Key Themes Chapter 1: Yeshua’s Birth and childhood,
Angels, Shepherds, rejoicing, according to the law of Moses, Feasts, Messianic
Prophecies fulfilled, praise, Ruach HaKodesh/Holy Spirit
Questions to ponder:
1. How did G-d
use natural circumstances to see his word fulfilled in the life of yehsua?
2. how many
messianic prophesies can you find fulfilled in this chapter?
3. why did
god choose the lowly to reveal messiah to?
4. how many
torah laws can you find fullfilled in this chapter?
5. what can
we discover about yeshua childhood from this chapter?
Luke 2
Augustus enrolls all the Roman Empire
1 And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a
decree from Caesar Augustus,
that all the world should be taxed.
2 (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)
3 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.
4 And Joseph
also went up from Galilee,
out of the city of Nazareth,
into Judaea, unto the city of David, which
is called Bethlehem; (because
he was of the house and lineage of David:)[2]
5 To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with
child.
6 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were
accomplished that she should be delivered.
7 And she brought
forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes,
and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
·
Birth of Yeshua
(Jesus) during Succoth (Click here to read Article by Greg Killian)
An angel
announces it to shepherds
8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the
field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
9 And, lo, the angel
of the Lord came upon them, and the
glory of the Lord shone round about them:
and they were sore afraid.
10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good
tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a
Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye
shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude
of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good
will toward men.
15 And it came to pass, as
the angels were gone away from them into
heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing
which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.
16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.
17 And when they had seen it, they made known abroad
the saying which was told them concerning this child.
18 And all they that heard it wondered at those things
which were told them by the shepherds.
19 But Mary kept all
these things, and pondered them in her heart.
20 And the
shepherds returned, glorifying and praising
God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.
·
What do the
Scriptures say about the Messiah? (Click here to find out)
Yeshua is circumcised – Yosef and Miriam
obeyed the Torah in ALL things..according to the LAW
21 And when eight
days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS[3],
which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
22 And when the days of
her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord;
23 (As it is written in
the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to
the Lord;)
24 And to offer a
sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.
Torah Commands obeyed by
Joseph & Mary
1.
Yeshua
Circumsized
2.
Mary
Observed Ritual Purification
3.
Sacrifice
made according to the LAW of Moses
4.
Yeshua presented
before the Priest
5.
They
performed all things according to the LAW (vs 39)
Complete
Jewish Bible Luke 2:21-22[4]
21 On the eighth day, when it was time for his b’rit-milah, he was given
the name Yeshua, which is what the angel had called him before his
conception.
22
When the time came for their
purification according to the Torah of Moshe, they took him
up to Yerushalayim to present him to Adonai 23 (as
it is written in the Torah of Adonai, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to Adonai”) 24 and
also to offer a sacrifice of a pair of doves or two Young pigeons,as required
by the Torah of Adonai.[5]
Torah Commands:
Lev 12:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
Lev 12:2 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a woman have
conceived seed, and born a man child: then she shall be un clean seven days; according to the days of the
separation for her infirmity shall she be unclean.
Lev 12:3 And in the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be
circumcised.
Lev 12:4 And she shall then continue in the blood of her purifying
three and thirty days; she shall touch no hallowed thing, nor come into the
sanctuary, until the days of her purifying be fulfilled.
Lev 12:5 But if she bear a maid child, then she shall be unclean two
weeks, as in her separation: and she shall continue in the blood of her
purifying threescore and six days.
Lev 12:6 And when the days of her purifying are fulfilled, for a son,
or for a daughter, she shall bring a lamb of the first year for a burnt
offering, and a young pigeon, or a turtledove, for a sin offering, unto the
door of the tabernacle of the congregation, unto the priest:
Lev 12:7 Who shall offer it before the LORD, and make an atonement for
her; and she shall be cleansed from the issue of her blood. This is the
law for her that hath born a male or a female.
Lev 12:8 And if she be not able to bring a lamb, then she shall bring two
turtles, or two young pigeons; the one for the burnt offering, and the other
for a sin offering: and the priest shall make an atonement for her, and she
shall be clean.
Exo 13:2 Sanctify unto me all the firstborn, whatsoever openeth the
womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of beast: it is
mine.
Num 3:13 Because all the firstborn are mine; for on
the day that I smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I hallowed unto me
all the firstborn in Israel, both man and beast: mine shall they be: I am
the LORD.
Simeon and
Anna prophesy of Yeshua
25 And,
behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just
and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him.
26 And it was revealed
unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should
not see death, before he had seen the Lord's
Christ.
27 And he came by the
Spirit into the temple: and
when the parents brought in the child
Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law,
28 Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said,
29 Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace,
according to thy word:
30 For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,
31 Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people;
32 A light to lighten
the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.
33 And Joseph and his mother marvelled at those things which
were spoken of him.
34 And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising
again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against;
35 (Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that
the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.
36 And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser:
she was of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her
virginity;
37 And she was a widow of about fourscore and four
years, which departed
not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.
38 And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto
the Lord, and spake of
him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem.
Here we have 2 Ruach/Spirit Annointed Intercessors
who were devout Jews worshiping, praying, interceding and waiting upon Adonai
for Messiah to be revealed; Simeon and Anna.
Anna is called a prophetess (PROPH'ETESS, n. A female prophet; a woman who
foretells future events, as Miriam, Huldah, Anna, &c. Exo 15. Judg 4. Luke
2.) Simeon also operated as a prophet (PROPH'ET,
n. [L. propheta.]1. One that foretells future events; a predicter; a
foreteller.) as he prophesies in vs. 32-34 (ref. Isaiah 9:2;42:6;49:6,9;51:4;60:1-3;1
Peter 2:6-8)
39 And when they had performed all things according to the
law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city Nazareth.
40 And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with
wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him.
41 Now his parents went to Jerusalem every
year at the feast of the passover.
42 And when he was twelve years old, they went up to
Jerusalem after the custom of the feast.
43 And when they had
fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child Jesus tarried
behind in Jerusalem;
and Joseph and his mother knew not of it.
44 But they, supposing him to have been in the company, went a
day's journey; and they sought him among their kinsfolk and
acquaintance.
45 And when they found him not, they turned back again to Jerusalem, seeking him.
46 And it came to pass,
that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst
of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions.
47 And all that heard him were astonished
at his understanding and answers.
48 And when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother
said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I
have sought thee sorrowing.
49 And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye
not that I must be about my Father's business?
50 And they understood not the saying which he spake unto
them.
51 And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but
his mother kept all these sayings in her heart.
52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with
God and man.
The Brit Hadasha does not give details about Yeshua’s
childhood, but we know that He was brought up and trained according to the
Torah.
1.He grew strong
in spirit and full of wisdom and G-ds grace was upon him
2.Every
year Yeshua and His family went up to Yerushalyim for Pesach/Passover
His parents went to
Yerushalayim for the festival of Pesach. There were three “pilgrim festivals” in the Jewish
calendar when all Israel was supposed to appear at “the place where Adonai
chooses to establish his name” (Deuteronomy 16:2)—Pesach
(“Passover”; see Mt 26:2N), Shavu>ot
(“Weeks,” “Pentecost”; see Ac
2:1N), and Sukkot (“Tabernacles,” “Booths”; see Yn 7:2N). Not all
Jews obeyed the requirement, especially those as far away as Natzeret; but,
being observant and pious Jews, Miryam and Yosef went every year[6]
3.When he
was twelve …..
When he was twelve
years old. This single incident
from Yeshua’s “silent years” (see 2:52N) took place near the age at which a
Jewish boy today undergoes his bar-mitzvah ceremony and becomes a “son of the commandment,”
personally responsible for keeping the Torah given by God to Moses on Mount Sinai. At this time
he dons t’fillin for the first time officially (see Mt 23:5N), and
for the first time he is given an aliyah (call-up) to come to the bimah
(lectern) and read from the sefer-Torah (Torah scroll) in a synagogue service. Verses 46–47
suggest a comparable “coming out” for Yeshua, but there the parallel ends. Bar-mitzvah did not start to become a major ceremonial event in the Jewish
life-cycle until the Middle Ages, and only in modern times has it become the
focus of grandiose celebrations. Moreover, the age for bar-mitzvah is not twelve but thirteen. [7]
4.The
Jewish Scholars were amazed at His understanding and insight of the Torah. They
did not realize they were in the presence of the Living Torah
5. We are told that he increased in wisdom,
stature and favor with G-d and man.
6.In Mark
6:4 We see he learned the trade of his father, He was a carpenter.
In His humanity he experienced life as we did, he
was a child who played and laughed, he was a teenager who learned to become
obedient to the Torah, he became a young man, learning hardwork and the trade
of his father. He grew up with
humanity, he knew all of their pains, sufferings, joy and sorrow. God in the flesh, walking among His
creation, born to die become the
sacrificed lamb of God, but to be raised from the dead.
Isa 53:1 Who hath believed our report? and to whom is
the arm of the LORD revealed?
Isa 53:2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender
plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and
when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.
Isa 53:3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of
sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from
him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
Isa 53:4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried
our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
Isa 53:5 But he was wounded for our
transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of
our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
Isa 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have
turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of
us all.
Isa 53:7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet
he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a
sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.
Isa 53:8 He was taken from prison and from judgment:
and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the
living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.
Isa 53:9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and
with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any
deceit in his mouth.
Isa 53:10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he
hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for
sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the
pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.
Isa 53:11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and
shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many;
for he shall bear their iniquities.
Isa 53:12
Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he
shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul
unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of
many, and made intercession for the
[1] All Scripture is from the King James Version of the Bible unless otherwise noted
[2] According to John Gills
Exposition of the Entire Bible- Luk 2:1 - And
it came to pass in those days,.... When John the Baptist was born, and
Christ was conceived, and his mother pregnant with him, and the time of his
birth drew on. The Ethiopic version reads, "in that day"; as if it
was the same day in which John was circumcised, and Zacharias delivered the
above song of praise: that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus; second
emperor of Rome; the name Caesar was common to all the emperors, as Pharaoh to
the Egyptians, and afterwards Ptolemy. His name Augustus, was not his original
surname, but Thurinus; and was given him, after he became Caesar, to express
his grandeur, majesty, and reverence; and that by the advice of Munatius
Plancus, when others would have had him called Romulus, as if he was the
founder of the city of Rome (z): by
him a decree was made and published,
that all
the world should be taxed; or "registered", or
"enrolled"; for this was not levying a tax, or imposing tribute upon
them, but a taking an account of the names of persons, and of their estates;
and which might be, in order to lay a tax upon them, as afterwards was: for the
payment of a tax, there was no need of the appearance of women and children;
and so the Arabic version renders it, "that the names the whole habitable
world might be described, or written down": such an enrolment had been
determined on by Augustus, when at Tarracon in Spain, twenty seven years before;
but he was diverted from it by some disturbances in the empire, so that it was
deferred to this time, in which there was a remarkable interposition of divine
providence; for had this enrolment been made then, in all likelihood it had not
been done now, and Joseph and Mary would not have had occasion to have come to
Bethlehem: but so it must be; and thus were things ordered by an infinite, and
all wise providence to effect it: nor did this enrolment reach to all the parts
of the known world, but only to the Roman empire; which, because it was so very
large as it was, and in the boasting language of the Romans was so called, as,
Ptolemy Evergetes (a) calls his
kingdom, kosmov, "the world". Though
some think only the land of Judea is meant, which is called the earth, in Luk_21:26 and "all the world", in Act_11:28 but the other sense seems more
agreeable; and so the Syriac version renders it, "that all the people of
his empire might be enrolled": and the Persic version, "that they
should enrol all the subjects of his kingdom"; and is justified by the use
of the phrase for the Roman empire, in several passages of Scripture, Rom_1:8. Now at the time of this enrolment, and
under this august emperor, and when the whole world was in a profound peace,
was the Messiah born, the King of kings, and the only potentate; the Shiloh,
the peaceable and prosperous, the Prince of Peace, and Lord of life and glory;
and that, in order to redeem men from that worse subjection and bondage they
were in to sin, Satan, the law, and death, than they were to the Roman emperor.
The Jews say (b), the son of David
shall not come, until the kingdom (of Edom, or Rome, as some copies read, in
others it is erased) shall be extended over all Israel, nine months, according
to Mic_5:3. The gloss on it is, that
is, "all the world", in which the Israelites are scattered,
(z) Suetonius in Vita Octav August. sect. 7. (a) Apud Fabricii Biblioth Gr. Tom. 2. p. 608. (b) T. Bab. Sanhedrin, fol. 98. 2.
[3] Yeshua in Hebrew
[4] These verses record the
observance of two points of Jewish law, pidyon-haben (redemption of a firstborn
son) and the purification of a mother after childbirth.
The ceremony of redeeming the firstborn male son reminds the
Jewish people of their redemption from slavery in Egypt (Exodus 13:2–16) and of
avoiding the last of the Ten Plagues to afflict the Egyptians, the slaughter of
their firstborn sons (Exodus 11:4–5, 12:29–30), by slaughtering a lamb in
accordance with God’s command and placing its blood on the doorposts; on seeing
it the angel of death passed over the Israelite families (Exodus 12:3–14, 21–28).
Each family therefore dedicates its firstborn son to God’s service but
then redeems the boy for a payment of five sanctuary-shekels (Numbers 18:16). In
consequence God accepts instead the Levites, the descendants of Ya‘akov’s son
L’vi, for service in the Tabernacle or Temple (Numbers 3:12–13, 45; 8:14–19).
Pidyon-haben takes place after the son is thirty days old
(Numbers 3:14). Today it is normally done on the thirty-first day, but that is
not a biblical requirement. The narrative in v. 22 suggests either that Miryam
and Yosef went up to Jerusalem at the time of pidyon-haben and remained there ten days
until it was time for Miryam’s purification, or that they delayed the pidyon-haben until the purification.
Purification of a mother is described in Leviticus 12:1–8. The mother of a son
remains ceremonially unclean for forty days after childbirth. On the
forty-first day a sacrifice is offered,
“a one-year-old lamb for a
burnt offering and a young pigeon or turtledove for a sin offering …. But if
she cannot afford a lamb, then she shall take a pair of doves or two young
pigeons … , and the cohen shall make atonement for her, and she shall be
clean.” (Leviticus 12:6, 8)
From Luke’s quotation of this in v. 24 we learn that Yosef and Miryam
were relatively poor. Today’s Orthodox Jewish women cannot offer a sacrifice,
since there is no Temple; but they immerse themselves in a mikveh in partial observance of
the purification rite.
Their purification. Only Miryam was ritually impure, so the plural is unexpected. Luke
may be thinking of her purification together with Yeshua’s redemption rite. Or
Yosef may have undergone ritual purification with Miryam; it was permitted
though not commanded (compare Sha’ul’s purification at Ac 21:22–27&NN). In
our own times, even though neither the Written nor Oral Torah requires it, some Orthodox
Jewish men immerse themselves in a mikveh on Friday afternoon in
order to be ritually pure before the commencement of Shabbat.
Torah, see Mt 5:17N. Up to Yerushalayim, see Mt 20:18N. [4] Jewish NT Commentary, David H. Stern
[5]The Jewish New Testament, (Clarksville, MD: Jewish
New Testament Publications) 1996.
[6]The Jewish New Testament
Commentary,
(Clarksville, MD: Jewish New Testament Publications) 1996.
[7]The Jewish New Testament
Commentary,
(Clarksville, MD: Jewish New Testament Publications) 1996.