Light of the World
Chapter Three: The Journey to Joy
Dr. Levine sheds light on the kingdom that Jesus would found in Chapter 4. She identifies a Jewish rebel in 6 CE, who tries to lead an insurrection against Rome, “Judas the Galilean.” The birth of Jesus coincides, instead, with the institution of a census, and Joseph’s complicity with the law, rather than an armed rebellion. The Gospel of Luke reports that the birth of the Savior has no political connection, but a personal resonance with bread, a baby in a manger, which is a place to feed, a parallel to Jesus’ invitation at the Last Supper.
Luke depicts the feeding of the five thousand, meals with tax collectors and sinners, including Zacchaus, the three meals with the Pharisees, the dinner at Emmaus, and the final meal of broiled fish. Reading Luke should make one hungry, not just for bread, but for more of the story (87).
Dr. Levine insists that signs from heaven will be found on the earth, which helps us understand the future ministry of Jesus, emphasizing “sowers and seeds, vines and fig trees, yeast and fish.” The angels called attention to the baby in the manger, the swaddling clothes, rather than some heavenly vision. And when the shepherds report the news of the angels, it is said that “she committed these things to memory and considered them carefully” (Matt 2:19).
Later Mary and Joseph comply with the traditional redemption offering to the Temple, an offering that “buys back” the firstborn from required service in the Temple, as Luke notes, “what’s stated in the Law of the Lord. A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons (Luke 2:24). These details are not irrelevant, but reveal that they were “righteous before God, blameless in their observance of all the Lord’s commandments and regulations”) Luke 1:6. Dr. Levine wants our notice that the requirements of the Law were respected by the family.
This observance refutes the so-called “Marcion” heresy of the second century, which insisted that the God of the Old Testament was distinct from the God of the “New Testament.”
Marcion was not in favor of the various commandments concerning distinct Jewish identity; he was also convinced that Creation, with all its ‘fleshy’ aspects, was a flawed system created by a flawed deity (99).
As Levine reminds us, the “Old Testament” was the only testament in Jesus’ time, and it was honored by Jesus as “the Law and the Prophets” in most circumstances. Here we see his parents honoring the Hebrew traditions of dedication and identity.
Yet the counter-weight to tradition quickly follows with the blessing of Simeon, the old man who prophesies the future for Jesus even as Joseph and Mary carry out the Law of the past. Levine draws much from this prophecy, a spontaneous outpouring of praise to God.
- Simeon’s witness of the child marks his own impending death
- His proclamation of Jesus bringing “salvation” means “comfort” and “consolation,” not the traditional political liberation associated with the messiah.
- His proclamation of Jesus as “a light of revelation to the Gentiles” as well as the nation of Israel.
- His confirmation of Mary’s revelation in the Magnificat: ” This boy is assigned to be the cause of the falling and rising of so many in Israel”
- His prediction to Mary that “a sword will pierce your own soul” anticipates the sword driven into Jesus’ side after the crucifixion.
Most remarkable is Levine’s commentary on how Jesus failed to conform to the Messiah expected by the Jews, yet has been prophesied to come in glory in latter days. She comments that the Second Coming resembles the coming of the Messiah of the Jews, except that they did not expect the Messiah to be divine. Her commentary about the disagreements of Jewish and Christian believers seems reasonable to me:
Rather than have us engage in endless (or at least until the end of the world) speculation about messianic job descriptions, it makes more sense to me to work together for justice and peace, and let God take care of the end-of-the-world details ( 105).
The final affirmation comes from Anna, a woman who “never left the Temple area, but worshipped God with fasting and prayer night and day” (2:37). Levine points out that she represents one of the lost tribes (Asher) and the restoration of a dispersed Israel, and further reminds us that women played a vital role in the Temple in her day. Like Simeon she “began to praise God and to speak about Jesus to everyone who was looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem”(2:38).
Levine’s understanding of Jesus as different kind of messiah, both honoring tradition and overturning expectations for the future, really captures Luke’s portrayal of the dedication and prophesies of him as a prophet without plans for political revolution. In the first two chapters, Luke gave us a brilliant foreshadowing of who Jesus would become, suggesting that not everyone would receive him with the same joy and gratification.