21On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise him, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he had been conceived. 22When the time of their purification according to the Law of Moses had been completed, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23(as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord”), 24and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.” (Luke 2:21-24)
This passage is not typically devotional material but there is a lot that we can learn from these four verses:
- Joseph and Mary named their baby Jesus in obedience to the revelation of the angel (Luke 1:31; Matthew 1:21).
- They had Jesus circumcised on the eighth day according to God’s covenant with Abraham and the law of Moses (Gen. 17:12; Lev 12:3).
- They followed the law of Moses in regard to Mary’s purification which would be 40 days after the birth of Jesus (Lev. 12:4-5).
- They offered a sacrifice for the birth of a child in accordance to the law of Moses (Lev. 12:2,8).
- Joseph and Mary were poor being unable to afford a lamb and instead choosing two young pigeons as an alternate acceptable sacrifice (Lev. 12:8).
Bottom line, Joseph and Mary were obedient. Nothing fancy. No fanfare. They simply walked in obedience. They followed the angel’s revelation, the example of Abraham, and the law of Moses.
Why did they obey? Because they trusted and loved God. Joseph’s responsiveness to divine revelation is evident in Matthew 1 and 2 and Mary’s faith is seen in her Scripture-filled and heartfelt psalm of praise to God (Luke 1:46-55).
If you love Me, you will keep My commandments (John 14:15).
As Christians, we sometimes struggle with the whole legalism thing. We know that we are not under the law so sometimes we are tempted to flaunt our liberty or to use grace as an excuse for license, for laziness, for doing what we want.
But Paul reminds us in 1 Timothy 1:8, But we know that the law is good if one uses it lawfully.
The problem with the law is not the law itself. It is good. It is a reflection of the holiness of God. It is a protection to us from our own devices and from the vices of others. Law is good but it is not enough. It is a good guide but a bad ruler. It reveals the sin of our hearts; it doesn’t cure it.
The problem of legalism comes when we try to keep the letter of the law while ignoring its spirit. We follow the rituals but miss the relationship with God. Everything hinges on our motivation. It is possible to try to follow the law without love (leading to self-righteousness); but it is impossible to love God and others and not keep the basic moral principles of the law. That is why Paul said the “love” is the fulfillment of the law (Galatians 5:14).
For instance, in my home, I have established lots of “laws.” Don’t do this, do this, etc. My purpose is not to arbitrarily make laws that make life difficult for my children. I don’t invent them each day to suit my own purposes. Every law I have in the home arises out of my desire to see us as a family honor God, honor each other, and honor and protect the blessings that God has given to us. For instance, “don’t hit your brother” was not a law I came up with out of the blue. It arose out of my desire to see us love one another as a family. When and if my sons truly love and care for one another, then the law becomes unnecessary.
Thus, in some sense, we are not “under the law”; we are “over the law.” The law is not our ceiling; it is our floor. In loving God and others, we not only fulfill the law but go beyond it. We don’t just stop hitting our brother; rather we encourage him, honor him, and sacrifice ourselves for his benefit.
Joseph and Mary pleased God not because they followed the law. They pleased Him because they loved Him. And in loving Him, they kept His commandments.
Lord, direct my attention to You today. May I sing Your praises and follow Your ways out of a grateful heart captivated by Your love.
