Those Who Seek, Find

Luke 2:36-39

While most of Jerusalem, including the priests took no notice of Jesus’ birth, there were two who were very aware of what it portended. Like Simeon, Anna was older, and did not get so caught up in the things around her that she neglected God. She was about eighty four years old. She had been married for seven years, but after her husband’s death, she did not remarry, but devoted herself to serving God, spending a lot of time in fasting and prayer. She is of the little known Jewish tribe of Assher, or as it is in Greek, Aser.

“And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity; And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.” (Luke 2:36-36)

Like Simeon, Anna is led by the Lord to come to the temple at the time Mary and Joseph have Jesus there, and God revealed who he is to her. She Also thanked the Lord for having seen the one she had waited for, and told all those who were looking for the coming of the Messiah who he was. Unfortunately, as we see later, most of the people paid no attention.

“And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem.” (Luke 2:38)

They then returned to Bethlehem, apparently for some time before moving to Nazareth, during which the wise men came to see Jesus, as described in Matthew 2:1-12. It is significant that although Jesus’ had been presented and recognized at the temple after his birth only a very few were aware of his birth. Even the priests and scribes were not aware of it’s occurrence, though they clearly knew the scripture about it. The wise men, probably as a result of Daniel’s teaching and writing in Babylon, were more attentive to God’s word than the most religious of the Jews.

“Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.

When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet, And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.

Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, inquired of them diligently what time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.

When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.

And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.” (Matthew 2:1-12)

By the time the wise men arrived, Joseph and Mary had moved into a house in Bethlehem where the wise men found them. When the wise men didn’t return as he’d asked, Herod ordered the death of all the babies in the area around Bethlehem as described in Matthew 2:16-18, fulfilling another prophecy relating to Messiah’s birth. “Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.”

That the time in Bethlehem was fairly extended is obvious from the fact that Herod had been so careful to find out when the star appeared, then killed all the babies up to two years old just to be sure. God warned the wise men, then awoke Joseph in the middle of the night to enable them to escape Herod. “And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt: And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.” (Matthew 2:13-15)

The stay in Egypt fulfilled another Prophecy about the Messiah. History tells us Herod died about three years after Christ’s birth making the stay in Egypt only about a year or two. Because of the danger from Herod’s son, Joseph did not go back to Jerusalem, but to Nazareth.

“But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child's life. And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel.

But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee: And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene.” (Matthew 2:19-23)

It is at this point Luke picks up the story again, with Joseph and Mary moving to Nazareth, and fulfilling the prophecy that Jesus would be called a Nazarene, or citizen of Nazareth.

“And when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city Nazareth.” (Luke 2:39)

A Nazarite is one who has taken the Nazarite vow of purity, to not cut his hair or beard, not to touch any dead body, or to eat or drink anything made of grapes, besides all the other laws. Jesus was a Nazarene, but not a Nazarite, eating and drinking regular Jewish food and living like most of the people around him.