prayer: "Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth" (Acts 4:24). See Sovereign Lord and The Believers' Prayer (Acts 4:23-31).
"My eyes have seen your salvation." Simeon is holding a child, and he calls him God's salvation. See What Is Salvation in the Bible?
"A light for revelation to the Gentiles." Jesus fulfills God's promises to Israel, but his light reaches beyond Israel to all nations, as Isaiah foresaw: "I will give you as a light to the nations" (Isaiah 49:6). Paul and Barnabas quote that same verse in Acts 13:47 when they turn to the Gentiles. See Light of the World, The Gospel Turns to the Gentiles (Acts 13:42-52) and Acts and the Inclusion of the Gentiles.
"Glory to your people Israel." The light for the nations does not replace Israel; it is Israel's glory. Salvation for the world comes through God's faithfulness to the people of Abraham. See God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
The church has prayed this song at the close of the day for centuries, in Night Prayer and in Evening Prayer. Like Simeon, believers end the day by placing their lives in God's hands.
Luke 2:33-35: A sword will pierce your soul
"And the child's father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him. Then Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, 'This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed, and a sword will pierce your own soul too.'"
Joseph and Mary are amazed, even after everything they have already experienced. Mary has heard from an angel and from Elizabeth; Joseph, in Matthew's account, was told in a dream to take Mary as his wife (Matthew 1:20); the shepherds came with the angels' message and song. Now a stranger in the temple confirms it all again.
Then Simeon turns to Mary alone, and the tone darkens.
"The falling and the rising of many." Jesus will divide people. Some will stumble over him, others will be lifted up by him. It is Mary's Magnificat in another key: God "has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly" (Luke 1:52).
"A sign that will be opposed." Jesus will be a point of contention throughout his life. Some will embrace him and others will reject him, and their response will reveal what is in their hearts.
"A sword will pierce your own soul too." Mary will suffer for loving this child. Many readers hear in these words a first glimpse of Mary standing near the cross (John 19:25). The joy of Christmas already carries the shadow of Good Friday. Jesus' path will cost him everything, and it will cost his mother deeply too.
See Marys in the Bible and Mothers in the Bible.
Luke 2:36-38: Anna the prophet
"There was also a prophet, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, having lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped there with fasting and prayer night and day. At that moment she came, and began to praise God and to speak about the child to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem."
Anna is a second witness. Like Simeon, she has spent her life waiting. Widowed young, she gave her long life to worship, fasting and prayer in the temple. Anna fasted and prayed, a model for so many who wait on God. See What Is Prayer in the Bible? and Widows in the Bible.
She is one of only a few women Scripture calls a prophet. Luke will show the gift again in Acts, when the Spirit falls and "your sons and your daughters shall prophesy" (Acts 2:17), and when Philip's four daughters prophesy (Acts 21:9). See Prophetesses in the Bible and Your Sons and Daughters Shall Prophesy (Acts 2:17).
When she sees Jesus, Anna recognizes him at once. She thanks God and tells everyone who is waiting for "the redemption of Jerusalem." Simeon spoke to God and to Mary; Anna speaks to the whole waiting community. Together their testimony confirms that Jesus is the long-awaited Savior, and Luke's pairing of a man and a woman shows that God's plan includes everyone. See Who Were Simeon and Anna in the Bible?, Who Are the Twelve Tribes of Israel? and What Is Redemption in the Bible?
Luke 2:39-40: Home to Nazareth
"When they had finished everything required by the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him."
With every requirement of the law fulfilled, the family goes home. Luke has now shown Jesus circumcised, named, presented and blessed, all "according to the law." He is a faithful son of Israel from his first days.
The closing verse sums up years in a single sentence. Jesus grows in body, in wisdom and in God's favor, quietly preparing for the ministry ahead. Luke says nearly the same about John the Baptist (Luke 1:80) and will say it again about Jesus at twelve (Luke 2:52). Years later the people of Nazareth will be amazed at his gracious words and ask, "Is not this Joseph's son?" (Luke 4:22). See The Boy Jesus in the Temple (Luke 2:41-52) and How Old Was Jesus When He Began His Ministry?
What Luke 2:21-40 means for us
The presentation of Jesus is a reminder of the beauty of faithful obedience. Mary and Joseph are poor and unknown, yet they keep God's law with care and trust God's promises. Simeon and Anna show the joy of seeing those promises fulfilled after a lifetime of waiting, and they recognize that Jesus is the Savior not only of Israel but of the world.
The scene gathers the old and the young, a man and a woman, the poor family and the devout worshipers, all around one child. It invites us to recognize the fulfillment of God's promises in Jesus and, like Anna, to tell others about him. And it reminds those who are still waiting that God's promises are kept, sometimes at the very end of a long life of faithfulness.
The presentation in the church year
Many churches celebrate this story on February 2, the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, forty days after Christmas. It is also called Candlemas, for Simeon's "light for revelation to the Gentiles," and in the Eastern church the Meeting of the Lord. In the Revised Common Lectionary, Luke 2:22-40 is also read on the First Sunday after Christmas in Year B. See Christmas Liturgy and Advent, Christmas and Epiphany Sermons.
Guardrail: whose purification? Luke writes "their purification" (Luke 2:22), though the law of Leviticus 12 applied to the mother. Luke may be speaking loosely of the family's whole visit, which included the presentation of the child. Don't build a theology on the pronoun.
Guardrail: Luke and Matthew's timelines. Luke moves straight from the temple back to Nazareth (Luke 2:39), while Matthew tells of the magi and a flight to Egypt (Matthew 2). The Gospels tell different parts of the story and do not give a full timeline. Avoid forcing a detailed sequence the texts do not provide.
Questions about the presentation of Jesus
What is the presentation of Jesus in the temple? Forty days after his birth, Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to the temple in Jerusalem to fulfill the law: Mary's purification after childbirth and the dedication of a firstborn son to God (Luke 2:22-24).
Why was Jesus presented in the temple? The law said every firstborn son belonged to the Lord (Exodus 13:2). Presenting Jesus showed his parents' obedience and Luke's conviction that this child belonged to God in a unique way.
Why did Mary and Joseph offer two birds? The law allowed families who could not afford a lamb to offer two turtledoves or two pigeons (Leviticus 12:8). Their offering shows they were poor.
What does Luke 2:21 mean? On his eighth day Jesus was circumcised as a son of Abraham's covenant and given the name Jesus, meaning "the LORD saves," as the angel had said.
Who was Simeon? A righteous and devout man whom the Holy Spirit promised would see the Messiah before he died. He held Jesus and sang the Nunc Dimittis (Luke 2:25-35).
What does Luke 2:35 mean? Simeon warned Mary that "a sword will pierce your own soul too," pointing to the grief she would know as her son was rejected and crucified.
Who was Anna in Luke 2? An elderly widow and prophet from the tribe of Asher who worshiped in the temple night and day and spoke about Jesus to all who were waiting for Jerusalem's redemption (Luke 2:36-38).
What does Luke 2:40 mean? Jesus grew up in Nazareth, becoming strong and wise, with God's favor upon him. His growth was real and human.
When is the Presentation of the Lord celebrated? On February 2, forty days after Christmas.
Keep reading in Luke
Sources
Raymond E. Brown, The Birth of the Messiah, updated edition (Doubleday, 1993).
Joel B. Green, The Gospel of Luke, New International Commentary on the New Testament (Eerdmans, 1997).
John Nolland, Luke 1:1-9:20, Word Biblical Commentary 35A (Word Books, 1989).
Scripture quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version.
