Luke 2
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
Jesus’ Birth in Bethlehem
Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all [a]the inhabited earth. 2 [b]This was the first census taken while [c]Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 And everyone was on his way to register for the census, each to his own city. 4 Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, 5 in order to register along with Mary, who was engaged to him, and was with child. 6 While they were there, the days were completed for her to give birth. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a [d]manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
8 In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; 11 for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is [e]Christ the Lord. 12 This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a [f]manger.” 13 And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
14 “Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace among men [g]with whom He is pleased.”
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15 When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, “Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 So they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the [h]manger. 17 When they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child. 18 And all who heard it wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds. 19 But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20 The shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them.
Jesus Presented at the Temple
21 And when eight days had passed, [i]before His circumcision, His name was then called Jesus, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb.
22 And when the days for their purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him up to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male that opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”), 24 and to offer a sacrifice according to what was said in the Law of the Lord, “A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”
25 And there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel; and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s [j]Christ. 27 And he came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, [k]to carry out for Him the custom of the Law, 28 then he took Him into his arms, and blessed God, and said,
29 “Now Lord, You are releasing Your bond-servant to depart in peace,
According to Your word;
30 For my eyes have seen Your salvation,
31 Which You have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
32 A Light [l]of revelation to the Gentiles,
And the glory of Your people Israel.”
33 And His father and mother were amazed at the things which were being said about Him. 34 And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this Child is appointed for the fall and [m]rise of many in Israel, and for a sign to be opposed— 35 and a sword will pierce even your own soul—to the end that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”
36 And there was a prophetess, [n]Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in [o]years and had lived with her husband seven years after her [p]marriage, 37 and then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple, serving night and day with fastings and prayers. 38 At that very [q]moment she came up and began giving thanks to God, and continued to speak of Him to all those who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.
Return to Nazareth
39 When they had performed everything according to the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own city of Nazareth. 40 The Child continued to grow and become strong, [r]increasing in wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him.
Visit to Jerusalem
41 Now His parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. 42 And when He became twelve, they went up there according to the custom of the Feast; 43 and as they were returning, after spending the full number of days, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. But His parents were unaware of it, 44 but supposed Him to be in the caravan, and went a day’s journey; and they began looking for Him among their relatives and acquaintances. 45 When they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem looking for Him. 46 Then, after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions. 47 And all who heard Him were amazed at His understanding and His answers. 48 When they saw Him, they were astonished; and His mother said to Him, “[s]Son, why have You treated us this way? Behold, Your father and I [t]have been anxiously looking for You.” 49 And He said to them, “Why is it that you were looking for Me? Did you not know that I had to be in My Father’s [u]house?” 50 But they did not understand the statement which He [v]had made to them. 51 And He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and He continued in subjection to them; and His mother treasured all these [w]things in her heart.
52 And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and [x]stature, and in favor with God and men.
Recorded Audio:
“Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®,
© Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Used by permission.” www.Lockman.org
Luke 2:19 & 51, “But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart.”
She “treasured in her heart” what was a wonder. What do you think would have happened if instead of holding them in her heart in wonder, that instead, she immediately went and asked the teachers of the day?
I am quite sure they would have taken her pure treasure, her pearls, and, without holding it before God in wonder and waiting for God to give them understanding (people don’t like to wait), they would have given their own rash opinions on the subject, and mixed their earthen clay understanding with her pure gold treasure, ruining it. And so “Trampling her pearls”, and then would have “turned and torn her heart to pieces” by belittling her, devaluing her for what she thought, this can be done without a word. Today it is often done by not being willing to value anothers thoughts, by giving them any serious consideration and actually holding them before God, as having any potential to be true. Treating another this way tells them they have no value. Or they may even say to her with a superior, condescending grin, “you only think you know”, making her feel foolish. But when we ask God for wisdom, “He gives to all generously and does so without reproach.”
Man, thinking he is objective, subjects the real Treasures, the infinite Word of God, to his own finite, thereby inept, little brain, and ruins God’s Word.
I am convinced if Jesus were here among us today, and He didn’t perform signs and wonders, but rather just taught truth, that the Church today would dismiss Him as a heretic. Because He wouldn’t fit this present day Church’s view of what Jesus, God, and so God’s Word, should look like.
The “Ob” in the word objective means, “Up Against”. And “ject” in objective means “to throw”. Thereby to “object” means to throw something, up against, something or someone else. So if someone throws up an argument against what someone else is saying, that person “objects” by throwing his argument “up against” the other, believing his objection will stand up against it. And one who trusts in his own understanding enough, to where he thinks his opinions will stand up against others, then considers himself to be – “Objective”.
However, God instructs us in numerous places in scripture – “Do not trust in, do not even lean on, your own understanding, but in all your ways, look to, and acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight and straighten out your goofy thinking.” My paraphrase.
It is only by man’s foolish pride that he believes himself to be objective, especially in matters as concerns the kingdom of heaven and God’s Holy Word (don’t touch it with your human hands Uzzah). The only reference to heaven we have, apart from direct revelation by God via His Holy Spirit, is the Word of God. God’s Holy Word gives us teachings that were obviously intended for us to wait for the Holy Spirit to illumine our earthly minds. Because mankind is quite incapable of figuring out the infinite Word of God correctly. Man trusting in his own little brain will always goof up God’s perfect word!
The Word of God is like a huge, gigantic box that contains the actual building components of truth, along with the encoded instructions. However the instructions, God has so complexly encoded, purposely, so man would have to totally subject himself to the Holy Spirit to understand it. But when man, by his own intelligence, tries to put it together correctly, even with every human resource at his disposal, he just makes a colossal mess. And instead, man then ruins the image of both God and Man that the bible portrays. Hence the divided Church of our day.
What God wants for us to do, is simply treasure Him in our hearts by reading His Word. Then using our faith in His Fatherliness, His wisdom – to then look to Him for illumination/revelation as we ponder and treasure his Holy Word. Where then He will fulfill His promise to give us understanding and wisdom. John 14:26, James 1:5-8, 1st Jn 2:27, to name only a few of numerous references.
We of course, should use our minds and study to show ouselves approved unto God. Listen to others, gather all the information we can, but not allow our minds to make a definitive judgement, descion as to the meaning of God’s Holy Word. For as it was “breathed by God’s Spirit” in its being written, so He expects us to look to Him to also “Breathe His Holy meaning into us, through our faith in Him to make the unleavened bread rise to life in us by that same Holy Spirit Breath.
Even if all of mankind were able to unify themselves together to interpret God’s Holy Word, if they did’nt wait for God to Reveal Himself by His Holy Spirit, THEN man would still be making his “own private interpretations” of Holy Scripture 2nd Peter 1:20 AND 21. “No prophecy of scripture is a matter of one’s own (private) interpretation. 21 FOR it was not written by Man’s will, but by the Holy Spirit carried from God to man.” The word “For” at the beginning of verse 21 tells us who man should not exclude from his private club, when interpreting Holy Scripture – He should not exclude “God”.
If we will use our faith and wait for Him to give it Life in our minds and hearts, we will then see with the eyes of the only “Solid Rock Objective One” in the universe, God Himself. His is the only (opinion) that counts. Christ (the Holy Spirit) in us, is our one and only hope of Glory! He is the Only Objective one! He is “The Only Wise God” as referenced in the book of Revelation.