The Presentation

Today is the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord.

When the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, the parents of Jesus brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the law of the Lord, "Every firstborn male shall be designated as holy to the Lord"), and they offered a sacrifice according to what is stated in the law of the Lord, "a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons." Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Messiah. Guided by the Spirit, Simeon came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him what was customary under the law, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying, "Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel." And the child's father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him. Then Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, "This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed-- and a sword will pierce your own soul too." There was also a prophet, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, having lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped there with fasting and prayer night and day. At that moment she came, and began to praise God and to speak about the child to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem. When they had finished everything required by the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him. - Luke 2:22-40

Jesus is presented in the Temple and the parents offer a sacrifice, a pair of doves.

This was the sacrifice for those who were poor, so if they were too poor to afford sheep or goats for the sacrifice, this had to happen before the Magi visited and brought them gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

So, as we might expect, the different Gospel accounts bring us conflict and controversy.

Either the flee to Egypt was so quick there was no time to wait until the Passover to bring the baby to the Temple for presentation, so it would have to be a year later, or the Presentation occurred before the Magi came. 

The challenge here is in reconciling the stories with an historical timeline, something the Gospels do not try to do.  

Perhaps it is enough to know that the couple had little money and the child would be raised with an appreciation for the struggle of the poor.  

The gifts from the Magi make us wonder what the gold was used for, since it was not given to the Temple treasury.  It may have helped finance their flee into Egypt to avoid Herod's plot to kill all boys two years and younger.

That age signifies the flight and the visit may have happened after the Presentation.

So, to save the child, they used the money the Magi gave them.  And the rest is history.

More to come...