|
|
|
|
CHAPTER 2Angelic ministrants herald the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem—He is circumcised, and Simeon and Anna prophesy of his mission—At twelve years he is about his Father's business. |
||
|
1 And it came to pass in those days, that there went
out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all athe world
should be btaxed.
2 (And this ataxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) 3 And all went to be taxeda, every one into his own city. |
3a all went to be taxed The time and season of this taxation was most likely of no coincidence. Though the Roman tax was not the same, it had an interesting parallel in the tribute tax paid at the temple every year by the Jews at the time of passover. How often had the Romans seen the Jews gather once a year to the temple and exchange their Romans coins into the half shekel coin of the temple to be paid to the administrating priests of the temple? It would seem that Roman had planned well to so cause all of the Jewish come and be taxed at the same season of passover that year. Remember Jesus was born on the 6th of April according to our calendars. Upon the Jewish calendar of that year, it would be of little surprise to find the Roman taxation being participated in during that selfsame season of passover. What better time to have the Jews return to the land of their ancestrial inheritance but that of Passover. What Jew did not claim to be of some house of Israel which was not associated with the land of Jerusalem and round about that region. It would be the proverbial case of killing two birds with one stone. The Jews would be gathering to the land of Judaea anyway, so why not tax them and number them then as well. They would all be in the neighborhood based upon such opportunistic planning. |
1a
D&C 128:20; 2a Mark 9:2 (2-13); Luke 9:29 (28-36); John 1:14; 2 Pet. 1:16 (16-19); TG Jesus Christ, Glory of; |
|
4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the
city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called
aBethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)
5 To be taxed with Mary his aespoused wife, being great with child. 6 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. |
1a
D&C 128:20; 2a Mark 9:2 (2-13); Luke 9:29 (28-36); John 1:14; 2 Pet. 1:16 (16-19); TG Jesus Christ, Glory of; |
|
|
6 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.
7 And she brought forth her afirstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the binn. |
1a
D&C 128:20; 2a Mark 9:2 (2-13); Luke 9:29 (28-36); John 1:14; 2 Pet. 1:16 (16-19); TG Jesus Christ, Glory of; |
|
|
8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the aglory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. 10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you agood tidings of great bjoy, which shall be to all people. 11 For unto you is aborn this day in the city of David a bSaviour, which is Christ the cLord. 12 And this shall be a asign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, 14 aGlory to God in the highest, and on earth bpeace, good will toward men. |
 |
|
|
15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.
16 And they came with ahaste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. 17 And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. |
 |
|
|
18 And all they that heard it
awondered at those things which were told them by the
shepherds.
19 But Mary kept all these things, and apondered them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them. |
||
In Order to Fulfill All RighteousnessJesus' life was kept in perfect order in terms of the laws and ordinances of men commanded by God. He kept the Law of Moses to the letter in all critical ordinances and observances. Thus he was circumcized when eight days were accomplished according to the Law of Moses. And being the 'firstborn son' who opened his mother's womb, after the days of her purification, Jesus was presented and dedicated unto the Lord as be holy unto the LORD again according to the Law of Moses. This dedication to fulfilling and abiding the Law of Moses in righteousness was carried out throughout the life of Jesus. And it would lap over into the Gospel of Jesus Christ beginning with being baptized by John the Baptist in order to fulfill all righteousness (Matthew 3:15). And it is a strong evidence that legally and rightfully Christ was the legal and rightful heir of the covanant and birthright of Ephraim the firstborn of Israel, having obtained the rights of the covenant rightfully through that earthly avenue as well as being the Son of God. (See Messiah ben David ~ Messiah ben Joseph) |
||
|
21 And when eight days were accomplished for the
acircumcising of the child, his name was called
bJESUSa, which was so
cnamed of the angel before he was conceived in the
womb.
|
21a his name was called JESUS
From before the foundation of the earth was Jehovah's name give to be JESUS.
To some critics and cynics this to them is but an anomoly in time, an
anachronism in that the Greek name JESUS did not exist prior to when the
earth was formed. They think only in terms of when an where vaious languages
were developed rather in terms of the meanings of the words. They are caught
up in the means rather than understanding the end of the matter. Actually
JESUS is an Enlish transliteration of the Greek name written in the English
alphabet. That that mean that Jesus did not exist merely because that form
of the name was not registered until after the fact? So is the logic of those
who speak in terms of such as anachronisms and anomolies of time. The truth
is all moderns histories are but such modern anomolies and anachonisms as
they are but a contrived understanding written in today's vernacular in order
to attempt to comprehend and understand things that are pasted in a language
which we can understand. The truth is that Jehovah was given the name
Jesus in the preexistence and the language used there was the language of
God which the pure language of Adam would have been representative of. But
since none are school in the language of God or even that of Adam, we make
do with what language we have. Thus rather than worry about such false anachonisms caused by modern language translation, it is most important to consider the meanings of the words and speak in relation to them. Jesus, the transliterated English form of the Greek name of our Lord was actually the same as the name of Joshua, Jeshua, Jehoshua, etc,, in it various Hebrew forms of the name. Yet still the Hebrew names are not the actual names as they would have been in the language of God or the Adamic language. What we have today as Jehovah, is also a transliteration from the Hebrew language for the God of the Old Testament. We know him to be the spirit son of God the Father, the first born spirit son in the preexistence. He is the same as Jesus Christ. Jehovah had been given the name of 'Jehoshua' (Hebrew form) by the Father as a part of or before the judgement council where Jehoshua (Jehovah) and Satan (Lucifer) stood before the Father to be judged of him (See Zechariah 3). That name meant 'Jehovah in whom is Salvation' or 'Jehovah is Salvation or Redemption'. This name was given where upon Jehovah was anointed to be the Redeemer and Savior of the world under the hand of God the Father before the foundation of the world. And he was known by this name by Adam and Enoch (Moses 6&7). Moses knew him by this name. Nephi knew him by this name, as did many of the prophets of old. This 'name' meaning whatever form of that name in their own languages which did mean the same as 'Jehovah Salvation' or 'Jehovah Redeemer'. As Philipians 2:9-11 states, the Father bestowed that name upon him. There is no other name whereby man may be saved. What is not commonly understood, is that the Jews of Jesus' day knew of the statements of the prophets and did look for the Messiah to come bearing the name of Joshua or Jehoshua, namely JESUS. So when only one of a few sons of David of the age of Jesus attends the temple that year bearing that name of promise of Joshua or JESUS, certainly there was added interest in such a lad, and in such a dynamic lad of wisdom and understanding as JESUS was. Absolutely there was even then, when he was but the age of 12, about him an excitement of wonder and astonishment. Just who was this JESUS of Nazareth? What this the promised Messiah? The minds of the learned Doctors would have been reeling in anticipation of taught. How had the edict of Herod have missed him if this be the Messiah supposedly murdered back then in that preventative action? Had he escaped and is this he before us now? At the age of 12, they would marval at his answers, at the age of 30 they would marval at his miracles. Yet the Elders of the Jews would will out and a few short years into his ministry, he would become the suffering Messiah, the crucified and rejected Messiah stipulated by the prophets of old. |
The discusion concerning the Law of Circumcision would not contain the same arguments of the Law of Moses which had been fulfilled in Christ. The Apostle Paul, the apostle unto the Gentiles, taught that as a part of the old law now done away with in Christ, circumcision was not required by Christians or even by the Jews as the day of the Old Law and Old Testament had been completed in Christ. Yet many Jewish Christians retained unto the old custom and Law of Circumcision as having been that Law of the Covenant of Abraham and not necessarily therefore associated with the Law of Moses. Yet there is the point that much of the Law of Moses natually evolved out of the past laws and practices of the Hebrews such as the law of Hebrew marriage. This is exemplified in that Judah had practiced such a law in the treatment of Tamar by promising her to be the wife of one of her dead husband's brothers. This practice and law became the Leverite Law of Marriage as explained in Deuteronomy 25:5-10. Yet obviously this law had been practiced prior to the giving of the Law by Moses. Thus much of the Law of Moses was but the more ancient Law of the Hebrews as refined by and through God and Moses. As such, it would be difficult to isolate just what was and was not of the Law of the Old Testament which was done away with. Certainly the law of animal sacrifice was done way with in Christ, it being a law which also reguired the spilling of blood as did circumcision, that through the blood of the lamb the heart is to be laid bear unto the things of God. All these were but types and symbols of bleeding and blood of the lamb of God. Today, we support Paul's argument that all such blood sacrifice and services are done away in Christ. The only remaning blood related ordinance is not of blood at all but in the remembrance of the blood of Christ which was spilt or shead for our sins. That ordinance is the sacrament where be drink and eat in remembrance of such sacrifice. That is the new ordiance of the Doctrine of Christ. To include any other such related Old Testament ordinance such as animal or circumcision blood letting, is done away with in Christ's fulfillment of the blood sacrifice of the atonement completed in Gethsemane and upon the cross. Circumcision is no longer a gospel ordiance but one practiced in the world of medicine. And though some religions cline to it, it is not a part of true Gospel of Jesus Christ today. |
|
22 And when the days of her
apurification according to the law of Moses were
accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the
Lord;
23 (As it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth the awomb shall be called holy to the Lord;) 24 And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of aturtledoves, or two young pigeons. |
||
|
25 And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him.
26 And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ. 27 And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law, |
 |
|
|
28 Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said,
29 Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: 30 For mine eyes have seen thy asalvation, 31 Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; 32 A alight bto lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel. |
||
|
33 And Joseph and his mother marvelled at those things which were spoken of him.
34 And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is aset for the bfall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against; 35 (Yea, a sword shall apierce through thy own soul alsoa,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed. |
35a a sword shall pierce through thy soul also Many things were spoken by Simeon in glorifiying God and pronouncing the Messiah which he did behold, Simeon would have recited a number of the prophetic references and even prophesied of the child. He then blessed the child and his parents stating that Mary's soul would be pierced also referring to the time that Jesus would hang upon the cross and be pierced by the sword. Who but a mother would have felt the same painof the son in having witnessed his pierceing upon the cross? | |
|
36 And there was one Anna, a
aprophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser:
she was of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her
virginity;
37 And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with afastings and prayers night and day. 38 And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for aredemption in Jerusalem. |
||
|
39 And when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city Nazareth.
40 And the child grew, and awaxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the bgrace of God was upon him. |
 |
|
|
41 Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at
the afeast of the passover.
42 And when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feasta.
About 600 B.C. young Nephi experienced such an age change in a short period of time which took him from referring to himself as extremely or exceedingly young though large in stature (1 Nephi 2:16) early in their stay in the valley of Lemuel, to being a man large in stature (1 Nephi 4:31) just after having slain Laban. The only thing which made the change from being 'exceedingly young' and referencing himself as a 'man' in such a short span of time was the Hebrew tradition of manhood, coming of age, in the 13th year of a male in Israel's life. When he and his family left Jerusalem Nephi still considered himself as a child, less than 12 years of age and therefore extremely young. But within a short span of time, Nephi had reached his age of manhood in Israel, thus just after he had slew Laban, he referenced himself as a man, meaning he had obtain the age wherein he was past or within his thriteen year and now a man in Israel. What a chore for an early youth, such a 'man in Israel', to have behead another man though it was instructed of God. Nephi's childhood had certainly ended. Further, Jesus' coming of age was even more of a recognition process in that he was the firstborn son who had opened his mother's womb and therefore he was didicated to God. And in a seemingly appropriate set of circumstances, Jesus at the age of twelve, in his thirteenth year, was presented at the temple as the 12 year old son who had now become a man in Israel who had been dedicated unto the Lord.
Because of the terrible edict commanded by Harod, Jesus would have been only
one of a very few sons of he house of David who would have presented
themselves at the temple that year especially of that special age, and as one
having beenn so dedicated to the Lord, not to mention also being of the
promised name of 'Jesus', that is 'Jehovah Is Salvation' or 'In Jehovah
Is To Be Found Salvation'.
|
42a when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast What was significant about the custom of the feast for a Jewish boy of age 12 was that this would be Jesus' 'bar mitzvah' or presentation at the temple according to the law and tradition of the Jews. Upon the 13th birthday, a celebration was held to recognize the male child as a 'man in Israel' and to test his prescribed course of study of Jedaism. In the east, the counting of 'birthdays' was numbered differently than in the west. The child's actual date of birth was the first birthday and the child was said to be in his first year. Like wise after completing his 12 year of life upon what the western world would count as a child's 12th birthday marking that twelve complete years of life had been fulfilled, in the east it would be counted to be the child's 13th birthday marking the start of the childs thirteenth year of life. Jesus was therefore in his 13th year, his bar mitzvah year and as he had been born about the Passover season, on April 6th according to the solar calander, and since Jesus had been didicated to the LORD according to being the first to come forth of his mother's womb, it was therefore needful that this child to be presented at the Temple upon his becoming a man in Israel. Thus was Jesus so engaged during that passover. And even after his formal presentation there, and even after his parents and company had left, Jesus was still attending the temple with the learned doctors, the rabbis, of the Jewish religion, both hearing them and asking them questions. And is the habbit of such 'questioning' the learned rabbis would commonly answer a question with another question, thus Jesus would have occassion to expound upon matters according to his understanding. And all they that did hear him were astonished at his understading and answers. | |
|
43 And when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and Joseph and his mother knew not of it.
44 But they, supposing him to have been in the company, went a day's journey; and they sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance. 45 And when they found him not, they turned back again to Jerusalem, seeking him. |
||
 47 And all that heard him were astonished at his aunderstanding and answers. |
Yet when Mary and Joseph came to the temple to have their firstborn son so blessed, named and ordained unto the LORD, they were not met by just any such temple priest. Who is to say how many times even Simeon had held a JESUS, a firstborn son of the house of David in his arm to bless him. And just as often Simeon would feel unimpressed to bestowe the blessing of the Messiah upon the infant child. But today, this day was different. Simeon had been told that he would not die until he had seen the true Messiah. How often had Simeon consider the blessing he would give such child. Being in his old age, he would have had years of considered preparation to so anticipate his blessing uterance upon such a child. And now that day had finally come. The spirit bore witness to this prepared and waiting priest with his all but memorized blessing to pronounce. This was no child like any other, this was the Lord God Emmanuel, come to earth amoung men, the promised Redeemer of Israel. Great was the joy of Simeon that day.
Some twelve years later, again a group of scholarly 'doctors/Rabbis' of the
temple would have the opportunity to behold the Christ. Due to Herod's edict,
few 12 year olds of Israel of the house of David would even appear in the
temple that year for they had been slayen just some 10 years prior.
And fewer still of the name of the promised name of Jesus. Perhaps he as
the only one of that name and descent to so attend that year at that age of
becoming a man and having been dedicated to the LORD as being the firstborn
of his mother. A certain amount of interest would have peaked due to this
circumstance alone. And then when this particular child showed forth such
knowledge, wisdom and understanding to even confound the Doctors of religion,
a great amazement if not merely curiousity must have abounded. Surely this
|
|
|
48 And when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing.
49 And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? awist ye not that I must be about my bFather's business? 50 And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them. |
||
|
51 And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth,
and was asubject unto them: but his mother kept all these
sayings in her bheart.
52 And Jesus aincreased in bwisdom and stature, and in cfavour with God and man. |
||
was no ordinary child, he was an extrordinary child, a new 12 year old 'man
in Israel' of the house of David, firstborn and dedicated unto the LORD. A
JESUS/Jehoshua unto the LORD. It is little wonder that Jesus had continued to
keep their interest, returning day after day to appear in the temple and sit
in discussion with them of the things of God. When one considers that true
nature of the event, where else but the temple would Jesus be found and what
else would he be doing but expounding upon the scriptures before the priests, pharisee, saducees,
scribes, rabbis and doctors of the temple conclave that year? It was a stage
laid bare upon which to perform, made so by the hand of Satan through the
voice of Herod. Yet out of the rubble of the death of hundreds of infants
came forth the one remaining true Messiah within the walls of learning of
the temple that year of the passover, the 12th year aniversary of
the birth and then the slaughter wrought by Herod in his attempt to murder
the Son of God.