Luk 2:37 | KingComments | STEP | After the special man Simeon, Luke brings forward a special woman. She also deserves special attention in connection with the birth of the Savior. She is “a prophetess”, that is someone who understands the thoughts of God and knows how to apply them to heart and conscience. She possesses the spirit of prophecy, and that is Christ ( ). Her life revolves around Christ. The names that are mentioned all have a beautiful meaning. Her own name is “Anna”, which means “grace”. She is a daughter of “Phanuel”, which means “face of God”, and she is from the tribe of “Asher”, which means “happy”. That she comes from Asher means that she does not belong to the two tribes Judah and Benjamin who returned to the land from the Babylonian exile, but that she belongs to the ten tribes that are still scattered. She represents the grace of God, which goes out to all twelve tribes. She was married for only seven years and then became a widow, and she always remained so. [NB Luke has a special eye for widows. He writes in his Gospel about five widows ( ).] She has now grown old, but her mind power has remained. Because she feels the misery of Israel deeply, she calls “night and day” to the throne of God with the heart of a widow for a people to whom God is no longer a Husband. Just as she is, the people are a widow, but the people do not realize this, and do not want to realize it. They believe they can claim God for themselves (cf. ). The whole existence of Anna is directed at God for the benefit of His people. To this end she fastens and prays constantly to God. Just as Simeon is in the temple at the right time, Anna comes there at the right time. She too does not need to be informed about the Child Simeon has in his arms. Through God’s Spirit she understands that she sees Christ. Here those who fear God meet and speak to each other ( ). Those who belong to the remnant know each other. Anna speaks to them. She announces that the Lord has visited His temple. They all looked in Jerusalem forward to the deliverance. Now the Savior is there, unknown to men, but a cause of great joy for the poor remnant. What an answer to their faith!

‏ Luke 2:37

Anna, the Prophetess

After the special man Simeon, Luke brings forward a special woman. She also deserves special attention in connection with the birth of the Savior. She is “a prophetess”, that is someone who understands the thoughts of God and knows how to apply them to heart and conscience. She possesses the spirit of prophecy, and that is Christ (Rev 19:10). Her life revolves around Christ.

The names that are mentioned all have a beautiful meaning. Her own name is “Anna”, which means “grace”. She is a daughter of “Phanuel”, which means “face of God”, and she is from the tribe of “Asher”, which means “happy”. That she comes from Asher means that she does not belong to the two tribes Judah and Benjamin who returned to the land from the Babylonian exile, but that she belongs to the ten tribes that are still scattered. She represents the grace of God, which goes out to all twelve tribes.

She was married for only seven years and then became a widow, and she always remained so. [NB Luke has a special eye for widows. He writes in his Gospel about five widows (Lk 2:36 ; Lk 4:26 ; Lk 7:12 ; Lk 18:3 ; Lk 21:2).] She has now grown old, but her mind power has remained. Because she feels the misery of Israel deeply, she calls “night and day” to the throne of God with the heart of a widow for a people to whom God is no longer a Husband. Just as she is, the people are a widow, but the people do not realize this, and do not want to realize it. They believe they can claim God for themselves (cf. Rev 18:7).

The whole existence of Anna is directed at God for the benefit of His people. To this end she fastens and prays constantly to God. Just as Simeon is in the temple at the right time, Anna comes there at the right time. She too does not need to be informed about the Child Simeon has in his arms. Through God’s Spirit she understands that she sees Christ.

Here those who fear God meet and speak to each other (Mal 3:16). Those who belong to the remnant know each other. Anna speaks to them. She announces that the Lord has visited His temple. They all looked in Jerusalem forward to the deliverance. Now the Savior is there, unknown to men, but a cause of great joy for the poor remnant. What an answer to their faith!