Luke 2:23Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

In the context of physical purification, Scripture states, “according to the law of Moses,” and where it discusses the presentation of the sacred, it notes: “as it is prescribed in the law of the Lord.” This does not imply that the law of Moses is separate from the law of the Lord, for when a prophet speaks, empowered by the Holy Spirit, it is not his own voice, but the inspiration of the Lord guiding him. Instead, since the act of purification includes a physical dimension, Scripture refers to the law of Moses.

The command of the Law, stating that every male child who first opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord, finds its fulfillment only in Christ. He uniquely opened the womb of the Virgin, while in other cases, it is the husband who opens the wombs of their wives.

Oh, how wondrous is this occurrence! The representations of the law are fulfilled by the Truth. Why is this so? Because He is both the Divine Lawgiver and, as a man, subject to the law.

The Lord did not assume flesh in the manner of ordinary men to emerge into existence and light; rather, He embraced humanity to sanctify it. If someone interprets the phrase ‘Set Him before the Lord’ as referring to the Lord Himself, they stray from the true meaning. When has the Lord ever been concealed from the sight of the Father, or existed in a realm outside of His sovereign reach? Was there any moment when He did not stand before the Father, even prior to being brought to Jerusalem and entering the temple? Furthermore, what was the purpose of the sacrifices offered if He is the ultimate truth? These acts were not intended for His benefit, but rather for ours.

I need to clarify the significance of the phrase: They brought Him to Jerusalem to present Him before the Lord (Luke 2:22), unless I have already done so in my previous commentary on Isaiah (Luke 2:23, compare Exodus 13:12). The words of the law anticipated the virgin birth. Indeed, He is sacred because He is without sin. Furthermore, the angel's repeated proclamation indicates that it was He who was evident in the law: He who is born Holy shall be called the Son of God (Luke 1:35). It was not the union with a husband that opened the virgin's womb, but rather the Holy Spirit placed the pure seed within her untouched womb; among all born of women, only the Lord Jesus is perfect in every aspect—He was not tainted by His earthly existence but renounced it in favor of His divine splendor.

As prescribed by the Lord's command, every male infant that comes forth from the womb is to be regarded as sacred to the Lord. It is recorded in the law that every firstborn male is designated holy, signifying a separation unto the Lord. The firstborn of the Jewish people were dedicated to God because the firstborn of the Egyptians were struck down to facilitate the Israelites' freedom. However, unlike other firstborns who emerge through the natural process of conception, Christ alone miraculously opened the womb prior to its natural opening and preserved it closed against the ordinary course of nature. Thus, He stands alone as truly holy in the fullest sense — as the divine Son in His Godhead and as united in humanity with His Son.

Understanding the significance of this divine ordinance is crucial. Childbearing is a precious blessing from God; to whom else do the firstfruits belong but to the God who provides them? Furthermore, the ordinance of redeeming the firstborn served as a reminder for the Israelites of their extraordinary deliverance from Egypt, when the Lord's Angel brought death to the firstborn of Egypt, yet spared the children of Israel (see Exodus 13). To uphold this law, the Blessed Virgin Mary presents her firstborn Son to God; she redeems the Redeemer of all humanity and, in humble poverty, offers two turtledoves for Him whom the Heavenly Father sacrificed for the salvation of mankind. With such profound humility, our Lord and Savior makes His first journey to Jerusalem... Words for the Presentation of the Lord. Word 1

In response to the Theopaschites and those who claim that Christ has a single nature, it is essential to clarify what is mentioned in the Holy Scriptures. The statement that every firstborn who opens the womb is consecrated to the Lord does not apply to all firstborns, contrary to what the uninformed might believe. This refers specifically to the unique Firstborn, who opened the womb through His incarnation. While all firstborns are consecrated through the process of birth, the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ was remarkable as He was conceived without human seed and left the womb sealed. He is truly both human and divine, existing entirely in both natures.

When the time came for their purification to be completed, they brought Him to present Him to the Lord for dedication, recognizing Him as the firstborn, as prescribed in the Law of the Lord: ‘Every male that openeth his mother's womb shall be called holy to God’ (Exodus 13:2). Indeed, He was the only One who opened the womb at His conception and was miraculously conceived by the command and sign of God as the virgin received this message through the angel. So, why does the Law state, ‘Every male that openeth the womb’?

Two distinct laws are worth noting in this context: one mandates that women present themselves at the temple for purification after a specified period following childbirth, while the other requires that every firstborn male be dedicated to the Lord. These regulations did not pertain to either Jesus or Mary. Jesus Christ, in His divine nature, transcended all laws; however, He willingly chose to adhere to the requirements of the law of Moses, thereby fulfilling it as the firstborn.

After the designated time for Mary's purification had passed, Joseph and Mary traveled to Jerusalem, which was only a short distance from Bethlehem, to engage in the required purification rites at the temple and to dedicate their son to God, as was customary. The Scriptures mandated: ‘Sanctify to God every firstborn of the firstborn (Exodus 13:1-2),’ and the firstborn was obligated to be redeemed from service to God at the temple with a small monetary offering (Numbers 18:15-16). The purpose of their journey was to fulfill this obligation by paying the required fee at the presentation of their son, along with making the purification sacrifice. This sacrifice could either involve a year-old lamb or, if the individual was of lesser means, a pair of turtledoves or young pigeons. Joseph and Mary were unable to offer the lamb.

As the Son of a people bound by lawlessness, tasked with their redemption, the Lord willingly accepted the divinely instituted law from His birth. This enabled Him to bear its burdens during His earthly existence, which the Jews found unmanageable (Galatians 4:4-5). Accordingly, on the eighth day following His birth, He underwent circumcision in accordance with the law, receiving the profound name Jesus, granted to Him by the angel before His conception (Luke 1:31). On the fortieth day post-birth, His parents adhered to two laws: first, the purification law for a mother after giving birth to a male child, fulfilling their obligation with a burnt offering and a sin offering (Leviticus 12:2, etc.). Secondly, they complied with the requirement for the dedication, or redemption, of the firstborn to God by presenting five shekels of silver (Exodus 13:2, 13; Numbers 8:16-17; 18:16).

If the Son who came into the world was indeed the firstborn, then according to the ancient decree, He was to be set apart for God's service in the temple.

According to Mosaic law, a woman became ceremonially unclean for forty days following the birth of a male child (Leviticus 12:1-4). During this period, she was prohibited from visiting the temple and was required to remain within her quarters. Beyond the hygienic aspects, this law served to illustrate that the Fall of Man resulted in a degree of guilt even associated with the sanctity of marriage and its outcomes, which required atonement through an offering to God (Exodus 13:2). Furthermore, if the newborn was the firstborn, he was entirely dedicated to God (Exodus 13:2). This mandate underscored the sovereignty of divine authority in Israel, as it mandated that the firstfruits of families be consecrated to God, paralleling the offerings of the initial yield of the land and livestock.

When the period of purification was completed, according to Moses’ law (Lev. 12:2-8), a woman who had given birth to a male child was regarded as ceremonially unclean for a week. Following this, she was to stay at home for an additional thirty-three days to achieve purification. Throughout these forty days, known as the days of purification, the new mother was prohibited from touching any sacred object and was not allowed to enter the sanctuary or temple.