Jesus was the glory of his people

JESUS WAS THE GLORY OF HIS PEOPLE
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
Luke 2:32 32a light for revelationto the Gentiles, and
the glory of your people Israel."
Christ, The Glory Of His People
BY SPURGEON
“A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the Glory of Your people Israel.”
Luke 2:32
WE must read this passageliterally, for so Simeon intended it. The Lord Jesus
Christ, though once despisedand rejectedby His own countrymen, is the
greathonor and splendor of God’s people, Israel. It is reckonedanhonor to a
nation when eminent persons are born of its stock and lineage–butIsraelcan
claim the palm above all lands, for she cansay that our Lord sprang out of
Judah.
Put togetherall the heroic and famous names of Greece and Rome–addall the
literary splendors of Germany and the flashing beauties of France. Combine
with these the blazing fame of Milton and Shakespeare,ofBaconand of
Newtonin our own land–and all countries put together cannotcompass so
greata glory of manhood as can the nation of the Jews, forthey can claim not
so much Moses, andDavid, and the Prophets, as Jesus of Nazareth, the King
of the Jews, in whom dwells the fullness of the Godheadbodily.
If mention is made of Egypt and Babylon, or Philistia and Tyre, saying, “This
man was born there,” the answershall be concerning Zion, “The Son of Man
was born in her.” It ill behooves us ever to speak slightingly of the Jew. It ill
behooves the Christian Church to despond concerning the conversionof the
seedof Israel, or to be so indifferent as she sometimes is as to the conversion
of Israel. Brethren, the day will come when the veil shall be takenfrom the

eyes, and the hardness from the heart, and Abraham’s sons shall behold the
true Messiahand acceptHim as their Glory and their All.
In that day, after the long time of winter, how bright the summer will be! If
their casting awaybrought the Gentiles so much blessing, what will their
gathering togetherbe but life from the dead! After so long an alienation, how
ravishing and delightful will be the reconciliationbetweenthe Bridegroom
and His ancient spouse!How will the earth ring with joy and every river in
Judea’s land flow to the tune of Heaven’s own music, when Jesus and the Jew
shall be reconciled, and He shall be, as He is prophesied to be, the Glory of His
people Israel!–
“The hymn shall yet in Zion swell
That sounds Messiah’s praise,
And Your loved name, Immanuel!
As once in ancientdays.
For Israelyet shall ownher King,
For her salvation waits,
And hill and dale shall sweetlysing
With praise in all her gates.
Hasten, O Lord, these promised days,
When Israel shall rejoice,
And Jew and Gentile join in praise,
With one united voice.”
It would have been wrong to use the text as I am going to use it if I had not
first given you its primary meaning. We have no right to use texts for other
purposes without, first of all, giving the literal meaning, and saying, “Such-
and-such is originally the mind of the Holy Spirit.” It is doubtless the mind of
the Spirit speaking here by Simeon, that the Lord Jesus shall be a Light to
lighten the once darkened Gentiles, but peculiarly the Glory of the Jewish
nation. We shall now employ the natural Israel as a type of the Lord’s elect
ones, and surely there is no straining of the text when we say that Jesus Christ
is the Glory of the spiritual seed, the redeemed people, who stand to the Lord
actually where Israel of old stood in the type.
Jesus Christ is the Glory of His people, His spiritual people Israel. And why,
with evident propriety, may the saints of God be compared to Israel? Surely
because Godhas made a Covenantwith them as He did with Jacob. Jacobat
the footof the ladder saw a way which led from earth to Heaven. We at the
foot of the Cross have beheld the same vision. We see a way from our poor
fallen estate up to all the glories of the place where Jehovahdwells. That night
a Covenantwas made with Jacob. And betweenGod and our own souls–inthe

Personof the Lord Jesus–there is a blessedcompactmade which shall stand
secure though earth’s old columns bow.
He will be our God, and we shall be His people. He has made with us a
Covenantordered in all things and sure. This is the great fountain of all our
mercies, the ground of all our hopes. Our CovenantGod is the delight of our
inmost souls, our castle and high tower, our sun and our shield–
“He by Himself has sworn.
I on His oath depend.
I shall, on eagles'wings upborne,
To Heaven ascend:
I shall behold His face,
I shall His poweradore,
And sing the wonders of His grace
Forevermore.”
We may be comparedwith Israel, again, because if we are the children of God
we have learned to wrestle with the angeland prevail. It is one mark of the
heir of Heaven that he understands the value of secretprayer, and that he
exercises himselfin it–that is to him as stern a reality as wrestling is to the
athlete when he seeks to hurl his antagonistto the ground. Not a mumbling of
words, but a marshalling of all the powers of manhood to come into contest–
loving, blessedcontest–withGodHimself! Well may they be called prevailing
princes who are so. DearFriend, if you are a man of secretprevailing
supplication, why need you doubt that you are one of the Lord’s Israels?
It may be that you have another likeness to Israelin the fact that you are
much tried. It is not so sure a tokenof salvationas some would make it out to
be, but yet it is written, “Throughmuch tribulation we must enter into the
kingdom of God.” PoorIsrael said, “All these things are againstme,” when
one after another his beloved children were takenfrom him and famine was in
the land. Perhaps you may be tempted to say the same, and in this you have a
likeness to Jacob–fromwhich I could wish you to escape,for it were better far
if, taking all these evils as they come, you could believe the heavenly
declaration, “All things work togetherfor good, to them that love God.”
Faith must be tried. God had one Son without sin but He never had a son
without the rod. “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten.” I hope we shall be
like Jacobalways in our faith, for though he may have distrusted occasionally,
yet he was a man of giant faith and has a place in that roll call of heroes in the
Epistle to the Hebrews. He blessedthe sons of Joseph, leaning upon his staff,
and gave commandment concerning the taking awayof his bones. He was not

content to allow his body to rest in Egypt–he lookedfor the promised land and
there, there only, would he have his agedbody laid in the grave–asif in death
he would take possessionof the heritage which the Lord had promised to him
and to his seedforever.
May you and I have a faith that cannot be satisfiedwith all the greenplains of
Goshen, nor the granaries ofEgypt, but which longs for the better state–the
promised land–which to the eyes of our body may be invisible, but which to
the eye of our faith is clearly revealed!Now, the true Israel, which is
spiritually the Church of Christ, are said, according to the text, to be the
Lord’s people. “The glory of Your people Israel.” Briefly let me remind you,
my fellow Believers, ofthe ties which make us the Lord’s. Are we not His,
tonight, by His eternal choice? “Youonly have I known of all the nations of
the earth.”
The eternalFather has selectedus from among the ruins of the Fall and given
us into the hands of Christ that we may be His portion, His bride, His jewels,
“according as He has chosenus in Him before the foundation of the world.”
We are Christ’s, next, by redemption. He has redeemedus from among men
by a specialand particular redemption which is peculiar to ourselves. A price
has been paid for us–an effectualprice, which will not permit, for a moment,
that the objects so purchased shall ever be lost. “You are not your own, you
are bought with a price.” The saints are redeemed from among men. Thus are
you Christ’s by double bonds–the gift of the Fatherand the purchase of His
own blood. The Fathergave you to Jesus and none shall pluck you out of His
almighty hands!
You are His, too, this night, by conquest. Admit it. He has struggled with your
sins and overcome them. The Spirit of the living God has takenyou, as it
were, like a lamb from the jaws of the lion. You were led captives by Satan,
but Christ met the devil and overcame him in a terrific duel, and you, the once
willing captives of the powers of Darkness, are now Christ’s portion made free
and blessed!You are now the possessionof your Conqueror, for He took you
out of the hand of the enemy with His sword and with His bow. You belong to
Christ as the spoil which He has won from death and Hell.
You are His, again, by the voluntary dedication of yourselves to Him. Come,
Beloved, is it not so? Will you not confess–
“ ‘Tis done! the greattransaction’s done!
I am my Lord’s, and He is mine!
He drew me, and I followedon,
Charmed to confess the voice Divine”?

If you feel aright, you will confess that there is not a drop of blood in your
veins which does not belong to Jesus, nor a hair on your head which is not His.
All the Isle of Man now belongs to Jesus, and you will count it foul scorn that
sin should have a lodge within the territories which belong to your liege Lord
and Master!From within the triple kingdom of your spirit, soul, and body,
you will, to the best of your power, hunt out every rebel againstthe dominion
of your Lord Jesus. You are His tonight, you know you are!You rejoice to
confess the blessedimpeachment and are willing, before men, angels, and
devils, to renew the dedication of yourselves to Him.
And, once again, you are His in conjugalbonds–married to Him as chaste
virgins. His unbounded love espousedyou before time began and it has not
diminished. He claims you as His own bride, and you call Him the Husband of
your souls, and delight to have it so. More than that, you are His in vital union
as the members belong to the head. You are in personal, vital, actual
communion with the Sonof God! You are thus His in the fullest and most
absolute sense. Oh, you will not start back from being altogetherHis, but
come closerand closerto a full surrender and desire to feel more powerfully
the factthat you are Christ’s people, wholly belonging to Him–not in part, not
held by a kind of mortgage–butChrist’s freehold, Christ’s absolute property!
You bear in your body the marks of the Lord Jesus and desire to be His, now,
and His, world without end. Now, it is to such as these, who are like Israel,
and who belong to Christ, that the text shall be addressedtonight. Jesus
Christ is the Glory of such. We will pause a moment, and then let us plunge
into the center of the text.
1. When we saythat Christ is our Glory, we mean that WE GET ALL
THE GLORY WE HAVE THROUGH HIM. Some men go to schools
for glory, others to the camps of war. In all kinds of places men have
sought after honor, but the Believersays that Christ is the mine in
which he digs for this gold–Christis the sea in which he fishes for this
pearl–he gives up all other searchings and looks forGlory in Jesus and
nowhere else.
Now, Beloved, we find our adorable Lord to be our Glory tonight, but in what
respects? Well, we have the glory, first, of election–ofbeing chosenby God out
of the rest of mankind–to be a separatedpeople before which imperial pomp
grows pale!And this comes to us altogetherthrough Jesus Christ. “According
as He has chosenus in Him from before the foundation of the world, that we
should be holy.”

Our next glory is that we are redeemed. It is no small honor for a man to
know that God loved Him so well that He gave a price so costlythat all
Heaven and earth could not match it with another–that He gave His only
begottenSon that we might be redeemed. Now, Beloved, we are not redeemed
exceptthrough Jesus Christ. And if it is our glory that we are emancipated
today–that our fetters are all broken, that we are the Lord’s freemen–we
know with what a price we gainedthis liberty, for we were not free-born. Yes,
the glory of the Lord’s freeman must be only in the Lord Jesus, who is the
Son, who by His blood makes as free, indeed.
It is the glory of a Christian that he is adopted, that he is a son of God–but
this, again, is only through Jesus Christ. We are joint heirs with Christ. We
have no relation except through His standing at the top of the page in the
family register. He is a Son, and we become the many brethren, but only
because He condescendedto take upon Him our nature and become the first-
born among us. Brothers and Sisters, it is a greatjoy to know, and a great
glory to say, “I am justified.” We can stand upright tonight and say, “Who
shall lay anything to my charge? Beforethe court of King’s Benchof Heaven,
before the Chancery of the universe, who dare condemns me?”
To be pardoned and acceptedofGod is a matchless privilege. Now, no man
can claim justification of a truth except through Jesus Christ, for here is the
top and the bottom of a man’s justification–that the righteousnessofChrist
has been given to him, and that the blood of Christ has washedhim. “Who is
he that condemns? It is Christ that died, yes, rather that has risen again;who
sits at the right hand of God, who also makes intercessionforus.” Remember
this, my Brethren–we are accepted, but we are acceptedin the Beloved–and
we are justified, but we are justified in His righteousness. We are a people
dear to God, and near unto Him, but all this lies in Jesus Christ. We are
comely with the comeliness whichHe puts upon us, and secure in God’s sight
because we are preservedin Christ Jesus.
One part of the Christian’s glory, and for my part one which I sigh for more
and more, is the glory of sanctification. It is a greatglory to have a new heart
and a right spirit and to pant after holiness, but this also comes by the same
royal road–forwe are sanctified through the blood of Jesus–whichthe Holy
Spirit applies to us. There is not a particle of true sanctity in all the world
which does not spring from the Cross!Everything which makes us like Christ
first comes from Christ, not from the works ofthe Law, nor from the strivings
of the flesh, nor the teachings ofphilosophy–but altogether–
“From the waterand the blood
From the riven side which flowed.”

If we glory, then, in sanctification, we dare not glory exceptin Christ Jesus,
whose blood has made us priests and kings unto God.
And, Brothers and Sisters, it is a greatglory to a man to know that he is safe. I
love our Arminian friends very heartily, but I should not like to be one of
them, myself, for they have such a precarious salvationthat they do not know
whether it will ultimately save them or not. It will save them if they are
faithful, but ah, that unhappy thought is the one dangerous link in the chain–
and I dare not trust my poor unfaithful soulto such a frail support. They are
traveling in a carriage, the axles of which may break before they reachtheir
journey’s end! I bless God I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded
that He is able to keepthat which I have committed to Him until that day.
But if a man knows himself, by faith, to be saved, his knowledge is baseless
presumption if he rests his safety anywhere but on the immovable rock of the
finished work of Jesus Christ! He who cansay, “Yes, I trust Christ to save me
not only today, or tomorrow for He has workedout for me an everlasting
salvation. I believe that He will be with me and own my name at the bar of
judgment”–sucha man knows that he is resting only in Jesus, and then his
glory as to his safety is a glory in Christ, and in Christ alone.
Thus I might continue showing you that there is not a single treasure which a
Christian possesseswhichdoes not come to him but through Christ. He has
nothing in which he can glory but what he is sweetlycompelledto sayof it, “I
gained this in the market of Calvary. I found this in the mines of a Savior’s
suffering. All this came to me through my bleeding, buried, risen, coming
Lord, and He shall have the glory of it as long as I live.”
II. There is a secondmeaning to the text, namely this–WE SEE A GLORY IN
CHRIST which swallowsup all other glories as the sun’s light conceals the
light of the stars. True Believers see Glory, first, in Christ’s Person. They are
often overwhelmed as they contemplate His Godheadand His Manhood
Divinely blended. All His attributes strike them as glorious. They cannot think
of His Characteras He manifested it while here below, or as it is revealed
before the Throne above, without falling into raptures of adoring wonder,
love, and praise.
If others tell them of the glory of such-and-such philanthropists and able men,
the saints reply, “We have perceivedno glory anywhere comparable with that
which gleams in the Characterof Christ.” Oh, how deeply was Rutherford in
love with his sweet, unutterably sweetLord Jesus!Would to God I were as far
gone as he in that heavenly union, communion, and rapture! What
expressions he uses!How deep he dips his pen! How glowingly he writes and

yet he never exaggerates. It is impossible! Christ is too lovely for us ever to say
a word that shall approachhalf-way to the fullness of His unspeakable
excellence andboundless worth! Much less need we ever fear lestwe shoot
with a bow that shall pass the mark. No, Beloved, our Lord’s Personis the
admiration of the highestintellects that God has ever made, and though
angels have been educatedin the greatscience ofChrist Crucified these many
years, yet–
“The first-born sons of light
Desire in vain its depths to see!
They cannot reachthe mystery,
Incarnate God is yet beyond them, and still, instead of being weariedwith
their pursuit, they are students yet,sitting at the feet of the Church of God
that there may be made known among principalities and powers the manifold
wisdom of God! Oh, you shall never see anything so glorious as the Personof
the Belovedif your eyes are but once favored to gaze upon Him and your
heads but once permitted to lean upon His loving bosom! Brethren, the moon
is a blot, and the sun a burnt-out coalcompared with our Immanuel!
The saints see a greatGlory in the sufferings of Christ. When a base world
turns awayfrom the Despisedand Rejected, it is then that the regenerate
heart clings fastestto Him. Oh, how Divinely the scarletofHis blood becomes
Him! Was ever Caesar’spurple half so glorious? He is bright in Heaven. Be
You worshipped forever, Sun of our souls!But if there is a place where, above
all others, we would kiss His feet and washthem with our tears, and love Him
best of all, it is Calvary’s Cross. How our hearts burn when we think of His
bearing the load of guilt for us–groaning, sweating, bleeding and painfully
yielding up His life!
A root out of a dry ground He may be to this blind-eyed world, but to us,
Beloved, who have been admitted into the mystery of His inmost heart–all
over glorious is our precious Lord–a miracle of love, the astonishmentof
earth, the marvel of Heaven, the All in All of our souls!If there were time, we
might say that He has been glorious to us in His Resurrection, especiallysince
He has taught us to rise with Him in newness oflife–glorious in His Ascension,
now that He is sitting at the right hand of the Father–especiallynow that we
have been raisedup together, and made to sit togetherin heavenly places in
Him.
He is glorious in His intercession. Whata comfortit is to us to think that our
name is on one of the stones of that glorious breastplate!He is glorious, too, in
His secondadvent. We expect Him to come soon. It is earth’s highesthope, the

Church’s most fervent prayer! Come quickly Lord Jesus!To see You we
would gladly give up the sight of everything beneath the stars. To see the King
in His beauty come riding through the streets!To behold Him with the
rainbow wreath and robes of storm! Yes, to have one glimpse of that Great
White Throne, though it were but a distance–andto hear Him say one word–
was a kind of everlasting Heaven! But for once to have seenHim! But for once
to have heard Him!
It might make men contentto bear a thousand trials but for once, with heart,
and eye, and soul, to drink a full draught of the Glory of Christ. Brethren, our
soul fires as we proceed, and we long to praise and sing–
“King of kings!Let earth adore Him,
High on His exalted throne!
Fall, you nations, fall before Him,
And His righteous scepterown:
All the glory
Be to Him, and Him alone!”
But we must not stop, nor need we tarry. It is enoughto have proved it to
every Christian heart, though, indeed, it needed no proof, that Jesus Christ is
the Glory of His people Israel, in the sense that they shall glory in Him.
III. In the third place, the text is true in the sense that WE GIVE GLORY TO
HIM. Alas! Alas! It makes a Christian’s blood boil to see glory given in a
professedplace of worship, yes, and in a professedProtestantChurch, too, to
a pack of scamps who call themselves “priests”!I would not call them by such
a name if they were honest enough to go off to the Church of Rome, where
they ought to be–but having the impudent effrontery to attempt to palm
themselves off in this country of ours for what they are not, I know of no
words bad enough for them!
What reverence or respectis to be paid to those gentry inside those brass
gates, around the thing they call an altar? I suppose those gates enclosea sort
of holy place into which the poor laity must not go!If these priests had their
way, we should have to go down and lick the soles of their feetas our
benighted forefathers aforetimes bowedbefore the hirelings of Rome! Does it
not make a man feel, when you see pictures of his holiness and the cardinals,
and so on, scattering their benedictions at the Vatican, or at St. Peter’s, while
admiring crowds fall down and worship them, that it were infinitely better to
bow to Satanhimself?
We give glory unto God, but not a particle of glory to anything in the shape of
a man, or an angel, either. Have I not stoodand seenthe crowds by hundreds

fall down and worship images and dressed-up dolls? I have seenthem worship
bones and old teeth! I have seenthem worship a skeletondressedoutin
modern costume–saidto be the skeletonofa th century, find people so
infatuated as to think that such idolatry waspleasing to the most high God!
We, Brethren, the people of God who know Christ, can give no glory to this
rubbish, but turn awayfrom it with horror! Our glory must be given to
Christ, and to Christ, alone.
Now, here is the touchstone to try your religion by. When you pray, to whom
do you pray? Through whom do you pray? When you sing, for whom is the
song meant? When you preach, to whose honor do you preach? To whom do
you intend to do service? Whenyou go out among the poor. When you
distribute alms. When you scatteryour tracts. When you talk about the
Gospel–forwhomdo you do all this? For, as the Lord lives, if you do it for
yourselves, or for any besides the Lord Jesus, you do not know what the
vitality of godliness is! Christ and Christ only must be the grand Objectof the
Christian! The promotion of His Glory must be that for which we are willing
to live, and for which, if needs be, we would be prepared to die.
Oh, down, down, down, with everything else–butup, up, up, with the Cross of
Christ! Downwith your baptism, and your masses,and your sacraments!
Downwith your priestcraft, and your rituals, and your liturgies! Downwith
your fine music and your pomp, and your robes, and your garments, and all
your ceremonies!But up, up, up, with the doctrine of the nakedCross, and
the expiring Savior!Let the voice ring throughout the whole world, “Look
unto Me and live!” There is life in a look at the Crucified One! There is life in
simple confidence in Him–but there is life nowhere else. Godsend to His
Church an undying passionto promote the Savior’s Glory, an invincible,
unconquerable pang of desire and longing that by any means King Jesus may
have His own, and may reign throughout these realms! In this sense, then,
Jesus is and must be the Glory of His people.
IV. But there is another sense, namely, FROM JESUS IS REFLECTEDALL
THE GLORY WHICH IS PUT UPON HIS PEOPLE. Whateverglory they
have–andthey have much in the eyes of angels and much honor in the eyes of
discerning men–it is always the reflectionof the Savior’s Glory. I know some
holy men and womenfor whom I cannot but feelthe deepest and keenest
respect, but the reasonis because they have so much of my Masterabout
them. I think I would travel many miles to talk with some of them because
their speechis always so full of Him and they live so near to Him.
If you take down some of the old books ofthe Puritans, and others, I know
which you will love the best if you love Christ. Why, those that talk of Him!

And when you getinto the middle of the chapter where some holy man of God
is extolling Him, then you will say, “He being dead yet speaks, andspeaks just
that to which my ear would listen.” If there should ever be any glory about
you, young man, it will have to come through your having much of Christ in
you! Believe me, the true path to glory for a Christian is never to try to excel
in literary attainments apart from Jesus!
He may lawfully try for that in subservience to the higher aim–still, that must
not be his glory as a Christian. It never ought to be the glory of the Christian
that he is a goodbusiness man–he should be a goodbusiness man, but still
that is not to be the objectof his glory. If you make anything to be your glory
exceptChrist, God will prepare a worm to eatthe root of it, for He will have
you–if you are His, He will have you chaste to Himself–and you shall never
have anything to glory in but Christ.
You know, Beloved, this is a trying point with many of us, for I am afraid that
sometimes we even get to glory in our ministry–and if we do, it will be all over
with our usefulness. We must glory in Jesus, and not in our ministry, “Oh,”
said those disciples as they came back, with excited hearts–“Lord, Lord, even
devils are subject to us.” “Ah,” said Jesus, “Nevertheless,rejoice notin this,
but rather rejoice that your names are written in Heaven.” There is the point.
You must come back to that–rejoicing in your own personalsalvation through
the precious blood of Jesus Christ!
You must rejoice in Him, and then you will think thus: “Well, even if my
ministry should not prosper, though I hope it will, yet if I have glorified Christ
it shall be enough reward for me. If He is lifted one inch higher, it does not
matter if I am trod like mire in the streets. If His dear name is but made
illustrious, I will be nothing. If no one shall ever lisp my name with
approbation, then so be it! Let Your servantbe a dog and let him be buried
and forgottenso long as King Jesus wears the crown, and men cry, ‘Long live
the King!’”
Oh, this is the Christian’s greatdesire–thathe may win Christ! And this it is
which gives glory to him and makes him esteemedofGod to have lived with
an unselfish passionfor Jesus gleaming in his breast–to have lived with so
heavenly a brightness shining from his brow, and glittering through his entire
life! Thus the true glory of every Christian is His Master’s, and comes from
Him.
1. But now once more. The text may be read in this sense–Christis the
Glory of His people, that is to say, THEY EXPECT GLORYWHEN HE
COMES. “Itdoes not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that

when He shall appearwe shall be like He is.” Our glory is laid up. We
are not wearing our Sunday clothes yet. All this is but the weekday
garb, and it is very dusty and commonplace. And with many, the poor
body is getting very worn out, too. You may well –
“Long for evening to undress
That you may restwith God,”
for when you wake up, what a bright suit will be ready for you! Oh, such
garments of glory and beauty that you will scarcelyknow yourselves in them!
You will not be like your present selves, you will be like Christ–
“Since Jesus is mine
I’ll not fear undressing,
But gladly put off this garment of clay.
To die in the Lord is a covenantblessing
Since Jesus to Glory through death led the way.”
When you follow Jesus in resurrection, what glory! But we must not begin to
speak of that, for we should never leave off at all if we beganto talk about that
glory–the glory of perfection, the glory of being delivered from sin, the glory
of conquest, having trod Satanunder our feet! The glory of eternal rest, the
glory of infinite security, the glory of being like Christ, the glory of being in
the light and brightness of God, standing, like Milton’s angel, in the very sun
itself!
If you want to know what Heavenis, you can spell it in five letters!And when
you put the five letters togetherthey sound like this–JESUS!That is Heaven!
It is all the Heaven the angels round the Throne desire to know. They want
nothing better than this–to see His face, to behold His Glory–and to dwell in it
world without end!
VI. Thus far have we been led into many precious Truths of God–we have
now done with the doctrinal part of the text, but we must prolong our
meditation two or three minutes to speak a little upon THE PRACTICAL
DRIFT OF THE SUBJECT.
We have just two or three things to say. We would give a word of warning to
those of you who seek your glory anywhere else, becauseas surely as you do
so–evenif you meet with honor for a time–you will lose it. It is always ill to put
your treasure where it will be stolenfrom you. Now, suppose you seek your
glory in your learning. Well, well, well! Let the sextontake up your skull after
you have been dead a little while and what learning will there be in it? What
show of wisdom will be found in it when it is resolved into a little impalpable

brown powder? What will your science,and your mathematics, and your
classicsdo for you in death and judgment?
Suppose you seek your glory in fame, and become the favorite of the nation as
a greatsoldier. When the grave-diggerrattles your old bones about, what will
that signify? You will have great fame, you say, and men will talk about you.
Well, will that stop the worms from eating you? Will it give you a single
moment’s repose, if you are found in Hell, to know that there are those on
earth who say that you were a famous man? Great men in Hell look very
small! Great men in the pit have to suffer as well as others–yes, theyendure
more of anguish because they were so great and had so many responsibilities.
When you wake up in the Dayof Judgment, you graspers ofearthly honors
will getto reaching for your glory, and trying to find it, you will be like the
sleeperwho dreamed that he had much gold. He was gathering it up by
handfuls, but when he woke he was in a narrow attic in the abode of poverty,
and as penniless as when he fell asleep. Ah yes, if you seek your glory
anywhere on earth you will lose it, even if for awhile you win it.
But he who has his glory in Christ, when he opens his eyes in the next world
will see Christ, and so behold his glory safe and firmly entailed upon Him!
“There,” says he, “is my treasure and I have it, have it forever.” This is
security which no bolts, and iron safes, and Chubb’s locks canever give you!
Do but put your treasures into Christ and they are all safe!Even infernal
pickpocketsshallnot be able to take Christ from you! If you win Christ and
put your treasure in Him, you are secure!God grant, Brothers and Sisters,
that we may be wise for eternity, for all other wisdomis but folly.
Another word, and that is a word of rebuke. There are some preachers we
know of, and I suppose there will always be some of the form, who preach,
preach, preach, but they never preach what is Israel’s Glory. They talk of
anything but Christ! Oh, how often have I heard the complaint from
Christian people, “Sir, our minister is a talented man. He is, on the whole, a
sound man doctrinally and he preaches to us a greatdeal about the Gospel.
But oh, we wish he would preach the Gospel, not preach about it, but preach
the thing itself! O that he would preachChrist!”
The best sermons are the sermons which are fullest of Christ! A sermon
without Christ is an awful, a horrible thing! It is an empty well! It is a cloud
without rain! It is a tree twice dead, plucked by the roots!It is an abominable
thing to give men stones for bread and scorpions for eggs, and yet they do so
who preach not Jesus!A sermon without Christ? As well talk of a loafof
bread without any flour in it! How canit feed the soul? Men die and perish

because Christis not there, and yet His glorious Gospelis the easiestthing to
preach, and the sweetestthing to preach–there is variety in it, there is more
attractiveness in it than in all the world besides!
And yet so many will gadabroad and make their heads ache, and turn over
those heavy volumes to getsomething which shall be nothing better than a big
stone to roll at the month of the sepulcher, and shut in Christ as though He
were still dead! O Brothers, let us, if we cannot blow the silver trumpet, blow
the ram’s horn–but let the blast always be Christ, Christ, Christ! Always let
us make the walls ring with the dear name of the exaltedSavior, and let us tell
men that there is salvationin no other, but that there is salvation and life for
them in Jesus–life forthem now, life for every soul that looks to Jesus–
depending, alone, in Him!
Dearteachers in the school, continue always telling the children about Jesus!
DearFriends who work in any way for the Lord’s Glory, here is your one
topic! The old proverb is, “Cobbler, stick to your last,” so, Christian, “Stick to
your text,” and let the text be Jesus Christ!Let no glitter or show tempt you
awayfrom that. This coolsnow of Lebanon–be not takenawayto drink of the
tepid streams that mock the thirsty soul. This gold of Ophir–there is none like
it–seek no other! This is the grandestpasture to wander in–this glorious
subject–Jesus, Jesus, Jesus!Let Him be preached, since HE is the GLORY of
Israel!
There are some of you to whom I have a lastword to say, and that is, some of
you love Jesus Christbut you are ashamedto sayso. Now, since He is the
Glory of His people Israel, I shall be afraid of you and for you if you do not
make Him your Glory. Instead of being ashamedto confess Him and His
cause, why, surely you will count it to be your shame that you are ashamed,
and you will come forward and say, “Yes, I castin my lot with His people. He
is such a blessedChrist. I will never turn my back on Him. If He will but have
me, here I am. Put my name down in the Church roll–by all means let me be
baptized as He was!Let me come to His Table and let me do this in
remembrance of Him. He is a dear Lord, and I should not like it to be thought
that I was ashamedof Him.”
I shall not press it on you, because a word is enough for a heart that is tender.
And if you truly love Him, you will not need any drawing forward. You will
say, “Oh, may He only keepme and make me faithful. I am all too glad to
have the opportunity of saying that I am on His side–forHim I am resolvedto
live, and if need be, by His Grace, for Him I would be resolvedto die.”

Do not put it off, then. Come and see the elders of the Church. They will be
glad to see you upon the matter, that is to say, if you belong to Christ. If you
do not, do not profess to be what you are not! Mind you, do not come forward
and sayyou are Christ’s if you are not! To you who are not His, let me say,
Jesus is to be had for the asking. If you seek Him, He will be found of you. Go
not to your rest tonight till you have said, “Lord, you are the Glory of Your
people. Be my Glory! Give me Yourself! Help me to trust You.” And after you
have done that, then trust Him, and God bless you, for His ownname’s sake.
Amen.
BIBLEHUB RESOURCES
A SatisfiedHuman Spirit
Luke 2:25-30
W. Clarkson
There are few more exquisite pictures even in Holy Writ than the one which is
here drawn for us. An agedand venerable man, who has lived a long life of
piety and virtue, and who has been cherishing an everbrightening hope that
before he dies he should look upon the face of his country's Savior, directed by
the Spirit of God, recognizes in the infant Jesus that One for whose coming he
has so long been hoping and praying. Taking him up into his arms, with the
light of intense gratitude in his eyes, and the emotion of deepesthappiness in
his voice, he exclaims, "Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace....
for mine eyes have seenthy Salvation." Life has now no ungranted goodfor
him to await. The lastand dearestwish of his heart has been fulfilled;
willingly would he now close his eyes in the sleepof death; gladly would he
now lie down to restin the quiet of the grave.
I. THOSE WHO MUST BE UNSATISFIED IN SPIRIT. There is a vast
multitude of men who seek for satisfactionin the things which are seenand
temporal - in taking pleasure, in making money, in wielding power, in gaining
honor, etc. But they do not find what they seek. Itis as true in London as it
was in Jerusalem, eighteencenturies after Christ as ten centuries before, that
"the eye is not satisfiedwith seeing, nor the earwith hearing." All the rivers
of earthly goodmay run into the greatsea of an immortal spirit, but that sea

is not filled. Earthly goodis the salt waterthat only makes more athirst the
soul that drinks it. It is not the very wealthy, nor the very mighty, nor the very
honored man who is ready to say, "I am satisfied;let me depart in peace."
II. THOSE WHO MAY BE SATISFIED IN SPIRIT. Simeonknew by special
communication from God - "it was revealedunto him by the Holy Ghost" -
that he should reacha certain point in the coining of the kingdom of God, that
his heart's deep desire for "the ConsolationofIsrael" should be granted him.
And waiting for this, and attaining it, his soul was filled with joy and holy
satisfaction. It is right for those who are taking a very earnestinterestin the
cause ofChrist to long to be allowedto accomplisha certainwork for him.
Again and againhas the parent thus striven and prayed and longed to see the
conversionof all his (her) children, or the teacherof his (her) class;the
minister of Christ to see the attainment of some pastoraldesign; the
missionary to win some tribe from barbarism and idolatry; the translator to
render the Word of God into the native tongue; the national reformer to pass
his measure for emancipation, or temperance, or virtue, or education, or the
protection of the lives and morals of women or children. And this deep desire
of the heart has been a con- straining power, which has nerved the hand and
energizedthe life, which has brought forth the fruit of sacredzealand
unwearied toil. God has given to these souls the desire of their hearts, and
they have gone to their grave filled with a holy, satisfying peace. So may it be
with us. And yet it may not be so. We may be calledupon to quit the field of
active labor before the harvestis gatheredin. Others may enter into our
labors. But if it should be so, there is a way in which we may belong.
III. THOSE WHO CANNOT FAIL TO BE SATISFIED IS SPIRIT. For we
may be of those who realize that it is in God's hand to fix the bounds of our
present labor, and to determine the measure of the work we shall do on earth.
We may work on diligently and devotedly as those who have much to do for
God and man, yet clearlyrecognizing that God has for us a sphere in the
spirit - world, and that he may at any hour remove us there, though we would
fain finish what we have in hand below. If we have the spirit of Christ in our
service, if we go whither we believe he sends us, and work on in the way which
we believe to be according to his will. we may restin the calm assurance that
the hour of our cessationfrom holy labor is the hour of God's appointment,
and a peace as calmas that of Simeon may fill our soulas we leave a not-
unfinished work on earth to enter a nobler sphere in heaven. - C.

Biblical Illustrator
A light to lighten the Gentiles.
Luke 2:32
The light of the Gentiles
W. B. Collyer, D. D.
I. EXPLAIN THE IMPORT OF THE TEXT.
1. The characterof Jesus is exhibited under the image of light — the most
glorious of all the creatures of God.(1)Among the properties of light are
penetration and universality. Light would have been an inappropriate image,
in reference to Christ, had He not intended to illuminate the world. Not to a
district, not to an empire, not to one quarter of the globe, does that glorious
boon — light — confine its influences. It visits all in their turn. It burns within
the torrid zone, it reaches the dark and distant poles;it proceeds with a
gradual, yet inconceivable speed, in its restless career, till it has enlightened
the whole.(2)Light is a source of comfort(Ecclesiastes11:7).(3)Another
quality of light is purity. It is this which renders it a fit emblem of Deity (1
John 1:5).
2. The subjects of His influences — "The Gentiles" — i.e., all nations that
have not yet heard the tidings of the gospelin Him.
3. The result of the manifestationof Christ to the world will be universal
illumination. He rises upon the nations to "lighten" them.
II. APPLY ITS TESTIMONYTO MISSIONARYEXERTIONS.
1. Examine the principles on which they are founded.(1) They are founded in
nature. The same cause should produce the same effects. Whoeversincerely
loves the Saviour will feel a proportionate attachment to His laws, His people,
His interests. He cannot sit down indifferent to the last, any more than he can
consentto break the first.(2) They are founded on the purest principles of
reason. Missionaryeffortmust be used as a means, to bring about the end in
view — the spread of the gospel. Godemploys in the meantime human
instruments for the carrying out of His Divine purposes.(3)They are founded
on the purest principles of humanity. The gospelis the only effectualremedy
of all this world s evil and misery.(4) They are founded on the purest
principles of patriotism. Religious lethargy precedes national ruin; patriotism,
therefore, calls for the support of religious zeal.(5)They are founded on the
purest principles of religion.

2. The considerations by which we are encouraged.(1)Revelation.(2)
Experience.(3)Existing circumstances. Is there not crying need throughout
the world of those consolations whichthe gospelalone canbring, and of the
Saviour whom the gospelalone proclaims?
(W. B. Collyer, D. D.)
Christ the light of all nations
Henry R. Burton.
He gives the light of truth, of spiritual sight, of knowledge,ofholiness, of joy,
of heaven. The natives of arctic regions put on their holiday attire, and
enthusiasticallywelcome the returning sun, when after months of absence, he
againrevisits them with his rays. How much more should we rejoice in the
light of "the Sun of Righteousness?"There was a light once on or near the
GoodwinSands, called "The light of all nations," because itwas supposed that
some of all nations would see it. The "light of the knowledge ofthe glory of
God in the face of Jesus Christ" will one day "coverthe earth." When Christ
gives us light, we must reflectit (see Matthew 5:14-16). The lighthouse, when
its lights burn truly, will warn the mariner againstdanger, and enable him to
pursue the right and safe way. So we may eachguide some from the darkness
and dangerof sin, to the light and safety of God's mercy in Christ.
(Henry R. Burton.)
Light an emblem of Christ
H. Melvill, B. D.
There is no figure more common nor more beautiful in the Scriptures, than
that by which Christ is compared to "light." Incomprehensible in its nature,
itself first visible, and that by which all else is so;"light" represents to us
Christ, whose generationnone can declare, but who must shine on us ere we
can know aught aright whether of things Divine or human. Pure,
uncontaminated, though visiting the lowestparts of the earth, and penetrating
the most noisome recesses;what is "light" an image of, if not of that Divine
Mediator, who contractedno stain, though born of a woman, in the likeness of
sinful flesh? Instrumental in all the processesofvegetation, so that, without its
vivifying power, the earth could not yield its kindly fruits, nor expose its
verdant hues, what is "light" but the emblem of that source of illumination, of
whom the Evangelistdeclares that "He was the Light and Life of men"? And
without searching too narrowly into the particular sources by which this

resemblance might be proved, we may saythat Christ is to the material world
what the sun is to the natural; and whereverthe gospelhas been published
and receivedas a communication from God, the darkness has fled, as night
flies before the day; and we know, that whereverthe revelationmade through
Christ has been dispersed, wherever it has vouchsafedits cheering rays, the
clouds of ignorance, and superstition, and irreligion have vanished, and
holiness purity, and morality have illumined the horizon. It has done more. It
has hung the very grave with bright lamps, and re-kindled the blazings of an
almost quenched immortality.
(H. Melvill, B. D.)
And the glory of Thy people Israel
Christ the glory of His people
C. H. Spurgeon.
We shall now employ the natural Israelas a type of the Lord's electones, and
surely there is no straining of the text, when we say that Jesus Christis the
glory of the spiritual seed, the redeemed people. And why, with evident
propriety, may the saints of God be compared to Israel?
1. Surely because Godhas made a covenantwith them as He did with Jacob.
2. We may be comparedwith Israel, again, because if we be the children of
God we have learned to wrestle with the angeland prevail.
3. It may be that you have another likeness to Israelin the fact that you are
much tried. Faith must be tried. God had one Son without sin, but He never
had a Son without the rod.
4. The true Israel, which are spiritually the Church of Christ, are said,
according to the text, to be the Lord's people.
(1)By His eternal choice.
(2)By redemption.
(3)By voluntary dedicationof yourselves to Him.
I. When we say that Christ is our glory, we mean that WE GET ALL THE
GLORY WE HAVE THROUGH HIM. Some men go to the schools forglory,
others to the camps of war. In all kinds of places men have sought after
honour, but the believer saith that Christ is the mine in which he digs for this
gold, Christ is the sea in which he fishes for this pearl; he gives up all other
searchings andlooks for glory in Jesus, andnowhere else.

1. The glory of election.
2. The glory of redemption.
3. The glory of adoption.
4. The glory of justification.
5. The glory of sanctification.Thus Imight continue showing you that there is
not a single treasure which a Christian possesseswhich does not come to him
through Christ. He has nothing in which he can glory but what he is sweetly
compelled to sayof it, "I gainedthis in the market of Calvary; I found this in
the mines of a Saviour's suffering; all this came to me through my bleeding,
buried, risen, coming Lord, and He shall have the glory of it as long as I live."
II. WE SEE A GLORY IN CHRIST which swallows up all other glories, as
the sun's light concealsthe light of the stars.
1. In Christ's person.
2. In Christ's sufferings.
3. In Christ's resurrection.
4. In Christ's ascension.
5. In Christ's intercession.
6. In Christ's secondadvent.
III. The text is true in the sense that WE GIVE GLORY TO HIM. There is
life in a look at the Crucified One. There is life in simple confidence in Him,
but there is life nowhere else. Godsend to His Church an undying passionto
promote the Saviour's glory, an invincible, unconquerable pang of desire, and
longing that by any means King Jesus may have His own, and may reign
throughout these realms! In this sense, then, Jesus is and must be the glory of
His people.
IV. But there is another sense — namely, FROM JESUS IS REFLECTED
ALL THE GLORY WHICH IS PUT UPON HIS PEOPLE. Whateverglory
they have, and they have much in the eyes of angels, and much honour in the
eyes of discerning men, it is always the reflectionof the Saviour's glory. I
know some holy men and women for whom I cannotbut feel the deepestand
intensestrespect, but the reasonis because they have so much of my Master
about them. I think I would travel many miles to talk with some of them,
because their speechis always so full of Him, and they live so near to Him.
V. The text may be read in this sense:Christ is the glory of His people, that is
to say, THEY EXPECT GLORY WHEN HE COMES. Our glory is laid up.

When you follow Jesus in resurrection, what glory! But we must not begin to
speak of that, for we should never leave off at all if we beganto talk about that
glory — the glory of perfection, the glory of being delivered from sin, the
glory of conquest, having trodden Satanunder our feet; the glory of eternal
rest, the glory of infinite security, the glory of being like Christ, the glory of
being in the light and brightness of God, standing, like Milton's angel, in the
very sun itself. If you want to know what heaven is, you can spell it in five
letters, and when you put the five letters togetherthey sound like this: Jesus.
That is heaven. It is all the heaventhe angels round the throne desire to know.
They want nothing better than this, to see His face, to behold His glory, and to
dwell in it world with. out end.
VI. THE PRACTICAL DRIFT OF THE SUBJECT.
1. We would give a word of warning to those of you who seek your glory
anywhere else, because as surelyaa you do so, even if you meet with honour
for a time, you will have to lose it. It is always ill to put your treasure where it
will be stolenfrom yon. Now, suppose you seek your glory in your learning.
Well, well, well! Let the sexton take up your skull after you have been dead a
little while, and what learning will there be in it, what show of wisdom will be
found in it when it is resolvedinto a little impalpable brown powder? What
will your science,and your mathematics, and your classics do for you in death
and judgment? Suppose you seek your glory in fame, and become the
favourite of the nation as a greatsoldier. When the grave-diggerrattles your
old bones about, what will that signify? You will have greatfame, you say, and
men will talk about you. But he who hath his glory in Christ, when he openeth
his eyes in the next world will see Christ, and so behold his glory safe, and
firmly entailed upon him.
2. Another word, and that is a word of rebuke. There are some preachers we
know of, and I suppose there will always be some of the genus, who preach,
preach, preach, but they never preach what is Israel's glory. They talk of
anything but Christ.
3. There are some of you to whom I have a last word to say, and that is, some
of you love Jesus Christ, but you are ashamedto sayso. Now, since He is the
glory of His people Israel, I shall be afraid of you and for you if you do not
make Him your glory.
(C. H. Spurgeon.)
Christ the glory of Israel

G. Brooks.
Christ was the glory of Israel.
1. BecauseHe was a Jew by birth.
2. BecauseHis history has vindicated all that was peculiarin the Jewishpolity.
3. BecauseHe confined His personalministry to the Jews.
4. BecauseHe has stamped the impress of Jewishthought on the mind of man.
5. BecauseHe has invested the condition and prospects ofthe Jews with
universal interest.
(G. Brooks.)
The glory of Israel
Dr. Newton.
There was salvationin this sight: there was light in it; and there was glory in
it also. He will be — said Simeon — "the glory of Thy people Israel." The
prophet Isaiahwas speaking of this same Saviour, when he said "Theyshall
hang on Him all the glory of His Father's house" (Isaiah 22:24). The chief
glory that a nation has is made up of the wise, and good, and great, and useful
men who have belongedto it. We speak ofWashingtonas the glory of
America. We feel it an honour to belong to the nation which could claim
Washingtonas one of its people. In Holland they call William, Prince of
Orange, the glory of their nation. England, our grand old mother country, has
had so many wise, and good, and greatmen, that it is hard to tell which to
speak of as the best and greatest. Theyall help to make up the glory of the
people of England. And any one who was born in England may feel it an
honour to belong to a country which has produced so many goodand great
men. And in the same way it is the glory of the Jewishnation, or of Israel, as a
people, that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Saviour of the world, belonged
to their nation. Jesus was a Jew. And the Jewishpeople may well feel it an
honour to belong to the nation among whom He was born. It is true in this
sense that He is "the glory of His people Israel."
(Dr. Newton.)
COMMENTARIES

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers
(32) To lighten the Gentiles.—Literally, for a revelationto the Gentiles. The
idea is strictly that of the withdrawal of the “veil spread over all nations” of
Isaiah25:7.
The glory of thy people Israel.—Here, again, the language is the natural
utterance of the hope of the time, not the after-thought of later years. The
Christ whom Israelhad rejectedwas hardly “the glory of the people” when
St. Luke wrote his Gospel.
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary
2:25-35 The same Spirit that provided for the support of Simeon's hope,
provided for his joy. Those who would see Christ must go to his temple. Here
is a confessionofhis faith, that this Child in his arms was the Saviour, the
salvationitself, the salvationof God's appointing. He bids farewellto this
world. How poor does this world look to one that has Christ in his arms, and
salvationin his view! See here, how comfortable is the death of a goodman;
he departs in peace with God, peace with his own conscience, inpeace with
death. Those that have welcomedChrist, may welcome death. Josephand
Mary marvelled at the things which were spokenof this Child. Simeon shows
them likewise, whatreasonthey had to rejoice with trembling. And Jesus, his
doctrine, and people, are still spokenagainst;his truth and holiness are still
denied and blasphemed; his preached word is still the touchstone of men's
characters. The secretgoodaffections in the minds of some, will be revealed
by their embracing Christ; the secretcorruptions of others will be revealedby
their enmity to Christ. Men will be judged by the thoughts of their hearts
concerning Christ. He shall be a suffering Jesus;his mother shall suffer with
him, because of the nearness of her relation and affection.
Barnes'Notes on the Bible
A light to lighten the Gentiles - This is in accordancewith the prophecies in
the Old Testament, Isaiah49; Isaiah9:6-7; Psalm98:3; Malachi4:2. The
Gentiles are representedas sitting in darkness that is, in ignorance and sin.
Christ is a "light" to them, as by him they will be made acquainted with the
characterof the true God, his law, and the plan of redemption. As the
darkness rolls awaywhen the sun arises, so ignorance anderror flee away
when Jesus gives light to the mind. Nations shall come to his light, and kings
to the brightness of his rising, Isaiah 60:3.

And the glory ... - The first offer of salvationwas made to the Jews, John4:22;
Luke 24:47. Jesus was born among the Jews;to them had been given the
prophecies respecting him, and his first ministry was among them. Hence, he
was their glory, their honor, their light. But it is a subject of specialgratitude
to us that the Saviour was given also for the Gentiles;for:
1. We are Gentiles, and if he had not come we should have been shut out from
the blessings ofredemption.
2. It is he only that now.
"Canmake our dying bed.
Feelsoft as downy pillows are,
While on his breast we lean our head,
And breathe our life out sweetlythere."
Thus our departure may be like that of Simeon. Thus we may die in peace.
Thus it will be a blessing to die. But,
3. In order to do this, our life must be like that of Simeon. We must wait for
the consolationof Israel. We must look for his coming. We must be holy,
harmless, undefiled, "loving" the Saviour. Then death to us, like death to
Simeon, will have no terror; we shall depart in peace, andin heaven see the
salvationof God, 2 Peter3:11-12. But,
4. Children, as well as the hoary-headedSimeon, may look for the coming of
Christ. They too must die; and "their" death will be happy only as they
depend on the Lord Jesus, and are prepared to meet him.
Jamieson-Fausset-BrownBible Commentary
31, 32. all people—allthe peoples, mankind at large.
a light to the Gentiles—thenin thick darkness.
glory of thy people Israel—alreadyThine, and now, in the believing portion of
it, to be so more gloriouslythan ever. It will be observedthat this "swan-like
song, bidding an eternal farewellto this terrestriallife" [Olshausen], takes a
more comprehensive view of the kingdom of Christ than that of Zacharias,
though the kingdom they sing of is one.
Matthew Poole's Commentary
See Poole on"Luke 2:29"
Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

A light to lighten the Gentiles,....Orfor the revelationof the Gentiles;to
revealthe love, grace, and mercy of God, an everlasting righteousness, and the
way of life and salvation to them. Reference seems to be had to Isaiah 42:6.
"Light", is one of the names of the Messiahin the Old Testament, as in Psalm
43:3 Daniel2:22, which passagesare by the Jews (k) themselves interpreted of
Christ; and is a name often used of him in the New Testament:it is true of
him as God, he is light itself, and in him is no darkness at all; and as the
Creatorof mankind, he is that light which lightens every man with the light of
nature and reason;and as the Messiah, he is come a light into the world: the
light of the Gospel, in the clearshine of it, is from him; the light of grace in his
people, who were in darkness itself, he is the author and donor of; as he is also
of the light of glory and happiness, in the world to come:and particularly, the
Gentiles enjoy this benefit of light by him; who were, and as this supposes they
were, in darkness, as they had been some hundreds of years before the
Messiah's coming:they were in the dark about the being and perfections of
God, about the unity of God, and the Trinity of persons in the Godhead, and
about God in Christ; about his worship, the rule and nature of it; and the
manner of atonement, and reconciliationfor sin; the person, righteousness,
and sacrifice ofChrist; the Spirit of God, and his operations on the souls of
men; the Scriptures of truth, and both law and Gospel;the resurrectionof the
dead, and a future state:now, though Christ in his personalministry, was sent
only to the Jews, yetafter his resurrection, he gave his disciples a commission
to go into all the world, to preachthe Gospelto the Gentiles, in order to turn
them from darkness to light; and hereby multitudes were calledout of
darkness into marvellous light: and this Simeonhad knowledge of, and a few
more besides him; otherwise, the generalityof the Jewishnation were of
opinion, that when the Messiahcame, the nations of the world would receive
no benefit by him, no light, nor comfort, nor peace, orprosperity: but all the
reverse would befall them, as darkness, calamity, and misery: and so they
express themselves in a certainplace; (l) the Israelites look, orwait for
"redemption; for the day of the Lord shall be "light to them"; but; the
nations, why do they wait for him? for he shall be "to them darkness, and not
light".
But the contrary, Simeon, under divine inspiration, declares, and, blessedbe
God, it has proved true: he adds,
and the glory of thy people Israel;which is true of Israelin a literal sense,
inasmuch as the Messiahwas born of the Jews, andamong them; and was
first sent and came to them, and lived and dwelled with them; taught in their
streets, and wrought his miracles in the midst of them; though this was an

aggravationoftheir ingratitude and unbelief, in rejecting him: the Gospelwas
first preachedto them, even after the commissionwas enlargedto carry it
among the Gentiles;and many of them were converted, and the first Gospel
church was planted among them; and an additional glory was made to them,
by the calling of the Gentiles, and joining them to them, through the ministry
of the apostles, who were all Jews;who went forth from Zion, and carriedthe
word of the Lord from Jerusalem, to the severalparts of the world: and this
also is more especiallytrue, of the mystical, or spiritual Israelof God, whose
glory Christ is; being made of God unto them, wisdom, righteousness,
sanctification, and redemption; they having such an head, husband, Saviour,
and Redeemer, as he; and they being clothed with his righteousness, and
washedin his blood, sanctifiedby his grace, and made meet for eternal glory;
to which they have a right and claim, through the grace ofGod, and merits of
Christ; and therefore glory not in themselves, but in Christ, who is their all in
all,
(k) Jarchi in Psal. xliii. 3. BereshitRabba, fol. 1. 3. Echa Rabbati, fol. 50. 2.((l)
Gloss. in T. Bab. Sanhedrin, fol. 98. 2.
Geneva Study Bible
A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.
EXEGETICAL(ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)
Expositor's Greek Testament
Luke 2:32. φῶς εἰς ἀ. ἐ.: the Gentiles are to be more than spectators, even
sharers in the salvation, which is representedunder the twofold aspectof a
light and a glory.—φῶς and δόξαν may be taken in apposition with ὃ as
objects of ἡτοίμασας:salvationprepared or provided in the form of a light for
the Gentiles, and a glory for Israel. Universalism here, but not of the
pronounced type of Lk. (Holtz., H. C.), rather such as is found even in O. T.
prophets.
Cambridge Bible for Schools andColleges
32. to lighten the Gentiles] Rather, for revelationto. A memorable prophecy,
considering that even the Apostles found it hard to grasp the full admissionof
the Gentiles, clearlyas it had been indicated in older prophecy, as in Psalm
98:2-3. “All the ends of the earth have seenthe salvationof our God,” Isaiah
52:10. “I will give thee for a covenantof the people, for a light of the
Gentiles,” Isaiah42:6; Isaiah49:6.
Bengel's Gnomen

Luke 2:32. Φῶς, a light) This stands in apposition with τὸ σωτήριόν σου, thy
means of salvation, Luke 2:30.—εἰς ἀποκάλυψιν)that God and His Christ
may be revealedto the Gentiles, and that they may be revealedto their own
selves in His light.—ἐθνῶν, of the Gentiles)Construe with φῶς, a light [but
Engl. Vers. with ἀποκάλυψιν, to lighten the Gentiles]:a light of the Gentiles,
and one about to be revealedto them [the same]:see Revelation21:23-24.—
καὶ δόξαν, and the glory) Construe with φῶς, a light [i.e. in apposition to τὸ
σωτήριόνσου, Luke 2:30], there being no εἰς, in, understood. Light, and glory
or splendour, are synonymous; but in such a wayas that the glory expresses
something greaterthan a light, and implies therefore the peculiar privilege of
Israel, on accountof its especialtie of connectionwith this [Him the] King of
Glory.—Ἰσραὴλ, Israel)Even after the callof the Gentiles, Israelshall enjoy
this glory.
Vincent's Word Studies
A light (φῶς)
The light itself as distinguished from λύχνος, a lamp, which the A. V. often
unfortunately renders light. See on Mark 14:54.
To lighten (εἰς ἀποκάλυψιν)
Wrong. Rev., correctly, for revelation. Wyc., to the shewing. It may be
rendered the unveiling of the Gentiles.
Gentiles (ἐθνῶν)
Assignedto the same root as ἔθω, to be accustomed, andhence of a people
bound togetherby like habits or customs. According to biblical usage the term
is understood of people who are not of Israel, and who therefore occupy a
different position with reference to the plan of salvation. Hence the extension
of the gospelsalvationto them is treated as a remarkable fact. See Matthew
12:18, Matthew 12:21; Matthew 24:14;Matthew 28:19;Acts 10:45;Acts
11:18;Acts 18:6. Paul is calleddistinctively an apostle and teacherof the
Gentiles, and a chosenvesselto bear Christ's name among them. In Acts 15:9;
Ephesians 2:11, Ephesians 2:18; Ephesians 3:6, we see this difference
annihilated, and the expressionat last is merely historical designationof the
non-Israelitish nations which, as such, were formerly without God and
salvation. See Acts 15:23;Romans 16:4; Ephesians 3:1. Sometimes the word is
used in a purely moral sense, to denote the heathen in oppositionto
Christians. See 1 Corinthians 5:1; 1 Corinthians 10:20; 1 Peter2:12. Light is
promised here to the Gentiles and glory to Israel. The Gentiles are regarded
as in darkness and ignorance. Some render the words εἰς ἀποκάλυψιν, above,
for the unveiling of the Gentiles, instead of for revelation. Compare Isaiah

25:7. Israel, however, has already receivedlight by the revelationof God
through the law and the prophets, and that light will expand into glory
through Christ. Through the Messiah, Israelwill attain its true and highest
glory.
PRECEPTAUSTIN RESOURCES
BRUCE HURT MD
Luke 2:32 A LIGHT OF REVELATION TO THE GENTILES, And the
glory of Your people Israel."
light of revelation: Isa 9:2, 42:6,7, 49:6, 60:1-3,19 Mt4:16 Ac 13:47,4828:28
Ro 15:8,9
and: Ps 85:9 Isa 4:2, 45:25, 60:19 Jer2:11 Zec 2:5 1Co 1:31 Rev 21:23
Luke 2 Resources- Multiple Sermons and Commentaries
Luke 2:25-35 The GospelAccording to Simeon - Dr Steven Lawson- excellent
JESUS A
LIGHT OF REVELATION
Warren Wiersbe refers to this sectionof Simeon's song as "a missionary
hymn, which is something unusual for a devout Jew standing in the temple.
He sees this greatsalvationgoing out to the Gentiles!Jesus has restoredthe
glory to Israel and brought the light to the Gentiles so that all people can be
saved(see Luke 2:10). Remember that the compassionofChrist for the whole
world is one of Luke’s major themes." One has to wonder at the reactionof
the Jews in the Temple who heard the word Gentiles who they despised!
The Prophet Isaiahhad foretold 700 years earlierthat "The people who walk
in darkness will see a greatlight; Those who live in a dark land, The light will
shine on them." (Isaiah9:2+, see also notes on Mt 4:16). Isaiah was referring
to the coming Messiahas the "light" that would shine and remove spiritual
darkness (for those who receivedHim - Jn 8:12).
A light of revelation to the Gentiles - Gentiles probably describes mostof you
reading this prophecy. If you have believed in Jesus the Light of the world,
then you are a walking fulfillment of this prophecy! While it was a light of

revelation for the Jews, itwas especiallyso for the Gentiles, for our darkness
was deeperthan the Jews. This passagerecallsPaul's words "ForGod, Who
said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One Who has shone in our
hearts to give the Light of the knowledge ofthe glory of God in the face of
Christ." (2 Cor 4:6+) Gentiles are to be more than spectators, but even
sharers in the salvation.
Isaiahhad given a prophecy that also describedthe Messiahas a "light"
“I am the LORD, I have calledYou (MESSIAH) in righteousness, I will also
hold You by the hand and watchover You, And I will appoint You as a
covenantto the people (THE JEWS), As a light to the nations (GENTILES),
To open blind eyes, To bring out prisoners from the dungeon And those who
dwell in darkness from the prison. (Isa 42:6, 7)
He says, “It is too small a thing that You (MESSIAH) should be My Servant
To raise up the tribes of Jacoband to restore the preservedones of Israel
(THE BELIEVING JEWISHREMNANT);I will also make You a light of the
nations (OR "TO THE GENTILES")So that My salvation may reachto the
end of the earth.” (Isa 49:6)
“Payattention to Me, O My people, And give earto Me, O My nation; For a
law will go forth from Me, And I will setMy justice for a light of the peoples.
(Isa 51:4)
The LORD has bared His holy arm In the sight of all the nations
(GENTILES), Thatall the ends of the earth may see The salvation of our God.
(Isa 52:10)
“Nations (GENTILES)will come to your light, And kings to the brightness of
your rising (Isa 60:3)
And so here in Luke 2:32 Simeon testified that Messiah's firstcoming marked
the beginning fulfillment of these Old Testamentprophecies. Messiahwill
completely fulfill these promises "as a Covenantto the people" (Isa 42:6) and
"to raise up the tribes of Jacoband to restore the preservedones of Israel"
(Isa 49:6), at His SecondComing when "“THE DELIVERER (MESSIAH)
WILL COME FROM ZION, HE WILL REMOVE UNGODLINESS FROM
JACOB.” THIS IS MY COVENANT WITH THEM, WHEN I TAKE AWAY
THEIR SINS.” (Ro 11:26-27+,see Zechariah's descriptionof this fulfillment -
Zech 12:10-14+, Zech13:1+, Zech 13:9+).
Cambridge Bible - A memorable prophecy, considering that even the
Apostles found it hard to graspthe full admission of the Gentiles, clearlyas it
had been indicated in older prophecy, as in Psalm 98:2-3. “The LORD has

made known His salvation;He has revealedHis righteousness in the sight of
the nations. 3He has remembered His lovingkindness and His faithfulness to
the house of Israel; All the ends of the earth have seenthe salvationof our
God. ”
Ryle - We see, furthermore, in the song of Simeon, what clearviews of
Christ’s work and office some Jewishbelievers attained, even before the
Gospelwas preached. We find this goodold man speaking of Jesus as “the
salvationwhich God had prepared,”—as “a light to lighten the Gentiles, and
the glory of his people Israel.” Wellwould it have been for the letter-learned
Scribes and PhariseesofSimeon’s time, if they had satat his feet, and listened
to his word. Christ was indeed “a light to lighten the Gentiles.” Without Him
they were sunk in gross darkness andsuperstition. They knew not the way of
life. They worshipped the works of their own hands. Their wisestphilosophers
were utterly ignorant in spiritual things. “Professing themselvesto be wise
they became fools.” (Rom. 1:22.)The Gospelof Christ was like sun-rise to
Greece andRome, and the whole heathen world. The light which it let in on
men’s minds on the subject of religion, was as greatas the change from night
to day.
A Light of revelationto the Gentiles - According to tradition, Light was one of
the names of the Messiah. Light was also whatIsrael was to be to the Gentile
nations in darkness, a task that the nation as a whole failed miserably to
fulfill! Ultimately the Messiahwouldfulfill this prophecy (but see
MacArthur's comments about Israel's role in the future).
In Acts Luke records "that the Christ (MESSIAH) was to suffer, [and] that by
reasonof [His] resurrectionfrom the dead He would be the first to proclaim
LIGHT both to the [Jewish]people and to the Gentiles.” (Acts 26:23+)
Ryle - Ford quotes Dr. Richard Clerke’s remarks onthis verse, “It is noted by
the learnedthat the sweetsingerof this song doth put the Gentile before the
Jew, because the secondcalling, the conversionof the Jews to Christ, shall not
be till the fulness of the Gentiles be come in (Ro 11:25, 26+).”
Spurgeon- Simeon had studied the ancient prophecies to goodpurpose, and
he perceived from them that “the Lord’s Christ” would be “a light to lighten
the Gentiles” as wellas “the glory of” God’s ancient people, “Israel.” (NOTE:
Clearly Spurgeondid not think that Godwas finished with the literal nation
of Israel as is commonly taught in so-called"ReplacementTheology.")
Here is another statement by Spurgeonin 1864 (84 years before Israelbecame
a sovereignnation for a secondtime) - He surely ought to have knownhis own
mind, and led by the Holy Spirit he gives us as an explanation of the vision,

not– “Thus saith the Lord, my dying Church shall be restored,” but–“ I will
bring my people out of their graves, and bring them into the land of Israel…
The meaning of our text, as openedup by the context, is most evidently, if
words mean anything, first, that there shall be a political restorationof the
Jews to their own land and to their own nationality; and then, secondly, there
is in the text, and in the context, a most plain declaration, that there shall be a
spiritual restoration, a conversionin fact, of the tribes of Israel. (From his
sermon entitled The Restorationand Conversionof the Jews - Ezekiel37:1-
10)
Revelation(602)(apokalupsis from apó = from + kalúpto = cover, conceal,
English = apocalypse)literally means coverfrom and so the idea is to remove
that which conceals something. Apokalupsis conveys the idea of "taking the
lid off" and means to remove the coverand expose to open view that which
was heretofore not visible, known or disclosed. It means to make manifest or
reveala thing previously secretor unknown. It describes removing of a veil
(an unveiling) or covering thus exposing to open view what was concealed. In
all its uses, revelationrefers to something or someone, once hidden, becoming
visible and now made fully known.
Gentiles (nation, nations) (1484)(ethnos gives us our word "ethnic") in general
refers to a multitude (especiallypersons)associatedwith one another, living
together, united in kinship, culture or traditions and summed up by the words
nation, Gentiles (especiallywhen ethnos is plural), people (much like "people
groups" in our modern missionary vernacular). In somewhatof a negative
sense ethnos conveys the meaning of godless (generallyidol worshipping)
pagans (heathens, cp Eph 4:17, Mt 6:32), foreign nations not worshipping the
true God (Mt 4:15). Often ethnos stands in clearcontradistinction to Jew
(Ioudaios) (Gal 2:14). Ethnos sometimes refers to Gentile Christians (Ro
11:13, Ro 15:27, 16:4, Gal 2:12). Ethnos is used in the singular of the Jewish
Nation (Lk 7:5; 23:2; Jn 11:48, 50-53;Jn 18:35; Acts 10:22;24:2, 10;Acts
26:4; 28:19). Plato used ethnos of a specialclass ofmen, a caste, tribe. In the
Septuagint ethnos was used for nation, people Ge 10:5; non-Jews, Gentiles Ps
2:1.
Vincent on ethnos - Assignedto the same root as etho, to be accustomed, and
hence of a people bound togetherby like habits or customs. According to
biblical usage the term is understood of people who are not of Israel, and who
therefore occupy a different position with reference to the plan of salvation.
Hence the extensionof the gospelsalvationto them is treated as a remarkable
fact. See Matthew 12:18, Matthew 12:21; Matthew 24:14; Matthew 28:19;
Acts 10:45+;Acts 11:18+;Acts 18:6+.

Isaiahhad prophesied centuries earlier "there will be no [more] gloom for her
who was in anguish; in earlier times He treatedthe land of Zebulun and the
land of Naphtali with contempt, but later on He shall make [it] glorious, by
the wayof the sea, on the other side of Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles. The
people who walk in darkness Will see a great light; Those who live in a dark
land, The light will shine on them." (Isa 9:1-2-note)
Here are severalother passagesthat predicted the coming "Light of the
world" (John 8:12)...
Isaiah42:6 “I am the LORD, I have calledYou in righteousness, Iwill also
hold You by the hand and watchover You, And I will appoint You as a
covenantto the people, as a light to the nations,
Comment: This passagerefers to the Messiahwouldinstitute a new covenant
(Jer 31:31-34-note,cpparallel idea in Isaiah 49:8). The nations is a clear
reference to the Gentiles.
Isaiah49:6 He says, “It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant
To raise up the tribes of Jacoband to restore the preservedones of Israel; I
will also make You a light of the nations (gentiles)(Isa 60:3) So that My
salvationmay reachto the end of the earth.”
John MacArthur comments - The Servant’s goalis the salvation and
restorationof Israelfor the fulfillment of the covenantpromise. But not
limited to Israel, He is to function as a light bringing salvation to the Gentiles.
Israel’s mission had always been to bring the nations to God (19:24; 42:6).
This she will finally do very effectively in the tribulation after the conversion
of the 144,000witnesses(Rev7:1–10;14:1–5)and when she is restoredto her
Land at the Servant’s return to earth. Cf. 9:2; 11:10;42:6; 45:22; Lk 2:32.
Paul applied this verse to his ministry to the Gentiles on his first missionary
journey (Ac 13:47).
Isaiah51:4-5 Pay attention to Me, O My people, And give ear to Me, O My
nation; Fora law will go forth from Me, And I will set My justice for a light of
the peoples (Gentiles). “Myrighteousness is near, My salvationhas gone
forth, And My arms will judge the peoples;The coastlands willwait for Me,
And for My arm they will waitexpectantly.
Isaiah52:10 The LORD has bared His holy arm In the sight of all the nations
(Gentiles), That all the ends of the earth may see The salvation of our God.
Isaiah60:1-3 (God is addressing Zion, Isa 59:20, 60:14)Arise, shine; for your
light has come, And the glory of the LORD has risen upon you. For behold,
darkness will coverthe earth And deep darkness the peoples;But the LORD

will rise upon you And His glory will appearupon you. Nations (Gentiles)will
come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.
HCSB note - Though the light comes to God's people, the nations will share in
it by coming to the light. The idea that the nations will respond favorably to
God is a fulfillment of the promise to Abraham that he would be a blessing to
the nations (Gen 12:3).
MacArthur interprets this as prophecy that will be fulfilled in the Millennium
- Jerusalem’s light will attractother nations seeking relieffrom their darkness
(2:3). Only believing Jews and Gentiles will enter the earthly kingdom after
the Dayof the Lord, but as the 1,000 years goes along children will be born
and nations will become populated by those who rejectJesus Christ. The glory
of the King in Jerusalem, and His mighty power will draw those Gentiles to
His light.
Malachi4:2-note “But for you who fear My name, the Sun of Righteousness
will rise with healing in its wings;and you will go forth and skip about like
calves from the stall.
Comment - The "Sun of Righteous" is a prophecy of the Messiah. MacArthur
agrees that"The reference is to the Messiah, “the LORD our righteousness”
(Ps 84:11;Jer 23:5, 6; 1Co 1:30)."
RelatedResources:
Nations - Baker's EvangelicalDictionaryof Biblical Theology
Easton's Bible Dictionary Gentiles
FaussetBible Dictionary Gentiles
Holman Bible Dictionary Gentiles
Hastings'Dictionary of the Bible Gentiles
Hastings'Dictionary of the NT Gentiles (2) Gentiles
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia Gentiles
Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia Gentiles
McClintock and Strong's Bible Encyclopedia Gentile
The JewishEncyclopedia Gentile
Ryle - Christ was indeed “the glory of Israel.” The descentfrom Abraham—
the covenants—the promises—the law ofMoses—the divinely ordered Temple
service—allthese were mighty privileges. But all were as nothing compared to
the mighty fact, that out of Israel was born the Saviour of the world. This was
to be the highest honor of the Jewishnation, that the mother of Christ was a

Jewishwoman, and that the blood of One “made of the seedof David,
according to the flesh,” was to make atonementfor the sin of mankind. (Rom.
1:3.) The words of old Simeon, let us remember, will yet receive a fuller
accomplishment(NOW REMEMBER RYLE LIVED FROM 1816-1900
BEFORE DISPENSATIONALISM AND YET NOTICE THAT HE DOES
NOT REPLACE ISRAEL WITH THE CHURCH!). The “light” which he saw
by faith, as he held the child Jesus in his arms, shall yet shine so brightly that
all the nations of the Gentile world shall see it.—The “glory” of that Jesus
whom Israel crucified, shall one day be revealedso clearlyto the scattered
Jews, that they shall look on Him whom they pierced, and repent, and be
converted. (Zech 12:10-14+, Zech13:1+) The day shall come when the veil
shall be taken from the heart of Israel, and all shall “gloryin the Lord.” (Isa.
45:25.)For that day let us wait, and watch, and pray. If Christ be the light
and glory of our souls, that day cannot come too soon. The glory of God is the
chief end not only of men but also of the heavenly hosts.
And the glory (doxa) of Your people Israel - Who is "the glory?" In context,
this is salvationand by default a description of the Savior, the Messiah. What
is fascinating is that in Ezekielwe read of the progressive departure of the
glory of the Lord from the Temple, Ezekielwriting that "the glory of the God
of Israel (cf Shekinahglory) went up from the cherub on which it had been
(FROM WITHIN THE TEMPLE PROPER), to the threshold of the temple"
(Ezekiel9:3+). "Then the glory of the LORD departed from the threshold of
the temple" (Ezekiel10:18+). "Whenthe cherubim departed, they lifted their
wings and rose up from the earth in my sight with the wheels beside them;
and they stoodstill at the entrance of the eastgate of the LORD’S house
(TEMPLE), and the glory of the God of Israelhovered over them (AT THE
EAST GATE WHICH FACED TOWARD THE MOUNT OF OLIVES). "
(Ezekiel10:19+). Then finally "The glory of the LORD went up from the
midst of the city and stoodover the mountain which is eastof the city
(MOUNT OF OLIVES) (Ezekiel11:23+). (see schematic ofHis progressive
departure) So in the past the GLORY OF THE PEOPLE ISRAEL had
departed. But now Simeonwith Spirit illuminated clarity sees the Baby that
he is holding in his hands as the return of the GLORY of Your people Israel.
In fact when we compare John's description, it is clearthat the "Glorious
One" had returned for at leasta brief time writing "And the Word (Jn 1:1+)
became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw HIS GLORY, GLORY as of
the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth." (John 1:14+).
And so godly Simeon sees the Christ child with glory, glory as of the only
begottenfrom the Father! This righteous man recognizedthe Messiah, the

glory of Your people Israel, but sadly most of Israel failed to recognize His
glory, Luke recording Jesus prophecy of the destruction of the Herod's
Temple and Jerusalemin 70 AD declaring "and they (ROMANS)will level
you to the ground and your children within you, and they will not leave in you
one stone upon another, because (WHY WAS THE TEMPLE
DESTROYED?)youdid not recognize the time of your visitation.” (Lk
19:44+)The eyes of Simeon had been supernaturally openedto recognize the
Glorious One, the Messiah, Who the majority of Israelfailed to recognize!
(Dearbeliever lift your voice and hands as you sing Glorious One)
Isaiahdescribes the future glory of Messiah -
In that day (WHAT DAY? THE MILLENNIUM, cf description in Isaiah2:1-
5+) the Branch of the LORD (THE MESSIAH) will be beautiful and glorious,
(Lxx uses the same word doxa used here in Lk 2:32) and the fruit of the earth
will be the pride and the adornment of the survivors of Israel (BELIEVING
REMNANT)(Isaiah4:2+)
GENE BROOKS
Luke 2:21-40 - The PresentationofJesus
Presentationin the Temple (Philippe de Champaigne, 1648)
Luke begins his gospelin the Temple with an unbelieving priest, Zechariah,
and he ends the birth narrative at the Temple with a believing man, woman,
and the boy Jesus. Josephand Mary are careful to keepthe requirements of
the Law. His circumcisionwas apparently in Bethlehem but for the
purification they had to travel to the Temple in Jerusalem. There they are
greetedby two remarkable individuals, both agedand devout, Simeonand
Anna, who speak aboutthe future of the child.
Key Truth: Luke wrote Luke 2:21-40 to teachbelievers how the Presentation
of Jesus is a callto consecrationforhis people, a call to the Glory of the Lord
among the nations, and a call to worshiping intercessionbefore the Lord of
the nations.

Key Application: Today I want to show you what God’s Word says about
God’s call to us in the New Year.
Key Verse:Luke 2:31-32
Pray and Read: Luke 2:21-40
Sermon Points: In this New Year we have a
1. Call to Consecrationto the Lord among His people (Luke 2:21-24)
2. Call to Glory of the Lord among the nations (Luke 2:25-35)
3. Call to Prayer before the Lord of the nations (Luke 2:36-40)
Exposition: Note well,
1. CALL TO CONSECRATION TO THE LORD AMONG HIS PEOPLE
(Luke 2:21-24)
a. Luke 2:21-24 – the Mosaic Law required (Lev 12:3) that boys be
circumcisedat eight days of age. Justas with the birth of John, the baby
receives the name Jesus atthis time. The Law also required the redemption of
the firstborn son30 days after childbirth (Num 3:14) and a service of
purification of the mother 40 days after childbirth (Lev 12:4-8). The ceremony
of redeeming the firstborn sonis a reminder of the redemption from slavery
in Egypt at Passover(Exod12:3-14, 21-28;13:2-16)and of avoiding the last of
the ten plagues (Exod 11:45; 12:29-30). Becauseofthis, every Israelite family
dedicates its firstborn son to God’s service but then redeems the boy for a
payment of five sanctuary shekels (Numbers 18:16). In return, God accepts
instead the Levites, the sons of Levi, for service in the Temple (Numbers 3:12-
13, 45; 8:14-19). Since there is no mention of Mary “redeeming” their son with
five shekels,then he was probably dedicated wholly to the Lord, after the
model of the child Samuel (1 Sam 1-2). Note the echoes in Luke 2:22-23 to 1
Sam 1:24, 28 (cf. Luke 2:34, 40)
b. The offering is of a lamb or a pair of turtledoves as a substitute (Exod
13:2, 12;Lev 12:6-8). This was Joseph’s offering, further evidence of their
adverse poverty. Mary would lay hands on the pigeons, then a priest would
take them to the southwestcornerof the altar, wring one bird’s neck as a sin
offering and burning the other as a whole burnt offering in a complete picture
of the Messiahto come.

c. APPLICATION: In this New Year, the Lord is calling you and me to a
renewedcommitment to walk in belief and do the things that He requires.
d. One thing that keeps a church from growing as a body is that the Focus Is
on Trying to Please Everyone. There is NO church on the planet that will
make everyone happy every single week—andaccording to the Scriptures,
that isn’t really supposedto be our obsession. Too many times, we become so
concernedwith offending people that we actually offend Jesus.[1]
Presentationof Christ in the Temple (James Tissot)
2. CALL TO GLORY OF THE LORD AMONG THE NATIONS (Luke
2:25-35)
a. This encounter with Simeon happened no doubt in the Court of Women.
Simeon’s prayer, must more than Zechariah’s prophecy, marks a transition
from the OT era to the NT.
b. SIMEON (meaning "One who hears and obeys"). All we know of Simeon
is what Luke tells us. Simeon is
i. Clean(righteous) before GodB holiness (Luke 2:25)
ii. Expecting the Promises ofGod (Luke 2:25). His heart is set upon
the Messianicpromises of God
iii. In the Presence ofGod(Luke 2:25). The Holy Spirit was upon
him.
iv. Heard God speak (Luke 2:26) and knew he would live to see the
Messiah. He realizes this baby is He.
v. Submitted to the Spirit of God (Luke 2:27)
vi. Man of the Word, of prayer and a worshiper(Luke 2:29-32).
Simeon likens himself to a slave who has dutifully scannedthe horizon for the
long-awaitedvisitor. Now he reports to his master that he has fulfilled his
trust. Now he claims the privilege of going off duty.
c. Luke 2:29-32 – These words are known as the Nunc Dimittis (like Mary’s
Magnificatand Zechariah’s Benedictus (Luke 1:68-79). This song, like Mary’s
and Zechariah’s, is full of OT associations.The comfort of Israelis the main
subject of the lastsectionof Isaiah beginning with Isaiah40 to which Simeon
makes a number of allusions. That comfort was to come only through the

Messiah(Isaiah40:1, 49:13; 51:3; 52:9; 66:13). Simeon draws heavily on the
OT for its style and subject matter. Verses 30-31 are closelytied to Isaiah
40:5; 52:10. In verse 30, the Heb. Yeshuah renders in Greek (soterion)as
salvation, but there is a definite wordplay here on the name of the Messiah.
i. Force ofSimeon's Worship: Towardthe Nations (Luke 2:32). “A
light to the Goyim. Compare Isaiah 42:6; 49:6; 51:4. And for glory for your
people Israel(cf. Isaiah46:13).
ii. Symbol of a Watchmanfor the Nations: Shades of Isaiah49:6
d. Luke 2:34-35 - Simeon then turns to Mary telling her of the greathonor
she has of raising this son will include suffering also. Simeon says this baby
will cause the rising and falling of many (see Isaiah8:14-15;28:16), an
expressionused in the early church (1 Peter2:6-8). It was a warning that he
was a sign that would be spokenagainst(Isaiah8:18; Luke 11:29-30),
something she already knew, of a sword piercing her heart (cf. Psalm37:15;
Ezek 14:17) and an indication of the way by which salvationwould be
accomplished.
e. APPLICATION: When a church choosesto focus only on itself and not on
taking the messageofChrist to the nations, that is calleddisobedience to the
Scriptures. Needexamples? Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 16:15, Luke 24:48, John
20:21, Acts 1:8, 2 Cor 5:16-21, Luke 19:10 … I could go on and on…but we
MUST understand that Jesus didn’t come to Earth, live here for 33 years, give
HIS life for us, and then return back to heaven to intercede for us so that we
could get in little circles and talk about ourselves and condemn those who are
not as goodas us. We are calledto REACH PEOPLE FOR GOD—
PERIOD![2]
3. CALL TO PRAYER BEFORETHE LORD OF THE NATIONS (Luke
2:36-40)
a. Anna : the NT form of the OT Hannah (1 Sam 1:2). She is in a categoryof
prophetesses like Miriam (Exod 15:20), Deborah (Judg. 4:4), and Huldah (2
Kings 22:14).
b. Look at the characteristicsofAnna: She is a woman of prophetic worship
and intercession. She is an example of a worshiping intercessor
i. In the PresenceAShe never left the Temple (Luke 2:37)

ii. Of Asher, a Alost tribe@ (Luke 2:36) which vanished after the
conquestof the northern Ten Tribes in 722 B.C.
iii. Worshiped, prayed, fasted (Luke 2:37)
iv. Full of Thanksgiving (Luke 2:38)
v. Full of Evangelism(Luke 2:38)
vi. Anna knew the Promises. She was waiting for Jerusalemto be
redeemedor liberated (Luke 2:25; 1:68). Compare Isaiah52:9.
c. This entire passage(Luke 2:25-40)shows the interrelationship of
intercessoryworshipand a vision for the nations. Luke wants it clear to his
largely Gentile audience that Christ came for all the Nations, not only Jews.
Remember that Luke also wrote Acts 1:8!
d. Luke 2:39-40 – Like the description of John in Luke 1:80, it echoes the
description of Samuel in 1 Sam 2:21, 26; and Luke 2:52. The reference to
wisdom (Luke 2:40) is relatedto Isaiah 11:2.
e. APPLICATION: Many times, we work so hard putting our ideas together
that we actually think there is no need for the supernatural powerof God to
be involved. Prayershould not be the goodluck charm that we stick at the
beginning or the end of what we do…but rather it should be our constant
desperationto see God do the undeniable among us. Intense desperationoften
brings undeniable revelation![3]
f. In this New Year, the Lord is calling our church to a greatermeasure of
worship and intercessionbefore the Lord of the nations. To be in the place of
prayer more individually, with friends, in small groups, corporatelyas a
church, for our nation and the nations.
Invitation:
ALAN CARR
Luke 2:21-38
BEHOLD THE LAMB PRAISED
Intro: Today is the day after Christmas. The presents have been given and
received. The meals have been eatenand the festivities have, for the most

part, come to an end for anotheryear. That lime greenscarfyou receivedwill
go into the drawerto join the hot pink one you got lastyear. That brown
paisley tie will quickly find its way to the back of your closet, soonto be
forgotten. The tree and the decorations willcome down and Christmas will be
gone for anotheryear.
Or will it? The fact is, Christmas really has nothing to do with the things I
mentioned a moment ago. Christmas cango on 24 hours a day, 365 days per
year. It can go on if allow Jesus to be the central Figure of Christmas.
In our text, the Lamb of God has been born. God has stepped out of
eternity and enteredhuman history. The Lamb was promised, He was
prepared and He has been provided. Our text takes us to Jerusalemfor an
event that occurred40 days after the very first Christmas.
When Jesus was 8 days old He was circumcised, as prescribed by the Law,
Lev. 12:3. After 40 days, Mary has reachedthe end of her purification period,
Lev. 12:1-4. In these verses, we are allowedto go to the Lord’s house with
Jesus and His family as they take Him to be presentedto the Lord and
redeemed, also according to the Law, Deut. 18:4. What a thought: the
Redeemerhad to be redeemed!
While they were there, a specialevent occurred. Two old saints of God,
Simeon and Anna, were in the Temple. They were there because the Holy
Ghosthas led them there. Theywere part of a faithful Jewishremnant that
was looking for the appearing of the Messiah. Whenthey met Jesus that day,
even though He was just a 40 day old infant, they are overjoyedand begin to
lift up praises to the Lord.
Today, I want to look into these verses and considerthis thought: Behold
The Lamb Praised. What we see here canteachus some things about the
matter of praise. I think these verses have some lessons to teach us today, and
they are lessons that we very much need to hear. Let’s take a few minutes and
think about BeholdThe Lamb Praised.
I. THE MOTIVE FOR THE LAMB’S PRAISE
(Ill. When Simeonenters the Temple and takes Jesus into his arms, the old
man declares forall to hear the reasons forhis joy. In his speech, Simeon
gives us a three-fold motive for praising the Lord that is just as valid today as
it was then.)
A. v. 26-30 PraisedBecauseOfWho Appeared – The name “Simeon” means
“He who hears.” And, apparently, this man had been hearing the voice of the

Holy Spirit, v. 26. He had been told that he would not die until He had seen
Christ, the JewishMessiah, and the Savior of the world for himself. When old
Simeon sees Jesus, he is notified by the Spirit that this is Him and Simeon
begins to praise the Lord because ofWho had entered the world.
Just Who was this Baby? He is identified here as “the Lord’s Christ,”
v. 26 and the Lord’s “salvation,” v. 30. Simeon understood Who He was, but
few others did! Eight days earlieron the night Jesus was born, some humble
shepherds became aware ofWho He was. Some Heavenlyangels knew Who
He was. But, sadly, many others did not know Who He was.
The priest who circumcisedHim did not know. The other people in the
Temple that day did not know. The folks in Bethlehem also did not know
Who this very specialBaby was. Sadly, most people alive today do not know
Who this Child was and is.
Let me take just a moment to tell you Who this Baby they named Jesus
was and Who He still is:
Ø He is God in human flesh – John 1:1, 14; Phil. 2:5-8
Ø He is the Lamb of God slain from before the foundation of the world –
Rev. 13:8; 1 Pet. 1:18-20
Ø He is the only Saviorof sinners and the only Way to God – John 14:6;
Acts 4:12, 1 John 5:12; John 8:24
Simeon is excited because the promised One has appeared. He knew
Who Jesus was;the question you must answeris: do you know Who Jesus is?
If you do, then you canpraise Him like Simeon did.
B. v. 30-32 PraisedBecauseOfWhy He Arrived – As Simeon praises God the
Father for the Baby Jesus, he tells us a little bit about why Jesus came in this
world. We are told in verse 30 that Jesus is salvation. We have already
coveredthat! Then, we are told that He has come to change the whole world.
The ministry He will fulfill will impact the Jewishnation and it will even
reachinto the Gentile world.
Basically, Simeonis reminding us that Jesus came into this world to
save all those who will come to Him by faith. Whether a person is a Jew or a
Gentile; Jesus came to provide salvation to all who will receive Him. That is
the promise of the Word of God, John 3:16; Rev. 22:17.
The truth that Jesus came into this world to set me free from my sins is
a true motive for praise, Luke 19:10; John 15:13! That He would love me
enough to die for me and to save me by His grace is a thought beyond the
powerof words to describe! If we can’t find any other reasonto praise the

Lord, surely we canpraise Him because He loved us so much that He endured
the pain, the shame and the horror of the cross to set us free from our sins!
Listen to what Isaiahsaid about it – Isa. 53:4-6 – and bless His holy name!
C. v. 34-35 PraisedBecauseOfWhat He Would Accomplish – Simeon
continues his praise by offering a prophecy of what Jesus would accomplishin
His life. In these verses, the old man speaks ofa Stone, a Sign and a Sword.
The phrase “fall and rising again of many in Israel” refers to Jesus as the
fulfillment of Old Testamentprophesy, Psa. 118:22;Isa. 8:14. Many in Israel
would stumble over the life and ministry of the Lord Jesus. Theywould
stumble in rejectionand conviction, but a few would rise againin salvation.
Jesus is the Stone!
(Note:Let me just state for the record that Jesus Christ is still the
Stone! He is the Salvation Stone, Matt. 21:44. He is the Judgment Stone,
Matt. 21:44, Dan. 2:34, 45. And, He is the Touchstone, that is, He reveals men
for what they really are. Everything in your spiritual life hinges around how
you answerone question, “What think ye of Christ?”, Matthew 22:42. How
you answerthat question determines where your soul stands in relationship to
God, 1 John 4:1-3. Whatis your answer?)
He also talks about a Sign. The word “sign” means “miracle.” Jesus
Christ is God’s miracle! But, instead of receiving him as the gift and
revelation of God, His enemies attackedHim and crucified Him. His birth
was a miracle, and they attackedit, John 8:41. His miracles were ridiculed
and attributed to the work of Satan, Matt. 12:22-24. His characterwas called
into question, John 8:48; 52;9:24. They mockedHim as He died, Matt. 27:39-
44. They lied about His resurrection, Matt. 27:62-66. Eventoday, men still
doubt the Miracle Man by questioning His promise to return to the earth
again, 2 Pet. 3:3-18.
Then, Simeon talkedabout a “sword.” Ofcourse, this was Mary’s
pain! She suffered as she watched Jesus fulfill His Father’s plan. The
ultimate hurt came the day she watchedHim dying on that cross forsinners.
The bottom line of all this is that Jesus Christentered this world to
provide salvationfor the lost. Thank God for that wonderful truth! So, do
you know the “Miracle Man”? Is Jesus the “Chief Cornerstone” ofyour life?
When you stop to think of Who Arrived, Why He Appeared and What He
Accomplished, you can see that we have a quite a motive for praising the
Lord.
II. THE METHOD OF THE LAMB’S PRAISE

Jesus was the glory of his people

Jesus was the glory of his people

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