Fulfilling the Law’s Requirements

Luke 2:21-24

When God made his covenant with Abraham, Abraham’s family agreed to circumcise every son when he was eight days old. It was a token or evidence of his accepting God’s covenant. Any man who was not circumcised was to be excluded from Israel as having rejected God’s covenant. Baptism serves the same purpose in the church, identifying those who have accepted the new covenant. Like circumcision, it takes place after the new birth, but refusal to be baptized implies rejection of the covenant, and isolates one from membership in the church. Genesis 17:9-14 describes the command.

“And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations. This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised. And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you.

And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed. He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised: and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant.”

To qualify as Messiah, it was necessary that Jesus fulfill all the terms of God’s law. As devout Jews, Mary and Joseph obeyed the commands in the law, taking him to be circumcised on the eighth day as God had commanded. At that time he was given the name Jesus as the angel had instructed. It is probable that this was done in Bethlehem.

“And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb. And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord; (As it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord;) And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.” (Luke 2:21-24)

They later fulfilled the purification ceremony for the mother, as specified in Leviticus 12, coming to the temple at least forty one days after his birth, and offering a sacrifice to God. Before that she was not allowed into the Temple.

“And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a woman have conceived seed, and born a man child: then she shall be unclean seven days; according to the days of the separation for her infirmity shall she be unclean. And in the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. And she shall then continue in the blood of her purifying three and thirty days; she shall touch no hallowed thing, nor come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purifying be fulfilled.

But if she bear a maid child, then she shall be unclean two weeks, as in her separation: and she shall continue in the blood of her purifying threescore and six days. And when the days of her purifying are fulfilled, for a son, or for a daughter, she shall bring a lamb of the first year for a burnt offering, and a young pigeon, or a turtledove, for a sin offering, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, unto the priest: Who shall offer it before the LORD, and make an atonement for her; and she shall be cleansed from the issue of her blood.

This is the law for her that hath born a male or a female. And if she be not able to bring a lamb, then she shall bring two turtles, or two young pigeons; the one for the burnt offering, and the other for a sin offering: and the priest shall make an atonement for her, and she shall be clean.” (Leviticus 12:1-8)

The purification period ensured that the woman was completely healed up before she went into the temple and that the baby was also healthy. What ever God’s reasoning, it protected the mother, the baby, and those they came in contact with from spreading contagious diseases as a side benefit.