Those God Chose: Simeon, the Archetypal Disciple

Introduction

Through my studies I’ve become fascinated to note the characteristics of those God chose. Did he simply show more grace to some people by randomly electing them for honour in his service, or did they make themselves more eligible than others by their virtuous lives?

When Jesus was presented in the temple as a baby for redemption, Simeon was among those God chose to use. Let’s look at the short encounter recorded by Luke.

Reading

Luke 2:25–32 (ESV):

25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the LORD’s Christ. 27 And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, 28 he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said,

29 “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word;
30 for my eyes have seen your salvation
31 that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles,and for glory to your people Israel.”

Comments

Simeon, or Shimon in Hebrew, was likely named after his great ancestor, born to Jacob and Leah. His name seems to mean “He heard.” That is, God heard Leah’s prayer for a son. Perhaps Simeon’s mother, like Leah, had felt unloved by her husband and the LORD had heard her prayer.

Simeon was in the temple at the time of Jesus’ consecration and redemption (as firstborn son), and so we can be sure that Simeon was a worshipper. In his frail old body, close to death, he put up with the discomfort of walking up to the temple, immersing himself in a ritual bath, and then climbing the many stairs to the temple courts so that he could serve and worship the LORD.

Luke describes Simeon as “righteous and devout” (or “just and pious” in some translations.) Jews have a special word for righteous people; the say that this or that person is a “tzaddik,” literally, “a righteous.” It’s not a term used lightly, so we can be sure that Luke was emphasizing that Simeon lived carefully in obedience to the Law. He kept God’s commandments. That doesn’t mean he was just doing dead works and didn’t have a personal relationship with God; on the contrary, his devoted observance was evidence of his relationship with God. I’d also say that, in order to keep God’s commandments, Simeon must have studied God’s Word very carefully to know what he required, thus offering what Jewish tradition considers the highest form of worship.

Jews also have a word for the devout, or pious: hasid. In rabbinical literature, the word was used of those who went above and beyond the requirements of the various forms of Jewish Law. It comes from the word hesed, a faithful loving kindness expressed toward God and fellow man. This suggests Simeon knew very well that keeping the commandments outwardly isn’t enough; as Jesus taught, the underlying motive for observance is crucial.

How often modern society scorns righteous living and devotion to the Lord, but Simeon is among those God chose, so we should see him as a role model. Some Christians have re-defined these words, such that “righteous” is read as “self-righteous,” and therefore wicked, and “devout” or “pious” is taken to mean “seeking to earn one’s salvation.” But that’s not what Luke meant. It’s our language that needs to be redeemed, not Simeon’s soul.

I believe God chose Simeon because he was righteous in his lifestyle, and devoted to the LORD. His righteous acts were not devoid of faith. Luke referred to the Messiah referred to as “the consolation/comfort of Israel.” Since long ago, rabbis have referred to the Messiah as the Comforter (or Consoler) based on the Isaiah’s kingdom-era prophecies that God would console Zion and his people, Israel. Simeon’s waiting was not passive; he was expecting, anticipating, praying for and trusting in God’s promised salvation in the person of Messiah.

So, we see in this passage that Simeon had great faith in two of God’s promises in particular. The first was faith that the LORD would send his Christ—his Messiah, or Anointed One—to establish his kingdom; and the second was that Simeon would live to see the Messiah himself. No wonder Simeon wanted to hang around in the temple as he realized his days were running out! The alternative was to doubt, give up on God’s promise, and stay in the comfort of his home. Instead, he mimicked his father, Abraham, trusting the LORD to keep his promise, even as he grew very old. Rather than becoming anxious, Simeon understood that he must “seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness,” which is precisely what Luke tells us that he did. That’s why I call Simeon, “the archetypal disciple.” Simeon’s righteous and devout living was inspired by his great faith in God to send Messiah to establish his kingdom, as the Jewish prayer goes: “in your lifetime and during your days.”

In the same sentence which Luke tells us that Simeon was righteous and devout, he also mentions that Simeon was filled with the Holy Spirit. There seems to be a cycle in which God calls, man obeys, God draws near, man worships God, and so on. The more we obey the LORD, the more of his presence we can enjoy as the Holy Spirit comes upon us. Luke tells us that three times in quick succession:

Luke 2:25: “the Holy Spirit was upon him;”
Luke 2:26: the Holy Spirit had revealed to him that he would live to see the LORD’s Messiah;
Luke 2:27: he came to the temple “in the Spirit.”

We need to take special note when the Bible repeats something three times. As for Simeon, it’s safe to say that he was motivated by faith and led by the Holy Spirit. That is why he is among those God chose. The closing verses of Psalm 92 make a fitting tribute to Simeon(ESV, emphasis added):

12 The righteous flourish like the palm tree
and grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
13 They are planted in the house of the LORD;
they flourish in the courts of our God.
14 They still bear fruit in old age;
they are ever full of sap and green,
15 to declare that the LORD is upright;
he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.