Simeon, the Prophet who Held the Saviour (Luke 2:25-35)

This sermon was preached on 29/12/2013

Was he a prophet? It seems to be the case that Simeon was an Old Testament prophet, and the presence of such a person at such a time in Israel would not be surprising given that there was also a prophetess called Anna among the devout saints living in Jerusalem. Often, prophets appeared when the priesthood was corrupt. How can we say that he was an Old Testament prophet? First, he lived in the Old Testament dispensation. Second, he received personal revelations from God concerning the coming of the Christ. Third, he recognized who Jesus was before receiving any information about him from Mary and Joseph. Fourth, he predicted the sufferings of Jesus and the maternal sufferings of Mary.

Was he a priest? It is also possible that Simeon was a priest. Some commentators have thought so. I read one who said that the ceremony of the redemption of the firstborn would involve a priest examining the child for no blemishes, then he would pronounce two benedictions (one connected to the law of redemption and the other to the gift of a first-born son), after which the redemption price would be paid. If Simeon was a priest on duty, then we can see that he gave one benediction about deliverance and one benediction – it is called a blessing – about the future of Jesus, the firstborn Son.

There are some difficulties in saying that Simeon was a priest. First, Luke does not say he was. Second, Mary would only be allowed into the court for women and could not be elsewhere within the temple, such as at the court of the priests. Of course, it could be that Luke is showing that God provided in Simeon a fit person to provide a suitable pair of benedictions in contrast to what the officiating priest may have offered.

He was a servant. What is clear from Simeon’s own self-description is that he saw himself as a servant of God. Indeed the name that he uses for the sovereign God indicates that he saw himself as God’s slave. And that is how a believer should see himself, whether he holds an official position as a prophet or priest, or whether he is a layperson who takes God’s Word seriously in all that it states.

His character

Luke informs us that Simeon had a consistent spiritual practice. He was righteous and devout. Righteous probably refers to his behaviour in general and devout refers to his spiritual activities such as prayer, almsgiving and fasting. In addition he was anticipating the arrival of the Messiah, waiting expectantly for his appearance, so his faith was fresh and vibrant even in a spiritually weak time. Moreover, he was moving about under the guidance and influence of the Holy Spirit, and it is not too much to assume that he would have the fruit of the Spirit to a marked degree.

This man was a contrast with many of the religious leaders in Jerusalem. They served themselves rather than God, as can be seen from the ones who gave guidance to Herod when he was seeking for information after the wise men from the east suddenly appeared in Jerusalem (Matt. 2). The presence of such a man as Simeon is very encouraging because he is a reminder that the Lord can provide choice servants even in the worst of times. He is also an example that indicates clearly that believers can develop a high degree of holiness even when the church is backsliding away from God.

Simeon was also a constant challenge to the people of his time because they would have been aware that he claimed to have a word from God concerning what he would experience personally. As long as he lived, the Messiah was still to come. We are not told how old Simeon was, although it is assumed that he was an aged person because of his words that, having seen the infant Jesus, he was now ready to die. Whether he was aged or not, or whether he had to wait a long time or not, all who knew him would be aware of his devotion to the Messiah who had been promised by God.

Those three features are worth repeating. First, he had a consistent, balanced, developed spiritual lifestyle. Second, he did not imitate those who merely knew the Bible but had not discovered its power, about whom the best that can be said of them is that they engaged in mere formality. Third, he made it very clear who he was living for, that the Messiah was first in his life.

The Consolation of Israel

Jesus has many beautiful titles and here Luke mentions one of them when he calls Jesus ‘the consolation of Israel’. Why did Israel need consolation? Here are a few suggestions. At that time, she was scattered, with many if not most of the people living away from the Promised Land. Further, she had no political influence in the world – the days of David and Solomon were long gone. In addition, the public worship connected to the temple was in the hands of money-grabbing unbelievers. Moreover, much of the patriotism that was expressed had nothing to do with a desire for holiness and devotion to God. Those with eyes to see knew that there was only one remedy, the coming of the promised Messiah, and with that thought they consoled themselves.

Their example is one that should be imitated by us. We have more consolation from Jesus in the sense that we have more promises and much more information than Old Testament believers had. Since we live between the first and second comings of Jesus, we can look back to the cross, up to the throne, and forward to his return for our consolation.

The first pronouncement of Simeon

Luke tells us that when Simeon came into the temple that day he was ‘in the Spirit’. Is this a description of his normal life of faith or is it a description that indicates God was going to speak through him? It is common to find believers described as being in the Spirit and occasionally the phrase is used to describe a chosen spokesman for God (such as John on the Isle of Patmos who described himself as being in the Spirit when he received from Jesus the New Testament book that we call Revelation. So both options are possible.

In a sense, it does not matter because we know what he was guided to say. Yet there is an application to ourselves that is worth noting and it is that usually we have to be in the Spirit before God will use us in his service. The idea behind such a phrase is that of unity and harmony between the believer and the Spirit.

In his words we can see that a hold of Jesus by faith gives peace regarding the prospect of death. It is the case that Simeon had a literal hold of the infant Jesus. Yet his soul went far beyond what his eyes could see about Jesus to what his faith could see about him. Perhaps Simeon occasionally had doubts regarding what he had been told by God and when such times occur peace would be taken away. But this sight of Jesus informed Simeon that God would keep all his promises as well as the individual promise that he would see the Messiah.

Moreover, his words tell us that the kingdom of God had a wonderful future. Through the infant he held in his arms the kingdom was to expand dramatically and include Gentiles as well as Jews. As far as Gentiles were concerned, Jesus was going to give light or revelation about God and his character and plans. At that moment when Simeon spoke, those nations were in pagan darkness, and there were many centuries of spiritual darkness ahead for some of them. Simeon may not have grasped how the revelation would be conveyed, but we know that Jesus does from the heavenly throne.

This statement by Simeon is as encouraging today as was when he first uttered it. Many of the Gentiles are living today in spiritual darkness, and only one person can give them spiritual light and that is Jesus. But that is what he is doing even now, drawing sinners to himself from all the nations of the earth. I sometimes get the impression that people are astonished that Jesus is able to do this today in Africa and Asia and South America. I suspect their astonishment is connected to judging things by their own weak churches rather than by his wonderful power and purpose.

As far as Israel was concerned, Simeon says that Jesus will bring glory to them. It is the case that Israel had been a highly privileged people, enjoying many favours from God and understanding many insights about him. But their privileges would reach their climax in the arrival of Jesus, and his appearing would be far superior to anything else they had known. Nothing greater can happen to Israel after the Messiah comes to them. This does not mean that they will not have great spiritual experiences in the future, but what gives glory to them is that Jesus the Messiah of the world belonged to them.

Simeon’s pronouncement to Mary

In verse 34, it is not clear if Simeon’s address to Mary is part of his blessing or whether it is a separate message that he was guided by God to give to her. The servant of God is led to say two details about Jesus.

First, Jesus will be a Saviour of many Israelites who initially oppose him. He will be like a stone over which many shall stumble. Then Simeon says that those who initially fall will rise up again, which I take to be a description of them coming to accept that Jesus is the Saviour. We can see how this would be fulfilled in all those converts mentioned in the early chapters of Acts.

Second, the way by which their hearts will be opened will be connected to a time when Jesus will be opposed. This time is further identified as when a sword would pierce the heart of Mary.  It is difficult not to see this as a reference to what occurred at the cross. The degree of the opposition to Jesus was revealed at Calvary and it was there that she, as the one who had given birth to him, had her deep sorrow at how he was rejected and crucified.

Simeon here is describing how the Gospel often affects people. Initially they oppose it because it condemns them for their sins. Yet, through the persistent application of the gospel to their minds and heart by the Holy Spirit they discover that they are drawn towards the suffering Saviour and eventually embrace him by faith. In doing so, they rise from their previous opposition and begin an ascent that will never end.

By the time Mary would have informed Luke of the words of Simeon, they had been fulfilled and her own sore heart had been healed. Indeed we could regard part of his first writing (the Gospel of Luke) as describing how Jesus was opposed and part of his second writing (the Acts) as how Jesus lifted up many who had stumbled initially at his message. Simeon not only received a wonderful promise about what he would experience personally but he also was used to pronounce a wonderful prediction of what his Saviour would accomplish.