LUKE 2: 36-38 [Christmas]
ANNA’S PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
Luke here reveals Anna’s prayer of thanksgiving to God for the coming of the long-awaited Messiah. I’m sure the previous encounter with Simeon astounded Mary and Joseph, but they had a further sign from God. The truth of Simeon’s words were confirmed by Anna, an aged prophetess who also hailed the advent of the Messiah. This godly woman from the prophetic tradition continued the work of confirmation that Simeon had started. These two aged saints, poised in anticipation of the Messiah, represent the faithful remnant in Israel.
Anna, esteemed for her fasting and praying, was a devoted fixture in the Temple. Because of her calling as a prophetess she announced God's will for His people, to all who would listen to the counsel of God. Because of her eyes that would see God and her ears that would hear God, she truly did behold her Redeemer and would then announce His redemption.
Verse 36 provides some background understanding of Anna. “And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin,
Simeon and Anna were prophets. I think we have a hard time knowing what to make of prophets then or now. There have always been false prophets, as well as true ones.
Simeon and Anna were true and accurate prophets. They were not prophets in the sense of future telling or fortune telling. Prophecy is forth-telling. You speak forth for God to a person or a nation about that person’s or that nation’s unrighteousness and about those things they might do to be faithful and obedient. The true prophet speaks to us of our sins, our false values and our unloving behavior. [Larson, Bruce; Ogilvie, Lloyd J.: The Preacher's Commentary Series, Volume 26: Luke. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc, 1983 (The Preacher's Commentary Series 26), S. 57.]
The prophets usually have had hard words for us, words we prefer to think are meant for someone else. I heard about a boy celebrating his birthday. Among his presents was the gift of a five dollar bill. He immediately began to make plans to invest in an ice cream sundae with all the trimmings. The party guests were a somewhat pious group, and someone suggested that he give part of the five dollars to the poor. “I thought of that,” admitted the birthday boy, “but I think I’ll give it to the ice cream man instead and let him give it to the poor.” A lot of us are like that. We are trusting someone else to follow the admonitions of the prophets.
Verse 37 reveals even more about this godly woman. She was advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin, “and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day.
Anna was made a widow after seven years of marriage and never remarried. After losing her husband, Anna could have become bitter. Instead, she became better and blessed. Rather than simply becoming old and fatigued, she kept about her such a high degree of vitality and spirituality that she was chosen of all women to be the prophetess who recognized Jesus as Messiah. Down through the ages God has revealed His purposes to humble servants who continually live in His presence (Lk. 24:53; Amos 3:7).
This verse may mean she is eighty-four or that she has been a widow eighty-four years. The wording would allow either understanding. If it is the later, by any estimate that would have made her at least a hundred and three years old. At that time, thirteen was the minimal age to marry, and when we add all the other figures given us by Luke, we find that Anna must have been a very old lady indeed.
This old woman was in the temple night and day. She probably lived in a little house nearby or even on the premises. Whenever the church opened for worship, she was there.
Do you know anyone like that? We probably consider such people fanatics. If you’ve visited the great cathedrals of Europe, you’ve seen any number of women in the tradition of Anna— nondescript, dressed in black, kneeling devoutly and murmuring endless prayers. An implication that Luke gives us is don’t dismiss such people lightly. They may have a special understanding of God’s plan and purpose. We assume from Luke’s account that Anna’s testimony about the baby Jesus was honored and impacting. At one hundred and three she was an effective witness. [Larson, Bruce. s. 56.]
In spite of her age Anna had devoted herself completely to the Lord’s service in the temple since her husband had died years before. Because she devoted herself to the Lord, she devoted herself to serve Him in prayer. Those saints who so devote themselves master the blessed skill of praying. Their prayers are effective and powerful before God (Jas. 5:16).
Great power in prayer is within your grasp also, but you must work to obtain it. We should not imagine that Abraham could have interceded so well for Sodom if he had not communion with God through out the previous years of his life. Jacob’s long night of wresting with God at Peniel was not his first encounter with Him in prayer. Daniel’s devoted routine of prayer change a king and a kingdom. The Lord’s blessed prayer in John 17 was the fruit of many nights of devoted prayer.
Great intercessors have been formed through the discipline of long and fervent prayer. They are those who become a channel of blessings to individuals and to the advancement of the ministries of the church. [Charles Spurgeon] Not only have they touch the horns of heaven’s altar, many also have seen and/or experienced the moving of the Messiah in His temple and in His servants, just like Simeon and Anna.
Verse 38 conveys the result of Anna’s encounter with her long-awaited Messiah. “And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of Him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.”
On this long awaited day, the widow Anna entered one of the temple's spacious courts at the very time when Mary and Joseph arrived with Jesus. Immediately she gave thanks to God and praised Him for seeing her Lord. After her glorious long-awaited encounter, with renewed strength, she hurried a way to announce to those who awaited him that the Savior had arrived. Anna became the first recorded witness in Jerusalem of the coming of the Christ. Simeon and Anna were faithful, determined, and prayerful. God gave them eyes to see His salvation in Jesus Christ.
She announced “to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem” (v. 25) that the Messiah had come. The word about Jesus and the messianic age was likely spread throughout the entire city as people either believed or disbelieved the words of the old prophet and the widowed prophetess. Doubtlessly those “looking forward to the redemption” were in a minority. Most had their eyes turn in a different direction or on another hope. They were looking to get ahead in business or in life. They were searching for some worldly advantage or benefit. Most, then like now, were not deeply concerned with God’s redemption. Yet there are those spiritual folk whose humble spirit is on a higher plane. To these, and through these, God proclaims the simple message of redemption through the Messiah.
God is leading Israel to the Messiah, but most will not be led. The Messiah will weep over this city because it did not know the time of the messianic visitation (19:41-44).
IN CLOSING
Anna alone was chosen of all women to be the prophetess who recognized Jesus as Messiah. Why? I believe the text gives us three reasons.…
Anna prayed to the Lord. She didn’t give herself over to bemoaning her loss. Rather, she said, “I’m going to use my single state as an opportunity to devote myself to God completely and wholeheartedly.”
Anna looked for the Lord. . Like Simeon, she looked for the Lord. She lived in the anticipation of the coming Messiah.
Anna talked about the Lord. Not only did she worship like Simeon, but she spoke of Him to all that looked for redemption. So, too, if I am truly worshiping, I cannot help but witness and talk to people about the Lord Jesus. [Courson, Jon: Jon Courson's Application Commentary. Nashville, TN : Thomas Nelson, 2003, S. 303]
I think one of the most important lessons in this particular Scripture is that we must live in hope. Simeon and Anna lived in hope. Actually, all of us are living in hope, although it may be a false hope. On the national scene, both the arms race group and the pacifists may have false hopes for peace. One group believes that peace will come if we are strong enough to police the whole world. Others are convinced we will have peace only when we seriously pursue disarmament. I consider both of those hopes false.
As a nation, our false hopes have misled us at many crucial times. Those who lived through World War II recall all the attempts to appease Hitler. As a result, his power grew and millions died on the battlefields and in concentration camps. Pacifism doesn’t work in the face of evil and aggression. If we are hoping in the might of our arms, we need only look at the events in Iran in 1979 for an important lesson. Iran was one of the strongest nations in the world militarily, but the Shah’s mighty regime was ousted through a religious revolution.
If we think that we as a nation are trusting in God, the Ladies’ Home Journal has unsettling news for us. The September 1981 issue of the magazine conducted a poll in which they asked readers to answer the question, “In whom do you trust?” The winner, with 40 percent of the vote, was Walter Cronkite. Pope John Paul came in third with 26 percent of the vote. Billy Graham got 6 percent, 3 percent more than God. [Larson, Bruce. S. 58.]
Mary and Joseph having fully kept the law, return with Jesus to Nazareth, and the child grows in strength, wisdom, and divine favor (1:80; 1 Sam. 2:26).
