What does Luke 2:24 mean?

And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons. Luke 2:24

Explanation

Luke 2:24 refers to the completion of a ritual purification process prescribed in the Mosaic Law for a Jewish woman after giving birth. According to Leviticus 12:1-8, a woman was required to wait a certain period of time after childbirth before presenting herself at the Temple with an offering. If she gave birth to a son, the purification period was 40 days, and after a daughter, it was 80 days. Following this time, she would offer a year-old lamb and a young pigeon or dove for a burnt offering and sin offering, respectively. However, if she couldn’t afford a lamb, she could bring two doves or two young pigeons, one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering.

In this verse, the presentation of Mary and Joseph bringing the latter offering – “A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons” – is mentioned which indicates their humble socio-economic status. The verse denotes their faithfulness to the Judaic laws and customs, and their modesty.

Historical Context

Luke’s gospel is believed to have been written around 80-110 AD. It was a time when Christianity was spreading among Gentile communities, and it was important for early Christians to link their faith back to its Jewish origins to establish its legitimacy and continuity. Including such details about the Jewish practices of Mary and Joseph helped to ground the Christian message in the concrete historical and religious context of Jesus’s Jewish heritage.

Theological Insights

For Christians, this verse highlights several key theological points:

• Humility: Jesus was born into a humble setting and his first actions included participating in the humble offerings of the poor.
• Fulfillment of the Law: Jesus, even as an infant, is depicted as fulfilling the Jewish Law, suggesting he is the promised Messiah who has come not to abolish the Law but to fulfill it (Matthew 5:17).
• Purification: The purification practice, while performed by Mary, anticipates the purification that Jesus would bring to all through His lifetime, death, and resurrection.
• Redemption: The offering of the poor foreshadows Jesus’s mission to redeem the least, the lost, and the last.

Practical Applications

Contemporary application of Luke 2:24 may include lessons on the importance of following religious traditions and customs, living a humble life regardless of one’s social status, and providing for the needs of those less fortunate. It teaches respect for the underprivileged and demonstrates God’s care and provision for them.

Cross-References

• Leviticus 12:8: “And if she be not able to bring a lamb, then she shall bring two turtles, or two young pigeons; the one for the burnt offering, and the other for a sin offering: and the priest shall make an atonement for her, and she shall be clean.”
• Matthew 5:17: “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.”
• Philippians 2:7-8: “[Jesus] made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men; And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”

Language Study

• “Offer a sacrifice”: The Greek term used here is “thysia,” which generally means “sacrifice” or “offering.” It implies a gift or offering given to God in a ceremonial context.
• “According to that which is said in the law”: This phrase confirms adherence to the Torah, emphasizing the importance of following God’s commanded ordinances.
• “Pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons”: This highlights the option within the Law for those who could not afford a lamb, showing gracious allowance for the poor.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Comparing this verse to other ancient traditions, many cultures had rituals surrounding childbirth and the purification of the mother. However, the Jewish practice was unique in its specific time frames and sacrificial system. This differentiation is critical to understanding the identity of the people of Israel as connected to the unique covenants and laws given by God.

Scientific Perspectives

Scientific perspective is generally less relevant to this verse since it is about a religious ritual rather than a claim about the natural world. However, modern understanding of childbirth and infections has led to new interpretations of the purification rites as potentially healthful practices in an era without modern hygiene or medicine.

Commentaries

• Matthew Henry’s Commentary suggests that the offering made by Mary and Joseph indicated their poverty, which made the offering of the Son of God to the world all the more remarkable due to the contrast of His heavenly riches and earthly poverty.
• Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary points out that Mary’s compliance with the Law of Purification demonstrates the continuation of the obedience she displayed at the annunciation, further underscoring the theme of legal fulfillment throughout Luke’s Gospel.
• The Pulpit Commentary emphasizes that the humble offerings demonstrated the spirit in which the holy family submitted to the Law, which foreshadows the spirit Jesus would assume in His earthly ministry.