Being only a week beyond Christmas and our celebration of Jesus’ birth, we consider another of the “songs of Christmas” — songs that surrounded Christ’s coming as the promised Messiah.
It also was shortly after that first Christmas when Joseph and Mary took the infant Jesus to the temple in obedience to the Old Testament law. Mary was there to fulfill the law of purification required of a new mother (Luke 2:22).
That occasion marked Mary’s ceremonial purity for full participation in Jewish worship. Mary and Joseph also had the infant Jesus there to fulfill the law of the redemption of the firstborn (Luke 2:23–24). The ceremony exempted a firstborn son from priestly service. This temple visit became the occasion for Simeon’s encounter with Jesus and a fourth “song of Christmas,” found in Luke 2:29–32.
Righteous and devout
Simeon is introduced to us as a man who was righteous and devout. Furthermore he was waiting for “the consolation of Israel,” a way of referring to God’s redeeming plan to send the Messiah into the world through His chosen people and for their benefit. Simeon also was a man intimately involved with the Holy Spirit. The Spirit had revealed to him that he would not depart his earthly life before having seen the Lord’s Christ (Luke 2:25–26).
The Spirit also led Simeon into the temple on the very day and at the very hour when Jesus’ parents arrived for their ceremonies. Enabled to recognize Jesus as the Promised One, Simeon took the infant Messiah into his arms and blessed God. Simeon’s opening two words as found in the Latin version, “Nunc Dimittis” (now you are letting depart), have become the traditional title of Simeon’s song.
The sovereign Lord
We consider three focal points in the song. Our attention is drawn first to the sovereign Lord who is faithful to His Word. Addressing God as “Lord,” Simeon confessed what was unfolding for him was according to the Lord’s Word (v. 29). In addressing God as Lord, Simeon used the term that gives the English language the word “despot.” Although this word has come to possess negative connotations because of countless ungodly human kings and emperors it does point to one who possesses absolute authority and rules with sovereign might.
‘In the presence of all’
A second focal point in the song is the salvation the sovereign Lord has prepared “in the presence of all peoples” (vv. 30–31). The Holy Spirit — who was upon Simeon that day enabled him to see what others, even the apostles, would struggle to see — namely that Christ came to be the Savior of both Gentiles and Jews.
The final focal point is Simeon himself, a servant of the sovereign Lord who was at peace and ready to depart his earthly life because he had seen the salvation prepared for the world: “Now You are letting Your servant depart in peace” (v. 29).
In the afterglow of Christmas and at the beginning of a new year we can affirm three precious truths from Simeon’s song. First God keeps His saving promises. What the past should teach us at this point is He can fortify us for the future we all face — God will continue to be faithful to His Word. Second salvation is for all people. This truth is the inspiration for our world missions commitments of going, giving and praying. Third saved people can depart this life in peace. He who came as the Prince of Peace is at His princely best in life’s dying hour.
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