The Testimony Of Anna Series

So, mindful of the necessity of two witnesses to establish the veracity of a truth claim, Luke presented two witnesses: Simeon and Anna. Simeon affirmed that Jesus was indeed “the Lord’s Christ” (2:26), and Anna similarly affirmed that Jesus was “the redemption of Jerusalem” (2:38).

Therefore the main point (or big idea, or proposition) of these two narratives involving Simeon and Anna is to testify to the true identity and mission of Jesus. I focused your attention on that big idea when we looked at the testimony of Simeon.

Today, however, as we analyze the testimony of Anna I do not want to focus on her role in pointing to the true identity and mission of Jesus. Instead, I would like to focus our attention on how God works in the life of a dedicated follower.

So, let us analyze the testimony of Anna in Luke 2:36-38.

Lesson

An analysis of the testimony of Anna as set forth in Luke 2:36-38 will enable us to see how God works in the life of a dedicated follower. In Luke 2:36-38 we learn about:

1. The Person of Anna (2:36-37a)

2. The Piety of Anna (2:37b-d)

3. The Praise of Anna (2:38a)

4. The Proclamation of Anna (2:38b-d)

I. The Person of Anna (2:36-37a)

First, we learn about the person of Anna.

Luke gives several significant details about the person of Anna.

A. Her Calling (2:36a)

First, Luke tells us about her calling.

He said that Anna was a prophetess (2:36a).

The Old Testament mentions five women who are called prophetesses. They are: Miriam, the sister of Moses and Aaron (Exodus 15:20); Deborah, the judge (Judges 4:4); Isaiah’s wife (Isaiah 8:3); Huldah, who was consulted by King Josiah (2 Kings 22:14; 2 Chronicles 34:22); and Noadiah, a false prophetess who opposed Nehemiah (Nehemiah 6:14).

In the New Testament the term prophetess appears only twice. Once it refers to Anna (2:36a), and in the other instance it refers to the temptress Jezebel, “who calls herself a prophetess” (Revelation 2:20). The four daughters of Philip are said to have prophesied (Acts 21:9).

Anna was called a prophetess not because she predicted the future, but rather because God used her to speak his truth (as we shall see in a short while).

B. Her Name (2:36b)

Second, Luke tells us about her name.

He said that her name was Anna (2:36b).

Anna is the Greek form of the Hebrew name Hannah, which means, “grace.” Like the Old Testament Hannah, Anna was characterized by prayer and fasting (cf. 1 Samuel 1:7, 10-16).

C. Her Heritage (2:36c)

Third, Luke tells us about her heritage.

He said that Anna was the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher (2:36c).

It is interesting that Luke mentioned that Anna was of the tribe of Asher. Asher was one of the ten tribes of Israel that formed the northern kingdom and was taken captive by Assyria in 722 BC. We often hear about “the ten lost tribes of Israel.” However, they were not all lost. Before the fall of the northern kingdom in 722 BC, in response to letters from King Hezekiah of the southern kingdom of Judah who pleaded with the ten northern tribes to repent and return to the Lord (2 Chronicles 30:6), we learn that “some men of Asher, of Manasseh, and of Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem” (2 Chronicles 30:11). So, Anna’s heritage included men who were humble before the Lord.