Luke 2:39

‘And when they had accomplished all things that were according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own city Nazareth.'

Once they had fulfilled the requirements of the Law they eventually returned to their own town, to Nazareth in Galilee. The emphasis is on the fact that they had remained in Bethlehem so that they could ‘accomplish all things according to the Law', before eventually finally returning to Nazareth, (from which they had set out prior to the birth), rather than on the date when they actually arrived in Nazareth. For Luke's concern is to bring out that they pleased God in every way.

But either he deliberately ignores the visit of the Magi, and the stay in Egypt (Matthew 2:1), or more probably it took place on a later visit to Bethlehem in the following year when, for example, they went up again from Nazareth for the Passover. Bethlehem was only five miles from Jerusalem so that a visit there was quite likely on such occasions, probably prior to going to the feast. And as it would seem that, whenever they could (it would not be possible in Egypt), they went to Jerusalem regularly for at least one of the regular feasts, as any good Jew would, a further visit to Bethlehem to see their relatives is not at all unlikely.

Thus whether they went immediately to Nazareth, or whether in fact their going was after a few years, (he is only interested in the fact that they finally landed up there ready for the next passage), depends on when the visit of the Magi took place (Matthew 2:1). This could not have taken place before the forty days of purification were completed for immediately after the Magi's visit they fled to Egypt (thus their visit could not have been on the ‘twelfth night'), and the result then would have been that Joseph and Mary would have been nowhere near Jerusalem at the end of the forty days. They would have been in Egypt. So either there was a period after the forty days in which they continued to stay in Bethlehem, and during which the magi visited them, followed by a period in Egypt, before they returned to Nazareth, or they returned to Nazareth, and then came back to Bethlehem from Nazareth on another occasion, during which visit the Magi arrived and they fled to Egypt. This latter is quite possible. Bethlehem would contain many of their relatives and visits to Jerusalem for the feasts would be a regular occurrence. What more natural than to take the opportunity to visit relatives as the children grew up?

It is fully understandable why Luke does not wish to introduce the Magi and the visit to Egypt in his portrayal. He has been at pains to stress that Jesus was welcomed by the meek and lowly, and lived in and returned to an ordinary home. The Magi and the stay in Egypt would merely have distracted from his purpose. It was different for Matthew who emphasises the Kingship of Jesus, and the identification of Jesus with Israel in the filling full of prophecy.

The question must also be asked as to why, if they lived in Nazareth, they remained in Bethlehem for forty days? Had Joseph been an impecunious carpenter struggling to make a living in Nazareth he could hardly have done so under ordinary circumstances, even granted that they received hospitality. Thus their remaining for forty days in Bethlehem (rather than their returning immediately to Nazareth) may have been due to the requirements of the enrolment, or due to a religious zeal that made them wish to present Jesus specifically in the Temple, or due to the pressure of extended hospitality, or due to Joseph having business interests in Bethlehem, or due to the fact that Joseph actually lived in Bethlehem, or any combination of these. After which they may have returned to Nazareth, being back next year for the visit of the magi (Matthew 2:1).

Alternately Luke may here be summarising and saying that eventually at some time in the future they returned to Nazareth, which became their own town, the town that in future everyone would recognise them as ‘coming from', meanwhile ignoring certain other events which took place in which he had no interest for his book. Luke regularly omits, without comment, what he does not feel essential to his message. Remember how he will later omit reference to resurrection appearances in Galilee, because he wants attention to be focused on Jerusalem, and omits mention of any dissension between Jewish and Gentile Christians. Here he wants attention focused on their presence in the promised land. He wants us to know that Jesus springs from Israel, not Egypt.

A Summary.

As we approach the end of this series of manifestations with regard to His coming we should recognise just exactly what they signify.

· Firstly they reveal to any reader that Jesus has two parents who are both totally faithful to the Law of Moses.

· Secondly they reveal that He has been vouched for by a priest of the Temple, a devout man of the Temple and a prophetess of the Temple. Thus there has been a threefold witness from the Temple.

· Thirdly He has been vouched for by three angelic visitations, one to Zacharias, one to Mary and one to the shepherds, and thus by Heaven itself. There has been a threefold witness from angels.

· Fourthly He has been vouched for by prophecy (if we include the host of angels as prophets) in a threefold way, both before His birth (Zacharias, Elisabeth, Mary) and after His birth (the angels, Simeon and Anna).

· Fifthly the Holy Spirit is said to have given a threefold witness through Zacharias, Elisabeth and Simeon.

So a solid basis for His acceptance is given which is difficult to refute, and it is seen to be solidly Jewish, coming from faithful Jewish parents, from the Temple, from angels, from Jewish prophets and prophetesses, and from the Holy Spirit Himself. Salvation is coming, and it is from God and of the Jews.

Note also the contents of the prophecies:

· Zacharias tells us that He is sending John as the preparer of the way to turn men to God (Luke 1:14 compare Luke 3:4).

· Gabriel tells us that the One Who is coming after is the Son of the Most High, the greater David, the everlasting King, the Son of God (Luke 1:32), the One born through the miraculous working of the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:35).

· Elisabeth declares in the Spirit that He is ‘My LORD' (Luke 1:43).

· Mary declares that He will come as the One who puts down the mighty and exalts the humble, and as fulfiller of the covenant with Abraham (Luke 1:46).

· Simeon tells us that He comes as the One to Whom John will testify, and as the Horn (Mighty Weapon) of Salvation, to save His people from all enemies and to give knowledge of salvation in the forgiveness of sins, and as the One Who will bring light out of darkness (Luke 1:67).

· The unidentified angel tells us that He is the Messiah of the house of David, the LORD (Luke 2:10).

· Simeon crowns it all by telling us that He will be a light to the Gentiles and a glory to Israel, preparing for the theme in Acts of going first to the Jews and then to the Gentiles.

So is the way prepared for what is to come in Luke and Acts.

One more constant we should draw attention to, and that is the emphasis on ‘salvation'. Mary speaks of ‘God my Saviour' Who has saved her (Luke 1:47); Zacharias speaks of ‘a horn of salvation raised for us' (Luke 1:69) and of ‘giving knowledge of salvation to His people' (Luke 1:77); the initial angel speaks of ‘a Saviour Who is Christ the Lord' (Luke 2:11); the host of angels speaks of ‘peace on those on whom His favour rests' and thus of their salvation (Luke 2:14 NEB); and Simeon says ‘my eyes have seen your Salvation' (Luke 2:30). The message of what is coming is therefore very much one of salvation and deliverance.