“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 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, ‘Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord’) and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, ‘a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.'”
(Luke 2:22-24 ESV)
When Jesus was forty days old, His family went to Jerusalem, several miles from Bethlehem, to do what God’s law commanded. Jesus Himself would have been presented before the Lord, and an offering made for Him as a firstborn Son. Mary had to make an offering too, which normally would have been a lamb—but it looks like the family couldn’t afford it, so they offered a pair of birds instead (see Leviticus 12:8).
How strange it seems, that the family of God’s own Son couldn’t afford the usual offering in God’s temple! But in another way, it sounds right—for Mary and Joseph did bring a lamb, after all. They brought Jesus Himself, the Lamb of God, who would offer Himself as a sacrifice on behalf of the entire human family one day. Through His death He would redeem all of us; and through His resurrection He would become the Source of life for all of us who trust in Him.
We Pray: Lord, thank You for making Yourself an offering for me, so I could be Yours forever. Amen.
Reflection Questions:
* What customs do your people follow when a baby is born?
* What kinds of offerings do you make when you worship—money? objects? acts of service?
* What does it mean to you, to realize that Jesus’ family had financial problems?
Advent Devotions were written by Dr. Kari Vo.
Originally published in The Lutheran Hour on December 28, 2024
Used by permission from International Lutheran Laymen’s League, all rights