Purification of Mary and Presentation of Our Lord

Good Shepherd

2004 Pass Rd, Biloxi, MS 39531

Draft 1 Sam 1:21–28; Heb 2:14–18; Lk 2:22–40; Ps 84; antiphon: v. 4   –     2/1/26

Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father, and our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. Today we have a most curious figure in biblical history, this Simeon who, as it seems, appears nowhere else in the Bible. He appears, has this peculiar prophecy concerning himself, gives thanks to God for the coming of the Christ, and then vanishes. However, if we delve more deeply into the limited information we have about the man we will discover a far greater depth to this small event. And for this I owe thanks to Rev Petersen in Fort Wayne.

Hear again how Simeon is described: There was a man, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. So, first, God’s Word says Simeon was righteous, that is, if we take Paul’s use of the term ‘righteous’ in the book of Romans, God had declared Simeon righteous, just in his relation and bearing to both God Himself and to other men. This is another way of saying that, much like such righteous figures as Job and Abraham, Simeon acted in faith toward God in all his life, he kept Moses’ Law faithfully in all piety, confessed his sins and failings, made faithful sacrifice for his sins in the temple, and, in short, was the image of the faithfully practicing Old Testament Christian.

Second, God’s Word says that Simeon was God-fearing, which means much more than the English word ‘devout’ can convey. The Greek here indicates one who is in a state of awe, caution, and genuine fear of God. Luke is then holding up Simeon in his God-fearing in opposition “to the boastful self-righteousness and self-confidence of the Pharisees” (2.202), who comported themselves as though they were the perfect image of the devout Israelite. No, God through Luke says, the true Israelite does not boast of his faithfulness, the true Israelite stands in awe of God, humbles himself, and boasts only in the Lord (2 Cor 10:17). Thus, like Abraham’s humble manservant who went to find Isaac a wife, like Elijah and Joseph Simeon was the image of the humble Old Testament Christian.

Third, God’s Word says that Simeon anticipated, looked for expectantly the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. Simeon awaited the age of the fulfillment of all of God’s promises to the Church of the Old Testament. Notably, the word for consolation here, Paraclete, has the same root of the word which Jesus would use some thirty-two or three years later to describe the work of the Holy Spirit, But when the Helper, the Paraclete, the Consoler, comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me (Jn 15:36). Thus, we could rightly say that Simeon was waiting for “Holy Spiriting of Israel. By that Spirit he had been told that the answer to his hearts longing, the Holy Spiriting of Israel, was present in the world and coming to the temple. Thus, Simeon was there just as the Lord’s mother and guardian”, Mary and Joseph, “were bringing the infant Jesus in. He took the Lord into his arms and burst into rapt thanksgiving.” As Abraham long awaited the fulfilling of the promised heir but did not see the fulness of that promise fulfilled, as David long awaited God dwelling among His people in the Temple but did not see the fulness of that promise, as Malachi long looked for the Messiah’s herald to prepare the way but did not see even the beginning of that promise, so we find Simeon here in our reading seeing what all these men desired, what all these men expected with great longing their whole lives. Simeon again is the image of the patient and long-suffering Old Testament Christian.

But at long last, after seven thousand years of waiting, God has fulfilled His Word. “Simeon was not to see death until he had seen the Christ. Seeing the Christ meant that he could die and be at peace.” (202) Finally, the long awaited promises to the pious Christians of old have begun to be fulfilled in this little child. The long waiting for God to send His people the redeemer and comforter has at last in ancient Simeon been satisfied. The time of the Old Testament saints is fulfilled in him, he has for them been waiting seven thousand years that He might see God’s Christ, and so enter the Sabbath rest long promised. Now Simeon has nothing remaining to wait for, that is, nothing to live for. “He goes and dies, departs this world in peace right away.” (203)

Simeon, as all the Old Testament saints, had been waiting for death and waiting to see the Lord’s Christ, but that is not two separate things; it is but one. It is what all we baptized await with longing, what the whole of the Church throughout the ages is eager for, and what God grants a small foretaste and foresight of in His Holy Supper. When Simeon takes the Christ in his arms he says, Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel. In essence, Simeon says, “I have enough. I have seen Him. My faith and heart have held Him. I am satisfied. I may die in joy and peace.” As Rev. Petersen says, “Simeon’s justice, fear of God, and longing expectancy were all by-products of his faith and love of God. He has had enough of this world, enough of sin, enough of politics and Pharisees and old age. He was ready to go where he belonged, to go home, to be divorced of this place and to be made the newly immaculate and virgin bride of Christ by grace.” (203) The Lord’s Supper is God’s gift of preparation for our own deaths, our tasting of eternity and of what alone truly satisfies in the world, our taste of a blessed death.

“The faith that the Lord’s Supper encourages and strengthens also creates ever greater dissatisfaction with this world. May we never be satisfied here! May we ever be [envious] of those allowed to remain in the temple singing the Lord’s praise and of those who have already been translated to heaven! They have come to what we desire.” Simeon longed for this, and he has held Him in his arms, and now enjoys the true Sabbath rest. But for us, winter remains, death surrounds, our own sins burden us, but we have had Christmas and the coming of the Lord’s Messiah for our salvation. The angels have announced His Advent; the shepherds have greeted Him; the Gentile sages have worshipped Him. Epiphany has come to an end, and now we prepare for Lent. And yet, even as we take up the disciplines of self-denial and self-examination, we yet retain Christ with us, for once Christmas took place it never departs from among us. Likewise, the gifts of our expected Easter remain with us in our time of straightening during Lent, Christ very Body and very Blood given for us to eat and drink for the forgiveness of our sins and the strengthening of our faith while we wait expectantly with the New Testament Saints.

The promise of the Holy Spiriting of the world has been fulfilled. Now you and I await the sundering of light and darkness, the divorce of the good from the evil, and the reuniting of man and God in its fulness. So turn your hearts and your faces toward Jerusalem, in solemn and confident expectation, knowing the end of Christ’s story, the purpose of His suffering and death, and also of your own, “that like Simeon before us, … we too shall depart in peace, divorced from this place, and become the virgin bride of Christ by grace.” (204) Amen.

Now the peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen