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- Luke Chapter 2
Good morning! ☀️
This week, I’ll be sending three chapters. Look for Chapters 3 and 4 on Wednesday and Friday.
[Make sure you read Chapter 2 before reading my notes.]
I LOVED researching and writing chapter 2. I hope you love it too. Let’s GO!
The Roman Empire
Luke 2:1 mentions registering "all the world," which meant the Roman Empire.
Caesar Augustus ordered the census, and everyone was required to go to their ancestral town for registration.
Caesar Augustus, also known as Gaius Octavius, was the first Roman Emperor. He ruled from 27 BC to 14 AD, ending the Roman Republic and starting the Roman Empire. His adopted father, Julius Caesar, a military leader in ancient Rome, played a key role in the Republic's fall and the Empire's rise. Fears of Julius Caesar becoming a dictator led to his assassination in 44 BC. In 27 BC, Octavius took charge, becoming the first Roman Emperor.
The City of David
David was the second king of Israel and an ancestor of Jesus Christ.
Do you know where the City of David was? In the context of the Gospel of Luke, the City of David was in Bethlehem, considered to be the birthplace of David (The City of David can also refer specifically to a location in Jerusalem associated with King David's reign.)
Are angels scary?
“And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear.”
We’ve already seen multiple angels in Luke 1 and 2. Every time an angel appears, the person receiving the message is filled with fear.
Angels can appear in various forms. While they are often depicted with wings, the Bible also describes them as appearing in human form.
“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”
“Christ” isn’t His last name.
"Christ" is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew "Messiah," meaning the Anointed One.
Jesus Christ = Jesus the Messiah, Jesus the Anointed One
When Jesus was born, Jews had been waiting for CENTURIES for the coming Messiah, the chosen One or anointed One by God.
Throughout the history of the Jewish people, they experienced various periods of oppression, exile, and foreign domination. The hope for a Messiah was closely tied to the expectation of a deliverer who would liberate them from oppression and establish a just and righteous kingdom here on earth.
This is one of the main reasons, if not THE main reason, many Jews do not accept Jesus as Messiah. He did not fulfill the role of leadership and liberation from oppression here on earth.
The practice of circumcising male infants on the eighth day is based on a biblical command found in the Old Testament.
“He who is eight days old among you shall be circumcised. Every male throughout your generations, whether born in your house or bought with your money from any foreigner who is not of your offspring,”
Medical Benefits: Newborns have the best blood-clotting ability on the eighth day of life, which helps healing and lowers bleeding risks during circumcision.
Symbolic Meaning: Circumcision is a physical sign of the covenant between God and Abraham's descendants. It marks the Israelites as God's chosen people and shows their commitment to following God's commandments.
Representation of New Life: The eighth day symbolizes a new beginning or creation. Circumcision on this day symbolically consecrates the child to God and introduces them into the covenant community.
How big is Israel?
For context, the country of Israel is 1/12th the size of my home state of Colorado.
People likely traveled between Bethlehem and Jerusalem on foot or by using animals such as donkeys. The journey would have taken a few hours, depending on the conditions of the roads and the pace of travel.
Joseph and Mary’s trip from Nazareth to Jerusalem was about 64 miles. That trip could take 3 or 4 days if they walked 6-8 hours a day.
Jesus presented at the Temple
My son Samuel is home on break from his Biblical studies at Bethany Global University. “I think it’s pretty cool that when Jesus is presented at the temple after birth, it was the first time the presence of God was physically in the Temple.”
That
IS
Pretty
Cool
"And to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, 'a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.'"
Following Jewish law, when a firstborn child was born, parents needed to give an offering to the Lord. Usually, this meant sacrificing a lamb. But if a family couldn't afford a lamb, they could offer two doves or pigeons instead. Joseph and Mary offering turtledoves or pigeons shows that they lived a humble life.
"Consecrate to me all the firstborn. Whatever is the first to open the womb among the people of Israel, both of man and of beast, is mine."
How many times have you read the Book of Luke and just skimmed right through Simeon’s encounter with Mary and Joseph?
It’s
So
Beautiful
And
Rich!
Luke describes Simeon as a righteous and devout man who was waiting for the consolation of Israel. "Consolation" refers to the comforting or consoling presence of the Messiah, whom Simeon was eagerly anticipating. I LOVE THAT!
Simeon immediately recognizes the baby Jesus as the promised Messiah. His words, often referred to as the "Nunc Dimittis" or "Song of Simeon," express his joy and fulfillment at seeing the salvation God had prepared.
Simeon recognized Jesus as Messiah because the Holy Spirit was upon him—the same Holy Spirit who comes upon everyone who believes.
Simeon recognized that Jesus was not just for the Jewish people but was a light for the Gentiles as well.
The covenant relationship between God and Israel has been and often still is foundational to their identity. The notion that God's salvation was meant for everyone, not just the Israelites, would have been radical for some and would have challenged this belief.
Simeon's words must have been a breathtaking confirmation for Mary and Joseph.
In 2010, I was on an exposure trip to Guatemala City with my church. We were visiting and working with an orphanage.
I remember having a conversation with God. It wasn’t audible, but it was clear. “Follow Me. I don’t just want you on Sundays. I want all of you.”
As clear as that conversation was, I’ve often asked myself, “Was it real?”
As with Joseph and Mary, God has confirmed and continues to confirm that conversation.
And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”
Simeon was saying that Jesus would bring changes in people's lives in Israel—some would reject him, and others would rise because of their faith in him. He also told Mary that her heart would be deeply saddened, using the metaphor of a sword, as she witnessed the challenges and sacrifice her son, Jesus, would face.
Jesus at the temple
Jesus' parents went to Jerusalem for the Passover feast, which shows how serious they were about following Jewish customs. We've already seen that Mary and Joseph made sure to do everything the Mosaic law required.
Luke may have written this to encourage Theophilus to understand that even though Jesus was executed by Jewish authorities, it wasn't because he was an outsider to the Jewish faith. They loved, studied, and obeyed the law faithfully.
As I was reading, two verses stuck out to me.
And when his parents saw him, they were astonished. And his mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been searching for you in great distress.” And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?”
John Piper explains it best:
“The main point of the whole passage probably lies in the contrast between "your father" and "my father."
Mary says, "Your father and I have been searching for you." Jesus answers, "You should have known I would be at the house of my Father."
In other words, Jesus has chosen this crucial stage in his life, on the brink of manhood, to tell his parents in an unforgettable way that he now knows who his real Father is and what it will mean for his mission.”
After reading and studying Chapter 2, this song is so much deeper. Turn up the volume.
Look for Chapter 3 on Wednesday.
I love you,
George
Seeking after Christ
"You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart." Jeremiah 29:13