When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord.
Luke 2:22
In our modern-day Christian denominations, we either have infant baptism or baby dedication. Some churches do both, based on the preference or belief of the parents. Jesus was dedicated via presentation at the temple. Luke is the only Gospel that records this and a few other interesting facts about Jesus being presented to God in Jerusalem.
In the previous verse, Doctor Luke mentions that Jesus was circumcised on the eighth day (we will look at circumcision tomorrow). The time then came for “the purification rites required by the Law of Moses”. What exactly is Luke referring to here? Leviticus 12 gives us the answer through an instructive timeline.
According to Levitical law, a woman was ceremonially unclean for seven days after giving birth to a son. The child was then circumcised on the eighth day, so Mary and Joseph were being obedient to this command. Further, the mother needed 33 days “to be purified from her bleeding” (Leviticus 12:4). So it was after this period of time that Jesus’ parents took Him on the six-mile journey from Bethlehem to Jerusalem, brought Him to the priest, and offered a specific sacrifice.
Apparently, Mary and Joseph were poor because they could only sacrifice two small birds instead of a lamb (Luke 2:24). The purpose of sacrificing the pair of birds was for Mary’s benefit and for this reason: “one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering. In this way the priest will make atonement for her, and she will be clean” (Leviticus 12:8).
So, let me close with a personal application. God made it clear to Moses that every firstborn male was to be consecrated to Him (Exodus 13:1–16). Mary and Joseph were obedient to this as well (Luke 2:23).
Likewise, once our lives are dedicated to the Lord, we need to present ourselves to Him as an offering. We need to give Him control of our lives. In Romans 12:1, Paul urges us all: “in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.” We need to consecrate ourselves to the Lord on an ongoing basis. We do this through actions like prayer, Bible study, worship, and discipline. You are never too young or too old to dedicate your life to serve Him and serve others.
