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Luk_2:25-38
It has been sought to identify this Simeon with another person of the same name (a very common one among the Jews) who was alive at the time. This was the Rabbi Simeon, the son of Hillel, a famous doctor of the Pharisees, and father of the celebrated Gamaliel, at whose feet Paul sat, as a student of Jewish learning under its most accomplished master. This Simeon’s father, Hillel, was at this time still living, and was president of the council or Sanhedrin, and was at his decease succeeded by his son. Of Simeon little is known but his name, position, and parentage; and this comparative obscurity to which he has been consigned, in comparison with his father and his son, has been thought to favor the probability that he had attained to more enlightened views respecting the nature of the Messiah’s kingdom than generally prevailed, and, by consequence, of his being the Simeon here mentioned. An identification founded merely on a name so common as that of Simeon is however very precarious. Our Simeon is also evidently a very old man, on the borders of the grave, and therefore much older than Rabbi Simeon could have been. Besides, the declaration of a man so noted and conspicuous, in a place so public, would have made a prodigious sensation, and must have come to the ears of Herod, whose jealousy would not have needed an awakening from the visit of the wise men.
It may also fairly be inferred that this Simeon was not the celebrated master of the schools, from the silence of St. Luke, who, although writing primarily for Greek converts, would scarcely have omitted to state distinctly the testimony of so distinguished a man to the Messiahship of Jesus.
All we really know of Simeon is, that he was one of those who “waited for the consolation of Israel,” longing and praying for the coming of the Messiah’s kingdom, and who had received the Divine assurance, that he should not taste of death without witnessing the fulfillment of his heart’s desire.
The phrase employed, “waiting for the consolation of Israel,” was one of well-known significance among the Jews, expressing the coming of the Messiah, and founded upon the terms in which Isaiah introduced his prediction of the Messiah’s coming. “Comfort ye, comfort ye, my people.” They used, it seems, even to swear by their hope of seeing the consolation of Israel. Many instances of this might be cited from the Talmud. Note:
R. Judah ben Yabbai said: “So let me see the consolation (of Israel) if I have not put to death a false witness.” Simeon Ben Shetach said unto him: “So let me see the consolation, if thou hast not shed innocent blood.”
R. Eliezer ben Zadok said: “So let me see the consolation, if I did not see her gleaning under the horses’ heels.”
R. Simeon hen Shetach said: “So let me see the consolation, I saw one man pursuing another with a drawn sword.”
In the Targum also upon Jer_31:6, we find the phrase—“Those who desire the years of consolation that are to come.”
Simeon, entering the temple at the same time the Divine child was brought in, cast his eyes upon him, and the inspiring Spirit apprised him that in this infant was the Hope of Israel—that in Him, the Lord whom he sought had suddenly come to his temple, as ancient prophets had foretold. Transported at this fulfillment of all his hopes, the holy man caught the child in his arms, and exclaimed, in a burst of inspired gratitude—“Lord, now lettest Thou thy servant depart in peace according to thy word: for mine eyes have seen thy salvation, which Thou hast prepared before the face of all people; a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.” By this, one perceives that his scope of vision was carried far beyond the narrow Jewish point of view. He conceives, indeed, the kingdom of the Messiah as tending specially to glorify the Jewish nation; but he yet extends its blessings also over the heathen, and believes that “the true Light” will enlighten them also. This is a view which had up to this only been intimated by the announcing angels; and considering how jealous the Jews were in appropriating to themselves all the hopes and glories of the Messiah’s kingdom, this is a strong evidence of the depth of knowledge on this great subject which had been imparted to him, probably in the prayerful study of ancient prophecy.
When Simeon had uttered these words of thankfulness and joy, he turned to Mary, and exclaimed, “Behold this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel, and for a sign which shall be spoken against—yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also, that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.” This is a very important addition to what he had said previously. From this we learn, that although he believed that Israel would be eventually glorified in the Messiah, yet that, at first, He would be to them a stone of stumbling and rock of offence, over which they would fall—but should be raised up again. If, as we suppose, these views were derived from the devout study of inspired Scripture, they are precisely the same as we ourselves obtain from the same study. Israel has fallen; but shall rise again—has fallen that she may rise.
Still more than this. Simeon did not conceive that all was to yield to the Messiah and bow before him, when He once girded on his conquering sword; but that He was “to endure the contradiction of sinners against himself;” and was to triumph through suffering, sorrow, death. It is clear that his intimation of the great grief in store for the mother who stood before him—that a sword should pierce through her own soul also, was founded on a clear conception, derived doubtless from Isaiah 53, of the sufferings that awaited her Divine Son, by which her maternal heart could not fail to be deeply wounded—especially when she saw his honored head droop in death upon the cross.
By this it may be seen that Simeon’s knowledge of the real character of the Messiah’s mission, character, and kingdom, though not more than might be derived through the enlightened study of the prophetic Scripture, was far more distinct and accurate than any that even the Lord’s own apostles possessed, until after the tongues of fire rested upon their heads at the feast of Pentecost.
The other pious soul to whom the destiny of the infant Jesus was revealed, was the aged Anna, who heard Simeon’s words, shared in his anticipations, and joined in the song of thanksgiving. It is remarkable, that although in this interesting transaction Simeon is the foremost figure, and his words alone are recorded; yet more is stated personally of Anna, than of him. We are told that she was “a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser.” Why she is called a prophetess is not clear. It may be because she had been the wife of a prophet; it may be because she employed herself in celebrating the praises of God, which was sometimes called prophesying; or it may be that the spirit which had heretofore rested upon the Deborahs and Huldahs, was known to speak at this time by her. That she was of the tribe of Asher, is a further proof that the knowledge of their tribes and genealogies had been preserved among the Jews until the Messiah came; it also proves that members of the ten tribes returned from the East along with the captivity of Judah. This prophetess was venerable for her eminent piety preserved to extreme old age. Seven years she had lived with her husband after quitting her maiden state, and from his death she had remained in widowhood eighty-four years; so that if she was married at twelve years and a half, which was among the Jews counted marriageable age, she may have been 103 years old at this time, and could not well have been less than 100. Although the territories of her tribe were at a great distance from Jerusalem, she, not content with merely repairing thither for worship at the great festivals—and perhaps because at her age such journeys were distressing to her—had fixed her residence at the holy city; and there “she departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.” Which means, not that she was always in the temple—for it is stated that she had just come in—but that she was constant in her attendance in every act of worship and sacred service, making her extreme age no excuse for neglect, but rather rejoicing in it as a privilege—of which thousands younger and stronger than she would not avail themselves. It is well known that the temple services were not much frequented even by men, and by women still less, or not at all, except on the Sabbath days and at great solemnities; and it is this fact which imparts a special emphasis to this declaration respecting Anna the prophetess.