Luke 2:38

38 And at [that] same hour she approached [and] began to give thanks to God, and to speak about him to all those who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.

Luke 2:38 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 2:38

And she coming in that instant
That the parents of Christ brought him into the temple; just as Simeon was embracing him in his arms, and blessing God for him, and saying the things concerning him he had done; and who also came at that juncture, as he did, under the impulse, and by the direction of the Spirit of God;

gave thanks likewise unto the Lord:
praised him, as he had done, that he had sent the promised, and long looked for Messiah and Saviour; and that she had lived to see his blessed face, and this happy day; and that she should be directed to come in at this instant, and be favoured with this singular mercy of seeing the new born Saviour, and his honoured parents:

and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem;
this she either did at this time; they in Jerusalem that looked, and diligently waited for, and earnestly desired the Messiah, and spiritual redemption and salvation by him, being now assembled together in the temple; or afterwards, as she had opportunity of conversing with them, when she acquainted them with what she had heard and seen. By "the redemption" they were looking for, is meant, the Redeemer; as by salvation, the Saviour, in ( Luke 2:30 ) . Some versions, as the Syriac, Arabic, and Ethiopic read, "the redemption of Jerusalem"; not literally, but spiritually, understood, even the redemption of the church of Christ, which is often so called: and others, as the Persic version, "the redemption of Israel"; that is, of spiritual Israel: some read "in Israel"; so one copy of Stephens's.

Luke 2:38 In-Context

36 And there was a prophetess, Anna the daughter of Phanuel of the tribe of Asher (she was advanced {in years}, having lived with [her] husband seven years {after her marriage},

37 and herself [as] a widow up to eighty-four years) who did not depart from the temple with fastings and prayers, serving night and day.

38 And at [that] same hour she approached [and] began to give thanks to God, and to speak about him to all those who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.

39 And when they had completed everything according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth.

40 And the child was growing and becoming strong, filled with wisdom, and the favor of God was upon him.

Footnotes

• [a]. *Here "[and]" is supplied because the previous participle ("approached") has been translated as a finite verb
• [b]. The imperfect tense has been translated as ingressive here ("began to give thanks")