Characters at the Cradle: Simeon, A Humble Sacrifice

by David Chadwick

There are so many characters whose lives purposefully and divinely intersect at the cradle with the main character we know as Jesus, the King of kings and Lord of lords. We have looked at Zechariah, Elizabeth, Mary, and Joseph.

Last week, we saw how all of these characters’ lives were leading up to, anticipating, and preparing for the birth of Jesus. From there, we looked at the angels who visited the shepherds in the field. Following one angel’s instructions, the shepherds set out to find the manger and the Christ child.

Today, we are going to look at Luke 2:24. Mary and Joseph went to bring their offering to the Temple for Jesus’s purification. This was a historical practice of the Jewish culture.

What did they bring to offer as their sacrifice? A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.

This seems like a basic enough verse to understand until you realize that this kind of simple offering indicates that Mary and Joseph were poor. The turtledoves and pigeons were a sacrifice of modest means.

Look at Leviticus 12:8, “And if she cannot afford a lamb, then she shall take two turtledoves or two pigeons, one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering. And the priest shall make atonement for her, and she shall be clean.”

This kind of offering was the Old Testament option given to people who did not have as much. Wealthier people were able to offer a lamb as the sacrifice, but turtledoves and pigeons were typically the offerings of those who couldn’t afford more expensive things.

Unlike Hinduism and other religions that have caste systems and look at the poor with contempt, the God of Christianity came for the least and the lost. He loves the humble sacrifice. He holds a special place in his heart for those who are poor, destitute, and lacking material wealth.

The God of the Bible loves both a small sacrifice of two turtledoves and a larger sacrifice of a grand lamb. He cares more about a genuine love of God and a heart of faith than the size of a gift.

Mary and Joseph’s simple offering shows that great kids can come from even the poorest of homes! Two parents who love God, love one another, and are committed to raising their kids in the nurture and admonition of the Lord can produce fantastic kids who are great in the sight of the Lord. A great reminder for us all.