Luk 2:21-24 | KingComments | STEP | The Lord Jesus is a Man from Israel, a Jew. Therefore the laws are of application to Him. He Who is born of a woman is born under the law ( ). He subdues Himself to laws He Himself has given. This means that He is circumcised ( ; ; ). Because He has been circumcised, He is obliged to keep the whole law ( ). He has done so. When He is circumcised, He also receives the name “Jesus”, which means “ Yahweh is salvation”. That’s how the angel said it and that’s how it happens. His circumcision has a much richer meaning than just showing His submission to the law. His circumcision also has a spiritual meaning. It looks forward to what will happen to Him on the cross of Calvary and what has actually happened. The circumcision on the cross refers to death under the judgment of God ( ) by which He truly effected salvation. Thus there can be a new beginning for any man who accepts in faith that Christ has also bore the judgment of God on his sins for him. The eighth day speaks of that new beginning. It speaks of the new creation of all those who participate in the circumcision of Christ. His circumcision is the foundation that there will be more people of pleasure. God wants sons with whom He is pleased.

‏ Luke 2:21-24

Circumcision of the Lord Jesus

The Lord Jesus is a Man from Israel, a Jew. Therefore the laws are of application to Him. He Who is born of a woman is born under the law (Gal 4:4). He subdues Himself to laws He Himself has given. This means that He is circumcised (Lk 1:59; Gen 17:12; Lev 12:3). Because He has been circumcised, He is obliged to keep the whole law (Gal 5:3). He has done so. When He is circumcised, He also receives the name “Jesus”, which means “Yahweh is salvation”. That’s how the angel said it and that’s how it happens.

His circumcision has a much richer meaning than just showing His submission to the law. His circumcision also has a spiritual meaning. It looks forward to what will happen to Him on the cross of Calvary and what has actually happened. The circumcision on the cross refers to death under the judgment of God (Col 2:11) by which He truly effected salvation. Thus there can be a new beginning for any man who accepts in faith that Christ has also bore the judgment of God on his sins for him.

The eighth day speaks of that new beginning. It speaks of the new creation of all those who participate in the circumcision of Christ. His circumcision is the foundation that there will be more people of pleasure. God wants sons with whom He is pleased.

The Lord Jesus sanctified to the Lord

After the circumcision, the days for purification take place. When Joseph and Mary have undergone the purification ritual (Lev 12:1-6), they take Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord in the temple. Luke is the evangelist of the temple. He begins his Gospel with a scene in the temple and ends his Gospel with it.

The Lord Jesus is the firstborn Son of Mary. Therefore also with Him must be done according to the prescription from Exodus 13 (Exo 13:2 ; 12 ; 15). However, He is not only literally the firstborn Son of Mary, He is also in the full sense of the word the Firstborn of all people and the whole creation (Col 1:15; Heb 1:6) because He is the most important Person. As a result of His circumcision on the cross He is also the Firstborn from the dead (Col 1:18) and therefore also the Firstborn among many brethren (Rom 8:29).

It must have been a great joy for God when Mary presented her Son to Him. God already saw all that in Him. God saw that His Son would bring many sons to glory (Heb 2:10). The Gospel according to Luke is the Gospel of sonship, of sons of Gods pleasure.

At the sanctification there must also be offered a sacrifice. Joseph and Mary also do so. The sacrifice they offer shows the poor circumstances in which Christ is born (Lev 12:8). His parents offer the sacrifice of the poor. At the same time, these sacrifices make way for the true sacrifice that the Lord Jesus will be. His sacrifice is the foundation upon which worship can take place. We are in the temple, which is the place of worship. Worship can only take place on the basis of the sacrifice of Christ and can only take place by those who, as sons of God’s good pleasure, are connected to the One Son of God’s pleasure.