Thursday, January 1, 2015
Luke 2:21 And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus.
BUT MARY TREASURED UP ALL THESE THINGS, PONDERING THEM IN HER HEART (4)
In the second chapter of his gospel, Luke twice mentions that Mary treasured up things in her heart. The first time was after the shepherds had made their visit on the night of Jesus' birth. The second time was after Mary and Joseph found the twelve-year-old Jesus in the temple at Jerusalem.
It would have been hard for Mary or Joseph to forget how they had come up with the name Jesus. Although many parents can tell interesting stories about how they came up with the names of their children, Mary and Joseph's story stands out. For both of them were visited by an angel of God so that they might be on the same page and get the name right for this special child.
According to Jewish law it was on the eighth day that the sons of Israel were circumcised and became sons of the covenant. Mary's son, descending from Judah and David, was thus circumcised on the eighth day (from Dec. 25 it's Jan. 1), keeping from the beginning that law (and every law) under which He was born.
Of greater significance, however, was that He was "born under law to redeem those under law that we might receive the full rights of sons" (Galatians 4:4-5). This is shown in that name that was officially bestowed at the time of His circumcision: Jesus (Jehovah is salvation). Jesus is the Greek form of the name "Joshua" and many Jewish parents had given their offspring the name "Joshua," but Mary's son was different for He was named by God's messenger, by God Himself. In days of old, God had brought Israel into the promised land through Joshua, and now in a much greater way Mary's Son would bring God's people home.
