Day 26, Read Luke 2:21-24

Jesus is a most “satisfying” Savior.  If you trust Him, put your hope in Him, follow Him, He will not disappoint you.  Today’s passage not only reminds us of His true humanity; it reminds us that He met every requirement of the Messiah, from the very beginning.  Being “born under the Law” (Gal. 4:4).  Jesus said He did not come to “destroy the Law or the Prophets … but to fulfill” (Matt. 5:17).  In effect, as God, Jesus had given the Law to Moses.  And Moses spoke of Him.  And yet Jesus was subject to the Law.  

Jesus’ godly parents had Him circumcised the eighth day, at which time He was given the name the angel had said He should have.  This satisfied not only the Law of Moses (Lev. 12:3); it satisfied the Abrahamic covenant (Gen. 17:9-14).  He was a physical descendant of Abraham, and subject to the Mosaic Law.  Note that He also would satisfy the deeper demands of the Law in that He would show by His righteous life what it meant to be “circumcised in heart” (Deut. 10:15-20).  His righteousness was true righteousness.

Furthermore at the appropriate time He was presented to the Lord at the temple in Jerusalem on the occasion of the offering of the purification offering for Mary.  This fulfilled the command concerning the firstborn son (Ex. 13:2,12,15) as well as the command for purification (Lev. 12:2-8).  The journey made 33 days after the circumcision was a short one from Bethlehem to Jerusalem.  Entering the temple court together, Mary would have gone only as far as the court of the women.  Joseph would have continued, still in Mary’s sight, to 13 “trumpet” treasury chests, the third one for receiving the five shekels for redeeming a first-born son.  Then the sacrifice would have been offered.  In the case of this young family they were unable to afford to offer a lamb and so took the option given in the Law of offering two birds.  We are reminded that Jesus became poor (monetarily) that we might be rich (spiritually, 2 Cor. 8:9).  What grace!

This is critical.  There are no shortcuts, no claiming of divine exemption from the difficult standard.  The Law itself came to be a continual reminder of Israel’s inability to measure up.  They did not circumcise their hearts but were stubborn and rebellious.  What would be God’s answer?  Would He reduce the demands of the Law so people could just perhaps make it on their own?  No!  He would provide a Savior to stand in our place.  The Savior would be our representative, both fulfilling the righteous demands of the Law in our place (Rom. 8:3-4), and dying in our place to pay the penalty for sin.  This is what the Bible means when it says, “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes” (Rom. 10:4).  He has satisfied every requirement.  “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame” (Rom. 10:11).  When you stand before your Creator, those who have put their hope in the Savior will not be found wanting, not because of their own righteousness but because of the Savior.  “For whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved” (Rom. 10:13).