Discovery BoxLuke 2:34-52
Context2:34 Then 1 Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, “Listen carefully: 2 This child 3 is destined to be the cause of the falling and rising 4 of many in Israel and to be a sign that will be rejected. 5 2:35 Indeed, as a result of him the thoughts 6 of many hearts will be revealed 7 – and a sword 8 will pierce your own soul as well!” 9
2:36 There was also a prophetess, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old, 10 having been married to her husband for seven years until his death. 2:37 She had lived as a widow since then for eighty-four years. 11 She never left the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. 12 2:38 At that moment, 13 she came up to them 14 and began to give thanks to God and to speak 15 about the child 16 to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem. 17
2:39 So 18 when Joseph and Mary 19 had performed 20 everything according to the law of the Lord, 21 they returned to Galilee, to their own town 22 of Nazareth. 23 2:40 And the child grew and became strong, 24 filled with wisdom, 25 and the favor 26 of God 27 was upon him.
2:41 Now 28 Jesus’ 29 parents went to Jerusalem 30 every 31 year for the feast of the Passover. 32 2:42 When 33 he was twelve years old, 34 they went up 35 according to custom. 2:43 But 36 when the feast was over, 37 as they were returning home, 38 the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His 39 parents 40 did not know it, 2:44 but (because they assumed that he was in their group of travelers) 41 they went a day’s journey. Then 42 they began to look for him among their relatives and acquaintances. 43 2:45 When 44 they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem 45 to look for him. 2:46 After 46 three days 47 they found him in the temple courts, 48 sitting among the teachers, 49 listening to them and asking them questions. 2:47 And all who heard Jesus 50 were astonished 51 at his understanding and his answers. 2:48 When 52 his parents 53 saw him, they were overwhelmed. His 54 mother said to him, “Child, 55 why have you treated 56 us like this? Look, your father and I have been looking for you anxiously.” 57 2:49 But 58 he replied, 59 “Why were you looking for me? 60 Didn’t you know that I must be in my Father’s house?” 61 2:50 Yet 62 his parents 63 did not understand 64 the remark 65 he made 66 to them. 2:51 Then 67 he went down with them and came to Nazareth, 68 and was obedient 69 to them. But 70 his mother kept all these things 71 in her heart. 72
2:52 And Jesus increased 73 in wisdom and in stature, and in favor with God and with people.
[2:34] 1 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[2:34] 3 tn Grk “this one”; the referent (the child) is supplied in the translation for clarity.
[2:34] 4 sn The phrase the falling and rising of many emphasizes that Jesus will bring division in the nation, as some will be judged (falling) and others blessed (rising) because of how they respond to him. The language is like Isa 8:14-15 and conceptually like Isa 28:13-16. Here is the first hint that Jesus’ coming will be accompanied with some difficulties.
[2:34] 5 tn Grk “and for a sign of contradiction.”
[2:35] 6 tn Or “reasonings” (in a hostile sense). See G. Schrenk, TDNT 2:97.
[2:35] 7 sn The remark the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed shows that how people respond to Jesus indicates where their hearts really are before God.
[2:35] 8 sn A sword refers to a very large, broad two-edged sword. The language is figurative, picturing great pain. Though it refers in part to the cross, it really includes the pain all of Jesus’ ministry will cause, including the next event in Luke 2:41-52 and extending to the opposition he faced throughout his ministry.
[2:35] 9 sn This remark looks to be parenthetical and addressed to Mary alone, not the nation. Many modern English translations transpose this to make it the final clause in Simeon’s utterance as above to make this clear.
[2:36] 10 tn Her age is emphasized by the Greek phrase here, “she was very old in her many days.”
[2:37] 11 tn Grk “living with her husband for seven years from her virginity and she was a widow for eighty four years.” The chronology of the eighty-four years is unclear, since the final phrase could mean “she was widowed until the age of eighty-four” (so BDAG 423 s.v. ἕως 1.b.α). However, the more natural way to take the syntax is as a reference to the length of her widowhood, the subject of the clause, in which case Anna was about 105 years old (so D. L. Bock, Luke [BECNT], 1:251-52; I. H. Marshall, Luke, [NIGTC], 123-24).
[2:37] 12 sn The statements about Anna worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day make her extreme piety clear.
[2:38] 13 tn Grk “at that very hour.”
[2:38] 14 tn Grk “And coming up.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style. The participle ἐπιστᾶσα (epistasa) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[2:38] 15 tn The imperfect ἐλάλει (elalei) here looks at a process of declaration, not a single moment. She clearly was led by God to address men and women about the hope Jesus was. The testimony of Luke 1—2 to Jesus has involved all types of people.
[2:38] 16 tn Grk “him”; the referent (the child) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[2:38] 17 tc A few
[2:39] 18 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the conclusion of the topic.
[2:39] 19 tn Grk “when they”; the referents (Joseph and Mary) have been specified in the translation for clarity.
[2:39] 21 sn On the phrase the law of the Lord see Luke 2:22-23.
[2:39] 23 map For location see Map1 D3; Map2 C2; Map3 D5; Map4 C1; Map5 G3.
[2:40] 24 tc Most
[2:40] 25 sn With the description grew and became strong, filled with wisdom Luke emphasizes the humanity of Jesus and his growth toward maturity.
[2:40] 27 sn On the phrase the favor of God see Luke 1:66.
[2:41] 28 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
[2:41] 29 tn Grk “his”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[2:41] 30 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[2:41] 31 tn On the distributive use of the term κατά (kata), see BDF §305.
[2:41] 32 sn The custom of Jesus and his family going to Jerusalem every year for the feast of the Passover shows their piety in obeying the law (Exod 23:14-17).
[2:42] 33 tn Grk “And when.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
[2:42] 34 sn According to the Mishnah, the age of twelve years old is one year before a boy becomes responsible for his religious commitments (m. Niddah 5.6).
[2:42] 35 tc Most
[2:43] 36 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated contrastively in keeping with the context. This outcome is different from what had happened all the times before.
[2:43] 37 tn Grk “when the days ended.”
[2:43] 38 tn The word “home” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied for clarity.
[2:43] 39 tn Grk “And his.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
[2:43] 40 tc Most
[2:44] 41 sn An ancient journey like this would have involved a caravan of people who traveled together as a group for protection and fellowship.
[2:44] 42 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[2:44] 43 tn Or “and friends.” See L&N 28.30 and 34.17.
[2:45] 44 tn Grk “And when.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
[2:45] 45 sn The return to Jerusalem would have taken a second day, since they were already one day’s journey away.
[2:46] 46 tn Grk “And it happened that after.” The introductory phrase ἐγένετο (egeneto, “it happened that”), common in Luke (69 times) and Acts (54 times), is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated. Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
[2:46] 47 sn Three days means there was one day out, another day back, and a third day of looking in Jerusalem.
[2:46] 48 tn Grk “the temple.”
[2:46] 49 tn This is the only place in Luke’s Gospel where the term διδάσκαλος (didaskalo", “teacher”) is applied to Jews.
[2:47] 50 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[2:47] 51 sn There was wonder (all who heard…were astonished) that Jesus at such a young age could engage in such a discussion. The fact that this story is told of a preteen hints that Jesus was someone special.
[2:48] 52 tn Grk “And when.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
[2:48] 53 tn Grk “when they”; the referent (his parents) has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
[2:48] 54 tn Grk “And his.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
[2:48] 55 tn The Greek word here is τέκνον (teknon) rather than υἱός (Juios, “son”).
[2:48] 56 tn Or “Child, why did you do this to us?”
[2:48] 57 tn Or “your father and I have been terribly worried looking for you.”
[2:49] 58 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast.
[2:49] 59 tn Grk “he said to them.”
[2:49] 60 tn Grk “Why is it that you were looking for me?”
[2:49] 61 tn Or “I must be about my Father’s business” (so KJV, NKJV); Grk “in the [things] of my Father,” with an ellipsis. This verse involves an idiom that probably refers to the necessity of Jesus being involved in the instruction about God, given what he is doing. The most widely held view today takes this as a reference to the temple as the Father’s house. Jesus is saying that his parents should have known where he was.
[2:50] 62 tn Grk “And they.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “yet” to indicate the contrast.
[2:50] 63 tn Grk “they”; the referent (his parents) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[2:50] 64 sn This was the first of many times those around Jesus did not understand what he was saying at the time (9:45; 10:21-24; 18:34).
[2:50] 66 tn Grk “which he spoke.”
[2:51] 67 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[2:51] 68 map For location see Map1 D3; Map2 C2; Map3 D5; Map4 C1; Map5 G3.
[2:51] 69 tn Or “was submitting.”
[2:51] 70 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast.
[2:51] 71 tn Or “all these words.”
[2:51] 72 sn On the phrase his mother kept all these things in her heart compare Luke 2:19.
[2:52] 73 tn Or “kept increasing.” The imperfect tense suggests something of a progressive force to the verb.
