2nd Sunday after Christmas

Luke 2:40–52

Jesus is the temple and the sacrifice

The Law of Moses demanded that the firstborn be set apart for the Lord. In

memory of and thanksgiving for God’s sparing of Israel’s firstborn in the last

plague in Egypt, the first born were to be presented to the Lord in the temple.

The common offering was the sacrifice of a lamb. But for the poor, turtledoves or pigeons could

be substituted. We could say that Mary brings into the temple the offering of offerings, the

ultimate sacrificial lamb for you, for me, for the whole world! Jesus didn’t really need to be

presented to the LORD in His temple and to have sacrifices offered on His behalf. Jesus is the

LORD. Jesus Himself is the Temple! Jesus is the Sacrifice! Mary’s little lamb is really God’s

Lamb who takes away the sins of the world! Jesus didn’t need an offering to make Himself right

under the Law. Rather, Christ was born under the Law to redeem us, to fulfill the Law for us.