The Life Of Jesus Christ In Its Historical Connexion

The aged and devout Simeon, [48] who had longed and prayed for the coming of Messiah's kingdom, had received the Divine assurance that he should not die without seeing the desire of his heart. Under a peculiarly vivid impulse of this presentiment, he entered the Temple just as the infant Jesus was brought in. The Divine glory irradiating the child's features harmonized with the longing of his inspired soul; he recognized the manifested Messiah, took the infant in his arms, and exclaimed, in a burst of inspired gratitude, "Lord, now let thy servant depart in peace according to thy promise, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation which thou hast prepared before the face of all people, a light to enlighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel." [49] Then, turning to Mary, he 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; [50] and a sword shall pierce through thine own soul also, that the thoughts of many hearts may he revealed."

Notice, now, the remarkable idea of the Messiah which these words convey; precisely such a one as we should expect from a longing Jew, of deep, spiritual piety. Although it cannot be said to contain really Christian elements, it is far above the ordinary conceptions of the times; and this not only confirms the truth of the narrative, but stamps the discourse as Simeon's own, and not a speech composed in his name. [51] It is true, Simeon conceives the kingdom of Messiah as tending to glorify the Jewish people, but yet extends its blessings also over the heathen, and believes that the light of the knowledge of God will illumine them also. Nor does he conceive Messiah's kingdom as triumphing at once by displays of miraculous power, but rather as developing itself after struggles with prevailing corruptions, and after a gradual purifying of the theocratic nation. The conflict with the corrupt part of the nation was to be severe before the Messiah could lead his faithful ones to victory. The foreboding of suffering to Mary, so indefinitely expressed, bears no mark of post factum invention. But the inspired idea of Messiah in the pious old man obviously connected the sufferings which he was to endure in his strife against the corrupt people with those which were foretold of him in Isaiah, liii.

The other devout one, to whom the destiny of the infant Jesus was revealed, was the aged Anna, who heard Simeon's words, shared in his joyful anticipations, and united in his song of thanksgiving. [52]