Luke 2:35
Verse
Context
The Prophecy of Simeon
34Then Simeon blessed them and said to His mother Mary: “Behold, this Child is appointed to cause the rise and fall of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, 35so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed — and a sword will pierce your soul as well.”
Sermons
Summary
Commentary
- Adam Clarke
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
- John Gill
- Tyndale
Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also - Probably meaning, Thou also, as well as thy son, shall die a martyr for the truth. But as this is a metaphor used by the most respectable Greek writers to express the most pungent sorrow, it may here refer to the anguish Mary must have felt when standing beside the cross of her tortured son: Joh 19:25.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
Yea, &c.--"Blessed as thou art among women, thou shalt have thine own deep share of the struggles and sufferings which this Babe is to occasion"--pointing not only to the continued obloquy and rejection of this Child of hers, those agonies of His which she was to witness at the cross, and her desolate condition thereafter, but to dreadful alternations of faith and unbelief, of hope and fear regarding Him, which she would have to pass through. that the thoughts, &c.--Men's views and decisions regarding Christ are a mirror in which the very "thoughts of their hearts" are seen.
John Gill Bible Commentary
And there was one Anna,.... The name is the same with Hannah: so Hannah, the mother of Samuel, is by the Septuagint called Anna, in Sa1 1:2 and it signifies "grace"; or "gracious": and as was her name, so was she, a gracious woman; One that had the grace of God herself, and was a publisher of the glad tidings of grace and redemption by Christ, to others; and she was a prophetess: for though prophecy had ceased among the Jews for some hundreds of years, it now revived upon the coming of the Messiah; and though instances of women prophets were rare, yet some there were, both before, and after the coming of Christ; as Miriam, the sister of Moses and Aaron, Deborah, the wife of Lapidoth, and Huldah, the wife of Shallum; and this Anna, at the time of Christ's birth, and afterwards four daughters of Philip the Evangelist, who were virgins. This woman was the daughter of Phanuel; it is the same name with Penuel; and which, by the Septuagint, in Ch1 4:4 is called Phanuel, as here. This man might be a person of some note, or he may be mentioned for the sake of his name, which signifies the face of God, and is the name Jacob gave to a certain place where he had seen God face to face, Gen 32:30. And now Phanuel's daughter both saw and gave the light of the knowledge of God, in the face of Jesus Christ, and now beheld his face in the flesh, who is God over all, blessed for ever, Of the tribe of Aser; the same with Asher; for so Asher is called, as here, by the Septuagint, in Gen 30:13 and elsewhere: and though this tribe was carried captive with the rest of the ten tribes; yet there were some of the ten tribes that returned along with Judah and Benjamin, and were dispersed among them. This tribe had its seat in Galilee; so that though the Jews denied that any prophet came from thence, yet it seems a prophetess did, She was of a great age: the phrase is the same with that in Luk 1:7 there rendered, "stricken in years"; See Gill on Luk 1:7. Her age will appear to be great, if it be observed, that she was seven years a married woman, and fourscore and four years a widow, which make ninety one; and if she was married at twelve years and a half, at which time the Jews (o) reckoned females marriageable, she must be an hundred and three years old; and perhaps her age might be eight or ten years more: and had lived with her husband seven years from her virginity: this is mentioned to observe her chastity, that she was in her virginity, or a chaste virgin, when she became a wife; such an one as the high priest was obliged to have, Lev 21:13 and that the tokens of her virginity were brought, which the Jewish laws obliged to, Deu 22:15 and that she lived honestly, and honourably, with her husband, during the term of her marriage state, (o) Maimon. Hilehot Ishot, c. 2. sect. 2.
Tyndale Open Study Notes
2:35 the deepest thoughts of many hearts: Israel’s true heart—whether for God or against him—would be revealed through their response to Jesus. • a sword will pierce your very soul: Mary would experience great pain at seeing her son rejected and dying on the cross.
Luke 2:35
The Prophecy of Simeon
34Then Simeon blessed them and said to His mother Mary: “Behold, this Child is appointed to cause the rise and fall of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, 35so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed— and a sword will pierce your soul as well.”
- Scripture
- Sermons
- Commentary
Keswickism
By Harmon A. Baldwin0LUK 1:73LUK 2:35ACT 10:152CO 7:1GAL 4:22EPH 4:22EPH 5:25COL 3:81TH 5:23HEB 12:11PE 2:1Harmon A. Baldwin addresses the dangerous doctrine of 'suppression' which teaches that depravity always lurks beneath consciousness, advocating for the eradication of the carnal nature from the soul. He contrasts this with the biblical teaching of sanctification and cleansing through Christ's sacrifice, emphasizing the possibility of living a holy and blameless life. Baldwin challenges the idea that the baptism of the Holy Spirit does not involve cleansing from sin, urging believers to allow the Spirit to rid them of the old man instead of suppressing him.
The Third Word
By W.R. Inge0PSA 34:18PSA 69:20ISA 53:3LAM 1:12LUK 2:35JHN 19:25ROM 8:18HEB 4:151PE 4:13W.R. Inge delivers a powerful sermon reflecting on the profound suffering of Jesus on the Cross and the excruciating anguish experienced by His mother, Mary. Inge explores how Mary's presence at the Crucifixion did not alleviate Jesus' suffering but rather intensified it, as her own heartache mirrored His pain. The sermon delves into the deep emotional and spiritual torment both Jesus and Mary endured, emphasizing the unique and unbearable agony of witnessing a loved one's crucifixion. Inge vividly portrays the shared suffering between Jesus and His mother, illustrating the immense weight of sorrow and grief they both carried.
The Death of Christ
By W.H. Griffith Thomas0MAT 16:21MAT 26:28MRK 10:32LUK 2:35LUK 9:31JHN 6:51JHN 10:11JHN 12:24JHN 12:27JHN 15:13W.H. Griffith Thomas delves into the profound significance of Jesus Christ's death as portrayed in the Gospels, emphasizing how His sacrificial death was foreseen and foretold, forming the core of His earthly ministry. The disciples initially struggled to comprehend the necessity of His death, showcasing the mystery and importance of this event. Jesus Himself, fully aware of His impending death, displayed deep emotion and purpose, culminating in the ultimate sacrifice for the redemption of humanity, a concept unparalleled in other religions. The Gospels highlight the unique and sacrificial nature of Christ's death, revealing the depth of His love and the profound impact it had on His followers and early Church, particularly the Apostle Paul.
- Adam Clarke
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
- John Gill
- Tyndale
Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also - Probably meaning, Thou also, as well as thy son, shall die a martyr for the truth. But as this is a metaphor used by the most respectable Greek writers to express the most pungent sorrow, it may here refer to the anguish Mary must have felt when standing beside the cross of her tortured son: Joh 19:25.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
Yea, &c.--"Blessed as thou art among women, thou shalt have thine own deep share of the struggles and sufferings which this Babe is to occasion"--pointing not only to the continued obloquy and rejection of this Child of hers, those agonies of His which she was to witness at the cross, and her desolate condition thereafter, but to dreadful alternations of faith and unbelief, of hope and fear regarding Him, which she would have to pass through. that the thoughts, &c.--Men's views and decisions regarding Christ are a mirror in which the very "thoughts of their hearts" are seen.
John Gill Bible Commentary
And there was one Anna,.... The name is the same with Hannah: so Hannah, the mother of Samuel, is by the Septuagint called Anna, in Sa1 1:2 and it signifies "grace"; or "gracious": and as was her name, so was she, a gracious woman; One that had the grace of God herself, and was a publisher of the glad tidings of grace and redemption by Christ, to others; and she was a prophetess: for though prophecy had ceased among the Jews for some hundreds of years, it now revived upon the coming of the Messiah; and though instances of women prophets were rare, yet some there were, both before, and after the coming of Christ; as Miriam, the sister of Moses and Aaron, Deborah, the wife of Lapidoth, and Huldah, the wife of Shallum; and this Anna, at the time of Christ's birth, and afterwards four daughters of Philip the Evangelist, who were virgins. This woman was the daughter of Phanuel; it is the same name with Penuel; and which, by the Septuagint, in Ch1 4:4 is called Phanuel, as here. This man might be a person of some note, or he may be mentioned for the sake of his name, which signifies the face of God, and is the name Jacob gave to a certain place where he had seen God face to face, Gen 32:30. And now Phanuel's daughter both saw and gave the light of the knowledge of God, in the face of Jesus Christ, and now beheld his face in the flesh, who is God over all, blessed for ever, Of the tribe of Aser; the same with Asher; for so Asher is called, as here, by the Septuagint, in Gen 30:13 and elsewhere: and though this tribe was carried captive with the rest of the ten tribes; yet there were some of the ten tribes that returned along with Judah and Benjamin, and were dispersed among them. This tribe had its seat in Galilee; so that though the Jews denied that any prophet came from thence, yet it seems a prophetess did, She was of a great age: the phrase is the same with that in Luk 1:7 there rendered, "stricken in years"; See Gill on Luk 1:7. Her age will appear to be great, if it be observed, that she was seven years a married woman, and fourscore and four years a widow, which make ninety one; and if she was married at twelve years and a half, at which time the Jews (o) reckoned females marriageable, she must be an hundred and three years old; and perhaps her age might be eight or ten years more: and had lived with her husband seven years from her virginity: this is mentioned to observe her chastity, that she was in her virginity, or a chaste virgin, when she became a wife; such an one as the high priest was obliged to have, Lev 21:13 and that the tokens of her virginity were brought, which the Jewish laws obliged to, Deu 22:15 and that she lived honestly, and honourably, with her husband, during the term of her marriage state, (o) Maimon. Hilehot Ishot, c. 2. sect. 2.
Tyndale Open Study Notes
2:35 the deepest thoughts of many hearts: Israel’s true heart—whether for God or against him—would be revealed through their response to Jesus. • a sword will pierce your very soul: Mary would experience great pain at seeing her son rejected and dying on the cross.