NT Characters: Simeon

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website.Scripture: Luke 2:25-35.Bio:Simeon is righteous and devout.He takes the infant Jesus in his arms—suggesting he may have been a priest at the temple. (Jesus was taken there on his 40th day and his parents made the required offering—see Lev 12:1-8.)Having recognized the Messiah, Simeon is now ready to die. (This implies that he is advanced in years.)He served the Lord faithfully, even though he had grown old.Simeon's insight:He realized that the good news was not for Israel only, but for the entire world. This was no narrow nationalism, but a universal vision. (Recall that in early Christianity, it was a struggle for many Jewish Christians to welcome Gentile Christians as full partners in the gospel.)Simeon's perspective is deeply scriptural.Although one might have expected everything about the message of the Messiah to be positive (happy news), Simeon realizes there is a dark, doleful aspect to the dawning Messianic age. Not everyone will happy accept the Messiah and his message.He foresaw that a sword would pierce Mary's soul, tool (probably referring to the agony of watching her son's crucifixion, when she's approximately 50 years old).He rejoiced in and was content with God’s willApplication:Are we like Simeon? If we are older Christians, do we still have passion for the Lord?Do we have a truly scriptural perspective, or is it only a patchwork of loosely connected ideas?Are we content in accepting God’s will for my life, for his people, and for the world?