Luke: Part 8 – The Dedication Of Jesus
Luke tells us that eight days after Jesus was born, the baby was circumcised, and he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel even before he was conceived. Then it was time for their purification offering, as required by the law of Moses after the birth of a child; so his parents took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord. The law of the Lord says, “If a woman’s first child is a boy, he must be dedicated to the Lord.” So they offered the sacrifice required in the law of the Lord—either a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons. We may wonder why Jesus should be subjected to this? Paul tells us in Romans 4 that the sign of circumcision included, among other things, the sign of that righteousness that was by faith. It represented two things: being cut off or separated from the world of paganism and idolatry and being set apart—consecrated—to be part of the covenant people of God. Mary and Joseph, with their child, Jesus, were fulfilling an act of faith and holiness. And second, it was a sign of person’s having his sin removed from himself, just as the foreskin of His flesh had been ceremonially removed. God still calls his people to faith and holiness.