Luke 2:33 And Joseph and His mother marveled at those things which were spoken of Him.
Mary and Joseph already knew a lot about who Jesus would be. Each had been told several prophecies about him. Angels, (terrifying, awe-inspiring angels no less!) had given each of them a good deal of information. And Mary and Joseph had plenty of time to compare notes on the trip to Bethlehem.
Here are some of things they knew according to the gospels of Matthew and Luke.
Even with all these incredible things that they knew, they marveled at what Simeon said. Why?
As we have said in earlier posts, Simeon stressed that Jesus would be for all peoples. He would act as a beacon to draw all the nations to God. Simeon also called Jesus the salvation and hinted at a sacrifice. What he told them did not fall in line with what most rabbis of the day expected from the Messiah.
So when it said Mary and Joseph marveled, it emphasized their confusion and lack of understanding. As Mary had said when the angel told her that she would conceive, “How can this be?” None of the prophecies made sense.
Let us take comfort in that. As we still have confusing prophecies written for us in the Word of God, we can see through the before and after of Christ how God worked it all out. And once He did, we can look back and say, ‘of course that’s what He meant.’ But before it came to pass, there was no ‘of course’ about it.
Mary and Joseph were there in the midst of it all, holding the baby. And still, they marveled.
How can we do any less?
A Sixty-Day Countdown to Christmas
Introduction to The Messiah Simeon Waited For
Day 6, Prophecies for the Gentiles
Day 9, Welcoming God's Firstborn
Day 19, Making Mary and Joseph Marvel
Day 21, Hinting at the Rest of the Story
Day 23, Making Simeon into Simeon
Day 24, Prophet to the Prophets
Day 25, A Priest Like Melchizedek
Day 26, Destined for Sacrifice
Day 27, Jesus and the Passover Lamb, part 1
Day 28, Jesus and the Passover Lamb, part 2
Day 29, Jesus and the Passover Lamb, Part 3
Day 30, Jesus as the Lamb (con.)
Day 31, Simeon as a Man of Gratitude
Day 32, Sacrificing Lambs in the Old Testament
Day 35, Jesus the Stumbling Block
Day 37, The Precious Cornerstone
Day 39, The Cornerstone and the Gate
Day 42, Restoring the Booth of David
Day 45, Crown Him with Many Crowns
Day 46, Identifying the Son of God
Day 47, The Best Storyteller Ever
Day 48, In Bethlehem, the City of David
Day 51, The Mountain Tree (Part 1)