bbc bitesize presentation at the temple

Reflections for the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord

Introduction:    This feast commemorates how Jesus, as a baby, was presented to God in the Temple in Jerusalem. This presentation finds its complete and perfect fulfillment in the mystery of the passion, death and Resurrection of the Lord. The  Feast of the Presentation of the Lord   is a combined feast ,  commemorating the Jewish practice of the  purification of the mother  after childbirth and the  presentation of the child  to God in the Temple and his buying back ( redemption ) from God. It is also known as the  Feast of the Purification of Mary , and the Feast  of Candlemas.  It is also called the  Feast of Encounter  ( Hypapánte  in Greek) because the New Testament, represented by the baby Jesus, encountered the Old Testament, represented by Simeon and Anna. Joseph offered two pigeons in the Temple as sacrifice for the purification of Mary after her childbirth and for the presentation and redemption ceremonies performed for baby Jesus.

Homily starter anecdote: “Four chaplains Sunday:  Julia Duin in the Washington Times Sunday, February 1, 2009 told this story. Just after midnight on Feb. 3, 1943, an act of extraordinary unselfishness by a group of men became a legend of martyrdom and sacrifice. When the Army ship Dorchester was torpedoed by the Germans just south of Greenland that night, its passengers and crew had 25 minutes to get off the boat. As 902 people went for the life jackets, it quickly was discovered there weren’t near enough. Of the 13 lifeboats, only two functioned. In the ship’s final minutes, Methodist senior chaplain George Lansing Fox, Rabbi Alexander Goode, Dutch Reformed minister Clark V. Poling and John P. Washington, a Roman Catholic priest, were helping passengers leave the vessel. Then four men appeared all of them without life jackets. The chaplains quickly gave up their own vests and went down with the ship, perishing in the freezing water. Survivors saw them, locked arm in arm, praying and singing the Navy hymn, “Eternal Father, Strong to Save” just before the ship dove beneath the waves. It was a night as dramatic as the sinking of the Titanic but without a blockbuster movie to record the drama. “The Four Immortal Chaplains,” as they are now known, have been honored many times, including on a stamp issued in their honor by the U.S. Postal Service. Hence the first Sunday in February is known as “Four Chaplains Sunday” in some Christian denominations.  They presented and offered themselves completely for the wellbeing of others as Jesus was presented to God his Heavenly Father in the Temple of Jerusalem for the salvation of the world. ( http://frtonyshomilies.com/).

Scripture lessons summarized:   In the   first reading,  taken from Malachi, the prophet speaks of the Lord suddenly coming to Jerusalem to purify the lax, lazy and indifferent priests of His Temple as silver is purified by fire. Simeon saw the Infant Jesus as the fulfillment of this passage. He saw Jesus as the Lord Who has come to the Temple,  "destined to be the downfall and rise of many in Israel."    In the second reading,  St. Paul   proclaims Jesus as our Eternal High Priest of     the New Covenant (Heb 2:17), Who offered himself on the altar of Calvary, the only pure priestly sacrifice that could please God.    He replaces the former priesthood.  The Gospel  describes how Joseph, as the head of the Holy Family of Nazareth, presented Mary and the baby Jesus in the Temple of God for the mother’s purification and the Child’s “redemption.” It also describes the Holy Family’s encounter with the old prophet Simeon and the holy old widow Anna. In his prophecy, Simeon extols the divine blessings which the Messiah is bringing to Israel and to all men and predicts that Mary will play a crucial and sacrificial role in her Son's redemptive work by sharing in her Son's sufferings.

The first reading explained : Malachi prophesies in the first reading that the Lord is going to appear suddenly in the Temple of Jerusalem  to purify its priests and the people . The prophecy warns that nobody can endure the day of the messenger's coming because he will be like a refining fire, purifying the sons of Levi.  Led by the Spirit,  Simeon saw the Infant Jesus as the fulfillment of this passage .  Simeon, even if unknown to himself, foresaw Christ and His priests of the New Covenant who were ordained during the Last Supper. He saw Jesus as the Lord Who would come to the Temple,  "destined to be the downfall and rise of many in Israel."  In today's reading, Malachi prophesies that God will purify the lax, lazy and indifferent priests of His Temple as silver is purified by fire.  At the time of Malachi (around 460-450 BC), the priests were offering blemished (blind, lame) sacrifices and giving bad example (1:6-2:4).  The people were negligent in their support of the Temple (3:6-12). Israelite wives were being rejected by husbands who wished to marry foreign women (2:14-16). Social injustice was rampant (3:5), and the people doubted God’s love (1:2-5). Hence, Malachi reminds them that the Day of the Lord, a Day of Judgment, reward and retribution is coming. He describes the Divine intervention as a two-stage process. First God’s messenger will appear to prepare the way by purifying the clergy and refining the cult (v. 3). This purification will take place until they present offerings to the Lord in a spirit of justice and righteousness. Then, the Lord of Hosts will suddenly appear in the Temple (v. 1), to bring judgment and justice against unfaithful sinners (v. 5). The Psalm announces to Jerusalem that Jerusalem is about to receive a great visitor. The Psalmist identifies him as “The LORD of hosts … the king of glory.”

The second reading explained:  The second reading proclaims Jesus as our Eternal High Priest of the New Covenant (Heb 2:17), Who offered Himself on the altar of Calvary, the only pure priestly sacrifice that could please God. The  Didache  or the first catechism of the early Church (14:1-3), saw Malachi’s prophecy of a pure sacrifice and offering made from east to west as a prophecy of the sacrifice of the Eucharist.  Hence Malachi prophesies that the Lord will enter His Temple, there will be a renewed priesthood, and there will be a pure sacrifice offered worldwide and pleasing to God -- the Eucharist. Jesus became like us in all things except sin in order that He might offer to the Father perfect praise and glory.  Besides, since Jesus fully shared our experience, He is now a merciful and faithful High Priest on our behalf,  "able to help those who are being tested."   Jesus replaces the former priesthood. In keeping with the theme of today’s feast, namely, the presentation of the first fruits, this excerpt from Hebrews emphasizes Jesus’ dual role, as  first-fruits ,  par excellence , and as the  faithful High priest  Who presents the perfect gift of Himself to God for the expiation of human sin. By virtue of His Incarnation, Jesus became human in every way (vv. 17-18) except as regards sin. As representative of His brothers and sisters before God and as their Mediator, Christ perfected His service as both sacrifice and priest. By so doing, Christ was able to “rob the devil” of power (v. 14). As the first-fruits from the dead, as the conqueror of sin and death, Christ, in His person and through His mission, has set the course and cleared the way we are to follow; the decision to do so must be a daily and deliberate one.  It takes faith to see God's power at work in the death of Jesus.  Simeon hinted at this when he told Mary that she herself would be pierced with a sword.  Even knowing that her Son was the Savior of the world, it would be difficult for Mary to see him accomplish that salvation by being crucified.

Exegesis of today’s Gospel:  The birth of Christ was revealed by three kinds of witnesses in three different ways -- first, by the shepherds, after the angel's announcement; second, by the Magi, who were guided by a star; third, by Simeon and Anna, who were inspired by the Holy Spirit. Today’s Gospel describes the Presentation of the Baby Jesus in the Temple. It was intended to ritually redeem Jesus who was the first born in the family and where Mary herself will have to be ritually purified. Mary and Joseph was a typical pious Jewish couple, who went to the Temple in obedience to do all that was required and expected of them by the Law.The Feast of the Presentation of Jesus is a combined feast , commemorating the Jewish practice of the purification of the mother after childbirth and the presentation of the child in the Temple. It is known as the Hypapánte   feast or Feast of the Purification of Mary (by the offering two pigeons in the Temple), the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord (by prayers and a sacrifice offered in the Temple to redeem or buy the firstborn male child back from the Lord), the Feast of Candlemas (because of its ancient rite of blessing of the candles to be used in the church for the next year — a practice dating from the middle of the fifth century) and the Feast of Encounter (because the New Testament, represented by the Baby Jesus, encountered the Old Testament, represented by Simeon and Anna). Originally, there was no connection between today’s festival and the blessing of candles.    In the ancient East, this celebration occurred on February 14, forty days after Epiphany.   On February 15, pagans celebrated the festival of Lupercalia , a great “light” festival.    Perhaps this is an instance of the Church's “baptizing” a pagan custom.    At the principal Mass, the celebrant blesses candles, and people take part in a candlelight procession.    This should remind us that Jesus is our High Priest and the Light of the World.

Purification and redemption ceremonies : The Gospel describes how Joseph, as the head of the Holy Family of Nazareth, presented Mary and the baby Jesus in the Temple of God for the mother’s purification and the child’s “redemption.” According to Leviticus 12:2-8, a woman who bore a child was unclean  for forty days following the birth of a son or eighty days following the birth of a daughter.   Although Mary, the most holy of women, ever-Virgin, was exempt from these precepts of the Law, because of her miraculous conception, she chose to submit herself to the Law just like any other Jewish mother. Joseph and Mary showed their total submission to Law and obey the norms prescribed by the Old Testament.  The custom was practiced probably for the physical and emotional re-integration of the new mother into the community. There was a religious reason as well. Exodus 13:2, 12-13 prescribes that every first-born male belongs to God and must be set apart for the Lord, that is, dedicated to the service of God.  However, once divine worship was reserved to the tribe of Levi, first-born who did not belong to that tribe were not dedicated to God's service, and to show that they continued to be God's special property, a rite of redemption was performed. The Law also commanded that the Israelites should offer in sacrifice some lesser victim -- for example, a lamb or, if they were poor, a pair of doves or two pigeons.  The Book of Numbers 18: 15 taught that since every Jewish firstborn male child belonged to Yahweh, the parents had to “buy back” (redeem), the child by offering a lamb or turtledoves as a sacrifice in the Temple. The price of redemption for a human baby is five shekels of silver (Num 18:15-16). Jesus never needed to be "bought back," as he belonged wholly to the Lord, but Joseph kept these laws as an act of obedience to God. 

The encounter with Simeon and Anna :   By the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the old, pious and Spirit-filled Simeon and Anna had been waiting in the Temple for the revelation of God’s salvation. The Greek Church celebrates the Hypapánte or Feast of the Encounter commemorating the encounter of the New Testament represented by Jesus with the Old Testament represented by Simeon and Anna. Simeon, who is described as a righteous and devout man, obedient to God's will, addresses himself to our Lord as a vassal or loyal servant who, having kept watch all his life in expectation of the coming of his Lord, sees that this moment has "now" come, the moment that explains his whole life.  When he takes the Child in his arms, he learns, not through any reasoning process but through a special grace from God, that this Child is the promised Messiah, the Consolation of Israel, the Light of the nations.  Simeon recognizes Jesus as the Lord’s anointed one, and in his prayer of blessing he prophesies that Jesus is meant to be the glory of Israel and the light of revelation to the Gentiles. Pope Francis: “Simeon took him in his arms and thanked God that he had finally “seen” salvation. Anna, despite her advanced age, found new vigor and began to speak to everyone about the Baby. It is a beautiful image: two young parents and two elderly people, brought together by Jesus. He is the one who brings together and unites generations! He is the inexhaustible font of that love which overcomes every occasion of self-absorption, solitude, and sadness. In your journey as a family, you share so many beautiful moments: meals, rest, housework, leisure, prayer, trips and pilgrimages, and times of mutual support… Nevertheless, if there is no love then there is no joy, and authentic love comes to us from Jesus. He offers us his word, which illuminates our path; he gives us the Bread of life which sustains us on our journey.”

Simeon’s prophecy: Simeon's canticle (verses 29-32) is also a prophecy.  It consists of two stanzas: the first (verses 29-30) is his act of thanksgiving to God, filled with profound joy for having seen the Messiah.  The second (verses 31-32) is more obviously prophetic and extols the divine blessings which the Messiah is bringing to Israel and to all men.  The canticle highlights the fact that Christ brings redemption to all men without exception -- something foretold in many Old Testament prophecies (cf. Genesis 22:18; Isaiah 2:6; 42:6; 60:3; Psalm 28:2). While Simeon blessed Mary, he warned her that her child would be “ a sign of contradiction, ” and that she would be “ pierced with a sword.” Simeon was prophesying both the universal salvation that would be proclaimed by Jesus and the necessity of suffering in the mission of the Messiah. Jesus came to bring salvation to all men, yet He would be a sign of contradiction because some people would obstinately reject Him -- and for this reason He would be their ruin.  But for those who would accept Him with faith, Jesus would be their salvation, freeing them from sin in this life and raising them up to eternal life. The Blessed Virgin and St. Joseph marveled, but not because they did not know who Christ was. They were in awe at the way God was revealing Him. 

The paradox of blessedness:  Mary was given the blessedness of being the mother of the Son of God.  That blessedness also would become a sword which would pierce her heart as her Son died upon the cross. The words Simeon addressed to Mary announced that she would be intimately linked with her Son's redemptive work.  The sword indicated that Mary would have a share in her Son's sufferings. Her suffering would be an unspeakable pain which would pierce her soul.  Our Lord suffered on the cross for our sins, and it is those sins which forged the sword of Mary's pain.  Mary received both a crown of joy and a cross of sorrow.  But her joy was not diminished by her sorrow because it was fueled by her faith, hope, and trust in God and his promises.  Jesus promised his disciples, "no one will take your joy from you" (John 16:22).  The Lord gives us a supernatural joy which enables us to bear any sorrow or pain and which neither life nor death can take way.  Do you know the joy of a life fully surrendered to God with faith and trust? According to Dr. Scot Hann, the feast we celebrate shows a curious turn of events. The Redeemer is redeemed. She who is all-pure presents herself to be purified. Such is the humility of our God. Such is the humility of the Blessed Virgin. They submit to the law even though they are not bound by it.

Anna’s encounter with the Lord and her testifying to the Messiah:  Anna was an eighty-four-year-old widow who spent her days in the Temple in fasting and prayer, waiting for the promised Messiah. She was rewarded with the joy of seeing her Redeemer as a Baby. In her excitement, she praised God and introduced the Infant to others around her as the expected Messiah. Supernatural hope grows with prayer and age!  Anna was pre-eminently a woman of great hope and expectation that God would fulfill all his promises. She is a model of godliness for all believers as we advance in age.  Advancing age and the disappointments of life can easily make us cynical and hopeless if we do not have our hope placed rightly. Anna's hope in God and His promises grew with age. She never ceased to worship God in faith and to pray with hope.  Her hope and faith in God's promises fueled her indomitable zeal and fervor in prayer and the service of God's people. We grow in hope by placing our trust in the promises of Jesus Christ and relying not on our own strength, but on the grace and help of the Holy Spirit. After completing the presentation and redemption of baby Jesus and the ritual purification of Mary and the meeting with Simeon and Anna, Joseph and Mary understood more fully their responsibility before God to protect the child as they return to Nazareth

Life messages : 1)  Every Holy Mass in which we participate is our presentation . Although we were officially presented to God on the day of our Baptism, we present ourselves and our dear ones on the altar before God our Father through our Savior Jesus Christ at every Holy Mass. Hence, we need to live our daily lives with the awareness both that we are dedicated people consecrated to God and that we are obliged to lead holy lives.

2) We need the assistance of the Holy Spirit to recognize the presence of Jesus in ourselves and in others: All those who, like Simeon and Anna, persevere in piety and in the service of God, no matter how insignificant their lives seem in men's eyes, become instruments the Holy Spirit uses to make Christ known to others. In His plan of redemption, God makes use of these simple souls to do much good for all mankind. In other words, The Holy Spirit employs ordinary men and women with simple faith as His instruments to bear witness to Christ, His ideals and teachings, just as He used Simeon and Anna.  The Holy Spirit reveals the presence of the Lord to us when we are receptive and eager to receive Him.  Let us be open to the promptings of the Holy Spirit within us to recognize the indwelling presence of the Lord with us and in others.  (Fr. Antony Kadavil)

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The story of Simeon in the temple

Mary and Joseph take Jesus to the temple in Jerusalem when he is six weeks old. Simeon's heart skips a beat when he recognises that Jesus is the new king who will rule over his people as promised by God. Anna tells everyone in the temple that Jesus was the gift that all had been waiting for.

Could be used as an introduction of Jesus and his role in Christianity. Ask the class if there is anybody who knows about or has heard of Jesus. Who was he? Who were his parents? Where was he born? What religion did he belong to? After the clip, students could discuss what made Jesus special, and why he was regarded as the gift people had been waiting for.

1st level Subjects 1st level Subjects up down

• Computing Science and Digital Literacy
• English and Literacy
• English as an additional language
• Health and wellbeing
• Maths and Numeracy
• People, past events and societies
• People, place and environment
• Physical Education
• Religious and moral education
• Social Studies

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Virtual Visit Touring Greek temples

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Students taking part in a Virtual Visit.

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Key information

Session times.

Workshops are held every weekday: 10.45–11.45 12.30–13.30 14.00–15.00

Booking information

Free, for UK schools only, booking online essential. Read the privacy policy . Cancellation and no-show policies apply. See  terms and conditions .

Connect your class to the British Museum for a free live interactive workshop.

Book this workshop and your students will be taught remotely by an expert from the British Museum. Through live activities, interactive quizzes and thought-provoking questions your class will enhance their knowledge and understanding of the past. The expert will help them develop their historical enquiry skills and challenge them to think critically.

Students will explore temples from around the ancient Greek world. They will use archaeological objects to investigate what temples looked like and how they were used. They will identify the gods and goddesses worshiped and the stories told in temple decoration. Challenged to design their own temple, students will reveal that ancient Greek architecture changed their world and continues to inspire buildings around us today.

Ages: 7–11 (KS2)

Curriculum links: History

Session time: 60 minutes

Support notes for your workshop

What does learning look like during this virtual visit.

• Virtual Visits are live interactive workshops linking your classroom to an expert in one of the British Museum's learning rooms.
• They have been designed to incorporate a broad range of learning techniques.
• Your students will take an active role throughout the Virtual Visit.
• Virtual Visits acknowledge that learning is not only about knowledge and understanding. It encourages students to be inspired and excited to visit museums, to develop their close observation competency, and to enhance their communication skills to express and share their own thoughts.
• This workshop does not involve virtual reality, augmented reality or a virtual tour of the galleries.

What will be studied during this Virtual Visit?

• The Virtual Visit begins with an introduction to the British Museum and its collection of eight million objects.
• Students explore the multiple uses of buildings in their towns. They are then asked to articulate their ideas verbally.
• Ancient Greek temples and sanctuaries are identified as the locations for many different worship activities.
• Students respond to a quiz. The quiz will use British Museum objects and aid their understanding of how temples and sanctuaries were used.
• The session is then split into four sections.
• In the first section, students consider the question: Where are Greek temples located?
• Students will study a map displaying the three continents Africa, Asia and Europe. The map shows that Greek temples were located across all of the ancient Greek world, an area far larger than modern Greece. This illustrates the importance of religion to the ancient Greek people.
• Students will consider the different urban and rural locations of Greek temples, aiding their understanding of how they were used.
• In the second section, students consider the question: What do Greek temples look like?
• Students look at the Parthenon and other temples on Athens's Acropolis. Using objects and images, students will explore two important architectural orders used by the ancient Greeks – the Ionic and Doric styles. They will apply their knowledge to identify architectural elements that belong to each order.
• In the third section, students will consider the question: How are Greek temples decorated?
• Storytelling through imagery will be introduced here by looking closely at how an ancient Greek myth is told in the sculpture decorations from the Temple of Apollo Epikourios.
• Students will be asked to closely observe these decorative objects and identify the correct representation for parts of the ancient Greek myth.
• In the fourth section, students will consider the question: How did people worship?
• Ancient Greek sports, drama, parades and sacrifice will be introduced by looking closely at other religious buildings around temples and decorations on Greek vases.
• While exploring the above four questions, students will design their own temple. If they have access to the printed worksheet, they will use this to record decisions about location, which deity it is dedicated to, the design, and the decoration of their temple.

How does this Virtual Visit link with the UK's national curriculums?

England, The National Curriculum in England, Key stage 2, History

• Ancient Greece – a study of Greek life and achievements and their influence on the Western world.

Northern Ireland, The Northern Ireland Curriculum, Key stage 2, The world around us

• Change over time

Scotland, Curriculum for Excellence, second level, social studies: people, past events and societies

• I can use primary and secondary sources selectively to research events in the past.
• I can compare and contrast a society in the past with my own and contribute to a discussion of the similarities and differences.
• I can discuss why people and events from a particular time in the past were important, placing them within a historical sequence.

Wales, The National Curriculum for Wales, Key stage 2, History

• Chronological awareness
• Historical knowledge and understanding
• Interpretations of history
• Historical enquiry
• Organisation and communication

What key vocabulary will be used?

Architecture, Athens, Bassai, cities, column, deity, democracy, Doric, frieze, Greece, Ionic, pediment, procession, sacrifice, sanctuary, stadium temple, theatre, the Acropolis, the Parthenon, the temple of Apollo Epikurious, the temple of Athena Nike, worship.

Aphrodite, Apollo, Ares, Artemis, Athena, Demeter, Dionysus, Hephaistos, Hera, Hermes, Poseidon, Zeus.

What related resources can I use with my students?

You can discover more ancient Greece classroom resources, either before or after your Virtual Visit.

You may also be interested in

Virtual Visit: Peek into prehistory

Virtual Visit: Indus Valley investigation

Virtual Visit: Roman Britain treasure challenge

Virtual Visit: Myth-busting ancient Egypt

Presentation at the Temple

• Andrea Mantegna

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Presentation at the Temple is an example of Andrea Mantegna's early work, from his time in Padua. The exact date of the early Renaissance painting is unknown, but estimates vary from 1453 to 1460.

During this time, Mantegna allied himself through marriage to the artist Giovanni Bellini , who subsequently produced a very similar painting also titled Presentation at the Temple. Comparison of the two paintings illustrates Mantegna's skill at using light and shadow to produce depth and perspective in his work. The painting is on wood, in the artist's preferred medium of tempera on canvas. The scene is surrounded by a marble frame, with the Virgin Mary in the foreground holding the Christ child. A bearded priest is reaching for the infant, with Joseph in the centre of the scene looking on. The marble ledge at the bottom of the painting is used as a device to bridge the space between the subjects and the viewer.

Mantegna uses his favoured technique of trompe l'oeil to make Mary's arm, and the cushion on which the Christ child rests, appear to thrust out of the painting. This serves to emphasise the space and depth behind the group, as well as thrusting the child into the viewers space. Here we can also see a more subtle example of Mantegna's skill with perspective and foreshortening, as the infant Christ is seen at an angle, leaning back towards the background. The Virgin Mary, the priest, Joseph and the Child all have an aureola, indicating their status as sacred figures. There is strong belief that, in the figure emerging from the shadow to the right of the painting, Mantegna has painted himself. Artists have done this occasionally over the centuries, although they would often leave a little room for discussion by not explicitly telling anyone of their own inclusion, leaving the rest of us to debate it.

The woman to the far left is believed to be his wife, Nicolosia Bellini. These two figures have no aureola, as they are not sacred, and appear to play no part in the scene, instead looking to the distant left. The painting will be on loan to the National Gallery in London from March to July 2018, where it will displayed alongside the work of the same name by his brother in law, Giovanni Bellini, allowing visitors to directly compare these two remarkable works of art. After July, the Mantegna painting will return to it's home in the Gemäldegalerie in Berlin, Germany. That fine establishment features one of the finest collections in all of Europe and is particularly strong on local artists, from the nation of Germany and also some surrounding countries such as the Netherlands, Belgium and Switzerland who have each contributed some important artists of their own in previous centuries.

Article Author

Tom Gurney in an art history expert. He received a BSc (Hons) degree from Salford University, UK, and has also studied famous artists and art movements for over 20 years. Tom has also published a number of books related to art history and continues to contribute to a number of different art websites. You can read more on Tom Gurney here.

A meditative guide to the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple

Public Domain

When reading the Bible, many scenes are described very briefly, with very few details. This makes it relatively easy to pass over an important event quickly, missing the depth of the symbolism hidden in the story.

One of the best things we can do is slowly read the Bible, chewing on every word and even placing ourselves into the scene. When we do this with our imagination, we can discover spiritual truths that we didn’t expect to find.

Here is a meditative guide to the event of Jesus’ presentation in the Temple, as laid out in The little book of the most holy child Jesus . It presents a beautiful meditation, allowing us time to think about every aspect of the biblical event and allow God’s grace to invade our hearts.

Let us enter the Temple of Jerusalem. The one great house of the true God in all the earth. Bright and rich with gold and colour and curious work. The house of prayer, the one place of sacrifice. The great altar of God stands there. Crowds pass to and fro to bring their offerings or to join in the never-ending worship. Unheeded through the crowds—unheeded because so lowly and quiet—a pair go up to the place of offering. A maiden bearing in her arms a Babe. By her side a staid and thoughtful man. They are Mary and Joseph, and they bring the little Jesus into the Temple. No longer the gloomy cave. The Holy Child and His parents pass through the crowds in the stately courts of the Temple, their hearts overflowing with joy and peace; but so quiet and of such low estate are they, that none seem to notice them. Yet that Babe is the Lord of the Temple, Lord of heaven and earth, of all creation. Heaven itself cannot contain His glory, nor countless angels worship Him enough or sound the praises due to Him. It is His will to be offered thus for the love of us, with all His glory hidden, in His Temple on earth. It is His will because it is the will of the Father who has loved us with an everlasting love. The crowds know not, as they press by, that it is their Savior and God. Yet Mary, whose only thought is to do the will of her Son, knows that she is offering a gift beyond all price, at once her first-born Son and her God. Aged Simeon, the holy servant of God, for years and years has come daily to the Temple with the hope of seeing this holy Babe. He was told by the Holy Spirit that he should not die before he had this great joy And now he takes the  Child,  his Lord, in his arms, a peaceful calm flows in upon his soul, and he is ready to die when the good God wills. Anna, too, the aged Prophetess, for this also had waited in the Temple for long years. Now she sees her heart’s desire. She reveals the Holy  Child  to the Jews; but little do they heed. They are taken up with this world, and love its pomps and grandeur so well that when they look upon its Lord and Maker they see but a little Infant like any other  child  of men. A poor Infant in a young maiden’s arms,  Jesus,  Thou art come to do Thy Father’s will. I desire to do that holy will in all things, whatever it may cost. I offer myself to Thee; do with me what Thou seest best, now and for evermore.

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Luke 2:22-35 New English Translation

Jesus’ presentation at the temple.

22  Now [ a ] when the time came for their [ b ] purification according to the law of Moses, Joseph and Mary [ c ] brought Jesus [ d ] up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23  (just as it is written in the law of the Lord, “ Every firstborn male [ e ] will be set apart to the Lord ” [ f ] ), 24  and to offer a sacrifice according to what is specified in the law of the Lord, a pair of doves [ g ] or two young pigeons . [ h ]

The Prophecy of Simeon

25  Now [ i ] there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon who was righteous [ j ] and devout, looking for the restoration [ k ] of Israel, and the Holy Spirit [ l ] was upon him. 26  It [ m ] had been revealed [ n ] to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die [ o ] before [ p ] he had seen the Lord’s Christ. [ q ] 27  So [ r ] Simeon, [ s ] directed by the Spirit, [ t ] came into the temple courts, [ u ] and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what was customary according to the law, [ v ] 28  Simeon [ w ] took him in his arms and blessed God, saying, [ x ]

29  “Now, according to your word, [ y ] Sovereign Lord, [ z ] permit [ aa ] your servant [ ab ] to depart [ ac ] in peace. 30  For my eyes have seen your salvation [ ad ] 31  that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples: [ ae ] 32  a light, [ af ] for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory [ ag ] to your people Israel.”

33  So [ ah ] the child’s [ ai ] father [ aj ] and mother were amazed [ ak ] at what was said about him. 34  Then [ al ] Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, “Listen carefully: [ am ] This child [ an ] is destined to be the cause of the falling and rising [ ao ] of many in Israel and to be a sign that will be rejected. [ ap ] 35  Indeed, as a result of him the thoughts [ aq ] of many hearts will be revealed [ ar ] —and a sword [ as ] will pierce your own soul as well!” [ at ]

• Luke 2:22 tn Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
• Luke 2:22 tc The translation follows most mss , including early and significant ones ( א A B L). Some copyists, aware that the purification law applied to women only, produced mss (76 it pt vg [though the Latin word eius could be either masculine or feminine]) that read “her purification.” But the extant evidence for an unambiguous “her” is shut up to one late minuscule (codex 76) and a couple of patristic citations of dubious worth (Pseudo-Athanasius whose date is unknown, and the Catenae in euangelia Lucae et Joannis , edited by J. A. Cramer. The Catenae is a work of collected patristic sayings whose exact source is unknown [thus, it could come from a period covering hundreds of years]). A few other witnesses (D lat) read “his purification.” The KJV has “her purification,” following Beza’s Greek text (essentially a revision of Erasmus’). Erasmus did not have it in any of his five editions. Most likely Beza put in the feminine form αὐτῆς ( autēs ) because, recognizing that the eius found in several Latin mss could be read either as a masculine or a feminine, he made the contextually more satisfying choice of the feminine. Perhaps it crept into one or two late Greek witnesses via this interpretive Latin back-translation. So the evidence for the feminine singular is virtually nonexistent, while the masculine singular αὐτοῦ ( autou , “his”) was a clear scribal blunder. There can be no doubt that “ their purification” is the authentic reading. tn Or “when the days of their purification were completed.” In addition to the textual problem concerning the plural pronoun (which apparently includes Joseph in the process) there is also a question whether the term translated “purification” ( καθαρισμός , katharismos ) refers to the time period prescribed by the Mosaic law or to the offering itself which marked the end of the time period (cf. NLT, “it was time for the purification offering”). sn Exegetically the plural pronoun “their” creates a problem. It was Mary’s purification that was required by law, forty days after the birth ( Lev 12:2-4 ). However, it is possible that Joseph shared in a need to be purified by having to help with the birth or that they also dedicated the child as a first born ( Exod 13:2 ), which would also require a sacrifice that Joseph would bring. Luke’s point is that the parents followed the law. They were pious.
• Luke 2:22 tn Grk “they”; the referents (Joseph and Mary) have been specified in the translation for clarity.
• Luke 2:22 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
• Luke 2:23 tn Grk “every male that opens the womb” (an idiom for the firstborn male).
• Luke 2:23 sn An allusion to Exod 13:2 , 12 , 15 .
• Luke 2:24 sn The offering of a pair of doves or two young pigeons , instead of a lamb, speaks of the humble roots of Jesus’ family—they apparently could not afford the expense of a lamb.
• Luke 2:24 sn A quotation from Lev 12:8 ; 5:11 (LXX).
• Luke 2:25 tn Grk “And behold.” Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic. The Greek word ἰδού ( idou ) at the beginning of this statement has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).
• Luke 2:25 tn Grk “This man was righteous.” The Greek text begins a new sentence here, but this was changed to a relative clause in the translation to avoid redundancy.
• Luke 2:25 tn Or “deliverance,” “consolation.” sn The restoration of Israel refers to Simeon’s hope that the Messiah would come and deliver the nation ( Isa 40:1 ; 49:13 ; 51:3 ; 57:18 ; 61:2 ; 2 Bar . 44:7).
• Luke 2:25 sn Once again, by mentioning the Holy Spirit , Luke stresses the prophetic enablement of a speaker. The Spirit has fallen on both men (Zechariah, 1:67 ) and women (Elizabeth, 1:41 ) in Luke 1-2 as they share the will of the Lord.
• Luke 2:26 tn Grk “And it.” Here καί ( kai ) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
• Luke 2:26 tn The use of the passive suggests a revelation by God, and in the OT the corresponding Hebrew term represented here by κεχρηματισμένον ( kechrēmatismenon ) indicated some form of direct revelation from God ( Jer 25:30 ; 33:2 ; Job 40:8 ).
• Luke 2:26 tn Grk “would not see death” (an idiom for dying).
• Luke 2:26 tn On the grammar of this temporal clause, see BDF §§383.3; 395.
• Luke 2:26 tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.” sn The revelation to Simeon that he would not die before he had seen the Lord ’ s Christ is yet another example of a promise fulfilled in Luke 1-2 . Also, see the note on Christ in 2:11 .
• Luke 2:27 tn Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “so” to indicate the consequential nature of the action.
• Luke 2:27 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Simeon) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
• Luke 2:27 tn Grk “So in the Spirit” or “So by the Spirit,” but since it refers to the Spirit’s direction the expanded translation “directed by the Spirit” is used here.
• Luke 2:27 tn Grk “the temple.” sn The temple courts is a reference to the larger temple area, not the holy place. Simeon was either in the court of the Gentiles or the court of women, since Mary was present.
• Luke 2:27 tn Grk “to do for him according to the custom of the law.” See Luke 2:22-24 .
• Luke 2:28 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Simeon) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
• Luke 2:28 tn Grk “and said.” The finite verb in Greek has been replaced with a participle in English to improve the smoothness of the translation.
• Luke 2:29 sn The phrase according to your word again emphasizes that God will perform his promise.
• Luke 2:29 tn The Greek word translated here by “Sovereign Lord” is δεσπότης ( despotēs ).
• Luke 2:29 sn This short prophetic declaration is sometimes called the Nunc dimittis , which comes from the opening phrase of the saying in Latin, “now dismiss,” a fairly literal translation of the Greek verb ἀπολύεις ( apolueis , “now release”) in this verse.
• Luke 2:29 tn Here the Greek word δοῦλος ( doulos , “slave”) has been translated “servant” since it acts almost as an honorific term for one specially chosen and appointed to carry out the Lord’s tasks. sn Undoubtedly the background for the concept of being the Lord’s slave or servant is to be found in the Old Testament scriptures. For a Jew this concept did not connote drudgery, but honor and privilege. It was used of national Israel at times ( Isa 43:10 ), but was especially associated with famous OT personalities, including such great men as Moses ( Josh 14:7 ), David ( Ps 89:3 ; cf. 2 Sam 7:5 , 8 ) and Elijah ( 2 Kgs 10:10 ); all these men were “servants (or slaves) of the Lord.”
• Luke 2:29 tn Grk “now release your servant.”
• Luke 2:30 sn To see Jesus, the Messiah, is to see God’s salvation .
• Luke 2:31 sn Is the phrase all peoples a reference to Israel alone, or to both Israel and the Gentiles? The following verse makes it clear that all peoples includes Gentiles, another key Lukan emphasis ( Luke 24:47 ; Acts 10:34-43 ).
• Luke 2:32 tn The syntax of this verse is disputed. Most read “light” and “glory” in parallelism, so Jesus is a light for revelation to the Gentiles and is glory to the people for Israel. Others see “light” ( 1:78-79 ) as a summary, while “revelation” and “glory” are parallel, so Jesus is light for all, but is revelation for the Gentiles and glory for Israel. Both readings make good sense and either could be correct, but Luke 1:78-79 and Acts 26:22-23 slightly favor this second option.
• Luke 2:32 sn In other words, Jesus is a special cause for praise and honor (“ glory ”) for the nation.
• Luke 2:33 tn Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “so” to indicate the consequential nature of the action.
• Luke 2:33 tn Grk “his”; the referent (the child) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
• Luke 2:33 tc Most mss ([A] Θ [ Ψ ] ƒ 13 33 M it) read “Joseph,” but in favor of the reading ὁ πατὴρ αὐτοῦ ( ho patēr autou , “his father”) is both external ( א B D L W 1 700 1241 sa) and internal evidence. Internally, the fact that Mary is not named at this point and that “Joseph” is an obviously motivated reading, intended to prevent confusion over the virgin conception of Christ, argues strongly for ὁ πατὴρ αὐτοῦ as the authentic reading here. See also the tc note on “parents” in 2:43 .
• Luke 2:33 tn The term refers to the amazement at what was happening as in other places in Luke 1-2 ( 1:63 ; 2:18 ). The participle is plural, while the finite verb used in the periphrastic construction is singular, perhaps to show a unity in the parents’ response (BDF §135.1.d: Luke 8:19 ).
• Luke 2:34 tn Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
• Luke 2:34 tn Grk “behold.”
• Luke 2:34 tn Grk “this one”; the referent (the child) is supplied in the translation for clarity.
• Luke 2:34 sn The phrase the falling and rising of many emphasizes that Jesus will bring division in the nation, as some will be judged ( falling ) and others blessed ( rising ) because of how they respond to him. The language is like Isa 8:14-15 and conceptually like Isa 28:13-16 . Here is the first hint that Jesus’ coming will be accompanied with some difficulties.
• Luke 2:34 tn Grk “and for a sign of contradiction.”
• Luke 2:35 tn Or “reasonings” (in a hostile sense). See G. Schrenk, TDNT 2:97.
• Luke 2:35 sn The remark the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed shows that how people respond to Jesus indicates where their hearts really are before God.
• Luke 2:35 sn A sword refers to a very large, broad two-edged sword. The language is figurative, picturing great pain. Though it refers in part to the cross, it really includes the pain all of Jesus’ ministry will cause, including the next event in Luke 2:41-52 and extending to the opposition he faced throughout his ministry.
• Luke 2:35 sn This remark looks to be parenthetical and addressed to Mary alone, not the nation. Many modern English translations transpose this to make it the final clause in Simeon’s utterance as above to make this clear.

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Wednesday 2 February 2022: Presentation of Christ in the Temple

Following the light malachi 3:1-5; luke 2:22-40.

By Jessica Horsfall Member of the Anglican Benedictine Community at Mucknell Abbey, UK

Context: a Eucharistic service attended by about 20 adults, made up of the monastic community and retreat guests, along with local ‘regulars.’ Mostly well-educated and with an interest in monastic spirituality

Aim: to encourage openness to God in our lives

Today’s feast of the Presentation of Christ in the Temple is often also called Candlemas, stemming from a tradition whereby the candles to be used in church for the coming year would be blessed on this day; it was this aspect that I used to focus on when I taught classes of seven and eight-year-olds about this event from Jesus’ life. We would make ‘stained glass’ candles from black sugar paper and white, orange and yellow tissue paper – simple, effective, and a good reminder of a phrase they heard often: ‘Jesus is the light of the world’.

This was a familiar phrase for the children, as it was the response to the question they were asked at the beginning of almost every school assembly: ‘why do we light this candle?’ Candles and the light they symbolise are both a familiar and important part of our worship. Some versions of the Exultet, often sung at the Easter Vigil, include a line giving thanks to the bees for the wax that has created the Paschal Candle.

Light is a potent symbol of so many things: resurrection, life, healing, joy, surprise, dawn, newness. The opportunities for exploration and meditation are almost endless, but I’d like to focus today on just two aspects of light: its power to illuminate and its power to guide.

AN ILLUMINATING LIGHT

Have you ever seen an illuminated manuscript, or a picture of one, such as the Lindisfarne Gospels, or the Book of Kells? They are beautiful to look at, and the artistic skill on display is truly awesome in its intricacy and attention to detail. Such beauty is part of God’s plan for our lives, too: as we abide in the light of Christ, spending time with God in prayer, in worship, in scripture and in sacrament, we will find that we are slowly being changed, decorated, awakened. Living in the light of Christ frees us to become all that we were made to be, and I sometimes imagine this process by picturing an initial letter – in my case a J – being slowly painted in and decorated, being brought to life by God my creator, so that I too may shine as a light in the world, resplendent with the beauty that comes from God.

Illumination, though, does not come with a guarantee of comfort, and we get a hint of that both in Simeon’s words to Mary: ‘a sign that will be opposed, so that the inner thoughts of many may be revealed’, and also in our reading from Malachi, with its talk of refiner’s fire. Sometimes becoming who God made us to be, means being open also to purification and purging, allowing Jesus’ light to reveal our inner thoughts and outer actions that mar his image in us. Everything precious goes through this, and we should not be discouraged when God’s light acts in this way in our lives.

A GUIDING LIGHT

Even when life does get a bit uncomfortable, we can trust in God’s light as a guide for our lives. This light is always leading us home, always leading us back to Jesus, just as it did for Simeon and Anna. It’s clear from the text that their lives hadn’t been straightforward: the years of waiting for Simeon, the widowhood of Anna. And yet in another sense, their lives had been incredibly straightforward: they were both so wholly devoted to the things of God that when the moment came, they were ready to be guided by God, as they had been for so much of their lives, and as they followed God’s guidance, Jesus came right into their waiting arms.

It can be the same for us. Obviously, we’re not going to end up in the temple in Jerusalem holding the actual baby Jesus, but the same light that drew Anna and Simeon to Christ still shines in our world today. It’s there in everyone we meet, from our most cherished relatives to our least cherished work colleagues, and in total strangers too. That light can, if we allow it to, guide us deeper into generosity, love, and forgiveness, and the more we are so guided, the more Christ’s light shines within us, too, bringing the good news of God to a waiting world.

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Bible story: The presentation of Jesus at the temple

Creative activities based on the bible story of the presentation of jesus at the temple.

In Luke 2:22-39a, we read about the presentation of Jesus at the temple. According to Jewish law, when a firstborn son is 40 days old, he is to be presented to the Lord at the temple and a sacrifice is to be made. Mary and Joseph took Jesus to the temple and presented him to Simeon, a righteous and devout man who had been waiting for the promised Messiah.

Simeon took the baby in his arms and praised God, saying that he had seen the salvation of the Lord. He also warned Mary that her son would cause controversy and that a sword would pierce her own soul. They also met Anna, a prophetess who recognized Jesus as the Messiah and gave thanks to God.

We have compiled a range of creative ideas and activities below that relate to this Bible story. These resources are designed to help you share this important message in an engaging and interactive way, whether you are a children's ministry leader, a Sunday school teacher, or a religious educator in a Christian primary school.

Our activities below are suitable for use in various settings such as church children's programs, children's ministry, catechism classes, children's services, Bible clubs, vacation Bible school, and Sunday school, and will help students understand the relevance of the Bible to their lives, and the importance of applying its teachings in practical ways.

Discover all 15 activities and ideas

Lesson - NT: Life of Jesus 01 - Jesus presented at the temple (Download PDF)

Children's moment - NT: Life of Jesus 01: Jesus presented at the temple - The welcoming committee

Craft - NT: Life of Jesus 01: Jesus presented at the temple - Naming the baby

Craft - NT: Life of Jesus 01: Jesus presented at the temple - The arrival of the Messiah

Experiment - NT: Life of Jesus 01: Jesus presented at the temple - Is it a duck or a rabbit?

Game - NT: Life of Jesus 01: Jesus presented at the temple - Bringing good tidings

Game - NT: Life of Jesus 01: Jesus presented at the temple - Nine letters

Game - NT: Life of Jesus 01: Jesus presented at the temple - The promise fulfilled

Icebreaker - NT: Life of Jesus 01: Jesus presented at the temple - Unleash the shaving foam

Object lesson - NT: Life of Jesus 01: Jesus presented at the temple - An allegorical story

Object lesson - NT: Life of Jesus 01: Jesus presented at the temple - Creating a swaddling cloth

Object lesson - NT: Life of Jesus 01: Jesus presented at the temple - Israel feels forgotten by God

Prayer idea - NT: Life of Jesus 01: Jesus presented at the temple - Longing for God

Storytelling tips - NT: Life of Jesus 01: Jesus presented at the temple - Three tips

Video - NT: Life of Jesus 01: Jesus presented at the temple - Runaway