The Meaning of Luke 2:27 Explained

Luke 2:27

KJV: 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,

YLT: And he came in the Spirit to the temple, and in the parents bringing in the child Jesus, for their doing according to the custom of the law regarding him,

Darby: And he came in the Spirit into the temple; and as the parents brought in the child Jesus that they might do for him according to the custom of the law,

ASV: And he came in the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, that they might do concerning him after the custom of the law,

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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, 

What does Luke 2:27 Mean?

Context Summary

Luke 2:25-39 - The Aged Simeon's Prophetic Blessing
Two aged watchers welcomed the King; but no one else, of all the crowds who went and came, guessed that the Messenger of the Covenant had suddenly come to His Temple, Malachi 3:1-3.
In the Arctic Circle in summer the visitor will behold the magnificent spectacle, on the same sky, of the hues of sunset and of dawn. Dipping only for a brief period beneath the horizon, the setting sun leaves the glorious trail of sunset, and rising, bathes the eastern clouds with the radiance of dawn. So, when Simeon embraced Christ, sunset and sunrise met. There was the glory of the age that was passing, and the glory of the new Christian age that shall ever stand at perfect noon.
Note the concentric circles of Simeon's character: a man; a man in Jerusalem-i.e., a Jew; righteous toward his fellows; devout toward God; looking; Spirit-anointed; to whom it was revealed; Christ in his arms. What more could be said? [source]

Chapter Summary: Luke 2

1  Augustus taxes all the Roman empire
6  The nativity of Jesus
8  An angel relates it to the shepherds, and many sing praises to God for it
15  The shepherds glorify God
21  Jesus is circumcised
22  Mary purified
25  Simeon and Anna prophesy of Jesus,
39  who increases in wisdom,
41  questions in the temple with the teachers,
51  and is obedient to his parents

Greek Commentary for Luke 2:27

When the parents brought in the child Jesus [εν τωι εισαγαγειν τους γονεις το παιδιον Ιησουν]
A neat Greek and Hebrew idiom difficult to render into English, very common in the lxx; In the bringing the Child Jesus as to the parents. The articular infinitive and two accusatives (one the object, the other accusative of general reference). [source]
After the custom of the law [κατα το ειτισμενον του νομου]
Here the perfect passive participle ειτισμενον — eithismenon neuter singular from ετιζω — ethizō (common Greek verb, to accustom) is used as a virtual substantive like το ετος — to ethos in Luke 1:8. Luke alone in the N.T. uses either word save ετος — ethos in John 19:40, though ειωτα — eiōtha from ετω — ethō occurs also in Matthew 27:15; Mark 10:1. [source]
By the Spirit [ἐν τῷ πνεύματι]
Lit., as Rev., “in the Spirit'” the Holy Spirit prompting him. Indicating rather his spiritual condition, as one who walked with God, than a special divine impulse. [source]
After the custom [κατὰ τὸ εἰθισμένον]
Lit., according to that which was wont to be done. Only here in New Testament; and the kindred words, ἔθος custom, and ἔθω ,to be accustomed, occur more frequently in Luke than elsewhere. Very common in medical writings. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Luke 2:27

Luke 2:33 His father and his mother [ο πατηρ αυτου και η μητηρ]
Luke had already used “parents” in Luke 2:27. He by no means intends to deny the Virgin Birth of Jesus so plainly stated in Luke 1:34-38. He merely employs here the language of ordinary custom. The late MSS. wrongly read “and Joseph” instead of “his father.” [source]
Luke 2:43 As they were returning [εν τωι υποστρεπειν αντους]
The articular infinitive with εν — en a construction that Luke often uses (Luke 1:21; Luke 2:27).The boy, Jesus (Ιησους ο παις — Iēsous ho pais). More exactly, “Jesus the boy.” In Luke 2:40 it was “the child “ (το παιδιον — to paidion), here it is “the boy” (ο παις — ho pais no longer the diminutive form). It was not disobedience on the part of “the boy” that made him remain behind, but intense interest in the services of the temple; “involuntary preoccupation” (Bruce) held him fast. [source]
Acts 19:1 While Apollos was at Corinth [εν τωι τον Απολλω ειναι εν Κοριντωι]
Favourite idiom with Luke, εν — en with the locative of the articular infinitive and the accusative of general reference (Luke 1:8; Luke 2:27, etc.). [source]

What do the individual words in Luke 2:27 mean?

And he came in the Spirit into the temple the [time when] were bringing in the parents child Jesus the [thing] were doing they according to that having become customary by the law for Him
καὶ ἦλθεν ἐν τῷ Πνεύματι εἰς τὸ ἱερόν τῷ εἰσαγαγεῖν τοὺς γονεῖς παιδίον Ἰησοῦν τοῦ ποιῆσαι αὐτοὺς κατὰ τὸ εἰθισμένον τοῦ νόμου περὶ αὐτοῦ

ἦλθεν  he  came 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἔρχομαι  
Sense: to come.
Πνεύματι  Spirit 
Parse: Noun, Dative Neuter Singular
Root: πνεῦμα  
Sense: a movement of air (a gentle blast.
εἰς  into 
Parse: Preposition
Root: εἰς  
Sense: into, unto, to, towards, for, among.
ἱερόν  temple 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: ἱερόν  
Sense: a sacred place, temple.
τῷ  the  [time  when] 
Parse: Article, Dative Neuter Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
εἰσαγαγεῖν  were  bringing  in 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Infinitive Active
Root: εἰσάγω  
Sense: to lead in.
γονεῖς  parents 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Plural
Root: γονεύς  
Sense: fathers, parent, the parents.
παιδίον  child 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: παιδίον  
Sense: a young child, a little boy, a little girl.
Ἰησοῦν  Jesus 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: Ἰησοῦς  
Sense: Joshua was the famous captain of the Israelites, Moses’ successor.
τοῦ  the  [thing] 
Parse: Article, Genitive Neuter Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
ποιῆσαι  were  doing 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Infinitive Active
Root: ποιέω  
Sense: to make.
κατὰ  according  to 
Parse: Preposition
Root: κατά 
Sense: down from, through out.
τὸ  that 
Parse: Article, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
εἰθισμένον  having  become  customary 
Parse: Verb, Perfect Participle Middle or Passive, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: ἐθίζω  
Sense: to accustomed, usage, custom.
τοῦ  by  the 
Parse: Article, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
νόμου  law 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: νόμος  
Sense: anything established, anything received by usage, a custom, a law, a command.