Luke 2:24

24 They also offered a sacrifice as required by the Lord's Teachings: "a pair of mourning doves or two young pigeons."

Luke 2:24 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 2:24

And to offer a sacrifice
That is, when the time of purification came, the parents of our Lord brought him from Bethlehem to Jerusalem, to present him in the temple to the Lord as his, and to redeem him; and not only so, but to offer the sacrifice required of child-bed women:

according to that which is said in the law of the Lord,
( Leviticus 12:8 )

a pair of turtle doves, or two young pigeons:
if the person was able, she was to bring a lamb of the first year for a burnt offering; and a young pigeon, or a turtle dove, for a sin offering; but in case of poverty, then the above sufficed, and one of them was for a burnt offering, and the other for a sin offering; which shows not only that the virgin offered for herself a sin offering, being ceremonially unclean, but also her mean estate and poverty, in that she offered the offering of the poorer sort; see ( Leviticus 12:6 Leviticus 12:8 ) .

Luke 2:24 In-Context

22 After the days required by Moses' Teachings to make a mother clean had passed, Joseph and Mary went to Jerusalem. They took Jesus to present him to the Lord.

23 They did exactly what was written in the Lord's Teachings: "Every firstborn boy is to be set apart as holy to the Lord."

24 They also offered a sacrifice as required by the Lord's Teachings: "a pair of mourning doves or two young pigeons."

25 A man named Simeon was in Jerusalem. He lived an honorable and devout life. He was waiting for the one who would comfort Israel. The Holy Spirit was with Simeon

26 and had told him that he wouldn't die until he had seen the Messiah, whom the Lord would send.