What is the meaning of Luke 2:39? When Jesus’ parents had done everything • Luke has just described Mary and Joseph presenting Jesus in the temple, offering the sacrifice prescribed for a firstborn son (Luke 2:22–24). • Their obedience is exhaustive—“everything” God asked was carried out without omission. Compare Joseph’s earlier promptness in naming the Child on the eighth day (Luke 2:21) and his later readiness to heed angelic warnings (Matthew 2:13–14). • Scripture consistently applauds full obedience, not partial (Deuteronomy 6:17; James 2:10). Mary and Joseph model the wholehearted submission God seeks from every household (Joshua 24:15). required by the Law of the Lord • The “Law of the Lord” refers to the commands given through Moses. For a firstborn male that included circumcision on the eighth day (Leviticus 12:3), presentation and redemption at the temple (Exodus 13:2; Numbers 18:15–16), and a purification offering for the mother (Leviticus 12:6–8). • By meeting these demands, the family affirms that the Law is good and binding. Jesus, though sinless, is intentionally placed under the Law from infancy (Galatians 4:4–5). • This moment foreshadows Christ’s later declaration, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them, but to fulfill them” (Matthew 5:17). His fulfillment begins here through the obedience of His earthly parents. they returned to Galilee • After completing their Jerusalem obligations, the family heads north. Luke’s concise wording leaves room for the intervening flight to Egypt recorded by Matthew (Matthew 2:13–15). Taken together, the Gospels show a round-trip that ultimately lands them back in Galilee. • Galilee, often dubbed “Galilee of the Gentiles” (Isaiah 9:1; Matthew 4:15), is a region of mixed populations. Jesus will grow up amid cultural crossroads, preparing Him for a ministry that reaches far beyond Israel’s borders (Luke 4:14–15; Acts 10:37). to their own town of Nazareth • Nazareth is Joseph and Mary’s hometown (Luke 1:26–27). Returning there highlights God’s pattern of working through humble settings (Micah 5:2 contrasted with Bethlehem’s smallness; John 1:46’s “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”). • Matthew notes that this residence fulfills what was spoken through the prophets: “He will be called a Nazarene” (Matthew 2:23). Though no single Old Testament verse states this, the prophetic theme of Messiah’s lowliness is unmistakable (Isaiah 53:2; Zechariah 9:9). • Growing up in Nazareth, Jesus experiences ordinary village life—He learns a trade (Mark 6:3) and is known by neighbors—yet He is the eternal Son whose origins are “from ancient times” (Micah 5:2). summary Luke 2:39 records a simple return trip, yet every phrase underscores profound truth. Mary and Joseph obey completely, submitting the infant Messiah to every ordinance God gave. Their faithfulness marks the opening moves of Jesus’ lifelong fulfillment of the Law. By steering back to Galilee and specifically to Nazareth, God roots His redemptive plan in an uncelebrated corner of Israel, displaying that His glory often dawns in humble places. |
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