The Meaning of Luke 2:22 Explained

Luke 2:22

KJV: And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord;

YLT: And when the days of their purification were fulfilled, according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem, to present to the Lord,

Darby: And when the days were fulfilled for their purifying according to the law of Moses, they brought him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord

ASV: And when the days of their purification according to the law of Moses were fulfilled, they brought him up to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  when  the days  of her  purification  according  to the law  of Moses  were accomplished,  they brought  him  to  Jerusalem,  to present  [him] to the Lord; 

What does Luke 2:22 Mean?

Context Summary

Luke 2:15-24 - Welcomed Named Presented
From April till the autumn the flocks pastured at night in the open fields, from which it seems probable that our Lord must have been born earlier or later than December. No doubt these shepherds were, like Simeon, "waiting for the consolation of Israel," and their purity of life and simplicity of soul well qualified them to receive the blessed tidings of the angels. First simplicity and afterward science, Matthew 2:1-23, found their way into the presence of Jesus.
In the act of circumcision, our Lord admitted His obligation to fulfill the whole Law, Galatians 5:3. He was "made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law," Galatians 4:4-5. Mary could afford only the gift of the poor, Leviticus 12:6-8; Leviticus 5:7-11; 2 Corinthians 8:9. The precious name of Jesus-Savior-is the name above every name, Acts 4:10-12. [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 2:22

The days of their purification [αι ημεραι του καταρισμου αυτων]
The old manuscripts have “their” (αυτων — autōn) instead of “her” (αυτης — autēs) of the later documents. But it is not clear whether “their” refers to Mary and Joseph as is true of “they brought” or to Mary and the child. The mother was Levitically unclean for forty days after the birth of a son (Leviticus 12:1-8). [source]
To present him to the Lord [παραστησαι τωι Κυριωι]
Every first-born son was thus redeemed by the sacrifice (Exodus 13:2-12) as a memorial of the sparing of the Israelitish families (Numbers 18:15.). The cost was about two dollars and a half in our money. [source]
The days of her purification [αἱ ἡμέραι τοῦ καθαρισμοῦ αὐτῆς]
The A. V. follows the reading αὐτῆς ,her: but all the best texts read αὐτῶν ,their; the plural including Joseph with Mary as partaking of the ceremonial defilement. The mother of a child was levitically unclean for forty days after the birth of a son, and for eighty days after the birth of a daughter. Women on this errand commonly rode to the temple on oxen; that the body of so large a beast between them and the ground might prevent any chance of defilement from passing over a sepulchre on the road. For details, see Edersheim, “Life and Times of Jesus,” i., 195; “The Temple,” p. 302; Geikie, “Life and Words of Christ,” i., 127. [source]
To present him to the Lord []
The first-born son of every household must be redeemed of the priest at the price of five shekels of the sanctuary; about two dollars and fifty cents. Numbers 18:15, Numbers 18:16; Exodus 13:2. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Luke 2:22

Luke 8:22 Launched forth [ἀνήχθησαν]
See on Luke 5:3. The verb literally means to lead up; hence to lead up to the high sea, or take to sea; put to sea. It is the word used of Jesus' being led up into the wilderness and the mount of temptation (Matthew 4:1; Luke 2:22); also of bringing up a sacrifice to an idol-altar (Acts 7:41). Often in Acts in the accounts of Paul's voyages. [source]
John 2:6 Waterpots [υδριαι]
Old word from υδωρ — hudōr (water) and used in papyri for pots or pans for holding money or bread as well as water. These stone See Mark 1:44; Luke 2:22 for the word καταρισμος — katharismos (from καταριζω — katharizō) which fact also raised a controversy with disciples of John because of his baptizing (John 3:25). Containing Present active participle feminine plural of χωρεω — chōreō old verb from χωρος — chōros place, space, having space or room for. Two or three firkins apiece The word μετρητης — metrētēs from μετρεω — metreō to measure, simply means “measurer,” an amphora for measuring liquids (in Demosthenes, Aristotle, Polybius), the Hebrew υδρια — bath (2 Chronicles 4:5), here only in N.T., about 8-1/2 English gallons. Each ανα — hudria thus held about 20 gallons. This common distributive use of υδρια — ana occurs here only in this Gospel, but is in Revelation 4:8. In John 4:28 a much smaller hudria was used for carrying water. [source]
Romans 6:13 Yield [παριστάνετε]
Put at the service of; render. Rev., present. Compare Luke 2:22; Acts 9:41; Romans 12:1. See on Acts 1:3. [source]
Romans 12:1 Present []
See on Romans 6:13. It is the technical term for presenting the Levitical victims and offerings. See Luke 2:22. In the Levitical sacrifices the offerer placed his offering so as to face the Most Holy Place, thus bringing it before the Lord. [source]
Romans 12:1 By the mercies [δια των οικτιρμων]
“By means of the mercies of God” as shown in his argument and in our lives. See note on 2 Corinthians 1:3 for “the Father of mercies.” To present (παραστησαι — parastēsai). First aorist active infinitive of παριστημι — paristēmi for which verb see note on Romans 6:13, a technical term for offering a sacrifice (Josephus, Ant. IV. 6, 4), though not in the O.T. Used of presenting the child Jesus in the temple (Luke 2:22), of the Christian presenting himself (Romans 6:13), of God presenting the saved (Ephesians 5:27), of Christ presenting the church (Colossians 1:28). Bodies So literally as in Romans 6:13, Romans 6:19; 2 Corinthians 5:10 and in contrast with νους — nous (mind) in Romans 12:2. A living sacrifice (τυσιαν ζωσαν — thusian zōsan). In contrast with the Levitical sacrifices of slain animals. Cf. Romans 6:8, Romans 6:11, Romans 6:13. Not a propitiatory sacrifice, but one of praise. Acceptable “Well-pleasing.” See note on 2 Corinthians 5:9. Which is your reasonable service (tēn logikēn humōn latreian). “Your rational (spiritual) service (worship).” For latreia see note on Romans 9:4. την λογικην υμων λατρειαν — Logikos is from λατρεια — logos reason. The phrase means here “worship rendered by the reason (or soul).” Old word, in N.T. only here and 1 Peter 2:2 Λογικος — to logikon gala (not logical milk, but the milk nourishing the soul). [source]
Romans 12:1 To present [παραστησαι]
First aorist active infinitive of παριστημι — paristēmi for which verb see note on Romans 6:13, a technical term for offering a sacrifice (Josephus, Ant. IV. 6, 4), though not in the O.T. Used of presenting the child Jesus in the temple (Luke 2:22), of the Christian presenting himself (Romans 6:13), of God presenting the saved (Ephesians 5:27), of Christ presenting the church (Colossians 1:28). [source]
1 Corinthians 8:8 Will not commend [ου παραστησει]
Future active indicative of παριστημι — paristēmi old word to present as in Acts 1:3; Luke 2:22; Colossians 1:28. Food (βρωμα — brōma) will not give us an entree to God for commendation or condemnation, whether meat-eaters or vegetarians. [source]

What do the individual words in Luke 2:22 mean?

And when were fulfilled the days of the purification of them according to the law of Moses they brought Him to Jerusalem to present to the Lord
Καὶ ὅτε ἐπλήσθησαν αἱ ἡμέραι τοῦ καθαρισμοῦ αὐτῶν κατὰ τὸν νόμον Μωϋσέως ἀνήγαγον αὐτὸν εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα παραστῆσαι τῷ Κυρίῳ

ἐπλήσθησαν  were  fulfilled 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Passive, 3rd Person Plural
Root: πίμπλημι  
Sense: to fill.
ἡμέραι  days 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Feminine Plural
Root: ἡμέρα  
Sense: the day, used of the natural day, or the interval between sunrise and sunset, as distinguished from and contrasted with the night.
τοῦ  of  the 
Parse: Article, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
καθαρισμοῦ  purification 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: καθαρισμός  
Sense: a cleansing, purification, a ritual purgation or washing.
αὐτῶν  of  them 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Plural
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.
κατὰ  according  to 
Parse: Preposition
Root: κατά 
Sense: down from, through out.
νόμον  law 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: νόμος  
Sense: anything established, anything received by usage, a custom, a law, a command.
Μωϋσέως  of  Moses 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: Μωσεύς 
Sense: the legislator of the Jewish people and in a certain sense the founder of the Jewish religion.
ἀνήγαγον  they  brought 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: ἀνάγω  
Sense: to lead up, to lead or bring into a higher place.
Ἱεροσόλυμα  Jerusalem 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Neuter Plural
Root: Ἱεροσόλυμα  
Sense: denotes either the city itself or the inhabitants.
παραστῆσαι  to  present 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Infinitive Active
Root: παριστάνω 
Sense: to place beside or near.
τῷ  to  the 
Parse: Article, Dative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Κυρίῳ  Lord 
Parse: Noun, Dative Masculine Singular
Root: κύριος  
Sense: he to whom a person or thing belongs, about which he has power of deciding; master, lord.

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