what is presentation of jesus in the temple

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• The Deeper Meaning of the Presentation in the Temple

By Clement Harrold

For many Catholics, the fourth joyful mystery—the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple—can be a difficult scene to meditate on. What’s the episode about, anyway? And what might be its deeper meaning?

Beginning with the first question, it’s important to remember that the Presentation described in Luke 2:22-38 is not the circumcision of Jesus. That already took place eight days after His birth. Rather, the Presentation took place in order to fulfill two different dictates of the Mosaic Law.

The first of these, drawn from Leviticus 12, mandated that mothers needed to be purified forty days after giving birth to a male child. This is why the Presentation is celebrated in the Church’s calendar on February 2nd—also known as “Candlemas,” an allusion to Simeon’s words about the boy Jesus being “a light for revelation to the Gentiles” (Lk 2:32)—because the event takes place forty days after the nativity (counting December 25 as day one).

In order to make the purification, the mother in question was required to sacrifice a lamb as well as either a pigeon or a turtledove. The law made provision, however, for those families who were too poor to afford a lamb, in which case they could sacrifice two pigeons or two turtledoves instead. St. Luke goes out of his way to inform the reader that this is exactly what the Holy Family did, thereby reminding us of their material poverty (see Lk 2:24).

The second precept of the Mosaic Law which Mary and Joseph were following is the requirement from Exodus 13:2 that all firstborns be consecrated to God in a special way. More specifically, this ritual rested on the understanding that the firstborn naturally belonged to God, and so the child’s human parents were expected to “redeem” (from the Latin redimō , meaning to “buy back”) their child by paying five shekels to the priest.

All of this helps us to see that the Presentation in the Temple was about two important things: (1) the purification of Mary and (2) the redemption of baby Jesus. So far so good. But there are two other elements here which are worth paying attention to. For one thing, the Mosaic Law nowhere demanded that the purification or the redemption take place within the Temple. This means that the Holy Family was being extra devout by going to the Temple for this special day.

Additionally, there is one detail in the Presentation narrative which is startling for its absence. While St. Luke does mention that Mary and Joseph bought the two turtledoves, he never takes the time to mention the paying of the five shekels to redeem baby Jesus. In other words, he cites the redeeming-of-the-firstborns precept laid down in Exodus 13:2, but he leaves out a description of this redemption taking place. Why might that be?

For the late Pope Benedict XVI, in his Jesus of Nazareth: The Infancy Narratives , the answer was obvious. St. Luke leaves a literary silence in the passage in order to drive home the point that the infant Jesus belongs to His Heavenly Father:

Evidently Luke intends to say that instead of being “redeemed” and restored to his parents, this child was personally handed over to God in the Temple, given over completely to God. . . . Luke has nothing to say regarding the act of “redemption” prescribed by the law. In its place we find the exact opposite: the child is handed over to God, and from now on belongs to him completely. (p. 3)

Understanding this detail can help us bring the fourth joyful mystery to life in a new way. The Presentation isn’t just another boring religious ritual. On the contrary, it is a deeply symbolic moment pointing to Jesus’s divine identity, and to Mary and Joseph’s perfect cooperation with His divine mission.

Further Reading:

http://jimmyakin.com/how-the-accounts-of-jesus-childhood-fit-together

https://www.ncregister.com/blog/whats-happening-at-the-presentation-of-the-lord

Benedict XVI, Jesus of Nazareth: The Infancy Narratives (Image, 2012)

Clement Harrold is a graduate student in theology at the University of Notre Dame. His writings have appeared in  First Things ,  Church Life Journal ,  Crisis Magazine , and the  Washington Examiner . He earned his bachelor's degree from Franciscan University of Steubenville in 2021.

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Luke 2:21-40 New Living Translation

Jesus is presented in the temple.

21  Eight days later, when the baby was circumcised, he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel even before he was conceived.

22  Then it was time for their purification offering, as required by the law of Moses after the birth of a child; so his parents took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord. 23  The law of the Lord says, “If a woman’s first child is a boy, he must be dedicated to the Lord .” [ a ] 24  So they offered the sacrifice required in the law of the Lord—“either a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.” [ b ]

The Prophecy of Simeon

25  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 26  and had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. 27  That day the Spirit led him to the Temple. So when Mary and Joseph came to present the baby Jesus to the Lord as the law required, 28  Simeon was there. He took the child in his arms and praised God, saying,

29  “Sovereign Lord, now let your servant die in peace,      as you have promised. 30  I have seen your salvation, 31       which you have prepared for all people. 32  He is a light to reveal God to the nations,      and he is the glory of your people Israel!”

33  Jesus’ parents were amazed at what was being said about him. 34  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. 35  As a result, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your very soul.”

The Prophecy of Anna

36  Anna, a prophet, was also there in the Temple. She was the daughter of Phanuel from the tribe of Asher, and she was very old. Her husband died when they had been married only seven years. 37  Then she lived as a widow to the age of eighty-four. [ c ] She never left the Temple but stayed there day and night, worshiping God with fasting and prayer. 38  She came along just as Simeon was talking with Mary and Joseph, and she began praising God. She talked about the child to everyone who had been waiting expectantly for God to rescue Jerusalem.

39  When Jesus’ parents had fulfilled all the requirements of the law of the Lord, they returned home to Nazareth in Galilee. 40  There the child grew up healthy and strong. He was filled with wisdom, and God’s favor was on him.

• 2:23 Exod 13:2 .
• 2:24 Lev 12:8 .
• 2:37 Or She had been a widow for eighty-four years.

Holy Bible , New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. , Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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The Presentation of Jesus

Upon the eighth day following His birth, the Lord was Luke ii. 21. circumcised, and the name Jesus given Him. Forty days after the birth, Mary presented herself with the child Luke ii. 22-38. at the Temple in accordance with the law, and after the presentation returned again to Bethlehem.

The order of events following Christ's birth to the time He went to reside at Nazareth, is much disputed. The chief point of controversy is respecting the time of the visit of the Magi. If this can be determined, the other events may be easily arranged.

An early and current tradition placed the coming of the Magi on the 6th of January, or on the 13th day after His birth. 3 This day was early celebrated as the Feast of the Epiphany, or the manifestation of Christ, and originally had reference to His birth, to the visit of the Magi, and to His baptism. It is now observed both in the Greek and Roman Churches with reference to the latter two events, of which the adoration of the Magi is made most prominent. This is also the case in the English and American Episcopal Churches. But the tradition did not command universal assent. Eusebius and Epiphanius, reasoning from Matt, ii. 16, put the coming of the Magi two years after His birth. And others have thought the 6th January selected for convenience, rather than as having any direct chronological connection with the event. The apocryphal gospel of the birth of Mary puts their coming on the forty-second day, or after the presentation, but some copies on the 13th. 1

If we now ask the grounds upon which, aside from this tradition, the coming of the wise men is placed so soon after the birth, and before the presentation in the Temple, the more important are these: first, that the words Tov 8c Irjcrov yevvrjOevTos, " Now when Jesus was born," (Matt. ii. 1,) imply that the one event speedily followed the other, the participle being in the aoristandnot in the perfect; second, that directly after the presentation Jesus went with His parents to Nazareth, (Luke ii. 39,) and that therefore the presentation must have been preceded by their visit; third, that at the coming of the Magi Herod first heard of the birth of Jesus, but if the presentation at the Temple had previously taken place, he must have heard of it, as it had been made public by Anna, (Luke ii. 38.) But none of these reasons is decisive. There is nothing, as asserted, in the use of ytvvYjOevTos, " now when Jesus was born," that proves that they came so soon as He was born, or that an interval of two months may not have elapsed. 2 The opinion of many of the fathers that they found Him still in the manger, or stall, in spelunca ilia qua natus est, may be true, if the manger was in a cave in the rear of the house. (See Matt. ii. 11.) The statement of Luke, that " when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city Nazareth," has often been interpreted as affirming that they went directly from the temple to Nazareth without any return to Bethlehem. 1 But this interpretation is arbitrary. It is apparent that Luke does not design to give a full history of Christ's infancy. He says nothing of the Magi, of the murder of the children, of the flight into Egypt. Whatever may have been the motive of this omission, which Alford, in common with many German critics, ascribes to ignorance, nothing can be inferred from it to the impugning of Matthew's accuracy. His statement respecting the return to Galilee is general, and does not imply any strict chronological connection. Elsewhere in Luke like instances occur, as in iv. 14, where Jesus is said to have " returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee," whence it would appear that this return followed immediately upon the temptation ; yet we know that an interval of several months must have elapsed. It is the fact that His childhood was.passed at Nazareth, which Luke brings prominently forward, not the precise time when He went thither, which w^as unimportant. It is not inconsistent with his language that Jesus should have returned to Bethlehem from the Temple, an afternoon walk of two hours, and have gone thence to Nazareth by way of Egypt, though had we this gospel alone, we could not infer this. Besides, it is apparent from Matthew's narrative (ii. 22-3) that Joseph did not design upon his return from Egypt to go to Galilee, and went thither only by express divine direction. Plainly he looked upon Bethlehem, not Nazareth, as the proper home of the child who should be the heir of David. 2 And finally the fact that Anna " spoke of Him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem," by no means shows that her words came to the ears of Herod.

Those who thus place the visit of the Magi before the purification of Mary and the presentation of Jesus, are by no means agreed as to the time of the latter events. If the visit of the Magi was on the thirteenth day after His birth, and the murder of the children and the flight into Egypt took place immediately after, the purification must have been delayed till the return, and so in any event after the legal time on the fortieth day. 1 To avoid this, some suppose that, although the suspicions of Herod had been aroused by the inquiries of the Magi, yet he took no active measures for the destruction of the child, till the rumor of what had taken place at the Temple at the time of the presentation (Luke ii. 27-38) reaching his ears, stirred him up to give immediate order for the murder of the children. 2 Others still, making the departure to Nazareth to have immediately followed the purification, are compelled to make Nazareth, not Bethlehem, the starting point of the flight into Egypt. 3

The obvious difficulties connected with this traditional view of the coming of the wise men on the thirteenth day after the Lord's birth, have led most in modern times to put it after the purification on the fortieth day. Some, who hold that Jesus went immediately after that event to Nazareth, suppose that after a short sojourn there He returned to Bethlehem, and there was found by the wise men. 4 But most who put the purification upon the fortieth day, make the visit of the Magi to have shortly followed, and prior to any departure to Nazareth. 5 And this order seems best to harmonize the scripture narratives. The language of Lukeii. 22, compared with v. 21, plainly intimates that as the circumcision took place on the eighth, or legal day, so did the presentation on the fortieth. Till this day, the mother was regarded as unclean, and was to abide at home, and it is therefore very improbable that the adoration of the Magi, and especially the flight into Egypt, should have previously taken place. Doubtless, in case of necessity, all the legal requisitions could have been set aside, but this necessity is not proved in this case to have existed. That the purification was after the return from Egypt, is inconsistent with Matthew's statements, (ii. 22), that after Joseph had heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea, he was afraid to go thither. If, then, he dare not even enter the king's territory, how much less would he dare to go to Jerusalem, and enter publicly into the temple. The conjecture of some, 1 that Archelaus was then absent at Rome, is wholly without historic proof.

1 Friedlieb, Bucher. a Augustine, Sepp, Alford. 3 Maldonati.

4 Epiphanius, and now Jarvis, and Patritius. 6 Robinson, Teschendorf, Wieseler, Lichtenstein.

That Matthew puts the flight into Egypt in immediate connection with the departure of the Magi, (ii. 13.) is plain. 2 No interval could have elapsed after their departure, for it is said, v. 14, that he " took the young child and His mother by night, and departed into Egypt." He went so soon as the angel appeared to him, apparently the same night. We cannot then place the history of the purification after their departure, and before the flight into Egypt, as is done by Calvin and many. Nor could Herod, after his jealousy had been aroused by the inquiries of the Magi after the new-born King of the Jews, have waited quietly several weeks till the events at the purification awakened his attention anew. He doubtless acted here with that decision that characterized all his movements, and seeing himself mocked by the wise men, took instant measures for the destruction of the child.

The fact that Mary offered the offering of the poor, (Luke ii. 24,) may be mentioned as incidentally confirming this view; for if she had received previously the gifts of the Magi, particularly the gold, we may suppose that she would have used it to provide a better offering. 1

We thus trace a threefold adoration of Christ: 1st, that of the shepherds; 2d, that of Simeon and Anna ; 3d, that of the Magi; or a twofold adoration of the Jews, and then the adoration of the heathen.

A meditative guide to the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple

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When reading the Bible, many scenes are described very briefly, with very few details. This makes it relatively easy to pass over an important event quickly, missing the depth of the symbolism hidden in the story.

One of the best things we can do is slowly read the Bible, chewing on every word and even placing ourselves into the scene. When we do this with our imagination, we can discover spiritual truths that we didn’t expect to find.

Here is a meditative guide to the event of Jesus’ presentation in the Temple, as laid out in The little book of the most holy child Jesus . It presents a beautiful meditation, allowing us time to think about every aspect of the biblical event and allow God’s grace to invade our hearts.

Let us enter the Temple of Jerusalem. The one great house of the true God in all the earth. Bright and rich with gold and colour and curious work. The house of prayer, the one place of sacrifice. The great altar of God stands there. Crowds pass to and fro to bring their offerings or to join in the never-ending worship. Unheeded through the crowds—unheeded because so lowly and quiet—a pair go up to the place of offering. A maiden bearing in her arms a Babe. By her side a staid and thoughtful man. They are Mary and Joseph, and they bring the little Jesus into the Temple. No longer the gloomy cave. The Holy Child and His parents pass through the crowds in the stately courts of the Temple, their hearts overflowing with joy and peace; but so quiet and of such low estate are they, that none seem to notice them. Yet that Babe is the Lord of the Temple, Lord of heaven and earth, of all creation. Heaven itself cannot contain His glory, nor countless angels worship Him enough or sound the praises due to Him. It is His will to be offered thus for the love of us, with all His glory hidden, in His Temple on earth. It is His will because it is the will of the Father who has loved us with an everlasting love. The crowds know not, as they press by, that it is their Savior and God. Yet Mary, whose only thought is to do the will of her Son, knows that she is offering a gift beyond all price, at once her first-born Son and her God. Aged Simeon, the holy servant of God, for years and years has come daily to the Temple with the hope of seeing this holy Babe. He was told by the Holy Spirit that he should not die before he had this great joy And now he takes the  Child,  his Lord, in his arms, a peaceful calm flows in upon his soul, and he is ready to die when the good God wills. Anna, too, the aged Prophetess, for this also had waited in the Temple for long years. Now she sees her heart’s desire. She reveals the Holy  Child  to the Jews; but little do they heed. They are taken up with this world, and love its pomps and grandeur so well that when they look upon its Lord and Maker they see but a little Infant like any other  child  of men. A poor Infant in a young maiden’s arms,  Jesus,  Thou art come to do Thy Father’s will. I desire to do that holy will in all things, whatever it may cost. I offer myself to Thee; do with me what Thou seest best, now and for evermore.

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• Saint of the Day

Presentation of the Lord

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Image: Saint Bernard Church, Burkettsville, OH | v | photo by Nheyob

Saint of the day for february 2.

The Story of the Presentation of the Lord

At the end of the fourth century, a woman named Etheria made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Her journal, discovered in 1887, gives an unprecedented glimpse of liturgical life there. Among the celebrations she describes is the Epiphany, the observance of Christ’s birth, and the gala procession in honor of his Presentation in the Temple 40 days later. Under the Mosaic Law, a woman was ritually “unclean” for 40 days after childbirth, when she was to present herself to the priests and offer sacrifice—her “purification.” Contact with anyone who had brushed against mystery—birth or death—excluded a person from Jewish worship. This feast emphasizes Jesus’ first appearance in the Temple more than Mary’s purification.

The observance spread throughout the Western Church in the fifth and sixth centuries. Because the Church in the West celebrated Jesus’ birth on December 25, the Presentation was moved to February 2, 40 days after Christmas.

At the beginning of the eighth century, Pope Sergius inaugurated a candlelight procession; at the end of the same century the blessing and distribution of candles which continues to this day became part of the celebration, giving the feast its popular name: Candlemas.

In Luke’s account, Jesus was welcomed in the temple by two elderly people, Simeon and the widow Anna. They embody Israel in their patient expectation; they acknowledge the infant Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah. Early references to the Roman feast dub it the feast of Saint Simeon, the old man who burst into a song of joy which the Church still sings at day’s end.

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The Feast of the Presentation

According to the Church’s liturgical calendar, the feast held on Feb. 2 each year is in honor of the Presentation of the Lord. Some Catholics recall this day as the feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary because such was the feast day named until the 1969 changes in the Church’s calendar.

In fact, according to Luke’s Gospel, the presentation of Jesus and the purification of the Blessed Mother took place in the Temple on the same day, and both are remembered during Mass on Feb. 2. Also, in several countries, Candlemas is simultaneously celebrated on this day and involves a candlelight procession that was popularized in the Middle Ages. Until the Second Vatican Council the feasts on Feb. 2 ended the Christmas season. Today, the season ends in January on the feast of the Baptism of our Lord.

As early as the fourth century Christians commemorated the presentation of Jesus in the Temple, but, at the time, there was no feast name attached. In seventh-century Rome, the Church named the celebration the feast of the Purification of the Blessed Mother Mary, and it remained that way for nearly 1,300 years. In the reforms after Vatican II, the feast was given a stronger focus on Jesus (by stressing the Presentation of Jesus), but clearly the events of purification and presentation that took place when Jesus was 40 days old (see Lk 2:22-39) are tied together and thus commemorated together.

Purification and Presentation

Under Mosaic law found in the Old Testament Book of Leviticus, a Jewish woman who gave birth to a child was considered unclean (see 12:1-8). The mother of a newborn could not routinely go out into public and had to avoid all things sacred, including the Temple. If her child was a male, this exclusion lasted for 40 days. If the child was female, the period lasted 80 days. This was a ceremonial seclusion and not the result of sin or some kind of wrongdoing on the part of the mother.

At the end of the 40 or 80 days the woman presented herself at the Temple to be purified. If the baby was her firstborn male child, the infant was brought along to the Temple to be dedicated to the Lord. The law in Exodus specifies that the first male child belongs to God (see 13:2-16). This law is a tribute to God for His sparing the firstborn Israelite males during the time of the Exodus from Egypt. The firstborn Egyptian male children, of course, were not spared.

The mother’s purification ritual obliged her to bring, or purchase at the Temple, a lamb and a turtledove as sacrificial offerings. The lamb was offered in thanksgiving to God for the successful birth of the child; the turtledove was a sin offering. Families that could not afford a lamb could bring two pigeons or two turtledoves. After these animals were sacrificed, the Temple priest prayed over the woman and she could once again resume her normal role or status.

Mary, the ever spotless Mother of God, certainly did not have to comply with this ritual, but did so to honor God and observe all the rules handed down by Moses. She was the holiest of all women, but she still submitted to the humbling requirements of the law. She remained at home for 40 days, denied herself all association with sacred things and on the day required walked the five miles from Bethlehem to the Temple in Jerusalem. Arriving at the Temple, Mary likely stood in line and waited her turn to see the priest.

Nunc Dimittis

In Luke’s Gospel, Jesus, Mary and Joseph go to the Temple offering two turtledoves for Mary’s purification. Along with Mary’s willing submission, Jesus is presented into the hands of the priest and thus to God. In accordance with the Old Testament, the child was blessed and then bought or ransomed back by the family who would pay five shekels into the Temple treasury. The Savior of the world is ransomed in the manner of every other Hebrew boy. “When the days were completed for their purification according to the law of Moses, they took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, just as it is written in the law of the Lord, ‘Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord’”(Lk 2:22-24; see Nm 18:15-16).

The Gospel of Luke explains that the old prophet Simeon and the prophetess Anna were at the Temple that day (see 2:22-38). They, like many others, had spent their lifetime waiting, longing for a Messiah, and the Holy Spirit had revealed to Simeon that he would not die until he had seen the Savior. Among all the children and mothers coming into the Temple, Simeon recognized Jesus as the Christ Child; he held Jesus and exclaimed this hymn of thanksgiving, “Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you prepared in sight of all the peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel” (2:29-32). The hymn has traditionally been termed the Nunc Dimittis , from the Latin, “ Nunc dimittis servum tuum, Domine, secundum verbum tuum in pace .”

Like Mary, Jesus the Divine Son of God did not have to undergo these rituals, but His parents willingly complied in order to pay tribute to Jewish laws, to avoid any possible scandal and in so doing demonstrated profound humility. They acquiesced to the law like all poor Jewish families.

The Holy Family must have experienced great joy, even wonder at all that had happened to them. Consider the events of the previous weeks. First, the shepherds miraculously arrived to adore and praise Jesus on the night He was born. And now, Simeon, another stranger, singles out Jesus as the Savior, not only of Israel but of the world. Someday all the other children being presented will know Jesus as their Savior. But here in the Temple there is also pain. The old prophet, moved by the Holy Spirit, tells Mary that she will experience unspeakable grief because of the outrageous way the world would judge and treat her Son. But Mary remained always committed to God’s will and to her Son.

Feb. 2 is on the liturgical calendar as the feast of the Presentation of the Lord, but in addition to the presentation, the Mass recalls Mary’s humble submission to the purification ritual.

D.D. Emmons writes from O’Fallon, Ill.  

Reflections for the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord

Introduction:    This feast commemorates how Jesus, as a baby, was presented to God in the Temple in Jerusalem. This presentation finds its complete and perfect fulfillment in the mystery of the passion, death and Resurrection of the Lord. The  Feast of the Presentation of the Lord   is a combined feast ,  commemorating the Jewish practice of the  purification of the mother  after childbirth and the  presentation of the child  to God in the Temple and his buying back ( redemption ) from God. It is also known as the  Feast of the Purification of Mary , and the Feast  of Candlemas.  It is also called the  Feast of Encounter  ( Hypapánte  in Greek) because the New Testament, represented by the baby Jesus, encountered the Old Testament, represented by Simeon and Anna. Joseph offered two pigeons in the Temple as sacrifice for the purification of Mary after her childbirth and for the presentation and redemption ceremonies performed for baby Jesus.

Homily starter anecdote: “Four chaplains Sunday:  Julia Duin in the Washington Times Sunday, February 1, 2009 told this story. Just after midnight on Feb. 3, 1943, an act of extraordinary unselfishness by a group of men became a legend of martyrdom and sacrifice. When the Army ship Dorchester was torpedoed by the Germans just south of Greenland that night, its passengers and crew had 25 minutes to get off the boat. As 902 people went for the life jackets, it quickly was discovered there weren’t near enough. Of the 13 lifeboats, only two functioned. In the ship’s final minutes, Methodist senior chaplain George Lansing Fox, Rabbi Alexander Goode, Dutch Reformed minister Clark V. Poling and John P. Washington, a Roman Catholic priest, were helping passengers leave the vessel. Then four men appeared all of them without life jackets. The chaplains quickly gave up their own vests and went down with the ship, perishing in the freezing water. Survivors saw them, locked arm in arm, praying and singing the Navy hymn, “Eternal Father, Strong to Save” just before the ship dove beneath the waves. It was a night as dramatic as the sinking of the Titanic but without a blockbuster movie to record the drama. “The Four Immortal Chaplains,” as they are now known, have been honored many times, including on a stamp issued in their honor by the U.S. Postal Service. Hence the first Sunday in February is known as “Four Chaplains Sunday” in some Christian denominations.  They presented and offered themselves completely for the wellbeing of others as Jesus was presented to God his Heavenly Father in the Temple of Jerusalem for the salvation of the world. ( http://frtonyshomilies.com/).

Scripture lessons summarized:   In the   first reading,  taken from Malachi, the prophet speaks of the Lord suddenly coming to Jerusalem to purify the lax, lazy and indifferent priests of His Temple as silver is purified by fire. Simeon saw the Infant Jesus as the fulfillment of this passage. He saw Jesus as the Lord Who has come to the Temple,  "destined to be the downfall and rise of many in Israel."    In the second reading,  St. Paul   proclaims Jesus as our Eternal High Priest of     the New Covenant (Heb 2:17), Who offered himself on the altar of Calvary, the only pure priestly sacrifice that could please God.    He replaces the former priesthood.  The Gospel  describes how Joseph, as the head of the Holy Family of Nazareth, presented Mary and the baby Jesus in the Temple of God for the mother’s purification and the Child’s “redemption.” It also describes the Holy Family’s encounter with the old prophet Simeon and the holy old widow Anna. In his prophecy, Simeon extols the divine blessings which the Messiah is bringing to Israel and to all men and predicts that Mary will play a crucial and sacrificial role in her Son's redemptive work by sharing in her Son's sufferings.

The first reading explained : Malachi prophesies in the first reading that the Lord is going to appear suddenly in the Temple of Jerusalem  to purify its priests and the people . The prophecy warns that nobody can endure the day of the messenger's coming because he will be like a refining fire, purifying the sons of Levi.  Led by the Spirit,  Simeon saw the Infant Jesus as the fulfillment of this passage .  Simeon, even if unknown to himself, foresaw Christ and His priests of the New Covenant who were ordained during the Last Supper. He saw Jesus as the Lord Who would come to the Temple,  "destined to be the downfall and rise of many in Israel."  In today's reading, Malachi prophesies that God will purify the lax, lazy and indifferent priests of His Temple as silver is purified by fire.  At the time of Malachi (around 460-450 BC), the priests were offering blemished (blind, lame) sacrifices and giving bad example (1:6-2:4).  The people were negligent in their support of the Temple (3:6-12). Israelite wives were being rejected by husbands who wished to marry foreign women (2:14-16). Social injustice was rampant (3:5), and the people doubted God’s love (1:2-5). Hence, Malachi reminds them that the Day of the Lord, a Day of Judgment, reward and retribution is coming. He describes the Divine intervention as a two-stage process. First God’s messenger will appear to prepare the way by purifying the clergy and refining the cult (v. 3). This purification will take place until they present offerings to the Lord in a spirit of justice and righteousness. Then, the Lord of Hosts will suddenly appear in the Temple (v. 1), to bring judgment and justice against unfaithful sinners (v. 5). The Psalm announces to Jerusalem that Jerusalem is about to receive a great visitor. The Psalmist identifies him as “The LORD of hosts … the king of glory.”

The second reading explained:  The second reading proclaims Jesus as our Eternal High Priest of the New Covenant (Heb 2:17), Who offered Himself on the altar of Calvary, the only pure priestly sacrifice that could please God. The  Didache  or the first catechism of the early Church (14:1-3), saw Malachi’s prophecy of a pure sacrifice and offering made from east to west as a prophecy of the sacrifice of the Eucharist.  Hence Malachi prophesies that the Lord will enter His Temple, there will be a renewed priesthood, and there will be a pure sacrifice offered worldwide and pleasing to God -- the Eucharist. Jesus became like us in all things except sin in order that He might offer to the Father perfect praise and glory.  Besides, since Jesus fully shared our experience, He is now a merciful and faithful High Priest on our behalf,  "able to help those who are being tested."   Jesus replaces the former priesthood. In keeping with the theme of today’s feast, namely, the presentation of the first fruits, this excerpt from Hebrews emphasizes Jesus’ dual role, as  first-fruits ,  par excellence , and as the  faithful High priest  Who presents the perfect gift of Himself to God for the expiation of human sin. By virtue of His Incarnation, Jesus became human in every way (vv. 17-18) except as regards sin. As representative of His brothers and sisters before God and as their Mediator, Christ perfected His service as both sacrifice and priest. By so doing, Christ was able to “rob the devil” of power (v. 14). As the first-fruits from the dead, as the conqueror of sin and death, Christ, in His person and through His mission, has set the course and cleared the way we are to follow; the decision to do so must be a daily and deliberate one.  It takes faith to see God's power at work in the death of Jesus.  Simeon hinted at this when he told Mary that she herself would be pierced with a sword.  Even knowing that her Son was the Savior of the world, it would be difficult for Mary to see him accomplish that salvation by being crucified.

Exegesis of today’s Gospel:  The birth of Christ was revealed by three kinds of witnesses in three different ways -- first, by the shepherds, after the angel's announcement; second, by the Magi, who were guided by a star; third, by Simeon and Anna, who were inspired by the Holy Spirit. Today’s Gospel describes the Presentation of the Baby Jesus in the Temple. It was intended to ritually redeem Jesus who was the first born in the family and where Mary herself will have to be ritually purified. Mary and Joseph was a typical pious Jewish couple, who went to the Temple in obedience to do all that was required and expected of them by the Law.The Feast of the Presentation of Jesus is a combined feast , commemorating the Jewish practice of the purification of the mother after childbirth and the presentation of the child in the Temple. It is known as the Hypapánte   feast or Feast of the Purification of Mary (by the offering two pigeons in the Temple), the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord (by prayers and a sacrifice offered in the Temple to redeem or buy the firstborn male child back from the Lord), the Feast of Candlemas (because of its ancient rite of blessing of the candles to be used in the church for the next year — a practice dating from the middle of the fifth century) and the Feast of Encounter (because the New Testament, represented by the Baby Jesus, encountered the Old Testament, represented by Simeon and Anna). Originally, there was no connection between today’s festival and the blessing of candles.    In the ancient East, this celebration occurred on February 14, forty days after Epiphany.   On February 15, pagans celebrated the festival of Lupercalia , a great “light” festival.    Perhaps this is an instance of the Church's “baptizing” a pagan custom.    At the principal Mass, the celebrant blesses candles, and people take part in a candlelight procession.    This should remind us that Jesus is our High Priest and the Light of the World.

Purification and redemption ceremonies : The Gospel describes how Joseph, as the head of the Holy Family of Nazareth, presented Mary and the baby Jesus in the Temple of God for the mother’s purification and the child’s “redemption.” According to Leviticus 12:2-8, a woman who bore a child was unclean  for forty days following the birth of a son or eighty days following the birth of a daughter.   Although Mary, the most holy of women, ever-Virgin, was exempt from these precepts of the Law, because of her miraculous conception, she chose to submit herself to the Law just like any other Jewish mother. Joseph and Mary showed their total submission to Law and obey the norms prescribed by the Old Testament.  The custom was practiced probably for the physical and emotional re-integration of the new mother into the community. There was a religious reason as well. Exodus 13:2, 12-13 prescribes that every first-born male belongs to God and must be set apart for the Lord, that is, dedicated to the service of God.  However, once divine worship was reserved to the tribe of Levi, first-born who did not belong to that tribe were not dedicated to God's service, and to show that they continued to be God's special property, a rite of redemption was performed. The Law also commanded that the Israelites should offer in sacrifice some lesser victim -- for example, a lamb or, if they were poor, a pair of doves or two pigeons.  The Book of Numbers 18: 15 taught that since every Jewish firstborn male child belonged to Yahweh, the parents had to “buy back” (redeem), the child by offering a lamb or turtledoves as a sacrifice in the Temple. The price of redemption for a human baby is five shekels of silver (Num 18:15-16). Jesus never needed to be "bought back," as he belonged wholly to the Lord, but Joseph kept these laws as an act of obedience to God. 

The encounter with Simeon and Anna :   By the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the old, pious and Spirit-filled Simeon and Anna had been waiting in the Temple for the revelation of God’s salvation. The Greek Church celebrates the Hypapánte or Feast of the Encounter commemorating the encounter of the New Testament represented by Jesus with the Old Testament represented by Simeon and Anna. Simeon, who is described as a righteous and devout man, obedient to God's will, addresses himself to our Lord as a vassal or loyal servant who, having kept watch all his life in expectation of the coming of his Lord, sees that this moment has "now" come, the moment that explains his whole life.  When he takes the Child in his arms, he learns, not through any reasoning process but through a special grace from God, that this Child is the promised Messiah, the Consolation of Israel, the Light of the nations.  Simeon recognizes Jesus as the Lord’s anointed one, and in his prayer of blessing he prophesies that Jesus is meant to be the glory of Israel and the light of revelation to the Gentiles. Pope Francis: “Simeon took him in his arms and thanked God that he had finally “seen” salvation. Anna, despite her advanced age, found new vigor and began to speak to everyone about the Baby. It is a beautiful image: two young parents and two elderly people, brought together by Jesus. He is the one who brings together and unites generations! He is the inexhaustible font of that love which overcomes every occasion of self-absorption, solitude, and sadness. In your journey as a family, you share so many beautiful moments: meals, rest, housework, leisure, prayer, trips and pilgrimages, and times of mutual support… Nevertheless, if there is no love then there is no joy, and authentic love comes to us from Jesus. He offers us his word, which illuminates our path; he gives us the Bread of life which sustains us on our journey.”

Simeon’s prophecy: Simeon's canticle (verses 29-32) is also a prophecy.  It consists of two stanzas: the first (verses 29-30) is his act of thanksgiving to God, filled with profound joy for having seen the Messiah.  The second (verses 31-32) is more obviously prophetic and extols the divine blessings which the Messiah is bringing to Israel and to all men.  The canticle highlights the fact that Christ brings redemption to all men without exception -- something foretold in many Old Testament prophecies (cf. Genesis 22:18; Isaiah 2:6; 42:6; 60:3; Psalm 28:2). While Simeon blessed Mary, he warned her that her child would be “ a sign of contradiction, ” and that she would be “ pierced with a sword.” Simeon was prophesying both the universal salvation that would be proclaimed by Jesus and the necessity of suffering in the mission of the Messiah. Jesus came to bring salvation to all men, yet He would be a sign of contradiction because some people would obstinately reject Him -- and for this reason He would be their ruin.  But for those who would accept Him with faith, Jesus would be their salvation, freeing them from sin in this life and raising them up to eternal life. The Blessed Virgin and St. Joseph marveled, but not because they did not know who Christ was. They were in awe at the way God was revealing Him. 

The paradox of blessedness:  Mary was given the blessedness of being the mother of the Son of God.  That blessedness also would become a sword which would pierce her heart as her Son died upon the cross. The words Simeon addressed to Mary announced that she would be intimately linked with her Son's redemptive work.  The sword indicated that Mary would have a share in her Son's sufferings. Her suffering would be an unspeakable pain which would pierce her soul.  Our Lord suffered on the cross for our sins, and it is those sins which forged the sword of Mary's pain.  Mary received both a crown of joy and a cross of sorrow.  But her joy was not diminished by her sorrow because it was fueled by her faith, hope, and trust in God and his promises.  Jesus promised his disciples, "no one will take your joy from you" (John 16:22).  The Lord gives us a supernatural joy which enables us to bear any sorrow or pain and which neither life nor death can take way.  Do you know the joy of a life fully surrendered to God with faith and trust? According to Dr. Scot Hann, the feast we celebrate shows a curious turn of events. The Redeemer is redeemed. She who is all-pure presents herself to be purified. Such is the humility of our God. Such is the humility of the Blessed Virgin. They submit to the law even though they are not bound by it.

Anna’s encounter with the Lord and her testifying to the Messiah:  Anna was an eighty-four-year-old widow who spent her days in the Temple in fasting and prayer, waiting for the promised Messiah. She was rewarded with the joy of seeing her Redeemer as a Baby. In her excitement, she praised God and introduced the Infant to others around her as the expected Messiah. Supernatural hope grows with prayer and age!  Anna was pre-eminently a woman of great hope and expectation that God would fulfill all his promises. She is a model of godliness for all believers as we advance in age.  Advancing age and the disappointments of life can easily make us cynical and hopeless if we do not have our hope placed rightly. Anna's hope in God and His promises grew with age. She never ceased to worship God in faith and to pray with hope.  Her hope and faith in God's promises fueled her indomitable zeal and fervor in prayer and the service of God's people. We grow in hope by placing our trust in the promises of Jesus Christ and relying not on our own strength, but on the grace and help of the Holy Spirit. After completing the presentation and redemption of baby Jesus and the ritual purification of Mary and the meeting with Simeon and Anna, Joseph and Mary understood more fully their responsibility before God to protect the child as they return to Nazareth

Life messages : 1)  Every Holy Mass in which we participate is our presentation . Although we were officially presented to God on the day of our Baptism, we present ourselves and our dear ones on the altar before God our Father through our Savior Jesus Christ at every Holy Mass. Hence, we need to live our daily lives with the awareness both that we are dedicated people consecrated to God and that we are obliged to lead holy lives.

2) We need the assistance of the Holy Spirit to recognize the presence of Jesus in ourselves and in others: All those who, like Simeon and Anna, persevere in piety and in the service of God, no matter how insignificant their lives seem in men's eyes, become instruments the Holy Spirit uses to make Christ known to others. In His plan of redemption, God makes use of these simple souls to do much good for all mankind. In other words, The Holy Spirit employs ordinary men and women with simple faith as His instruments to bear witness to Christ, His ideals and teachings, just as He used Simeon and Anna.  The Holy Spirit reveals the presence of the Lord to us when we are receptive and eager to receive Him.  Let us be open to the promptings of the Holy Spirit within us to recognize the indwelling presence of the Lord with us and in others.  (Fr. Antony Kadavil)

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• Presentation of Our Lord

POPE BENEDICT XVI: HOMILY ON THE PRESENTATION OF JESUS IN THE TEMPLE.

HOMILY 2 February 2006

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Today’s F east of Jesus’ Presentation at the temple 40 days after his birth places before our eyes a special moment in the life of the Holy Family:  Mary and Joseph, in accordance with Mosaic law, took the tiny Jesus to the temple of Jerusalem to offer him to the Lord (cf.  Lk  2: 22). Simeon and Anna, inspired by God, recognized that Child as the long-awaited Messiah and prophesied about him . We are in the presence of a mystery, both simple and solemn, in which Holy Church celebrates Christ, the Anointed One of the Father, the firstborn of the new humanity.

The evocative candlelight procession at the beginning of our celebration has made us relive the majestic entrance, as we sang in the Responsorial Psalm, of the One who is “the King of glory”, “the Lord, mighty in battle” ( Ps  24[23]: 7, 8). But who is the powerful God who enters the temple? It is a Child; it is the Infant Jesus in the arms of his Mother, the Virgin Mary. The Holy Family was complying with what the Law prescribed:  the purification of the mother, the offering of the firstborn child to God and his redemption through a sacrifice.

In the First Reading the Liturgy speaks of the oracle of the Prophet Malachi:  “The Lord… will suddenly come to his temple” ( Mal  3: 1). These words communicated the full intensity of the desire that had given life to the expectation of the Jewish People down the centuries. “The angel of the Covenant” at last entered his house and submitted to the Law:  he came to Jerusalem to enter God’s house in an attitude of obedience.

The meaning of this act acquires a broader perspective in the passage from the Letter to the Hebrews, proclaimed as the Second Reading today. Christ, the mediator who unites God and man , abolishing distances, eliminating every division and tearing down every wall of separation, is presented to us here.

Christ comes as a new “merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make expiation for the sins of the people” ( Heb  2: 17). Thus, we note that mediation with God no longer takes place in the holiness-separation of the ancient priesthood, but in liberating solidarity with human beings.

While yet a Child, he sets out on the path of obedience that he was to follow to the very end. The Letter to the Hebrews highlights this clearly when it says:  “In the days of his earthly life Jesus offered up prayers and supplications… to him who was able to save him from death…. Although he was a Son, he learned obedience through what he suffered; and being made perfect he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him” (cf.  Heb  5: 7-9).

The first person to be associated with Christ on the path of obedience, proven faith and shared suffering was his Mother, Mary . The Gospel text portrays her in the act of offering her Son:  an unconditional offering that involves her in the first person.

Mary is the Mother of the One who is “the glory of [his] people Israel” and a “ light for revelation to the Gentiles “, but also “ a sign that is spoken agains t” (cf.  Lk  2: 32, 34). And in her immaculate soul, she herself was to be pierced by the sword of sorrow, thus showing that her role in the history of salvation did not end in the mystery of the Incarnation but was completed in loving and sorrowful participation in the death and Resurrection of her Son.

Bringing her Son to Jerusalem, the Virgin Mother offered him to God as a true Lamb who takes away the sins of the world. She held him out to Simeon and Anna as the proclamation of redemption; she presented him to all as a light for a safe journey on the path of truth and love. The words that came to the lips of the elderly Simeon:  “My eyes have seen your salvation” ( Lk  2: 30), are echoed in the heart of the prophetess Anna. These good and devout people, enveloped in Christ’s light, were able to see in the Child Jesus “the consolation of Israel” ( Lk  2: 25). So it was that their expectation was transformed into a light that illuminates history.

Simeon was the bearer of an ancient hope and the Spirit of the Lord spoke to his heart:  for this reason he could contemplate the One whom numerous prophets and kings had desired to see:  Christ, light of revelation for the Gentiles.

He recognized that Child as the Saviour, but he foresaw in the Spirit that the destinies of humanity would be played out around him and that he would have to suffer deeply from those who rejected him; he proclaimed the identity and mission of the Messiah with words that form one of the hymns of the newborn Church, radiant with the full communitarian and eschatological exultation of the fulfilment of the expectation of salvation. The enthusiasm was so great that to live and to die were one and the same, and the “light” and “glory” became a universal revelation.

Anna is a “prophetess”, a wise and pious woman who interpreted the deep meaning of historical events and of God’s message concealed within them. Consequently, she could “ give thanks to God “ and “[speak of the Child] to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem ” ( Lk  2: 38). Her long widowhood devoted to worship in the temple, fidelity to weekly fasting and participation in the expectation of those who yearned for the redemption of Israel culminated in her meeting with the Child Jesus.

Dear brothers and sisters, on this Feast of the Presentation of the Lord the Church is celebrating the Day of Consecrated Life. This is an appropriate occasion to praise the Lord and thank him for the precious gift represented by the consecrated life in its different forms; at the same time it is an incentive to encourage in all the People of God knowledge and esteem for those who are totally consecrated to God.

Indeed, just as Jesus’ life in his obedience and dedication to the Father is a living parable of the “God-with-us”, so the concrete dedication of consecrated persons to God and to their brethren becomes an eloquent sign for today’s world of the presence of God’s Kingdom.

Your way of living and working can vividly express full belonging to the one Lord; placing yourselves without reserve in the hands of Christ and of the Church is a strong and clear proclamation of God’s presence in a language understandable to our contemporaries . This is the first service that the consecrated life offers to the Church and to the world. Consecrated persons are like watchmen among the People of God who perceive and proclaim the new life already present in our history.

I now address you in a special way, dear brothers and sisters who have embraced the vocation of special consecration, to greet you with affection and thank you warmly for your presence. I extend a special greeting to Archbishop Franc Rodé, Prefect of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, and to his collaborators who are concelebrating with me at this Holy Mass.

May the Lord renew in you and in all consecrated people each day the joyful response to his freely given and faithful love. Dear brothers and sisters, like lighted candles, always and everywhere shine with the love of Christ, Light of the world. May Mary Most Holy, the consecrated Woman, help you to live to the full your special vocation and mission in the Church for the world’s salvation.

© Copyright 2006 – Libreria Editrice Vaticana   http://www.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/homilies/2006/documents/hf_ben-xvi_hom_20060202_presentation-lord.html EMPHASIS MINE

HOMILY OF HIS HOLINESS BENEDICT XVI St. Peter’s Basilica Saturday, 2 February 2013

In his account of the infancy of Jesus St Luke emphasizes how faithful Mary and Joseph were to the Law of the Lord. They fulfilled with profound devotion all the prescriptions prescribed following the birth of a firstborn male. Two of them were very ancient prescriptions: one concerns the mother and the other the newborn child. The woman was required to abstain from ritual practices for forty days, after which she was to offer a double sacrifice: a lamb as a burnt offering and a turtle-dove as a sin offering; but if she were poor, she could offer a pair of turtle doves or two young pigeons (cf. Lev 12:1-8).

St Luke explained that Mary and Joseph offer the sacrifice of the poor (cf. 2:24) in order to emphasize that Jesus was born into a family of simple people, lowly but of steadfast faith: a family that belonged to the poor of Israel who form the true People of God. For the first-born male who, according to Mosaic Law, was set apart for God, redemption was prescribed instead, established as an offering of five shekels to be paid to a priest in any place . This was in everlasting memory of the fact that in the time of Herod God saved the firstborn of the Jews (cf. Ex 13:11-16).

It is important to note that these two acts — the purification of the mother and the redemption of the son — did not require a visit to the Temple. However, Mary and Joseph wished to fulfil all the prescriptions in Jerusalem, and St Luke shows us how the entire scene converges on the Temple and thus focuses on Jesus who enters it. And it is here, precisely through the prescriptions of the Law, that the principal event is transformed, namely, it becomes the “presentation” of Jesus in the Temple of God, which means the act of offering the Son of the Most High to the Father who sent him (cf. Lk 1:32, 35).

The Evangelist’s account is confirmed by the words of the Prophet Malachi which we heard at the beginning of the First Reading: “Behold”, says the Lord, “I send my messenger to prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming… he will purify the sons of Levi…. Then the offering… will be pleasing to the Lord” (3:1, 3, 4).

These words clearly make no mention of a child and yet they are fulfilled in Jesus because, thanks to the faith of his parents, he was taken to the Temple “immediately”; and in the act of his “presentation”, that is, the “offering” of him in person to God the Father, the themes of sacrifice and of the priesthood clearly transpire, as in the passage from the prophet. The Child Jesus, who is immediately presented in the Temple, is the same person who, as an adult, would purify the Temple (cf. Jn 2:13-22; Mk 11:15, 19ff). Above all he would make himself the sacrifice and the High Priest of the new Covenant.

This is also the perspective of the Letter to the Hebrews, a passage of which was proclaimed in the Second Reading, to strengthen the theme of the new priesthood: a priesthood — inaugurated by Jesus — which is existential : “For because he himself has suffered and been tempted, he is able to help those who are tempted ” (Heb 2:18). So it is that we also discover the topic of suffering, very pronounced in the Gospel passage in which Simeon imparts his prophecy concerning both the Child and the Mother: “Behold, this Child is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is spoken against (and, [to Mary], a sword will pierce through your own soul also)” (Lk 2:34-35).

The “salvation” that Jesus brought to his people, and which he embodies in himself, passed through the Cross, through the violent death that he was to vanquish and to transform with the sacrifice of his life through love. This sacrifice was already foretold in the act of the Presentation in the Temple , an act without any doubt motivated by the traditions of the old Covenant, but that was deeply enlivened by the fullness of faith and love, which correspond to the fullness of time, to the presence of God and of his Holy Spirit in Jesus. Indeed, the Spirit moved over the whole scene of the presentation of Jesus in the Temple and in particular over Simeon, but also over Anna .

The Spirit “Paraclete” brings consolation to Israel and motivates the steps and moves the hearts of those who await him. He is the Spirit who prompted the prophetic words of Simeon and Anna, words of blessing and praise of God, of faith in his Annointed One, of thanksgiving, for at last our eyes could see and our arms embrace “your salvation” (cf. 2:30).

“A light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel” (2:32). With these words Simeon describes the Messiah of the Lord, at the end of his hymn of blessing. The topic of light, that reechoes the first and second songs of the Servant of the Lord in the Deutero-Isaiah (cf. Is 42:6; 49:6), is vividly present in this liturgy. It was in fact opened by an evocative procession, in which the Superiors and General Superiors of the Institutes of consecrated life represented here took part and carried lit candles. This sign, specific to the liturgical tradition of this Feast, is deeply expressive. It shows the beauty and value of the consecrated life as a reflection of Christ’s light; a sign that recalls Mary’s entry into the Temple. The Virgin Mary, the Consecrated Woman par excellence, carried in her arms the Light himself, the Incarnate Word who came to dispel the darkness of the world with God’s love.

Dear consecrated brothers and sisters, you were all represented in that symbolic pilgrimage, which in the Year of Faith expresses even better your gathering together in the Church to be strengthened in faith and to renew the offering of yourselves to God. I address my most cordial greetings with affection to each one of you and to your Institutes and I thank you for coming. In the light of Christ, with the many charisms of contemplative and apostolic life, you cooperate in the Church’s life and mission in the world.

In this spirit of gratitude and communion I would like to address three invitations to you, so that you may fully enter through that “door of faith” which is always open to us (Apostolic Letter,  Porta Fidei , n. 1).

I invite you in the first place to nourish a faith that can illuminate your vocation. For this I urge you to treasure, as on an inner pilgrimage, the memory of the “first love” with which the Lord Jesus Christ warmed your hearts, not out of nostalgia but in order to feed that flame. And for this it is necessary to be with him, in the silence of adoration; and thereb y reawaken the wish to share — and the joy of sharing — in his life, his decisions, the obedience of faith, the blessedness of the poor and the radical nature of love. Starting ever anew from this encounter of love, you leave everything to be with him and like him, to put yourselves at the service of God and your brothers and sisters (cf. Apostolic Exhortation  Vita Consecrata ,  n. 1).

In the second place I invite you to have a faith that can recognize the wisdom of weakness. In the joys and afflictions of the present time, when the harshness and weight of the cross make themselves felt, do not doubt that the  kenosis  of Christ is already a paschal victory. Precisely in our limitations and weaknesses as human beings we are called to live conformation with Christ in an all-encompassing commitment which anticipates the eschatological perfection , to the extent that this is possible in time ( ibid ., n. 16). In a society of efficiency and success, your life, marked by the “humility” and frailty of the lowly, of empathy with those who have no voice, becomes an evangelical sign of contradiction.

Lastly, I invite you to renew the faith that makes you pilgrims bound for the future. By its nature the consecrated life is a pilgrimage of the spirit in quest of a Face that is sometimes revealed and sometimes veiled: “ Faciem tuam, Domine, requiram ” (Ps 27[26]:8). May this be the constant yearning of your heart, the fundamental criterion that guides you on your journey, both in small daily steps and in the most important decisions.

Do not join the ranks of the prophets of doom who proclaim the end or meaninglessness of the consecrated life in the Church in our day; rather, clothe yourselves in Jesus Christ and put on the armour of light — as St Paul urged (cf. Rom 13:11-14) — keeping awake and watchful. St Chromatius of Aquileia wrote: “Distance this peril from us so that we are never overcome by the heavy slumber of infidelity. Rather may he grant us his grace and his mercy, that we may watch, ever faithful to him. In fact our fidelity can watch in Christ ( Sermon  32, 4).

Dear brothers and sisters, the joy of consecrated life necessarily passes through participation in the cross of Christ. This is how it ways for Mary Most Holy. Hers is the suffering of the heart that is one with the Heart of the Son of God, pierced by love. From this wound God’s light flows and also from the suffering, sacrifice and self-giving of consecrated people who live through their love for God and for others, that shines the very light that evangelizes nations. On this feast I express in a special way to you, consecrated people, the hope that your lives may always have the flavour of evangelical  parresia , so that in you the Good News may be lived, witnessed to, and proclaimed and may shine out as a word of truth (cf. Apostolic Letter  Porta Fidei ,  n. 6). Amen.

© Copyright 2013 – Libreria Editrice Vaticana

Source: https://www.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/homilies/2013/documents/hf_ben-xvi_hom_20130202_vita-consacrata.html Emphasis mine.

Copyright © Dicastero per la Comunicazione – Libreria Editrice Vaticana

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Presentation of Jesus in the Temple

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3 Key Lessons from Jesus in the Temple

Jesus did more than just scare his mom and drive out cheapskates. He set the standard of having a burning faith in the Church. He set the example to fight for faith, injustice, and loving the lost. Here are three key lessons about faith from Jesus in the temple.

We have a saying around our house, “If mama ain’t happy, then nobody’s happy.” I often think of Jesus in the temple and think we need the same phrase, “ If Jesus ain’t happy…” Especially when Jesus walked the earth and cleansed the temple shortly before His death and resurrection.

Then there was the first time He challenged His parents and stayed behind in the city from His family who had left to travel home. Jesus was 12 and nowhere to be found in their caravan. He definitely gave His mother a heart attack, only to stun her when she found Him sitting among the elders as He simply stated, “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?”

In today’s world, we are divided between doctrines, masks, vaccines, personal views, how the Church should be run, and of course, political parties. Everywhere you turn, individuals have strong opinions about the Church, faith, deconstruction of faith, and so much more. The very fabric of our faith is being torn, frayed, and unraveled. But…once the feelings settle, our minds clear, and then we get quiet; we feel His presence as we pray for Jesus to come for His people and heal this broken world. We sit in the quiet and reflect on His life.

His example reveals He was more than a man and He went against the grain of society. But it’s more than that. He taught us what faith looks like in action with a heart for God, the Church, and mankind. Jesus did more than just scare his mom and drive out cheapskates. He set the standard of having a burning faith in the Church. He set the example to fight for faith, injustice and loving the lost. Here are three key lessons about faith from Jesus in the temple.

Jesus' Example of Faith

"For we walk by faith, not by sight."  2 Corinthians 5:7

Those words seem simple enough. But what does it mean? In today’s world where there is more division than ever, I am learning that fleshing out these words is more complex. Yet, at its core, it’s simple. Faith means having tremendous confidence in God. It means courage and strength. It means unending grace. It also means standing up for what is pure, true, and right. It means believing the Bible is the key to nourishing our souls and the Church is a place to shine our light—not just outside its four walls but also within. Faith means you’re willing to look like a fool, willing to be misunderstood, abandoned, and become an outcast. It also means giving up any semblance of control over your life because you know the Author of your story is still writing it, knowing He knows the outcome. Why? Because at its core, faith is believing that “we walk by faith and not by sight.”

Jesus in the Temple Bible Story

"So then, faith comes by hearing, and hearing from the Word of God." Romans 10:17

Matthew 21:12-17 and John 2:13-22 tell the story of Jesus cleansing the Temple. The two passages may have been two different instances of Jesus cleansing the Temple, but they teach similar principles. Jesus had come to be the bridge between humanity and God. Jesus came because He knew we needed a savior. Yet, the Law was standing in the way. At the time, those who wanted to be righteous knew they needed to be pardoned for their sins. The Law required a sacrifice in the form of birds, lambs, cows, and oxen. Those who went to the temple to honor the Lord and seek His pardon knew they needed to bring a blood sacrifice. This blood sacrifice meant passing their sins onto the animal. Thus, commercialism and exhorting the pour began ( Exodus 30:11-16 ; Leviticus 14:22 ; Luke 2:24 ).

When Jesus entered the Temple , He assumed He would see people praying for needs, pardons, and finding the purest way to honor God. Instead, He saw a marketplace as a stumbling block and gate blocking humanity’s need from God. He saw corrupt, abusive, ungodly men as moneychangers, sellers of merchandise, and how others made God’s house of prayer into an abusive and lucrative place to extort those in need. At the time Jewish law was under the rule of Romans which meant “half a shekel” of Jewish coin needed to be changed into Roman coin ( Exodus 30:11-16 ). It became a matter of convivence to have a place where Roman coins could be exchanged for Jewish coins. The moneychangers provided this convenience but would demand a fee for the money exchange. Because thousands would travel from all over for Passover and feasts, money changing became a profitable business that became a gate, blocking the oppressed and poor via fraud and exhortation.

Jesus’ first cleansing of the temple is described in John 2:11-12 as having occurred just after Jesus’ first miracle, the turning of water into wine at the wedding in Cana. The second cleansing of the temple occurred just after Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem the last week of His life. This second cleansing is recorded in Matthew, Mark, and Luke but not in John. John 2:14-15 notes, "In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers sitting there. And making a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the temple.

But here is the twist in the story, this wasn’t the only time Jesus was found in the temple. In Luke 2:41-52 , Jesus purposely stayed behind to be in His Father’s House. “Each year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover, and when he was twelve years old , they went up according to festival custom. After they had completed their days, as they were returning, the boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it. Thinking that he was in the caravan, they journeyed for a day and looked for him among their relatives and acquaintances, but not finding him, they returned to Jerusalem to look for him.”

Key Lessons from Jesus in the Temple

What is it about this about finding Jesus in the temple which is of such significance? First, Jesus was already well aware of His identity and Mission. He was comfortable in His Father's House, the temple, and His teaching was already compelling. Even to the teachers in the temple at the mere age of twelve. Later, when he drove out the money changers, He was obliterating all obstacles to God. Here are the 3 lessons we can learn.

3 Things We Can Learn from the Apostle Who Denied Jesus

1. Jesus Was Intent on Purifying the Church

Compared to the priests and Pharisees , Jesus was bent on purifying the church.

John 2:14-16 tells us,

"And He found in the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers doing business. When He had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers' money and overturned the tables. And He said to those who sold doves, "Take these things away! Do not make My Father's house a house of merchandise!""

Compared to today’s churches that are focused on growth and becoming mega-churches, Jesus cared more about why people were attending instead of how many people attended. He cared more about who was coming to the Temple instead of how many people were coming. Jesus said His house was to be a House of prayer. He wanted His people to come with the focus of connecting with God and praying to God.

2. Nothing Is More Important Than the Kingdom of God

What is the real Kingdom of God? We are. When Jesus took our place on the cross, He became the bridge between us and God’s Kingdom. God resides within each of our hearts and someday God’s kingdom will come after He transforms the world with a new heaven and a new earth. When religious leaders asked when God’s Kingdom would be established (thinking God would wipe out the Romans who were ruling over them at the time). In Luke 17:20-21 Jesus “answered them and said, ‘The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, “See here!” or “See there!” For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.’” Jesus declared in Matthew 6:33 , “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” Instead of running after what we think we need or want, we should be pursuing God’s Kingdom, because God will take care of our wants and needs.

3. People Are More Valuable Than Money

Jesus demonstrated that people were more important and precious than profits. His righteous anger revealed His heart for His people. Jesus went on to tell the disciple the second greatest commandment as well: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” ( Matthew 22:39 ). The truth is we are lovers of ourselves when Jesus taught that we are to love our neighbors as much as ourselves. Jesus takes loving others even further in Luke 6:27 : “But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you.” That’s right; according to the Son of God , we’re supposed to even love our enemies!

When we apply these lessons to our lives, we can further God’s Kingdom and extend His invitation to others. We can in turn be a living Temple that shines a light in this dark world. We have the opportunity to shine His light while there is still time. In turn, our lives will be filled with His abundance of joy.

Was Jesus Justified in Overturning the Tables?

What is godly anger.

“We all have things that irritate us, and we display our anger in different ways. Yet research has proven that it is not good to be angry. One study found that bad-tempered people are three times more likely to have heart attacks. And a 2006 Harvard study revealed that 10 million men in the U.S. are so angry, they are sick. In fact, their disease has a name: Intermittent Explosive Disorder (IED). Having said all that, not all anger is bad. The Bible records a time when Jesus Christ , God incarnate, was angry. Very angry. After making His triumphal entry into Jerusalem with crowds cheering and palm branches waving, Jesus "went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in it, saying to them, ‘It is written, "My house is a house of prayer," but you have made it a "den of thieves" ' " ( Luke 19:45-46 ). Was Jesus having a temper tantrum? Hardly. It was righteous indignation. He went into the temple. He took stock of the situation. And He overturned tables. Why such a display of anger? Because the people engaged in temple commerce were keeping others from God. They had a little racket going in which they found fault with the sacrificial animals the people brought in and then sold them an "approved" animal at an inflated price. And this made Jesus angry. God is angry when people stand in the way of sinners coming to know Him. God doesn't like it when we get in the way, and it happens all too often in the church. But the church is not supposed to be a museum for saints; it is supposed to be a hospital for sinners—a place for people to know God.”

- Taken from " When Jesus Got Angry " written by Greg Laurie, distributed by Harvest Ministries (used by permission).

Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/wynnter

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Presentation of our lord jesus christ in the temple, the.

A feast of our Lord celebrated on Feb. 2, also known as Candlemas and the Feast of the Purification. It commemorates the presentation of Jesus and the purification of Mary in the Jerusalem Temple forty days after Jesus' birth, in accordance with the requirements of Jewish law (Lv 12:2-8). The feast is celebrated about forty days after Christmas. According to the account of Lk 2:22-39, the presentation of Jesus was also the occasion of the meeting of Jesus with Simeon and Anna. Simeon's prayer of blessing is the basis for the canticle Nunc dimittis (see BCP, p. 120). Celebration of the feast dates from the fourth century in Jerusalem. It was introduced in Rome in the seventh century, where it included a procession with candles and the singing of the Nunc dimittis. The celebration came to include the lighting and blessing of candles which were carried in procession. This feast was known as “Candlemas.” See Nunc dimittis.

Glossary definitions provided courtesy of Church Publishing Incorporated, New York, NY,(All Rights reserved) from “ An Episcopal Dictionary of the Church, A User Friendly Reference for Episcopalians ,” Don S. Armentrout and Robert Boak Slocum, editors.

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The presentation of Jesus in the temple in Luke 2

The lectionary reading for Epiphany 4 in Year C is Luke 2.22–40 as we celebrate the Presentation of Jesus in the temple in Jerusalem; this is also celebrated as the feast of Candlemas(s) and in many churches it marks the formal end of the Christmas season. (In the Church of England lectionary, we have this reading both for Epiphany 4 and the Presentation, though other versions of the RCL continue reading in Luke 4 for Epiphany 4. In Years A and B, the readings for Epiphany 4 are from Matthew 5 and Mark 1.)

If you are following Luke in the lectionary, this will all feel slightly odd; last week we heard about the beginning of Jesus’ teaching ministry in the synagogue in Nazareth, and have already reflected on the ministry of John the Baptist and Jesus’ own baptism, as well as the miracle in Cana . So this is a step back in the narrative before we move on to the catch of fish in Luke 5 and then loop back again to the temptations of Jesus at the beginning of Lent. It feels a bit like playing gospel narrative hop-scotch!

James Blandford-Baker and I discuss the passage in the video here; below it you can find the usual article discussing the text in detail underneath it.

This section in Luke 2 continues Luke’s unique nativity material; Matthew moves straight from the events surround the birth, including the visit of the Magi and the flight to Egypt, to the ministry of John the Baptist. But, in keeping with first-century expectations of a ‘life’ of a significant person, Luke offers (brief) descriptions of Jesus’ upbringing, including the episode in the temple when he is 12 years old.

The narrative once more includes three characteristic emphases of Luke’s work: the importance of Jewish pious devotion as the context for all that happens; the active role of the Spirit in directing events; and the understanding of Jesus as the fulfilment of eschatological hopes.

1. Jewish pious devotion

The whole narrative section begins and ends with an emphasis on pious devotion in fulfilment of the requirements of the law; the ‘requirement of the law of Moses’ in Luke 2.20 is matched by ‘required by the law of the Lord’ in Luke 2.39. We have already been told that Jesus was circumcised (and named) on the eighth day in the previous verse, and now Luke describes two important acts that follow on, the purification of Mary and the dedication of the child, interleaved as   chiasm:

A    ‘purification rites’ B     ‘present him to the Lord’ B’    ‘as it is written… “every male is to be consecrated..”‘ A’    ‘to offer the sacrifice…’

The regulation cited in the outer theme A–A’ is set out in Lev 12.1–8; a woman who has given birth is ceremonially unclean (which, note, has nothing to do with sin) for different lengths of time (depending on whether the child born is a boy or a girl) in this case, for 33 days, so we are a month on from the date of circumcision.  It is often noted in preaching that Mary and Joseph offer the more affordable of the two possible sacrifices as a concession to poverty—but in fact Luke makes nothing of this, and the emphasis is not on this, but on their compliance with the requirements set out in the Law. And we need to beware of projecting our own socio-economic framework on a different culture, where even skilled craftsmen might still be not far from subsistence living.  Like other aspects of the birth narrative, this doesn’t really suggest that they were particularly poor ; it just identifies them as ordinary .

The inner theme of Jesus’ presentation comes from the offering and redemption of the first-born sons (and animals) set out in the Exodus narratives. This offering and redemption appears to have two explanations. The first is in connection with the Passover deliverance itself; in Exodus 13.1–16, the firstborn are to be dedicated to and redeemed from the Lord in parallel with the loss of the firstborn of the Egyptians when the angel of death passes over.

This offering of the firstborn is reiterated in Num 18.14–16, though now in the context of the priestly role of the the tribe of Levi. This goes back to the incident of the Golden Calf in Ex 32; whilst those in the other tribes committed idolatry by bowing down to the calf, the tribe of Levi alone kept themselves pure, so that we read in Num 3.11–12 that the tribe of Levi now has this priestly task .

Originally, God intended that the first-born of each Jewish family would be a kohen – i.e. that family’s representative to the Holy Temple. (Exodus 13:1-2, Exodus 24:5 Rashi) But then came the incident of the Golden Calf. When Moses came down from Mount Sinai and smashed the tablets, he issued everyone an ultimatum: “Make your choice – either God or the idol.” Only the tribe of Levi came to the side of God. At that point, God decreed that each family’s first-born would forfeit their “kohen” status – and henceforth all the kohanim would come from the tribe of Levi. (Numbers 3:11-12)

What is striking in Luke’s narrative is that, though Jesus is dedicated to the Lord in the temple, he is not redeemed and thus exempted from priestly service. Like Hannah’s dedication of Samuel in 1 Samuel 1.24–28, Jesus remains dedicated to the Lord, which makes the episode in the temple when Jesus is 12 seem to follow on quite naturally. It also signals that Jesus’ ministry will restore to God’s people their priestly role, an idea that is picked up in Revelation as one of its points of connecting with Luke’s gospel. In Rev 1.5–6, Jesus is the one who has ‘freed us from our sins’ and ‘made us to be a kingdom and priests’ to serve God, taking up the pre-Golden-Calf language of Ex 19.6. In Rev 7.3, God’s people are sealed on their foreheads with the seal of the living God, which turns out in Rev 14.1 to be the name of the lamb and God, and by Rev 22.4 this turns out to be the high-priestly adornment as they do priestly service in the presence of God in the New Jerusalem which is shaped as a cube like a giant Holy of Holies.

The integration of these two rites serves to emphasise Mary and Joseph as pious observant Jews, which has two effects. First, it undoes the common claim that Jesus welcomed the outsider, but rebuked the religious; throughout Luke it is both the religiously observant and the ‘sinner’ who hears the good news. Second, it contributes to a consistent assertion that God honours the devotion of his people, a theme continued in Acts as the early followers of Jesus continue to worship in the temple.

2. The role of the Holy Spirit

The emphasis on pious devotion is interweaved in this passage with the importance of the role of the Spirit, just as it has already been in the case of Mary (humbly devoted and then clothed with the Spirit and power) and will be in Jesus’ temptations (disciplined obedience which leads to being filled with the power of the Spirit).

Simeon is ‘righteous and devout’ ( dikaios kai eulabes ); the term for ‘devout’ here only occurs in Luke’s writings (Acts 2.5, 8.2 and 22.12) but its cognates also occur in Heb 5.7, 11.7 and 12.28 to describe Jesus, Noah and the gathered followers of Jesus in worship. Although the ‘righteous’ are contrasted with the ‘sinners’ Jesus has come to call to repentance, it is clear in Luke (and especially in Matthew) that being ‘righteous’ is a positive quality to be desired and pursued. But along with this, there is a threefold emphasis on the Spirit: the Spirit is ‘upon him’; the Spirit has ‘revealed to him’ that he will see the Messiah; and the Spirit ‘moves him’ to go to the temple at that moment. It is safe to assume that the Spirit has also moved him, like Mary and Zechariah before him, to utter a prophetic oracle often now known by its opening line in Latin translation, the Nunc Dimittis (‘Now you dismiss…’). Given the juxtaposition of pious devotion and the Spirit, it seems fitting that Simeon’s prophetic utterances now finds its place in Anglican pious devotion as part of Night Prayer in Common Worship (previously in Evening Prayer in the BCP).

The description of the prophetess Anna provides a parallel with the description of Simeon, as one of Luke’s many male-female pairs. Her pious devotion is expressed in narrative terms, as she prays and fasts in the temple in her widowhood. The detail on fasting reflects a special interest of Luke; he offers us detail that the other gospels omit, namely that Jewish devotion involved ‘frequent’ fasting (Luke 5.33), and that this took place on two days a week (Luke 18.12) which we know from the Didache happened to be Mondays and Thursdays. Luke makes much of meals and eating, as symbolising messianic rejoicing; as its converse, fasting symbolises both sorry for sin and exile, and a longing for the messiah to come. Thus here is is connected with Anna’s anticipation of the ‘redemption of Jerusalem’ (the city serving as a metonym for the whole nation). Luke doesn’t mention the Spirit explicitly in relation to Anna, but like Simeon she offers a prophetic comment on the child.

We might say that, for Luke, the disciplines of pious devotion form the vessel into which he pours his Spirit, and without the Spirit such a vessel is empty. On the other hand, the work of the Spirit issues in these devotions of discipline, and without such disciplines the work of the Spirit is incomplete.

3. The fulfilment of God’s promise

The statements of both Simeon (recorded in detail) and Anna (offered in summary) are saturated with the theme of the eschatological fulfilment of the promise of God, as have (in their different ways) the first two of the three canticles in this part of the gospel. This theme will be repeated again in both the ministry of John the Baptist and the teaching of Jesus in Nazareth. There are some important things worth noting about the nature of this fulfilment.

First, Simeon follows Mary in seeing God’s promises already fulfilled in the person of Jesus. Where Zachariah, in the Benedictus, retains a future sense, Simeon (with the Magnificat) uses the language of realised salvation. Even though all that was promised has not yet happened, the confidence in the person of Jesus is such that it is as if we already have all the answers to the hopes that we longed for.

Second, this fulfilment is rooted in Scripture . Every line of the  Nunc Dimittis echoes one of the promises in Isaiah 40–66.

And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all people will see it together. (Is 40.5) I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles. (Is 42.6) Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you. (Is 60.1)

(See also Is 46.13, 49.6, 52.10 and 56.1).

Thirdly, this biblical pattern of promise is also personally fulfilled . Just as God has promised something to his people, which he now fulfils in Jesus, so God has promised something to Simeon (that he will not die…) which he now fulfils in Simeon’s encounter with Jesus (…until he has seen with his own eyes). The Spirit of God in Simeon has brought the word of God to Simeon, just as the Spirit has brought the word of God to his people in scripture.

Fourth, all these announcements are marked by joy and wonder , as have all the events around Jesus’ birth, both for those bringing the word of disclosure and for those who hear those words. The theme of joy continues to be a significant part of Luke’s account, both in the gospel and in Acts.

Fifth, and in some contrast, they also include warnings of division and pain . This will affect both the nation (‘the rising and falling of many’, Luke 2.34) and the individuals involved, especially Mary herself. The ‘sword that pierces her heart’ (Luke 2.35) might refer to the demotion of Mary in importance for Jesus as she takes second place to the imperative of gospel ministry, but it surely reaches its clearest fulfilment in her witnessing her son’s excruciating death on the cross.

Joel Green, in his NIC commentary on Luke, notes the wide number of themes in this short passage which interconnect with themes already present from the beginning of the third gospel.

There is much to learn from the individuals in the narrative, but if we are going to focus on the most important thing in preaching (not what we must do but what God has already done) we might note in this passage that God honours pious devotion, God sends his Spirit to guide, reveal and speak, and God fulfils all his promises in the person of Jesus.

(The artwork at the top is The Presentation of the Christ Child in the Temple by Philippe de Champaigne , 1648.)

We will look at: t he background to this language in Jewish thinking;  Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 24 and Mark 13; t he Rapture—what is it, and does the Bible really teach it; w hat the New Testament says about ‘tribulation’; t he beast, the antichrist, and the Millennium in Rev 20; t he significance of the state of Israel.

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10 thoughts on “The presentation of Jesus in the temple in Luke 2”

Ian, One of the striking aspects concerning Jesus to be found in these early chapters of Luke is the stress on his authority and power : “He will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and with fire” [1:16] ; “Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit —and was led by the Spirit in desert”[4:1]; and “Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit —–and he taught in their synagogues, and everyone praised him.” [4:14]. And yet – in Nazareth? They too recognized this authority and power, but if we allow Mark to contribute to this scene, it compliments what Luke is declaiming: “He could not do any miracles there — — he was amazed at their lack if faith” (ESV -“unbelief”) [Mark 6: 5-6]. Jesus did not acquiesce in this atmosphere of outright hostility and venom. He did not try to placate his detractors. On the contrary he went on the offensive (not, I hasten to add, by his attitude and demeanour, but by employing the Tanach to devastating effect)! There are (at least ) two conclusions to be drawn from this:- First, This passage illuminates the forcefulness, the singlemindedness and the refusal to compromise the truth of the Word of God; something that is clearly exhibited, not only in Christ’s preaching/teaching , but in his whole being. Secondly, this encounter begins a train of events (and continued in The Acts) which reveal that being empowered by the Holy Spirit does not neseassarily lead to unalloyed bliss. On the contrary, it led to persecution and death. And it is no different for this generation!

Yes, I would agree with you. I note quite often in the texts on Luke that he specifically makes reference to power, sometimes where the other gospels omit it.

I think this continues through Acts—the apostles exercise a spiritual power which is at odds with the institutional power of the Jewish leaders.

Than you Ian. You put a lot of work into these posts.

Does Jesus not being ‘redeemed’ also point to his sinlessness; there was no need for him to be redeemed?

You speak of Jesus’ priestly role. I agree. Christ acted as a priest but was not formally a priest. Sometimes we lose sight of the book of Hebrews – if Jesus were on earth he would not be a priest. He came from the wrong tribe. And so his priesthood comes through Melchizedek. It functions from heaven as part of his enthronement and his indestructible life.

Your point that all God’s people are now priests is intriguing. We are all kings too. I’m wondering if the Bible comments on the democratising dynamic. Christ has made us a kingdom of priests. Is this the work of the indwelling Spirit that equips us for a priestly role?

Ian Paul – that was a very nice post – many thanks for putting it up and all the work you put into it.

One issue that arises is pious devotion. Some of the things you mention were clearly prescribed in the Pentateuch; they are meticulously following these things, but they belong to the ceremonial law which was fulfilled and no longer plays any role (circumcision, the length of time one is ceremonially unclean after birth, what one is supposed to do at the end of this period, etc …).

Other things don’t seem to fall into this category. Is there any mention in the Pentateuch of fasting, specifically on Mondays and Thursdays?

So I’m wondering – what would constitute `pious devotion’ which is pleasing to God for Christians living in the 21st century? Clearly the Pharisees thought that their rigorous lifestyle corresponded to `pious devotion’, but Jesus only has condemnation for them. So – what should we be doing?

” – the apostles exercise a spiritual power which is at odds with the institutional power of the Jewish leaders”. Absolutely true! However let’s bring this up to date. “In the last days —- there will be times of difficulty ——–“. There will be those who have “the appearance of godliness but denying its power”. Without entering into a debate on the meaning of the last days, we are now witnessing a Westernised Christianity (not least within Anglicanism) which possesses a form of institutional *authority” – but with a growing declivity in *spiritual power* ; a manifestation I would suggest of a desire, among other things, to recreate a Jesus Christ who somehow conforms to the ever present need in some quarters for *relevancy* (conformity?) to secular values; a Jesus, perhaps, who in response to the question ” Is this not Joseph’s son ?” would probably have answered: ” That doesn’t matter really. I’m only here for you”.

Colin – perhaps true where you are. Right now, I’m living in a Catholic country, where the regime panders to the ultra-religious head bangers. They’re certainly not trying to recreate a Jesus Christ who conforms to secular values – quite the opposite.

How does one comment regarding a situation where information regarding the country is non-existent and where the ecclestical information is sparse – except to say that I have a long- standing, working knowledge of a European country with a Catholic majority. As far as I am concerned, what you have presented Jock is the exception; not the rule!

Colin – yes – I think you hit the nail on the head there.

Apologies for giving “ecclesiastical” short shrift!

Colin – absolutely no problem – you’re right about it being the exception. I’d simply prefer not to go any further down that road and give details, since Ian Paul put up a very nice post – and I don’t want to be responsible for taking the comments section `off topic’.

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Ian Paul: theologian, author, speaker, academic consultant. Adjunct Professor, Fuller Theological Seminary ; Associate Minister, St Nic's, Nottingham ; Managing Editor, Grove Books ; member of General Synod. Mac user; chocoholic. Tweets at @psephizo

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The Presentation of the Child Jesus in the Temple

The law of God, given by Moses to the Jews, to insinuate both to us and to them, that by the sin of Adam man is conceived and born in sin, and obnoxious to his wrath, ordained that a woman, after childbirth, should continue for a certain time in a state which that law calls unclean; during which she was not to appear in public, nor presume to touch any thing consecrated to God. This term was of forty days upon the birth of a son, and the time was double for a daughter: on the expiration of which, the mother was to bring to the door of the tabernacle, or temple, a lamb of a year old. and a young pigeon or turtle-dove. The lamb was for a holocaust, or burnt-offering, in acknowledgment of the sovereignty of God, and in thanksgiving for her own happy delivery; the pigeon or turtle-dove was for a sin-offering. These being sacrificed to Almighty God by the priest, the woman was cleansed of the legal impurity, and reinstated in her former privileges.

A young pigeon, or turtle-dove, by way of a sin-offering, was required of all, whether rich or poor: but whereas the charge of a lamb might be too burdensome on persons of narrow circumstances, in that case, nothing more was required, then two pigeons, or two turtle-doves, one for a burnt, the other for a sin-offering.

Our Saviour having been conceived by the Holy Ghost, and his blessed Mother remaining always a spotless virgin, it is most evident from the terms of the law, that she was, in reality, under no obligation to it, nor within the intent of it. She was, however, within the letter of the law, in the eye of the world, who were as yet strangers to her miraculous conception. And her humility making her perfectly resigned, and even desirous to conceal her privilege and dignity, she submitted with great punctuality and exactness to every humbling circumstance which the law required. Pride indeed proclaims its own advantages, and seeks honors not its due; but the humble find their delight in obscurity and abasement, they shun all distinction and esteem which they clearly see their own nothingness and baseness to be most unworthy of: they give all glory to God alone, to whom it is due. Devotion also and zeal to honor God by every observance prescribed by his law, prompted Mary to perform this act of religion, though evidently exempt from the precept. Being poor herself; she made the offering appointed for the poor: accordingly is this part of the law mentioned by St. Luke, as best agreeing with the meanness of her worldly condition. But her offering, however mean in itself, was made with a perfect heart, which is what God chiefly regards in all that is offered to him. The King of Glory would appear everywhere in the robes of poverty, to point out to us the advantages of a suffering and lowly state, and to repress our pride, by which, though really poor and mean in the eyes of God, we covet to appear rich, and, though sinners, would be deemed innocents and saints.

A second great mystery is honored this day, regarding more immediately the person of our Redeemer, viz. his presentation in the temple. Besides the law which obliged the mother to purify herself, there was another which ordered that the first-born son should be offered to God: and in these two laws were included several others, as, that the child, after its presentation, should be ransomed with a certain sum of money, and peculiar sacrifices offered on the occasion.

Mary complies exactly with all these ordinances. She obeys not only in the essential points of the law, as in presenting herself to be purified, and in her offering her first-born, but has strict regard to all the circumstances. She remains forty days at home, she denies herself all this time the liberty of. entering the temple, she partakes not of things sacred, though the living temple of the God of Israel; and on the day of her purification, she walks several miles to Jerusalem, with the world's Redeemer in her arms. She waits for the priest at the gate of the temple, makes her offerings of thanksgiving and expiation, presents her divine Son by the hands of the priest to his eternal Father, with the most profound humility, adoration, and thanksgiving. She then redeems him with five shekels, as the law appoints, and receives him back again as a depositum in her special care, till the Father shall again demand him for the full accomplishment of man's redemption. It is clear that Christ was not comprehended in the law; "The king's son, to whom the inheritance of the crown belongs, is exempt from servitude:- much more Christ, who was the Redeemer both of our souls and bodies, was not subject to any law by which he was to be himself redeemed," as St. Hilary observes. But he would set an example of humility, obedience, and devotion: and would renew, in a solemn and public manner, and in the temple, the oblation of himself to his Father for the accomplishment of his will, and the redemption of man, which he had made privately in the first moment of his Incarnation. With what sentiments did the divine Infant offer himself to his Father at the same time! the greatest homage of his honour and glory the Father could receive, and a sacrifice of satisfaction adequate to the injuries done to the Godhead by our sins, and sufficient to ransom our souls from everlasting death! With what cheerfulness and charity did he offer himself to all his torments! to be whipped, crowned with thorns, and ignominiously put to death for us!

Let every Christian learn hence to offer himself to God with this divine victim, through which he may be accepted by the Father; let him devote himself with all his senses and faculties to his service. If sloth, or any other vice, has made us neglectful of this essential duty, we must bewail past omissions, and make a solemn and serious consecration of ourselves this day to the divine majesty with the greater fervor, crying out with St. Austin, in compunction of heart: "Too late have I known thee, too late have I begun to love thee, O beauty more ancient than the world!" But our sacrifice, if we desire it may be accepted, must not be lame and imperfect. It would be an insult to offer to God, in union with his Christ, a divided heart, or a heart infected with wilful sin. It must therefore first be cleansed by tears of sincere compunction: its affections must be crucified to the world by perfect mortification. Our offering must be sincere and fervent, without reserve, allowing no quarter to any of our vicious passions and inclinations, and no division in any of our affections. It must also be universal; to suffer and to do all for the divine honor. If we give our hearts to Christ in this manner, we shall receive him with his graces and benedictions. He would be presented in the temple by the hands of his mother: let us accordingly make the offering of our souls through Mary and beg his graces through the same channel.

The ceremony of this day was closed by a third mystery, the. meeting in the temple of the holy persons, Simeon and Anne, with Jesus and his parents, from which this festival was anciently called by the Greeks Hypante, the meeting. Holy Simeon, on that occasion, received into his arms the object of all his desires and sighs, and praised God in raptures of devotion for being blessed with the happiness of beholding the so much longed-for Messias. He foretold to Mary her martyrdom of sorrow; and that Jesus brought redemption to those who would accept of it on the terms it was offered them; but a heavy judgment on all infidels who should obstinately reject it, and on Christians also whose lives were a contradiction to his holy maxims and example. Mary, hearing this terrible prediction, did not answer one word, felt no agitation of mind from the present, no dread for the future; but courageously and sweetly committed all to God's holy will. Anne also, the prophetess, who, in her widowhood, served God with great fervor, had the happiness to acknowledge and adore in this great mystery the world's Redeemer. Amidst the crowd of priests and people, the Saviour of the world is known only by Simeon and Anne. Even when he disputed with the doctors, and when he wrought the most stupendous miracles, the learned, the wise, and the princes did not know him. Yet here, while a weak, speechless child, carried in the arms of his poor mother, he is acknowledged and adored by Simeon and Anne. He could not hide himself from those who sought him with fervor, humility, and ardent love. Unless we seek him in these dispositions, he will not manifest himself, nor communicate his graces to us. Simeon, having beheld his Saviour in the flesh, desired no longer to see the light of this world, nor any creatures on earth If we truly love God, our distance from him must be a continual pain: and we must sigh after that desired moment which will free us from the danger of ever losing him by sin, and will put us in possession of Him who is the joy of the blessed, and the infinite treasure of heaven. Let us never cease to pray that he purify our hearts from all earthly dross, and draw them to himself: that he heal, satiate, and inflame our souls, as he only came upon earth to kindle in all hearts the fire of his love.

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What Does Jesus Teach Us about God's End-Times Plan?

• Dr. Roger Barrier Preach It, Teach It
• Published Nov 22, 2021

Editor's Note: Dr. Roger Barrier went to be with the Lord on February 16th, 2024. Dr. Barrier's family is honoring his legacy by continuing the ministry of Ask Roger and preachitteachit.org for years to come as they share more than two thousand still-unpublished sermons and Ask Roger articles. All articles authored by Dr. Barrier that are published and republished are done posthumously.

Dear Roger,

I’m a new Christian, and I was reading through the Gospel of Matthew. I got really excited when I came to chapter 24 and read Jesus’s teachings about the End Times. I’d like to understand more. Could you please help me? Sincerely, William

Dear William,

Matthew 24 is the only place where Jesus laid out his picture of the End Times. Therefore, it’s good to study what He had in mind and how it can apply to our lives today.

This passage is often called the “Olivet Discourse,” because Jesus was with His disciples on the Mount of Olives. Also, note that it was the Monday before He would be crucified on Friday.

The Context Is a Broken-Hearted Christ

The account really begins at the end of chapter 23:

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing. Look, your house is left to you desolate. For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’”  ( Matthew 23:37-39 )

Notice that Jesus did not say, “the Temple;” he said “Your house…” The Temple was no longer God’s House. It had been ruined by materialism, moneychangers, and deceitful leaders…some of the ungodly people in first-century Israel. Jesus then described the Temple as “desolate,” because the glory of God had departed from it.

The disciples were speechless. They sat for a while in silence, and then they asked him three specific questions (see Matthew 24:3 ):

2. What will be the sign of Your coming?

3. What will be the sign of the End of the Age?

Jesus answered the second and third questions first—and the first question last. Before we dig into the specifics, I want you to notice that Jesus used a number of literary devices in Matthew 24 . His teaching is not chronological. He describes events but not a timeline. It’s like He states an event and then swings it around in a circle that comes back to Him.

For example, when Jesus answered the “sign questions,” He jumped from place to place, from time period to time period, and from the signs of His coming to signs of the end of the Age.

Take a few moments to read  Matthew 24 .

You may find it difficult to sort out Jesus’s teaching here. Don’t despair; careful reading can bring out the truth.

Several Prophetic Principles to Unpack Matthew 24

The Humility Principle

Any discussion of future events calls for cautious humility.

Jesus Himself said that He didn’t know the day or the hour of His return. This statement brings into judgment all of those who claim to know a specific date.

At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. (v. 23-24)

Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. (v. 42-44)

The Mountain Peak Principle

Imagine driving in the mountains. You see what appears to be one large mountain in the distance. However, as you get closer you recognize that there is not one mountain peak, but two, separated by a long distance. In the distance, now you see a third mountain peak.

What you thought was just one mountain was really three mountains lined up in a row with distance between them.

Peak One: The Temple will be destroyed.

Peak Two: Christ will return.

Peak Three: The End of the Age will come.

The Multiple Fulfillment Principle

The “Abomination of Desolation” mentioned by Jesus in Matthew 24 has a triple fulfillment.

1. The first Abomination occurred in 163 B.C. when Antiochus Epiphanies slaughtered a pig on the Temple altar and began a reign of terror upon the Jews. Thousands were murdered. He was finally defeated by the Maccabees.

2. The second Abomination occurred in 70 A.D. when Titus, the Roman general, set up banners with the image of the emperor on them. He erected an altar to Zeus in the Temple courts and slaughtered a pig in the Holy of Holies. He turned the treasury rooms into public brothels and a great persecution began, leading to genocide.

Rumor had it that the Jews had put gold in the mortar which cemented the walls together. The Romans left no stone unturned looking for it, just as Jesus predicted.

3. The third Abomination, called the “Abomination of Desolation,” occurs during the middle of the seven years of Tribulation when the false prophet will erect an image of the Antichrist in the Holy of Holies in the Temple. The statue is speaking blasphemous things against Jesus and the kingdom of God.

Notice that each time that an Abomination appears, incredible waves of death and tremendous persecution follow. That’s why we read in Matthew 24 that Jesus told his people to run away as fast as they could in order to avoid persecution and death.

So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation,’ spoken of through the prophet Daniel—let the reader understand—then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let no one on the housetop go down to take anything out of the house. Let no one in the field go back to get their cloak. (vv. 15-18)

For example, when the second abomination occurred, most Jews crammed themselves into the city of Jerusalem and took protection behind the walls—that folly multiplied the horror of famine and siege.

The Jewish historian, Josephus, recorded some of the events in 70 A.D. and gives us a feeling of the horror that occurred in those days.

Nor was any mourning nor lamentations made. Those who were going to die looked upon the dead with dry eyes and open mouths. A deep silence seized the city…and everyone died with their eyes fixed upon the Temple.”

Josephus (Wars of the Jews, 6.3.4): tells the dreadful story of a woman during the siege who actually killed and roasted and ate her suckling child.

Practical Steps to Take as the End Times Approach

Be careful not to assume that every disaster is the beginning of the end:

Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains.

“Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” ( Matthew 24:4-14 )

Some Christians would sell tickets to the Battle of Armageddon if they could.

But Jesus specifically warns us that we are not to imagine that events that seem to be cataclysmic—such as wars, earthquakes, wide-spread famines—are infallible signs that the end is near.

They are the normal features of this age. They are what Jesus called the “birth pains” preceding the End. However, they will intensify until they are full-blown during the tribulation.

Signs that Will Have a Double Fulfillment

The signs that Jesus enunciates in Matthew 24 will also be fulfilled in the book of Revelation. They are:

1. False Christs

Jesus answered: "Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many.”  (v. 4)

These are not only religious fanatics. They could be rebel groups that promise solutions that deceive people so that they themselves can gain control of a nation.

2. Warfare Among Nations

You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.  (vv. 6-7)

Think of Middle Eastern Conflicts today and the future battles between the country that occupies the land of present-day Russia and a North African coalition versus the Antichrist (see Ezekiel 38-39 ).

3. Devastations in the Physical World

There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains.  (vv. 7-8)

Consider natural disasters, climate change, etc.

4. Hatred and Persecution of Christians

Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me.  (v. 9)

Think of the two million Sudanese Christians who were murdered by a Pro-militant-Islamic government. Or remember the Campus Crusade missionaries in Turkey who were recently kidnapped from a Bible Printing House and tortured.

5. Apostasy (Falling Away of False Believers)

At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. (vv. 10-13)

A person who genuinely belongs to Christ continues to confess Him, to serve Him and to suffer for Him when necessary. But it is not a person’s endurance that will produce salvation ; his or her endurance will be a Spirit-empowered product and proof of the reality that or she is saved.

6. Worldwide Gospel Presentation

And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.  (v. 14)

Despite all the hatred, betrayal and persecution, the Gospel will cover the earth. In Revelation, 144,000 Jews for Jesus are commissioned to share the Gospel around the world. Then, just before the Bowl Judgments are poured out and the final holocaust begins, God will send an angel to preach the “eternal gospel” ( Revelation 14:6-7 ).

Eternity in Heaven

Take heart! We who have trusted Christ as Savior will experience eternity in Heaven with Him.

I imagine that Jesus was very excited when He said the next few verses!

Immediately after the distress of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken. At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.  (vv. 29-31)

These days will bring hope and glory to every person who has received Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. Notice these wonderful, glorious truths:

1. God has not abandoned the world.

For all its wickedness, the world is still the scene in which God’s purpose is being worked out. He has not abandoned us.

2. Both judgment and a new creation are certain.

God sees the world in both justice and mercy. God’s plan is not the obliteration of the world but a re-creation of a world that is nearer to His heart’s desire.

3. The focus is not on the Signs. The focus is on alertness, self-control, faith, and love.

4. His return will be without warning. Be ready. He will come when we least expect it.

We are to live as if his coming is in the next 10 minutes; but, plan as if he’s not coming for thousand years.

5. Our security is bound up in the Person of Jesus Christ.

Well, William, I hope that I’ve answered your question. If you have any more questions, please let me know.

Love, Roger

Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/Ig0rZh 

This Ask Roger article features insights from Roger's daughter, Brie Barrier Wetherbee , a sought-after Bible teacher and conference speaker, author, analyst, and Christian theologian.

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what is the significance of the presentation of jesus in the temple

• by Azshittu
• July 24, 2022 December 24, 2023

The presentation of Jesus in the temple is significant because it marks the beginning of Jesus’ life as a man, and demonstrates his holiness.

Jesus was born to fulfill a prophecy in the Old Testament that said that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem, which is why Mary and Joseph traveled there after they heard about it. However, according to Jewish law, all males were required to be circumcised when they turned eight days old. Since Jesus wasn’t yet eight days old when he was born, Mary and Joseph went back to Jerusalem for him to be circumcised—and for him to be presented in the temple.

The presentation of Jesus in the temple is important because it shows his parents’ devotion to God: they followed the law closely even though it was inconvenient for them. Also, since this was an important event in their son’s life, we can assume that they would have been open about who he was and what he meant for them.

Presentation of Jesus in the Temple

• Century:  –
• Patronage:  –
• Feast Day:  February 2nd

The Presentation of Jesus in the Temple celebrates an early episode in the life of Jesus.  It falls between the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul on January 25 th , and the Feast of the Chair of St. Peter on February 22 nd .  In the Roman Catholic Church, the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple is the fourth Joyful Mystery of the Rosary.  

The event is described in the Gospel of Luke, 2:22-40.  According to the gospel, Mary and Joseph took the baby Jesus to the Temple in Jerusalem forty days after his birth to complete Mary’s ritual purification after childbirth, and to perform the redemption of the firstborn, in obedience to the Law of Moses, Leviticus 12, Exodus 13:12-15.  Luke explicitly says that Joseph and Mary take the option provided for poor people, those who could not afford a lamb, sacrificing a “pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons”.  Leviticus 12:1-4 indicates that this event should take place forty days after the birth of a male child, and that is whey the Church celebrates the Presentation in the Temple forty days after Christmas.  

As they brought Jesus into the temple, they encountered Simeon.  The Gospel records that Simeon had been promised that “He should not see death before he had seen the Lord” Luke 2:26.  Simeon prayed the prayer that would become known as the “Canticle of Simeon”, which prophesied the redemption of the world by Jesus: “Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace; according to Thy word; for mine eyes have seen Thy salvation, which Thou hast prepared before the face of all people; to be a light to lighten the gentiles and to be the glory of Thy people Israel”, Luke 2:29-32.  Simeon then prophesied to Mary, “Behold, this child is set for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which is spoken against.  Yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul, that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed”, Luke 2:34-35.  The Elderly Prophetess Anna, was also in the Temple, and offered prayers and praise to God for Jesus, and spoke to everyone there about Jesus and his role in the redemption of Israel, Luke 2:36-38.  

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Neighbors oppose Lone Mountain LDS Temple proposal; church leader says they will address concerns

L AS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) - Neighbors around Lone Mountain launched a fierce opposition to forthcoming plans for a new temple for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, as a church leader promises to address some concerns.

Neighbors created a petition with more than 700 signatures and a Preserve Rural Las V egas website. Various neighbors have expressed concerns over traffic and the massive footprint, but many take issue with the height and lighting proposals in a rural area.

Attorneys for the project held a neighborhood public meeting and disclosed in renderings that the height of the steeple would be 216 feet.

Long-time rural zoning restrictions for the Lone Mountain area limit projects with massive footprints and height and lighting restrictions.

In late 2022, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints announced plans for a second temple at the 20-acre site off North Grand Canyon Road.

Last week, the City Council of Las Vegas voted to amend longstanding code in the district, paving the way for houses of worship to apply for a Special Use Permit to build in the area.

“Our homes are limited at 35 [feet]. This is nearly 200 feet taller than any of our homes,” said concerned neighbor Matt Hackley.

“They’re going to have the church lit from dusk to dawn. The view, the darkness, and the vision of the mountains—that’s going to be gone. It won’t be rural,” said concerned resident Renee Newman.

Numerous residents own and ride horses, and voiced concerns about the safety to continue to do so.

“We ride our horses in the area. There’s going to be too much traffic. It’s just not safe anymore, and that’s not why built out here in 2007,” said concerned resident Kara Walker. “I would like the church and the city and us local residents to be able to sit down and consider other optimal sites,” Walker said.

Community members also are lobbying Clark County leaders as the project progresses through city and county commissions.

Leaders for the church recently released renderings for the proposal.

“Temples are so special, they are so significant. We build them, and then we dedicate them to God, they are literally a house of the Lord. Things like the size and the height of the building are part of the deep religious meaning and symbolism of the building itself,” said Bud Stoddard, stake president of the Lone Mountain Stake.

“We will be evaluating ways that we can address some of the concerns that have been raised by the neighbors,” Stoddard said.

For decades, the Mormon community has had one temple at the base of Sunrise Mountain. Stoddard said there has been a long-time need for a West Valley location as the region keeps growing and traffic increases.

“Since 1989, all of the members of the Church throughout the entire Las Vegas Valley have used one temple located at the base of Sunrise Mountain. So as you can imagine, as the Valley has grown over the last three and a half decades, it’s become much more difficult for members, such as myself, and members of my stake who live on the west side of town, to travel all the way across town to be able to regularly attend the temple on the east side,” Stoddard said.

The City of Las Vegas released the following statement on the next steps:

On Tuesday, April 9, 2024, the Planning Commission will hear the presentation of the proposed LDS temple, inside City Hall at 6 pm where the general plan amendment and zone changes will be presented to the Planning Commission.

During this time, the Planning Commissioners will learn the details of the proposed LDS temple and will conclude with a recommendation that will be sent to City Council.

On May 14, 2024 the proposed LDS temple will present their Site Development Review to the Planning Commission where discussion about the size, height, parking and aesthetics of the proposed LDS temple will take place.

Following the Planning Commission meeting the proposed LDS temple will come to City Council for another full presentation. The City Council would then vote on the project.

Councilwoman Francis Allen-Palenske of Ward 4 also released the following statement:

“While many people are eager to hear my opinion on the proposed temple, it’s customary to allow the Planning Commissioners independence to perform their duty without the influence of the councilperson. Until then, I am seeing the outreach from both supporters and those in opposition and reading all of the comments. As our community begins to debate the details of the proposed project, please remember to be kind and neighborly, even when we disagree.”