Many think the Nativity narrative concludes after Christmas Day, but it does not. The wise men’s arrival happened sometime after Jesus’ birth, and another significant event that should not be overlooked occurred before the wise men’s arrival. The event was Mary and Joseph’s visit to the Temple to dedicate Jesus and make a sacrifice.
The Dedication of Baby Jesus
By law, every firstborn male was to be dedicated to the Lord. Exodus 13:2 states,
“Consecrate to Me all the firstborn, whatever opens the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and beast; it is Mine.”
Mary and Joseph were devout Jews who obeyed God’s law. Therefore, after the time of Mary’s purification had passed, they left Bethlehem and took Jesus to the Temple in Jerusalem for His dedication.
Luke 2:22-23 And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord (As it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord;)
Redemption of the Firstborn Son Ceremony
According to Exodus 13:2, the firstborn male child (as well as animals) was to be consecrated to the Lord. This ceremony is called the Pidyon Haben or “Redemption of the Son.” According to Numbers 18:16, at one month of age, each firstborn son was to be presented at the Temple in a dedication ceremony that consecrated the child to the Lord for Temple service. The Lord allowed firstborn sons from tribes other than Levi to be redeemed from service by paying five shekels. Levites were obligated to serve in the Temple, and the five-shekel payment for sons from other tribes was required to secure a Levite to take the child’s place in Temple service.
Luke does not mention Jesus’ “redemption.” He only records that Jesus was presented to the Lord. This raises two questions:
- Did Joseph and Mary not have the five shekels for redemption from Levitical service?
- Or were they instructed not to pay the five shekels for exemption?
We don’t know because the Bible does not say. But we know that Jesus qualified for exemption, being from the tribe of Judah. And we also know that He grew up to serve the Lord in ministry. He even preached in the Temple.
The Ceremony
Exodus 13:2 says, “Consecrate to Me all the firstborn…” Similarly, Luke 2:22 states, “…they brought Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord.” This was Jesus’ earliest presentation to the Jewish people in Jerusalem, and it marked the first public declaration of Him as the Messiah.
Just as Jesus was presented to the Lord at the beginning of His earthly life, He also presented Himself to the Lord at the end of His life when He willingly sacrificed Himself for mankind’s sins.
John 10:17-18 “Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.”
What Was Mary’s Offering?
When Mary and Joseph took Jesus to the Temple to be presented to the Lord, Mary also fulfilled her obligation of making an offering for her purification. According to Levitical law, when a woman gave birth, she was considered unclean due to the blood associated with childbirth. Since Mary gave birth to a male child, her period of uncleanness was seven days (Lev 12:2). On the eighth day, the baby boy was to be circumcised (Lev 12:3). Following the seven days, the mother would “continue in the blood of her purification” for an additional 33 days (Lev 12:4). After this total of 40 days (7 + 33), she was to go to the Temple and make a burnt offering and a sin offering. (Note: the period of uncleanness in giving birth to a female child differed. It was 14 days plus 66 days— a total of 80 days. Lev. 12:5)
The Law specified that the offering for a mother’s purification must be a lamb for the burnt offering and a pigeon or turtledove for the sin offering. The sin offering served to “remove” her uncleanness, while the burnt offering was an expression of thanksgiving for the child born (Lev 12:6).
A provision was made for the poor…
Leviticus 12:8 states that if the mother could not afford to bring a lamb, she could bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons—one for the burnt offering and the other for the sin offering. The priest would then make atonement for her, declaring her clean.
The Bible tells us that Mary offered according to the provision for the poor. Luke 2:22-24 states:
“And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord; (As it is written in the law of the Lord, ‘Every male that opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord;’) and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord—a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.“
Summary
Joseph and Mary’s trip to the Temple occurred at least 40 days after Jesus’ birth. At the Temple, they fulfilled the two requirements of the law: 1) they presented their firstborn son to the Lord (Ex 13:2), and 2) they offered the required sacrifice for her purification (Lev 12:4-6).
Their trip to the Temple in Jerusalem is a significant event in the nativity narrative that should not be overlooked. It deserves careful study, and next week, we will explore what happened at the Temple.
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