December 22, 2018
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Reading along with us in Luke for five days? Here’s today’s reading:
Luke 2 (ESV)
In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 And all went to be registered, each to his own town. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. 6 And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.....Continue Reading
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All these accounts in Luke 2 are not found in the other gospels. But Luke had said at the beginning of the gospel that he was aware of other writings on the life of Christ and he made a diligent investigation of the facts. And probably relied heavily on Mary’s testimony for these first couple of chapters. And this chapter contains a lot of what a mother would highlight: shepherds coming to the stable and how they got there, Simeon and Anna prophesying about her son, and how could she forget the time she almost lost the Son of God. And as verse 51 states, Mary treasured these things In her heart much like any other mother does.
Verse 40 is also interesting. It recognizes that Jesus grew as any normal child would and was strong, but also full of wisdom and the grace of God was upon Him. Which means all Jesus parents were involved in His upbringing, and God the Father took His part too. And I just love how the teachers of the law got a taste of that wisdom early on. You have to wonder if some of them remembered Him later on when they were exposed to His wisdom and His questions again as an adult?
28he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said,
29 “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace,
according to your word;
30 for my eyes have seen your salvation
31 that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and for glory to your people Israel.”