Sunday School Lessons: Luke Chapter 2

Luke Chapter 2

2:1 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This was the first registration when  Quirinius was governor of Syria.

Caesar Augustus’ name was Octavious, but he took on the title, Augustus himself.  The word august means ‘marked by majestic dignity or grandeur.  He was the adopted son of Julius Caesar.  The title Augustus was an attempt on his part to deify himself.  This census was for the purpose of counting and locating people so that they could be taxed.  Luke, the careful historian, includes specific information about prominent people who lived during that time (Quirinius) to establish the reliability of his statements.

3 And all went to be registered, each to his own town. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. 6 And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

Joseph was from the line of David, so he returned to Bethlehem of Judea.  Micah, the prophet foretold that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. (Micah 5:2)  Even though Mary and Joseph were not yet married, Mary had to go to Bethlehem because she was from the line of David as well.  It may seem as though the decree of Caesar was what caused Christ to be born in Bethlehem, but he was only the instrument that God used to fulfill his plan. Galatians 4:4.  In the fullness of time, Jesus was born.  Luke gives us some details about his birth—he was wrapped in blankets and his crib was a manger.  The inn was full because of the great number of people who were in Bethlehem to answer the decree to be registered.  Here is the first view we have of the Messiah—a tiny baby, Immanuel—God with us.

8 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. 10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

These shepherds were keeping watch in the same fields that David had kept watch over his sheep so long ago.

Again we see that when the angel of the Lord appeared to them, the shepherds were afraid.  They were especially afraid because the glory of the Lord shown around them.  This “glory of the Lord” was called the Shekinah glory and it represents the presence of God. (Exodus 24:16)  The shepherds understood what that meant and they were frightened.  (Isaiah 6:1-3)  The angel announced the joyous good news of the Gospel that the Savior had been born.  Christ is a title that means Savior (Greek) just as Messiah means Savior (Hebrew).

12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

14 “Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” 

The angel announced the manner of his birth and where he could be found.  Then suddenly the sky was filled with angels praising God.  The heavenly host is the name of God’s heavenly army.  The angels announced that, through the birth of this baby, God was presenting a way to be at peace with God.  It did not mean that immediately all wars would cease and there would be peace among all the men of the world.  There is not peace in the world today.  However, Romans 5:1 tells us that, being justified through faith, we have peace with God through Jesus Christ.

15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. 17 And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. 18 And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

The shepherds were the first evangelists!  They went to see the baby and then told what they had seen—what the Lord had made known to them!  Mary treasured ‘all these things,’ pondering them in her heart.  Only Mary could have know what her response had been to the shepherd’s visit.  This helps us know that Luke got much of the information from Mary.  What were some of the thing Mary was pondering?  Notice, too, that the shepherds were glorifying and praising God for all they had heard (in the fields) and seen (of the Christ child) as it had been told them.  God had sent a Savior into the World, just as Micah had prophesied and just as the angel had proclaimed to them! 

21 And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

Read Genesis 17:12 Through the rite of circumcision, Jesus became a member of the covenant community and was ‘under the law.’  (review Galatians 4:4)  This is important because in every way, Jesus fulfilled the law perfectly, and in every way we, as sinners, could never do that!  He became a human was made like us, His brethren.  Read Hebrews 2:16,17.  He was given the name that the angel had told to Mary (John1:30) and Joseph (Matthew 1:18-25.)

22 And when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”) 24 and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.”

After a woman gave birth she was considered “unclean.”  When a person was unclean, they could not participate in temple worship or be around other people until those days were completed.  (In the case of a boy, the period of unclean-ness was 40 days, with a girl baby it was 80 days.)  At the end of the period, they took the child to the temple and presented him to the Lord with a sacrifice.  Firstborn males were separated as “holy unto the Lord.”  This is because at the first Passover, God spared the firstborn of Israel when the Angel of Death passed over them. 

Lev 12:8 If she cannot afford a lamb, she is to bring two doves or two young pigeons, one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering. In this way the priest will make atonement for her, and she will be clean.' "

Notice that Mary had to make a burnt offering and a sin offering according to the Law of Moses.  Mary was a sinner and she needed to bring an offering for sin.  Mary and Joseph did not offer a lamb, because they were poor and could not afford to bring a lamb.  Poverty has never kept anyone from coming to God, nor was it a dishonor to be poor.  Mary was honored above all women!

25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. 27 And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, 28 he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said,

Simeon was a righteous and devout man and one who had greatly been blessed by God.  Luke tells us that the Holy Spirit was upon him.  God had told him that he would not die before he had seen the Messiah.  ‘The consolation of Israel’ was a common name for the Messiah and was part of their daily prayers as they awaited the Messiah.  He came ‘in the Spirit into the temple.’  What do you think that means?  How did he recognize that this little baby was the promised One?  Notice that he blessed God and said:

29 “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace,
according to your word;
30 for my eyes have seen your salvation
31 that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and for glory to your people Israel.”

Simeon has lived to see the promised Messiah and he is now ready to depart this life in peace, according to what God had told him.  That salvation, he says, God had “prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.” (Is 49:6)  What is a revelation?  What did God reveal to the Gentiles?

33 And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him. 34 And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed 35 (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”

Jesus was either a stumbling stone to those who did not believe or the cornerstone to those who would come to faith in him.  A sign is something that brings attention to something that it signifies, or stands for.  Jesus would be opposed and disbelieved during his life, resulting in his crucifixion.  Simeon understood the prophesies of the suffering Messiah. (Isaiah 42) He tells Mary that a sword would pierce her as well.  Mary was present when Jesus died on the cross—a piercing pain for any mother, but even moreso for Mary. (read Matthew 10:26)

36 And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin, 37 and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. 38 And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.

Anna, like Simeon, was waiting for the Messiah, and she was at the temple praying and giving thanks to God for Jesus and proclaimed him as Messiah to all ‘who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.  He knew that he was the consolation of Israel!

39 And when they had performed everything according to the Law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. 40 And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him.

 Luke has proclaimed Jesus first as a baby and now as a child.  Jesus grew physically, spiritually, intellectually, and emotionally and God’s favor was on him.

41 Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. 42 And when he was twelve years old, they went up according to custom. 43 And when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it, 44 but supposing him to be in the group they went a day's journey, but then they began to search for him among their relatives and acquaintances, 45 and when they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, searching for him. 46 After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47 And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. 48 And when his parents saw him, they were astonished. And his mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been searching for you in great distress.” 49 And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?”  50 And they did not understand the saying that he spoke to them. 51 And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them. And his mother treasured up all these things in her heart.

They traveled to Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of the Passover, a distance of about 70 mi.  The feast lasted eight days.  The sacrifice was offered on the first and then there were seven days of the Feast of Unleavened bread.

Read 43-50.  It might appear to us that Jesus was being disobedient to his parents.  Nothing was further from the truth! These are the first recorded words of Jesus and he says he “must” be in his Father’s house.  This is the first of many “I must’s” that we will encounter in the life of Christ.  From these first words we are given to understand that Jesus’ Father was God and that his highest call was to do the will of the Father.

52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.

We have to be careful here.  Jesus body and mind and intellect grew, because he was fully human, but did not need to grow in favor with God!  The Son of God is the eternal Son and God is eternally pleased with Him!

*These lessons are written for use with elementary aged students. You can find lessons for previous chapters here . All scriptures are taken from the ESV.