JesusWalk Bible Study Forum: Question 5 - JesusWalk Bible Study Forum

5. What expectations do Simeon and Anna have of the Messiah's salvation? What does this have to do with Jerusalem? With the Gentiles? With Jesus' own life? What kind(s) of salvation does
Jesus offer today?

It says Simeon was waiting for the "Consolation of Israel"--I'm not sure what this means. It seems to be an unsual title for the Messiah they were expecting--espcially as most people were wanting a military type hero. It makes me think more of a leader who will speak words that will comfort, encourage and help the nation through hard times. Simeon also understood and spoke of the Messiah's salvation being for all people. It would shine as a revealing light to the gentiles, showing them their sins and need of a savior. It would be the glory of Israel--that they would be chosen to provide this salvation. Anna's views are laid out buy she did recognize Jesus for who He was and share this news with those who looked forward to the "redemption in Jerusalem". So they knew that they needed to be redeemed and they expected this to occur in Jerusalem.
Jesus offers us salvation from our sins and from the penalty of death that those sins give us. We are saved from death and given life. We are also saved from ourselves--from our sin nature that makes it impossible for us to be always good no matter how hard we try. Once Jesus has completed His work of salvation in us we will have complete victory over sin.

I believe that Anna and Simeon were expecting precisely what Jesus fullfilled in His life. They were expecting for a person that would help Israel, a hero that wold bring peace to their hearts, a priest who would bring God back to them, a lamb that would be offer in sacrifice for their sins. jerusalem was and is the center of Israel, the home of the temple, the heart of the Jewish nation, and icon of the Jewish faith. The place where the answer of God would be received (Jesus fullfilled all this when he was brought to the temple by Joseph and Mary). Also the Messiah would bring hope for the Gentiles (we could quote what God told Abraham "In thy seed all of the nations will be blessed" and that seed is precisely Jesus Christ, he opened the door to reconciliation with God, not only for the Jewish, but also for the Gentiles).
About Jesus own life we could say that in Him all of the prophecies about the Messiah were fullfilled, He became the Hero, the Savior, the High Priest, the Teacher, the Master, the Servant, the Friend, the Healer, the Judge, the Helper, the Truth, the Word of God among many other characteristics of the true Messiah.
Today jesus offers the only one and true salvation, He is the way, the light and the truth, He is the narrow path that takes us home, He is the door, He is the shepperd, He is the beginning and the end, there is not other way to go to the Father, except thru Jesus.

I don't believe Anna and Simeon were expecting a Savior who would bring political freedom for them but one that would be just as Jesus was with peace, love, salvation, grace, and all of the other things we attribute to Him. I feelt that they might have realized He was for all people but would still have the Jewish pride in Him being of and for them. Jesus brought salvation to us today just as he did then. All we must do is accept Him as our Savior and live as much like Him as we possibly can.

Simeon was waiting for the Consolation of Israel.
Salvation for us that He is the way, the truth and the light.

Simeon and Anna are expecting deliverance of all people by God through a savior.

For Jerusalem this would mean relief from their Roman oppressors, their King.

For the Gentiles it would mean a savior, being accepted into the family of God.

For Jesus it meant he had come to do the will of his father, he is the savior of the world.

Jesus offers us forgiveness from our sins and life eternally with him.

Anna and Simeon, were well versed with the scriptures, so they must have known all about Jesus also his fate. They must also have realised that Jesus came to work great things in his life, and that he was the son of God. That he didn't come as a warrior, but as a peace loving man. Who would have great influence with all who met and loved him. also that he would be slaughtered for mankind. So that sinners could be saved.