Of the tribe of Aser - The tribe of Aser, or Asher, dwelt in the northern part of the land of Canaan. Why Anna was called a prophetess is not known. It might be because she had been the wife of a prophet, or because she was employed in celebrating the praises of God (compare 1 Chronicles 25:1-2, 1 Chronicles 25:4; 1 Samuel 10:5), or because she herself had foretold future events, being inspired. read more
Luke 2:36-38 . And there was one Anna, a prophetess A person of some note; she was a widow of about fourscore and four years These were the years of her life, and not of her widowhood only; who departed not from the temple The meaning is, not that she abode continually in the temple: for none lived there save the priests and Levites; but she attended there constantly at all the stated hours of prayer. But served God with fastings and prayers Even at that advanced age; night and day ... read more
10. Simeon and Anna (Luke 2:25-38)In separate incidents, two people at the temple recognized Jesus as the promised Messiah. The first was a man named Simeon. Unlike most Jews, Simeon had the spiritual insight to understand the sort of person the Messiah would be. He acknowledged that Jesus was the promised Messiah, and that he would bring glory to Israel and salvation to the Gentiles (Luke 2:25-32).Having praised God for the coming of Jesus, Simeon turned to address Mary. He saw that one day... read more
Anna. Hebrew. Hannah , as in 1 Samuel 1:20 = He was gracious. prophetess. Only here and Revelation 2:20 . Aser = Asher; thus Anna of Israel united with Simeon of Judah. read more
And there was Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel of the tribe of Asher (she was of great age, having lived with a husband seven years from her virginity, and she had been a widow even unto fourscore and four years), who departed not from the temple, worshipping with fastings and supplications night and day.ANNA SPEAKS OF THE CHILDThe Greek New Testament describes Anna's age thus: "And she was a widow until years eighty-four."[30] It is not clear if the eighty-four years should be... read more
Luke 2:36-37. And there was one Anna— While these things were transacting, there came into the temple an aged woman named Anna, whose mortification to the world partly appeared by her having lived a widow ever since her husband's death; which happened while she was very young, for she had been a widow fourscore and four years;—as did her piety likewise towards God, by the constancy with which she waited on the temple, both night and day. The meaning is not, that Anna abode continually in the... read more
36. Anna—or, Hannah. a prophetess—another evidence that "the last times" in which God was to "pour out His Spirit upon all flesh" were at hand. of the tribe of Aser—one of the ten tribes, of whom many were not carried captive, and not a few reunited themselves to Judah after the return from Babylon. The distinction of tribes, though practically destroyed by the captivity, was well enough known up to their final dispersion (Romans 11:1; Hebrews 7:14); nor is it now entirely lost. lived, c.—she... read more
D. The birth and early life of Jesus ch. 2Luke followed the same pattern of events with Jesus’ birth and early life as he did for those of John. His purpose was to compare and contrast these two important individuals. read more
II. THE BIRTH AND CHILDHOOD OF JESUS 1:5-2:52This section contains material unique in Luke. The only repeated statement occurs in Luke 2:39 and Matthew 2:23. Other unique features are the way Luke alternated the reader’s attention between John and Jesus, and the joy that several individuals expressed (Luke 1:46-55; Luke 1:68-79; Luke 2:14; Luke 2:29-32). [Note: For studies of the structure of this passage, see Robert C. Tannehill, The Narrative Unity of Luke-Acts , 1:15-20; R. E. Brown, The... read more
Get Bible verse every day in your inbox
Read on Mobile
The Pulpit Commentary - Luke 2:36-38
The testimony of womanhood. From this interesting episode, without which the beautiful story of the infant Savior in the temple would hardly be complete, we learn— I. THAT THERE IS ROOM IN THE KINGDOM OF CHRIST FOR THE SERVICE OF WOMAN - HOOD . It was well that the aged Simeon should bear his testimony to the birth of the Savior; it was also well that this aged and honorable prophetess should "likewise give thanks." Woman as well as man was to utter... read more