Luke 2:34-35 "And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this Child is appointed for the fall andrise of many in Israel, and for a sign to be opposed 35 and a sword will pierce even your own soul—to the end that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”
Introduction:
Today's post continues a series of studies on the place and role of Mary the mother of Jesus and how she personally made her journey to the cross. In scripture, Mary is neither exalted or ignored, but rather afforded a role in the account of Jesus' life that portrays her not as a redeemer, but one needing redemption. The cross is the only place we can make sense of all the details of scripture, with Mary being no different. As we now turn our attention to following Mary to the cross, we are reminded from yesterday that the journey did have a glorious beginning. However, in seeming contrast, the journey was ever going to be accompanied by the shadow of the cross.
A journey to the cross includes the shadow of the cross
We ended yesterday's post with Mary and Joseph at the temple, presenting Jesus as prescribed by the Jewish Law. An aged Jewish man by the name of Simeon had pronounced blessing over Jesus. All seemed well, that is, until Simeon suddenly switched his tone and said the following words from Luke 2:34-35 "And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this Child is appointed for the fall andrise of many in Israel, and for a sign to be opposed 35 and a sword will pierce even your own soul—to the end that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”
Had Mary and Joseph missed something? Why would Simeon say such a thing? Had God's glorious revelations come to an end? The revelation of the cross, pain, agony and darkness did seem to clash. However that is just it - it all "seemed to clash". If anything, the shadow of the cross that would shape Mary's journey was not anything less glorious, but more so. The prophetic words of Anna in Luke 2:38 reinforced the fact that the journey was going to be glorious insofar as such glory was connected to the cross. Luke 2:38 states - "At that very moment she came up and began giving thanks to God, and continued to speak of Him to all those who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem."
A journey to the cross includes the shadow of the cross
We ended yesterday's post with Mary and Joseph at the temple, presenting Jesus as prescribed by the Jewish Law. An aged Jewish man by the name of Simeon had pronounced blessing over Jesus. All seemed well, that is, until Simeon suddenly switched his tone and said the following words from Luke 2:34-35 "And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this Child is appointed for the fall andrise of many in Israel, and for a sign to be opposed 35 and a sword will pierce even your own soul—to the end that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”
Had Mary and Joseph missed something? Why would Simeon say such a thing? Had God's glorious revelations come to an end? The revelation of the cross, pain, agony and darkness did seem to clash. However that is just it - it all "seemed to clash". If anything, the shadow of the cross that would shape Mary's journey was not anything less glorious, but more so. The prophetic words of Anna in Luke 2:38 reinforced the fact that the journey was going to be glorious insofar as such glory was connected to the cross. Luke 2:38 states - "At that very moment she came up and began giving thanks to God, and continued to speak of Him to all those who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem."
Words such as "redemption" and "salvation" are hardly never uttered in scripture without the shedding of blood by a guiltless substitute for sinful people. The glory of God and the shadow of the cross are shown not to be contrasting themes, but complementary realities. The scriptures reveal the same truth we learn of in nature, namely there can be no shadow without light nor light in this world without casting of shadows. Insofar as God is without shadows in His infinite glory in Heaven, He cannot be known nor will He reveal Himself to anyone here on earth apart from the shadow of the cross. Unless we meet Him at the cross, darkness will characterize our pathway through this world and into eternity.
As we follow Mary throughout the remainder of the Gospels, we see the intertwining of the cross and God's glory in Mary's journey. In Luke 2:41-51, we witness a 12 year old Jesus at the temple while his mother and father are searching for Him. The shadow of the cross on this scene is the timing of Jesus at the temple - the Jewish Passover. In two decades from that event Jesus would be crucified in and around the passover event. The revelations of glory and the subtle reminder of Jesus being the One who came to do His Father's business prompted Mary to cherish such realities in her heart. (Luke 2:51)
The next scene of Mary with Jesus occurs shortly after the beginning of His public ministry at the wedding of Cana in John 2. Jesus did his first miracle with Mary's role in his life receding into the background. The miracle demonstrated that Jesus came to be the Mediator of the New Covenant. Directly connected to that miracle was Jesus' first cleansing of the temple which occurred once again during the timing of Passover. It was at this same event that Jesus delivered His first predicition of His crucifixion and resurrection which would come to pass 3 1/2 years later.
Other than Mary's brief appearance in the middle of Jesus' public ministry (Matthew 12:46-47), we don't see Mary again until the actual crucifixion scene.
More tomorrow...
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