For Our Redemption, When God is both the Subject and the Object Simultaneously: the One Offered is the One Receiving – Presentation of the Lord

Though Almighty, God came to this world, incarnated in baby Jesus, born of Mary the Blessed Virgin. Though he is the King, Jesus was born not in the royal palace in Jerusalem but in a cottage where animals were kept, outskirts of Bethlehem. And his first crib was a manger, as if to feed animals (Luke 2:4-7).

Having spending 40 days for her postpartum purification, as required by the Torah (Leviticus 12:2-4; Luke 2:22), Mary and, her husband, Joseph, brought their baby boy, Jesus, to the Temple in Jerusalem, to observe the commandment of the firstborn dedication (Exodus 13:2, 12; Luke 2:23). The Torah (Leviticus 12:6-8) also required Mary, the mother of the firstborn, to bring both burnt offering (yearling lamb) and purification offering (pigeon or turtledove) when dedicating the firstborn son to God in the Temple. However, Mary and Joseph could not afford to purchase a lamb, Mary substituted the lamb for the turtledove, according to Leviticus 12:8 (Luke 2:24).

Then, Simeon, a righteous and devout Jewish old man, with the Holy Spirit, who had been waiting for the consolation (παράκλησιν/paraklesin) of Israel (Luke 2:25; cf. Isaiah 12:1; 40:1-11; 49:13), promised by God, through the Holy Spirit, to see the Christ in his life time (Luke 2:26), came to baby Jesus in the Temple, as led by the Holy Spirit, recognizing him as the Christ  (Luke 2:27). Then, he sang:

Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you prepared in sight of all the peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel (Luke 2:29-32).

This canticle of Simeon is known as “Nunc dimittis” (permission to depart).

Certainly, Simeon rejoiced to see baby Jesus, recognizing him as the long-awaited and prophesized Messiah (Christ), not for the Israelites but also for the Gentiles, as well. Because of this, God’s promise to see the Christ during his lifetime (Luke 2:26) was fulfilled. So, he felt his life’s meaning was fulfilled.

Then, Simeon said to Mary:

Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted and you yourself a sword will pierce so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed (Luke 2:34-35).

This is Simeon’s prophecy for what this firstborn baby boy of Mary would bring to Israel. Namely, he was speaking of consequences of the Christ being incarnated in the human flesh of Jesus, born of her.

What Simeon foresaw was the shakeup of Israel caused by Jesus, the Christ. Those who repent and believe in God in Christ would be saved, while those who do not would be doomed, it is because Jesus would be the sign of contradiction. Though he is the Christ (Messiah), whom the Israel had long-awaited for the salvation, he would be condemned by Israelites, who do not see him as the Christ. And because of this, as his mother, Mary would suffer greatly, pointing the rest of her seven sorrows. But, many would eventually see Jesus as the Christ, whose coming that they had desired and hoped.

Eventually, all of these will lead to the judgement, to separate those who repent and believe in Jesus as the Christ, from those who do not. Therefore, these prophetic words of Simeon reflect these words of Malachi:

Who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand firm when he appears? For he will be like a refiner’s fire, like fullers’ lye. He will sit refining and purifying silver, and he will purify the Levites, refining them like gold or silver, that they may bring offerings to the Lord in righteousness. Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will please the Lord, as in ancient days, as in years gone by. I will draw near to you for judgment, and I will be swift to bear witness against sorcerers, adulterers, and perjurers, those who deprive a laborer of wages, oppress a widow or an orphan, or turn aside a resident alien, without fearing me, says the Lord of hosts (Malachi 3:2-5).

And this is also what John the Baptist, whom Malachi foresaw as the forerunning messenger of Christ to prepare the way of his coming (Malachi 3:1), foresaw. While preparing the way of the Christ’s public appearance or theophany, John the Baptist preached:

Produce good fruit as evidence of your repentance. And do not presume to say to yourselves, “We have Abraham as our father.”  For I tell you, God can raise up children to Abraham from these stones. Even now the ax lies at the root of the trees. Therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. I am baptizing you with water, for repentance, but the one who is coming after me is mightier than I. I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fan is in his hand. He will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire (Matthew 3:8-12).

In the Second Reading (Hebrews 2:14-18), however, we see the meaning not only of Jesus being presented to God but also of the incarnation of Christ the Son, the Word (John 1:1), being incarnated in the human flesh of Jesus, born of Mary, coming to us by water and blood (1 John 5:6). It is, indeed, to save us as the merciful and faithful High Priest, who conquers Satan and his works, including death. That is why Simeon saw salvation (Luke 2:30) when he sung “Nunc dimittis”(Luke 2:29-32).

So it is written about Jesus the Christ:

Now since the children share in blood and flesh, he likewise shared in them, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and free those who through fear of death had been subject to slavery all their life. Surely he did not help angels but rather the descendants of Abraham; therefore, he had to become like his brothers in every way, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest before God to expiate the sins of the people. Because he himself was tested through what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested (Hebrews 2:14-18).

And these words reflect Simeon’s joyful “Nunc dimittis”(Luke 2:29-32) and prophecy of what Jesus would bring, including trials and tribulations (Luke 2:34-35).

It is also important to understand that the Presentation of the Lord means God being the subject and the object at the same time, as Christ the Son, God incarnate, is offered to God the Father, not only to be consecrated, but to be offered in order the sinful to be redeemed, according to the Torah (Exodus 13:13-15). As unclean donkeys were redeemed by a lamb, Jesus, the sinless firstborn, was offered to God, so that we may be redeemed, though we are sinners (cf. 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 2:22-25). This sameness of the subject and the object is possible because of the consubstantial oneness of the Father and the Son, though the hypostatic unity (John 10:30).