Jesus: Revealer of Hearts

25  And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him.

1. Behold gets our attention; the Spirit does not waste words. See this important matter.
2. There is no coincidence in what you will now read. God planned this for them and us.
3. God usually dealt with men, but women were also blessed (Luke 2:36-38; Mark 16:9).
4. Jerusalem had been the place to worship, but it was about to end (John 4:20-24; Acts 8:27; Heb 9:10; 12:22; 13:14; Gal 4:21-31; Matt 3:7-12; 23:38; Luke 19:41-44; etc.).
5. Simeon’s character should be identified, for it indicates a reason for his great blessing.
   1. Simeon was just – fair, right, righteous – a godly trait for all (Mic 6:8; Gen 18:19).
   2. Simeon was devout – religiously zealous – a godly trait for all (Acts 10:2; 17:4).
   3. Simeon was waiting – for God’s promises to occur (Daniel 9:24-27; Heb 6:11-12).
   4. What did he wait for? The consolation of Israel – desire of all nations (Hag 2:6-9), six things Messiah would do (Dan 9:24-27), redemption (Luke 1:68-75; 2:36-38), Son of David (1:26-35), promised Messiah or Christ (Luke 1:41-55; 2:10-14), etc.
   5. The Holy Ghost was upon him – which Spirit we have perpetually (John 14:15-17).
6. What Israel is named here? Elect and spiritual Israel of promise, for the same Messiah would grind Jewish enemies to powder and burn up their city (Matt 21:40-46; 22:1-7).
7. Spiritual men, spiritual women, get spiritual blessings (Eph 1:17; 3:14-19; 5:18-20;); if we grieve or quench the Spirit, it will be our spiritual loss (Eph 4:30; I Thess 5:19).
8. Simeon is not described as a Pharisee, doctor of the law, scribe, Sadducee, or lawyer; neither is he associated with any group of believers; his personal character describes him. Are you living a righteous, spiritual life by God’s Spirit? It is what God seeks.
9. The great consolation in life is not love, wealth, power, wisdom, peace … but Jesus Christ and the cure for sin and death – this is true consolation and comfort (Is 40:1-2).

26  And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.

1. The Holy Ghost is the source of revelation, whether inspired words of scripture (II Pet 1:21) or the illumination of heart and thoughts (Eph 1:17-18; 3:14-19; I Cor 2:9-16).
   1. Without God’s Spirit, you cannot and will not see truth (Job 32:7-9; Isaiah 8:20).
   2. With God’s Spirit, you can and will find truth by some means (Ps 119:18,98-100).
   3. Any conviction you have for righteousness or zeal for truth is by the Holy Spirit.
   4. We reject all rationalization for truth, for we seek and trust God’s revelation only.
2. The Spirit communicated directly to Simeon that would see the Messiah before death.
   1. He had been waiting, getting old, worrying that he might miss Immanuel (Is 7:14).
   2. The Lord’s Christ is God’s Messiah, David’s Lord, the Seed of the Woman, Abraham’s Seed, Shiloh, Messenger of the Covenant, the Desire of all Nations, etc.
3. Our English Christ is from Greek (Christos), where it comes from Hebrew (Messiah).
   1. The personal name of the infant Messiah was Jesus (Matt 1:21; Luke 1:31; 2:21).
   2. Jesus is Greek to English for Jehoshuah or Joshua – Jehovah (Jeho) is salvation (Shuah), which you may confirm by O.T. Joshua called Jesus (Acts 7:45; Heb 4:8).
   3. You may confirm Christ is translation of Messiah (Dan 9:24-27; John 1:41; 4:25).
   4. Jesus is and was called the Christ – anointed one of God (Ps 2:2; Matt 16:16,20).
   5. Jesus is and was the Lord – Supreme Ruler or God Himself (Ps 110:1; Matt 22:45).
   6. His personal name and titles form a glorious name (82 times) … Lord Jesus Christ.
4. Simeon was blessed to see, but we are blessed to believe without seeing (John 20:29).

27  And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law,

1. Knowing he would see the Christ (Luke 2:26), the Holy Spirit led him into the temple.
   1. There are no chance or coincidental events with God (Proverbs 16:9,33; Eccl 9:11; I Kings 22:34; Jeremiah 10:23; Ruth 2:3; Esther 6:1-3; James 4:13-15; etc.).
   2. When we walk with God, we should expect and seek such providential blessings.
   3. The purpose of the Spirit is to exalt Jesus Christ, not Himself (John 15:26; 16:14).
2. Note that Simeon was blessed in the house of God (Psalm 63:2; 73:17; Luke 2:36-38).
3. When the Bible calls Joseph a parent, it is legally and suppositionally (Luke 3:23).
4. The custom of Moses’ Law considered here is the dedication of male firstborns (Luke 2:22-24,39), which makes Jesus 40 days old to meet Simeon and Anna (Lev 12:1-8).
5. Here is Joseph and Mary’s character by their obedience to God’s law (Genesis 18:19).
6. Childbearing defeated Satan (Gen 3:15; Gal 4:4-5; I Tim 2:15; Heb 2:14-17; I Jn 3:8).
7. For much more about cursed childbearing by a woman defeating the devil … here, here.

28  Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said,

1. Simeon took up the 40-day-old Jesus and blessed God for the glorious Son He held.
2. He blessed God! He ignored, “Away in a Manger,” or, “The Little Drummer Boy.”
3. It was the Creator God, our Father, Who deserved the praise (Isaiah 7:14; Luke 1:35).
4. We should and must give thanks for our Savior often, praising God for sending Him.

29 Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word:

1. Simeon was now content to die, for he had seen the Lord Christ, His only Saviour.
2. God fulfilled His word of a promised blessing (Luke 2:26), so Simeon was content.
3. Peace to Simeon, even in the face of death, was seeing Jesus Christ (II Sam 23:1-5).
   1. The purpose of life is to know Jesus Christ (Phil 3:8-14; Jn 17:3; Gal 2:20; 6:14).
   2. Why live any longer, if you can go to be with Christ (Phil 1:20-24; II Cor 5:8)?
4. He is the Desire of all Nations, but our flesh, the world, and the devil steal affection.
5. You will grow in peace about your death in direct proportion to your love of Christ.

30  For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,

1. Simeon saw only a 40-day-old baby, the holy child Jesus (Acts 4:27,30), his Saviour!
2. The fulfillment of many prophecies, Simeon saw God’s incarnate Son in His infancy.
3. The Word of God was made flesh, which is the great mystery of God with us, in our own flesh (John 1:1,14; Matthew 1:23; Gal 4:4-5; Col 2:9; I Tim 3:16; Heb 2:14-18).
4. Simeon called Jesus God’s salvation, and the angels called Him a Savior (Luke 2:11).
5. Zacharias declared salvation from enemies and sins very thoroughly (Luke 1:68-79).
6. Simeon was blessed to see Jesus; we are blessed to believe without seeing (Jn 20:29).
7. If ever there was a time to include Mary some way, Simeon had it. But he ignored her.

31  Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people;

1. The prophecies, facts, and news of Jesus’ birth were not done in a corner (Acts 26:26).
2. All the ends of the earth – Jews and Gentiles – could know it (Acts 1:8; I Tim 3:16).
3. Consider the shepherds, their friends, wise men, Herod, Simeon, Anna, hearers, etc.
4. The apostles took the good news, including the book of Luke, to the whole world.

32  A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.

1. The Gentiles were in perpetual darkness, but Christ’s light came (Is 42:1-7; 60:1-3).
2. Where would Gentiles be without Jesus? Only Israel had light (Amos 3:2; Rom 3:2).
3. The Lord Jesus came first to His own people – the Jews of Israel (Romans 9:5; 15:8).
4. But then He ordained and enabled His apostles to take the gospel to all earth’s nations.

33  And Joseph and his mother marvelled at those things which were spoken of him.

1. Note the distinction between Joseph and his mother (Joseph was not his real father), but modern versions like the NIV conveniently alter the text to “father and mother.”
2. Angels had told great things of Jesus to Joseph and Mary months earlier, but these wonderful things spoken by Simeon included His blessing of the heathen Gentiles.

34  And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against;

1. Simeon blessed the three of them for God’s mercy upon them and the holy child.
2. Ignoring Joseph (who likely died much sooner), Simeon spoke a prophecy to Mary.
   1. Behold should get attention, for Simeon made a powerful prediction of Jesus’ life.
   2. This child was the one of Mary’s children of ordained importance (Matt 13:55-56).
   3. God set Jesus, or ordained Him, to be the Savior and rock of offence we now read.
3. God ordained Jesus for many to fall by repentance and to rise up again by conversion.
   1. We interpret “fall” by again, and, many, spoken against, conversion. See appendix.
   2. Jesus ministry exposed the sins and errors of men but raised them back up by truth.
   3. He did not come for righteous, healthy, or whole, but for sinners, sick, poor, guilty.
   4. How did men fall? By Him exposing sins, traditions (rabbis), rituals (ceremonies), self-righteousness, technicalities (lawyers and scribes), liberals (Sadducees), etc.
   5. How did men rise again? Preaching like on the mount (Luke 4:18; Matt 5:3-12).
   6. Baptism of repentance was a fall before remission of sins (Luke 3:7-14; 3:3; 1:77).
   7. Some, like His own siblings, fell in unbelief but rose again after His resurrection.
   8. Pentecost caused hearers to fall and rise in repentance and baptism (Acts 2:36-38).
   9. Many rose at Pentecost; thousands more later; but few at first (Acts 1:15; 21:20).
4. Jesus was a glorious sign from God, largely spoken against by both Jews and Gentiles.
   1. He was a miraculous sign Himself and all He did (Is 7:14; 28:16; Matt 12:38-41).
   2. He had no beauty to desire (Is 53:2), and men mocked His resurrection (Ac 17:32).
   3. Good men belittled His origin (Jn 1:46); popular opinion rejected Him (Ac 28:22).
   4. The Jews wanted signs; the Greeks wanted wisdom; our Lord gave neither either.
   5. They accused Him of miracles by the power of the devil (Luke 11:15; John 8:48).
   6. John and He were opposites, yet the Jews rejected Him (Matt 11:16-19; 13:55-57).
   7. Jesus endured sinners contradicting Him, note His trial (Heb 12:3; Mark 14:55-62).
   8. The true religion of Jesus is blasphemed, cursed, or rejected in all times and places.
   9. Many Christians alter Jesus and the gospel to make Him palatable (II Cor 11:1-4).
5. But to us He is the blessed sign of God’s incredible grace for the gift of eternal life.

35  (Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.

1. The parentheses enclose separate information that does not alter the sentence at all.
   1. The final clause, “that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed,” modifies the clauses of the previous verse to explain the divisive nature of the true Jesus Christ.
   2. God ordained His Son in such a way to expose the thoughts of every man’s heart.
2. Simeon prophesied to Mary that she would be cut deeply by how men treated her Son.
   1. While Jesus would be the One spoken against, Mary would suffer by it, thus also.
   2. And Jesus Himself, as He described prophetically in Psalm 22 was cut, thus also.
   3. All lovers of Christ, like Simeon and Anna, were cut by Jewish hatred, thus also.
   4. His own siblings did not believe on Him, which would have been a grief (Jn 7:5).
   5. The doctors of the law, though amazed at his age of 12, hated him without a cause.
   6. She saw Him deserted by His friends to die alone, as we sing it, for you and me.
   7. She saw Him reviled and crucified by rabid Jews and cruel Romans (John 19:25).
3. How you react to Jesus Christ and treat Him, His gospel, and His kingdom says much.
   1. The true preaching of Christ reveals eternal life or death (II Cor 2:14-17; 4:3-6).
   2. The classic comparison of the two sets is found in Acts (Acts 2:37-41; 7:54-60).
   3. Jesus revealed hearts (John 2:23-25; 6:26,36,64-65; 8:30-37; 10:24-31; 12:42-43).
   4. If you believe and obey Jesus, then God drew you to it (John 6:44,65; I Cor 12:3).
   5. If you cannot give up things for Him, you are not worthy of Him (Luke 14:25-33).
   6. You will lose friends in the world and church about Him (Luke 6:22; John 16:1-3).
   7. Men who love Jesus are dead in both directions to the world (Gal 6:14; James 4:4).
   8. Jesus is precious to you or not, revealing your heart (I Cor 1:18-14; I Peter 2:4-10).
   9. There is a blessing, if we are not offended by the Christ (Matt 11:6; I Peter 4:14).
4. We cannot compromise truth of Jesus lest we comfort unbelievers or offend believers.
   1. Paul, educated and intelligent, would not use wisdom to preach Jesus (I Cor 2:1-5).
   2. Preachers have one foundation to reject all else (I Cor 3:10-17; Jn 14:6; Acts 4:12).
   3. Earthly ambitions are the enemies of the cross of Christ (Phil 3:18-19; Phil 3:7-14).
   4. Paul knew what would offend the Greeks, but he preached Christ (Acts 17:32-34).
   5. If Jesus is strict about first love and lukewarm, we should be (Rev 2:4-5; 3:14-20).
   6. God will appoint heresies to tempt and test you about Him (I Cor 11:19; I Jn 2:19).
   7. Jesus is the test – His identity, doctrine, character, etc. (I John 4:1-3; II John 1:9).
   8. Sin must be preached against like He did, for it revealed hearts (John 3:19; 15:22).