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and the same man <i>was</i> just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him.</div><div id="jump">Jump to: <a href="/commentaries/alford/luke/2.htm" title="Henry Alford - Greek Testament Critical Exegetical Commentary">Alford</a> • <a href="/commentaries/barnes/luke/2.htm" title="Barnes' Notes">Barnes</a> • <a href="/commentaries/bengel/luke/2.htm" title="Bengel's Gnomen">Bengel</a> • <a href="/commentaries/benson/luke/2.htm" title="Benson Commentary">Benson</a> • <a href="/commentaries/illustrator/luke/2.htm" title="Biblical Illustrator">BI</a> • <a href="/commentaries/calvin/luke/2.htm" title="Calvin's Commentaries">Calvin</a> • <a href="/commentaries/cambridge/luke/2.htm" title="Cambridge Bible">Cambridge</a> • <a href="/commentaries/clarke/luke/2.htm" title="Clarke's Commentary">Clarke</a> • <a href="/commentaries/darby/luke/2.htm" title="Darby's Bible Synopsis">Darby</a> • <a href="/commentaries/ellicott/luke/2.htm" title="Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers">Ellicott</a> • <a href="/commentaries/expositors/luke/2.htm" title="Expositor's Bible">Expositor's</a> • <a href="/commentaries/edt/luke/2.htm" title="Expositor's Dictionary">Exp Dct</a> • <a href="/commentaries/egt/luke/2.htm" title="Expositor's Greek">Exp Grk</a> • <a href="/commentaries/gaebelein/luke/2.htm" title="Gaebelein's Annotated Bible">Gaebelein</a> • <a href="/commentaries/gsb/luke/2.htm" title="Geneva Study Bible">GSB</a> • <a href="/commentaries/gill/luke/2.htm" title="Gill's Bible Exposition">Gill</a> • <a href="/commentaries/gray/luke/2.htm" title="Gray's Concise">Gray</a> • <a href="/commentaries/guzik/luke/2.htm" title="Guzik Bible Commentary">Guzik</a> • <a href="/commentaries/haydock/luke/2.htm" title="Haydock Catholic Bible Commentary">Haydock</a> • <a href="/commentaries/hastings/luke/2-13.htm" title="Hastings Great Texts">Hastings</a> • <a href="/commentaries/homiletics/luke/2.htm" title="Pulpit Homiletics">Homiletics</a> • <a href="/commentaries/icc/luke/2.htm" title="ICC NT Commentary">ICC</a> • <a href="/commentaries/jfb/luke/2.htm" title="Jamieson-Fausset-Brown">JFB</a> • <a href="/commentaries/kelly/luke/2.htm" title="Kelly Commentary">Kelly</a> • <a href="/commentaries/king-en/luke/2.htm" title="Kingcomments Bible Studies">King</a> • <a href="/commentaries/lange/luke/2.htm" title="Lange Commentary">Lange</a> • <a href="/commentaries/maclaren/luke/2.htm" title="MacLaren Expositions">MacLaren</a> • <a href="/commentaries/mhc/luke/2.htm" title="Matthew Henry Concise">MHC</a> • <a href="/commentaries/mhcw/luke/2.htm" title="Matthew Henry Full">MHCW</a> • <a href="/commentaries/meyer/luke/2.htm" title="Meyer Commentary">Meyer</a> • <a href="/commentaries/parker/luke/2.htm" title="The People's Bible by Joseph Parker">Parker</a> • <a href="/commentaries/pnt/luke/2.htm" title="People's New Testament">PNT</a> • <a href="/commentaries/poole/luke/2.htm" title="Matthew Poole">Poole</a> • <a href="/commentaries/pulpit/luke/2.htm" title="Pulpit Commentary">Pulpit</a> • <a href="/commentaries/sermon/luke/2.htm" title="Sermon Bible">Sermon</a> • <a href="/commentaries/sco/luke/2.htm" title="Scofield Reference Notes">SCO</a> • <a href="/commentaries/ttb/luke/2.htm" title="Through The Bible">TTB</a> • <a href="/commentaries/vws/luke/2.htm" title="Vincent's Word Studies">VWS</a> • <a href="/commentaries/wes/luke/2.htm" title="Wesley's Notes">WES</a> • <a href="#tsk" title="Treasury of Scripture Knowledge">TSK</a></div><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="comtype">EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)</div><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/ellicott/luke/2.htm">Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers</a></div>(25) <span class= "bld">Whose name was Simeon.</span>—Some writers have identified the man thus described with a very memorable Simeon in the annals of the Jewish scribes, the son of Hillel, and the father of Gamaliel. He became president of the Sanhedrin, A.D. 13. Singularly enough, the Mishna, the great collection of expositions of the Law by the leading Rabbis, passes over his name altogether, and this suggests the thought that it may have done so because he was under a cloud, as believing in the prophet of Nazareth. On this assumption, his looking for the “consolation of Israel” may be connected on one side with the fact that he, too, was of the house of David, and on the other, with the cautious counsel of Gamaliel in <a href="/context/acts/5-38.htm" title="And now I say to you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nothing:">Acts 5:38-39</a>. Against this view there is the fact that St. Luke’s way of speaking leaves the impression that the Simeon of whom he speaks was of a very advanced age, waiting for his departure, and that he, who names Gamaliel’s position (<a href="/acts/5-34.htm" title="Then stood there up one in the council, a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, had in reputation among all the people, and commanded to put the apostles forth a little space;">Acts 5:34</a>), would hardly have passed over Simeon’s. There was an aged Essene of this name living at the time of Herod’s death, who rebuked Archelaus for marrying his brother’s widow, and prophesied his downfall, and who more nearly fulfils the conditions; but the name was so common that all conjectures are very precarious.<p><span class= "bld">Devout.</span>—The Greek word expresses the cautious, scrupulous side of the religious life, and is therefore used always in the New Testament (<a href="/acts/2-5.htm" title="And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.">Acts 2:5</a>; <a href="/acts/8-2.htm" title="And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him.">Acts 8:2</a>; <a href="/acts/22-12.htm" title="And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, having a good report of all the Jews which dwelled there,">Acts 22:12</a>) of Jewish devoutness.<p><span class= "bld">The consolation of Israel.</span>—This is the first occurrence of this word. In its general use it included the idea of counsel as well as comfort. Here the latter is obviously the dominant thought. We cannot pass over the words without remembering that the Child of whom Simeon spoke called Himself the Comforter, and promised His disciples to send them another, who should bear the same name (<a href="/john/14-16.htm" title="And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;">John 14:16</a>).<p><span class= "bld">The Holy Ghost was upon him.</span>—The words point to a special moment of inspiration, rather than a continuous guidance.<p><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/benson/luke/2.htm">Benson Commentary</a></div><span class="bld"><a href="/context/luke/2-25.htm" title="And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was on him....">Luke 2:25-33</a></span>. <span class="ital">Behold there was a man, </span>&c. — There was now in Jerusalem one Simeon, venerable on account of his age, piety, and virtue. For, <span class="ital">he was just and devout </span>— Righteous toward his fellow-creatures, and holy toward God; <span class="ital">waiting for the consolation of Israel </span>— A common phrase for the Messiah, who was to be the everlasting consolation of the Israel of God. <span class="ital">And the Holy Ghost was upon him </span>— That is, as the word here signifies, he was a prophet. <span class="ital">And it was revealed unto him, </span>&c. — God, in reward of his piety, had favoured him so highly as to assure him by a particular revelation, that he should not die till he had seen the Messiah. <span class="ital">And he came by the Spirit into the temple </span>— That is, by a secret but powerful direction and impulse of the Holy Spirit; <span class="ital">when the parents brought in the child Jesus </span>— Just at that very juncture of time when they brought him into the court of Israel there. <span class="ital">Then took he him up in his arms</span> — Having discovered him by the supernatural illumination with which he was favoured; <span class="ital">and blessed God, and said </span>— Aloud, it seems, in the hearing of all the people then present; <span class="ital">Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, </span>&c. — Let me depart hence with the satisfaction of having seen the Messiah, according to the gracious promise thou wast pleased to make me. This good old man, having attained that which had long been his highest wish, the happiness of seeing God’s Messiah, and having no further use for life, desired immediate death. Yet he would not depart of himself, knowing that man cannot lawfully desert his station till God, who placed him therein, calls him off. <span class="ital">For mine eyes have seen thy salvation </span>— Thy Christ, the Saviour. Simeon, being well acquainted with the prophetic writings, knew from them that the Messiah was to be the author of a great salvation, which, because it had its origin in the wisdom, power, and love of God, he refers to him; and, putting the abstract for the concrete, or the effect for the cause, he terms the Messiah <span class="ital">God’s salvation. </span>Thus, God is called, <span class="ital">our defence, our song, our hope; </span>that is, our defender, the subject of our song, the object of our hope. <span class="ital">Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people </span>— Here it appears that Simeon knew that this salvation was not confined to the Jews, but was designed for all mankind. <span class="ital">A light to lighten the Gentiles </span>— Who then <span class="ital">sat in darkness, </span>and who were to receive the knowledge of God, of true religion, and of divine things in general, especially of a future state, through him; <span class="ital">and the glory of thy people Israel </span>— It was an honour to the Jewish nation, that the Messiah sprung from one of their tribes, and was born, lived, and died among them. And of those who were <span class="ital">Israelites indeed, </span>of the spiritual Israel, he was indeed the glory, and will be so to all eternity, <a href="/isaiah/60-19.htm" title="The sun shall be no more your light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light to you: but the LORD shall be to you an everlasting light, and your God your glory.">Isaiah 60:19</a>. For in him <span class="ital">shall the seed of Israel be justified and shall glory, </span><a href="/isaiah/45-25.htm" title="In the LORD shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory.">Isaiah 45:25</a>. <span class="ital">And Joseph and his </span>(Jesus’s) <span class="ital">mother marvelled at those things which were spoken </span>— For they did not yet thoroughly understand them; or they marvelled how Simeon, a stranger, came to the knowledge of the child.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a name="mhc" id="mhc"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/mhc/luke/2.htm">Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary</a></div>2:25-35 The same Spirit that provided for the support of Simeon's hope, provided for his joy. Those who would see Christ must go to his temple. Here is a confession of his faith, that this Child in his arms was the Saviour, the salvation itself, the salvation of God's appointing. He bids farewell to this world. How poor does this world look to one that has Christ in his arms, and salvation in his view! See here, how comfortable is the death of a good man; he departs in peace with God, peace with his own conscience, in peace with death. Those that have welcomed Christ, may welcome death. Joseph and Mary marvelled at the things which were spoken of this Child. Simeon shows them likewise, what reason they had to rejoice with trembling. And Jesus, his doctrine, and people, are still spoken against; his truth and holiness are still denied and blasphemed; his preached word is still the touchstone of men's characters. The secret good affections in the minds of some, will be revealed by their embracing Christ; the secret corruptions of others will be revealed by their enmity to Christ. Men will be judged by the thoughts of their hearts concerning Christ. He shall be a suffering Jesus; his mother shall suffer with him, because of the nearness of her relation and affection.<a name="bar" id="bar"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/barnes/luke/2.htm">Barnes' Notes on the Bible</a></div>Whose name was Simeon - Some have supposed that this Simeon was a son of the famous "Hillel," a distinguished teacher in Jerusalem, and president of the Sanhedrin; but nothing is certainly known of him but what is here related. He was an aged man, of distinguished piety and reputation, and was anxiously expecting the coming of the Messiah. Such an "old age" is especially honorable. No spectacle is more sublime than an old man of piety and high character looking for the appearing of the Lord, and patiently waiting for the time to come when he may be blessed with the sight of his Redeemer.<p>Just - Righteous before God and man; approved by God as a righteous man, and discharging faithfully his duty to man.<p>Devout - This word means "a religious man," or a "pious" man. The original expresses the idea of "good reputation, well received," or of high standing among the people.<p>Waiting for the consolation of Israel - That is, waiting for the "Messiah," who is called "the consolation of Israel" because he would give comfort to them by his appearing. This term was often applied to the Messiah before he actually appeared. It was common to swear, also, by "the consolation of Israel" - that is, by the Messiah about to come. See Lightfoot on this place.<p>The Holy Ghost ... - He was a holy man, and was "divinely inspired" respecting the Messiah about to appear. <a name="jfb" id="jfb"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/jfb/luke/2.htm">Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary</a></div>25. just—upright in his moral character.<p>devout—of a religious frame of spirit.<p>waiting for the consolation of Israel—a beautiful title of the coming Messiah, here intended.<p>the Holy Ghost was—supernaturally.<p>upon him—Thus was the Spirit, after a dreary absence of nearly four hundred years, returning to the Church, to quicken expectation, and prepare for coming events.<div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/poole/luke/2.htm">Matthew Poole's Commentary</a></div>Ver. 25-28. Interpreters have spent much pains in fortifying their conjectures (for they can be no more) that this Simeon was Rabban Simeon, the son of Hillel, the father of Gamaliel, but to what purpose I cannot tell; it can hardly be thought that a man of that note should do such a thing as this so openly, and no more notice be taken of him. That which Calvin, and Brentius, and other Reformed divines do think is much more probable, that he was some ordinary, plain man, of an obscure quality as to his circumstances in the world. There was a general expectation of the Messias at this time, but very few had a right notion of him, but lived in a vain expectation of I know not what secular prince, who should bring them a temporal deliverance. These few were scarce any of them of their rabbis or rabbans, but a poor despised sort of people, whom those great doctors counted accursed, <span class="bld"><a href="/john/7-48.htm" title="Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him?">John 7:48</a>,49</span>. The revelations of Christ were to none of the Pharisees, but to Joseph, a carpenter, to Mary, a despised virgin, though of the house of David, to an ordinary priest, Zacharias, to shepherds; and why we should fancy this Simeon a principal doctor I cannot tell. The evangelist gives him his highest title, <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="bld">A just man, and devout, </span> and one that waited <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="bld">for the consolation of Israel.</span> One of the remnant, according to the election of grace, mentioned by the apostle; a holy and righteous man, one who waited <span class="ital">for the consolation of Israel.</span> Which is the same in sense with the character given of Joseph of Arimathea, <span class="bld"><a href="/luke/23-51.htm" title="(The same had not consented to the counsel and deed of them;) he was of Arimathaea, a city of the Jews: who also himself waited for the kingdom of God.">Luke 23:51</a></span>, that waited for the kingdom of God. Simeon waited for Christ, that is meant by <span class="ital">the consolation of Israel.</span> For it is very observable, that the prophets ordinarily comforted the people of God amongst the Jews, against all their sad tidings they brought them, with the prophecies of the coming and kingdom of Christ, <span class="bld"><a href="/isaiah/66-13.htm" title="As one whom his mother comforts, so will I comfort you; and you shall be comforted in Jerusalem.">Isaiah 66:13</a> <a href="/jeremiah/31-13.htm" title="Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, both young men and old together: for I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow.">Jeremiah 31:13</a> <a href="/zechariah/1-17.htm" title="Cry yet, saying, Thus said the LORD of hosts; My cities through prosperity shall yet be spread abroad; and the LORD shall yet comfort Zion, and shall yet choose Jerusalem.">Zechariah 1:17</a></span>. Herein old Simeon showed the truth of his piety and devotion, that he believed and waited for the coming of Christ; he had a true notion of the Messiah promised, he believed that he should come, and he waited for his coming. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="bld">And it was revealed unto him, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord’s Christ:</span> God by the Holy Ghost gave him this special revelation, as the reward of his faith and the answer of his prayers, that he should live to see Christ born. The same Holy Spirit moved him to go into the temple, at that very time when Joseph and Mary brought in Christ, to present him to the Lord according to the law, and (though it be not expressed) certainly the same Spirit did intimate to him that that Child was <span class="ital">the Lord’s Christ.</span> The old man takes him up in his arms, blesseth God, and saith, <span class="bld"><a href="/context/luke/2-29.htm" title="Lord, now let you your servant depart in peace, according to your word:...">Luke 2:29-32</a></span><a name="gil" id="gil"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/gill/luke/2.htm">Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible</a></div>And behold there was a man in Jerusalem,.... Not in Nazareth, or Bethlehem, but in Jerusalem, the metropolis of the nation: one that lived there, was an inhabitant of that city, and a person of fame and note. So Joseph ben Jochanan is called (z) a man of Jerusalem, an inhabitant of that place: <p>whose name was Simeon; not Simeon, "the just", the last of the men of the great synagogue, of whom the Jews often make mention (a); though this Simeon bears the same character, yet could not be he; because he was not only an high priest, which, if this man had been, would doubtless have been mentioned; but also lived some years before this time. Many have thought, that this was Rabban Simeon, the son of Hillell, who was president of the sanhedrim forty years; and in which office this his son succeeded him; and which Simeon was the father of Gamaliel, the master of the Apostle Paul, of whom the Jewish chronologer thus writes (b): <p>"Rabban Simeon, the son of Hillell the old, received from his father, and was appointed president after his father; but the time of the beginning of his presidentship I do not find in any authors: <p>and a little after, <p>"Rabban Simeon, the son of Hillell, is the first that is called by the name of Rabban. <p>There are some things which seem to agree with, and favour this thought; for certain it is, that Christ was born in his time, whilst he was living: so the above writer says (c), after he had observed, that "Jesus of Nazareth was born at Bethlehem Judah, a parsa and a half from Jerusalem, in the year 3761 of the creation, and in the 42nd year of Caesar Augustus; that, according to this computation, his birth was in the days of Rabban Simeon, the son of Hillell. <p>And it is worthy of notice also, what another genealogical writer of theirs says (d), that "Rabban Simeon, the son of old Hillell, the prince, or president of Israel, as his father was, as it is in Sabbat, c. 1. is not "mentioned in the Misna." <p>Which looks as if he was not a favourer of the traditions of the elders, nor in great esteem with the Jews, that they ascribe none of them to him; yea, it may be observed, that he is entirely left out in the account of the succession of the fathers of tradition, in the tract called Pirke Abot; which is somewhat extraordinary, when he was the son of one, and the father of another of so much note among them. One would be tempted to think, that such a neglect of him, should spring from ill will to him, on account of his professing Jesus of Nazareth to be the Messiah. But there are other things which do not so well accord, as that this Simeon lived some years after the birth of Christ; whereas our Simeon seems to be in the decline of life, and just ready to depart: as also, that he was prince of Israel, or president of the sanhedrim, after this; which it is not likely he should, after such a confession of Jesus being the Messiah: likewise, seeing that his son Gamaliel was brought up a Pharisee: to which last Dr. Lightfoot replies, that holy fathers have some times wicked children; and that it was thirty years from Simeon's acknowledging Christ, to Gamaliel's education of Paul, or little less; and so much time might wear out the notice of his father's action, if he had taken any notice of it, especially his father dying shortly after he had made so glorious a confession; but his last observation is an objection to him. Upon the whole, it must be left uncertain and undetermined who he was: <p>and the same man was just and devout; he was a holy good man in his life and conversation; he was one that feared God, and avoided evil; he was righteous before men, and devout towards God, and exercised a conscience void, of offence to both: <p>waiting for the consolation of Israel; that is, the Messiah; for this was one of his names with the Jews, who sometimes style him, "the comforter": for so they report (e) that "there are some that say his name is Menachen the comforter; as it is said, "because the comforter that should relieve my soul is far from me". <a href="/lamentations/1-16.htm">Lamentations 1:16</a>. <p>And again (f), It is observed, that "the name of the Messiah is Menachem, the comforter; and Menachem, by "gematry", or numerically, is the same with Tzemach, the branch, <a href="/zechariah/3-8.htm">Zechariah 3:8</a>. <p>And so they often call him by the name of the "consolation": , which Dr. Lightfoot renders, "so let me see the consolation", but should be rendered, "may I never see the consolation", was a common form of swearing among them; and used much by R. Simeon ben Shetach, who lived before the times of Christ, of which there are several instances (g): <p>"says R. Juda ben Tabai, "may I never see the consolation", if I have not slain a false witness. Says R. Simeon ben Shetach, to him, "may I never see the consolation", if thou hast not shed innocent blood. <p>The gloss (h) on it is, <p>continued...<a name="gsb" id="gsb"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/gsb/luke/2.htm">Geneva Study Bible</a></div><span class="cverse2"><span class="cverse3">{5}</span> And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name <i>was</i> Simeon; and the same man <i>was</i> just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the <span class="cverse3">{i}</span> Holy Ghost was upon him.</span><p>(5) Simeon openly in the temple foretells the death of the coming of Messiah, of the casting out of the greatest part of Israel, and of the calling of the Gentiles.<p>(i) He was endued with the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and this is said using the figure of speech metonymy.</div></div><div id="centbox"><div class="padcent"><div class="comtype">EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)</div><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/meyer/luke/2.htm">Meyer's NT Commentary</a></div><a href="/luke/2-25.htm" title="And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was on him.">Luke 2:25</a> f. Who this <span class="ital">Simeon</span> was (“primus propheta, qui diceret Christum venisse,” Bengel), is utterly unknown. The supposition that he was son of Hillel, and father of Gamaliel (Michaelis, Paulus, and older commentators), who became president of the Sanhedrim in A.D. 13, does not agree with <a href="/luke/2-26.htm" title="And it was revealed to him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ.">Luke 2:26</a>; <a href="/luke/2-29.htm" title="Lord, now let you your servant depart in peace, according to your word:">Luke 2:29</a>, where he appears as an <span class="ital">aged</span> man; and there is generally the less ground for entertaining it, in proportion to the frequency of the name <span class="greekheb">שִׁמְעוֹן</span>.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="greekheb">δίκαιος κ</span>. <span class="greekheb">εὐλαβής</span>] Comp. Plat. Polit. p. 311 B: <span class="greekheb">τὸ δίκαιον κ</span>. <span class="greekheb">εὐλαβές</span>, and shortly before: <span class="greekheb">ἤθη εὐλαβῆ καὶ δίκαια</span>. The word <span class="greekheb">εὐλαβής</span> is only used in the N. T. by Luke. It denotes religious conscientiousness.[54]<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="greekheb">παράκλησιν</span>] The Messianic <span class="ital">blessing</span> of the nation, as its practical <span class="ital">consolation</span>, after its sufferings (comp. <span class="greekheb">λίτρωσιν</span>, <a href="/luke/2-38.htm" title="And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise to the Lord, and spoke of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem.">Luke 2:38</a>), is called, according to prophetic precedent (<a href="/isaiah/40-1.htm" title="Comfort you, comfort you my people, said your God.">Isaiah 40:1</a>), in the Rabbinical literature also very often <span class="greekheb">נחמה</span>. See Vitringa, <span class="ital">Obs.</span> V. p. 83; Lightfoot and Wetstein <span class="ital">in loc.</span> The Messiah Himself: <span class="greekheb">מנחם</span>. See Schöttgen, <span class="ital">Hor.</span> II. p. 18. The same in substance is: <span class="greekheb"><span class="bld"><span class="ital">ΠΡΟΣΔΕΧΌΜ</span>. <span class="greekheb">ΤῊΝ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΊΑΝ ΤΟῦ ΘΕΟῦ</span></span></span>, <a href="/mark/15-43.htm" title="Joseph of Arimathaea, an honorable counselor, which also waited for the kingdom of God, came, and went in boldly to Pilate, and craved the body of Jesus.">Mark 15:43</a>.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="greekheb"><span class="bld"><span class="ital">ἘΠʼ ΑὐΤΌΝ</span>.<span class="greekheb"></span></span></span>] having come <span class="ital">upon</span>.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="greekheb">κεχρηματισμ</span>.] a divine <span class="ital">responsum</span>, see on <a href="/matthew/2-12.htm" title="And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.">Matthew 2:12</a>. There is no hint of a <span class="ital">dream</span> (Kuinoel).<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="greekheb">πρὶν ἤ</span>] See on <a href="/matthew/1-18.htm" title="Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.">Matthew 1:18</a>.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="greekheb">τὸν Χριστὸν κυρίου</span>] comp. <a href="/luke/9-20.htm" title="He said to them, But whom say you that I am? Peter answering said, The Christ of God.">Luke 9:20</a> : <span class="ital">the Messiah of God</span> (whom God has destined and sent as Messiah).<span class="p"><br /><br /></span>For the expression <span class="ital">to see death</span>, comp. <a href="/hebrews/11-5.htm" title="By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.">Hebrews 11:5</a>; <a href="/john/8-51.htm" title="Truly, truly, I say to you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death.">John 8:51</a>; <a href="/psalms/89-48.htm" title="What man is he that lives, and shall not see death? shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave? Selah.">Psalm 89:48</a>. On the classical use of <span class="greekheb">ὁρᾶν</span> in the sense of <span class="ital">experiundo cognoscere</span>, Dorvill. <span class="ital">ad Char.</span> p. 483; Jacobs, <span class="ital">ad Anthol.</span> VII. p. 108.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span>[54] Comp. Delitzsch on <a href="/hebrews/5-7.htm" title="Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears to him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;">Hebrews 5:7</a> f., p. 191.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/egt/luke/2.htm">Expositor's Greek Testament</a></div><a href="/context/luke/2-25.htm" title="And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was on him....">Luke 2:25-28</a>. <span class="ital">Simeon</span>.—<span class="greekheb">Συμεών</span>, introduced as a stranger (<span class="greekheb">ἄνθρωπος ἦν</span>). The legendary spirit which loves definite particulars about celebrities of Scripture has tried to fill up the blank. The father of Gamaliel the son of Hillel, one of the seventy translators of the Hebrew Bible, are among the suggestions. A bracketed passage in Euthy. Zig. says, in reference to the latter suggestion, that Simeon alone of the company objected to the rendering of <a href="/isaiah/7-14.htm" title="Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.">Isaiah 7:14</a> : “the <span class="ital">virgin</span> shall conceive,” and that an angel told him he should live to take the virgin’s son into his arms.—<span class="greekheb">δίκαιος καὶ εὐλαβής</span>. The evangelist is careful to make known <span class="ital">what</span> this man was, while giving no indication <span class="ital">who</span> he was (“who they were no man knows, what they were all men know,” inscription on a tombstone in a soldiers’ graveyard in Virginia), just and God-fearing, a saint of the O. T. type.—<span class="greekheb">προσδεχόμενος παράκλησιν τ</span>. <span class="greekheb">Ἰ</span>.: an earnest believer in the Messianic hope, and fervently desiring its early fulfilment. Its fulfilment would be Israel’s consolation. The Messianic hope, the ideal of a good time coming, was the child of present sorrow—sin and misery prevalent, all things out of joint. The keynote of this view is struck in <a href="/isaiah/40-1.htm" title="Comfort you, comfort you my people, said your God.">Isaiah 40:1</a> : “comfort ye”.—<span class="greekheb">παρακαλεῖτε</span>. The Rabbis called Messiah the Comforter, <span class="ital">Menahem. Cf.</span> <span class="greekheb">προσδεχ</span>. <span class="greekheb">λύτρωσιν</span>. in <a href="/luke/2-38.htm" title="And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise to the Lord, and spoke of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem.">Luke 2:38</a>.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/cambridge/luke/2.htm">Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges</a></div>25–35. Simeon and the Nunc Dimittis<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="bld">25</span>. <span class="ital">a man … whose name was Simeon</span>] This cannot be Rabban Shimeon the son of Hillel (whom the Talmud is on this account supposed to pass over almost unnoticed), because he would hardly have been spoken of so slightly as “<span class="ital">anthropos</span>,” ‘a person.’ The Apocryphal Gospels call him “the great teacher” (<span class="ital">James</span> xxvi., <span class="ital">Nicod.</span> xvi.).<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="ital">waiting for the consolation of Israel</span>] See <a href="/genesis/49-18.htm" title="I have waited for your salvation, O LORD.">Genesis 49:18</a>. “They shall not be ashamed that wait for me,” <a href="/isaiah/49-23.htm" title="And kings shall be your nursing fathers, and their queens your nursing mothers: they shall bow down to you with their face toward the earth, and lick up the dust of your feet; and you shall know that I am the LORD: for they shall not be ashamed that wait for me.">Isaiah 49:23</a>. “Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God,” <a href="/isaiah/40-1.htm" title="Comfort you, comfort you my people, said your God.">Isaiah 40:1</a>. Joseph of Arimathea is also described as one who “<span class="ital">waited</span> for the Kingdom of God,” <a href="/mark/15-43.htm" title="Joseph of Arimathaea, an honorable counselor, which also waited for the kingdom of God, came, and went in boldly to Pilate, and craved the body of Jesus.">Mark 15:43</a>. “May I see the consolation of Israel!” was a common Jewish formula, and a prayer for the Advent of the Messiah was daily used.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/bengel/luke/2.htm">Bengel's Gnomen</a></div><a href="/luke/2-25.htm" title="And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was on him.">Luke 2:25</a>. <span class="greekheb">Ἰερουσαλὴμ</span>, <span class="ital">Jerusalem</span>) The Saviour was shown to this city at the very earliest time.—<span class="greekheb">Συμεὼν</span>, <span class="ital">Simeon</span>) the first prophet who said that Christ had come; and the one by whose instrumentality God proved that He, who was being presented to Him, was His First-begotten.—<span class="greekheb">δίκαιος</span>, <span class="ital">just</span>) in the discharge of duties.—<span class="greekheb">εὐλαβὴς</span>) Vulg. <span class="ital">timoratus</span>[27] in the disposition of his soul towards God.—<span class="greekheb"><span class="bld"><span class="ital">ΠΡΟΣΔΕΧΌΜΕΝΟς ΠΑΡΆΚΛΗΣΙΝ ΤΟῦ ἸΣΡΑῊΛ</span></span></span>, <span class="ital">waiting for the consolation of Israel</span>) not merely as Jacob, <a href="/genesis/49-18.htm" title="I have waited for your salvation, O LORD.">Genesis 49:18</a> [I have waited for thy salvation, O Lord], looking to distant times; but as by this time approaching, <a href="/luke/2-38.htm" title="And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise to the Lord, and spoke of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem.">Luke 2:38</a>. Gradually the expectation of believers became concentrated into a shorter compass [more brought to a point], as is the case now with respect to His glorious second coming.—<span class="greekheb">ἐπʼ αὐτὸν</span>, <span class="ital">upon him</span>) as a prophet. See following verse.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span>[27] “One whose character was marked by reverential fear:” this answers to the idea of <span class="ital">caution</span> or <span class="ital">circumspection</span> which is in <span class="greekheb">εὐλαβὴς</span>.—ED. and TRANSL. <span class="greekheb">Μωνσέως</span>. D reads <span class="greekheb">αὐτοῦ</span>: <span class="ital">abc</span> Vulg. <span class="ital">ejus</span>: Rec. Text, <span class="greekheb">αὐτῆς</span>.—ED. and TRANSL.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a name="pul" id="pul"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/pulpit/luke/2.htm">Pulpit Commentary</a></div><span class="cmt_sub_title">Verses 25-35.</span> - <span class="accented">The episode of Simeon and his inspired hymn</span>. <span class="cmt_sub_title">Verse 25.</span> - <span class="cmt_word">And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him</span>. Many expositors have believed that this Simeon was identical with Simeon (Shimeon) the son of the famous Hillel, and the father of Gamaliel. This Simeon became president of the Sanhedrin in A.D. . Strangely enough, the Mishna, which preserves a record of the sayings and works of the great rabbis, passes by this Simeon. The curious silence of the Mishna here was, perhaps, owing to the hatred which this famous teacher incurred because of his belief in Jesus of Nazareth. Such an identification, although interesting, is, however, very precarious, the name Simeon being so very common among the people. Waiting for the consolation of Israel. There was a general feeling among the more earnest Jews at this time that the advent of Messiah would not be long delayed. Joseph of Arimathaea is especially mentioned as one who "waited for the kingdom of God" (<a href="/mark/15-43.htm">Mark 15:43</a>). Dr. Farrar refers to the common Jewish prayer-formula then ill use: "May I see the consolation of Israel!" A prayer for the advent of Messiah was in daily use. Luke 2:25<a name="vws" id="vws"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/vws/luke/2.htm">Vincent's Word Studies</a></div>Devout (εὐλαβής)<p>Used by Luke only. The kindred word, εὐλάβεια, godly-fear, occurs twice' <a href="/hebrews/5-7.htm">Hebrews 5:7</a>; <a href="/hebrews/12-28.htm">Hebrews 12:28</a>. From εὖ, well, and λαμβάνω, to take hold of. Hence of a circumspect or cautious person who takes hold of things carefully. As applied to morals and religion, it emphasizes the element of circumspection, a cautious, careful observance of divine law; and is thus peculiarly expressive of Old Testament piety, with its minute attention to precept and ceremony. Compare <a href="/acts/2-5.htm">Acts 2:5</a>.<p>Consolation of Israel<p>Compare hope of Israel, <a href="http://biblehub.com/acts/28-20.htm">Acts 28:20</a>, and <a href="/isaiah/40-1.htm">Isaiah 40:1</a>. The Messianic blessing of the nation. Of the Messiah himself, Rest. See <a href="/isaiah/11-10.htm">Isaiah 11:10</a>. 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