Luke 2:22-24

Under Mosaic Law, a woman became ritually unclean when she gave birth to a child (Leviticus 12:2). The parents of a male child were to circumcise him on the eighth day after his birth (Leviticus 12:3; cf. Genesis 17:12). The mother of a male offspring was unclean for 33 days following her son’s circumcision (Leviticus 12:4; cf. Leviticus 12:5). On the fortieth day after her son’s birth, the mother was to present a sin offering to the priest at the sanctuary to atone for her uncleanness (Leviticus 12:6-7). Normally this offering was to be a lamb, but if the woman was poor she could bring two doves or two pigeons (Leviticus 12:8). In the case of a first-born son, the parents were to present him to the Lord (Exodus 13:2; Exodus 13:12; Numbers 18:16; cf. 1 Samuel 1:24-28). The parents would normally "redeem" the son, buy him back, by paying five shekels for him (Numbers 18:16).

"It could be paid to a priest anywhere (M. Exodus 13:2 (22b)). The facts that the scene of the present incident is the temple, no ransom price is mentioned, and the child is present, show that Jesus is not here being redeemed but consecrated to the Lord." [Note: Marshall, The Gospel . . ., p. 117. See also Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, s.v. "paristemi, paristano," by Bo Reicke, 5:840-41.]

"In the Court of the Women there were thirteen trumpet-shaped chests for pecuniary contributions, called ’trumpets.’ Into the third of these they who brought the poor’s offering, like the Virgin-Mother, were to drop the price of the sacrifices which were needed for their purification." [Note: Edersheim, 1:196.]

Mary and Joseph complied with these regulations as observant Israelites. Mary apparently offered two birds suggesting that Mary and Joseph could not afford the more expensive lamb sacrifice. [Note: Ibid., 1:149, 195.] Luke may have mentioned this to help his readers understand the Jewish regulations. He did not stress the economic condition of Mary and Joseph.

Ritual uncleanness was not the same as sinfulness. All sin resulted in uncleanness in Israel, but uncleanness was not always the result of sin. Mary’s uncleanness was not due to sin but to bearing a child. The fact that she became unclean when she bore Jesus testifies to the reality of the Incarnation. [Note: F. W. Danker, Jesus and the New Age, p. 30.] Jesus was a real human being.