Year of the Bible
Luke 2
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Commentary on the Gospel According to St. Luke, Chapter 2:
Having set God’s plan of salvation in the context of the Old Testament in Chapter 1, Luke then places the arrival of Jesus in the context of the secular ruler, the Caesar (currently Augustus), who billed himself as the Lord and bringer of peace (vs. 1-2). Dramatic announcements continue, this time to shepherds--poorer outcasts who worked the night shift, away from “proper” society. The angel announces that “this day,” right now, God’s Savior has arrived! (vs. 11) The “glory of the Lord'' revealed to Israel (i.e. God’s presence on Mt. Sinai and in the Tabernacle) is now here for all people (vs, 9-10, 14, 32). The response to experiencing God’s salvation? Spirit-filled praise and joy! (vs. 20, 27, 38).
The Gospel According to St. Luke, Chapter 2:
The Birth of Jesus
1 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be enrolled. 2 This was the first enrollment, when Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 And all went to be enrolled, each to his own city. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be enrolled with Mary his be trothed, who was with child. 6 And while they were there, the time came for her to be de livered. 7 And she gave birth to her first-born son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
The Shepherds and the Angels
8 And in that region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. 10 And the angel said to them, “Be not afraid; for be hold, I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all the people; 11 for to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
14“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among
men with whom he is pleased!”
15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 And they went with haste, and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. 17 And when they saw it they made known the saying which had been told them
concerning this child; 18 and all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. 19 But Mary kept all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
Jesus Is Circumcised and Named
21 And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
Jesus Is Presented in the Temple
22 And when the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every male that opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”) 24 and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord, “a pair of turtle doves, or two young pigeons.” 25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, looking 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 should not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. 27 And inspired by the Spirit he came 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 let your servant depart in peace,
according to your word;
30 for my eyes have seen your salvation
31 which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and for glory to your people Israel.”
33 And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him; 34 and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother,
“Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel,
and for a sign that is spoken against
35 (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also),
that thoughts out of many hearts may be revealed.”
36 And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher; she was of a great age, having lived with her husband seven years from her virginity, 37 and as a widow till she was eighty four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. 38 And coming up at that very hour she gave thanks to God, and spoke of him to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.
The Return to Nazareth
39 And when they had per formed everything according to the law of the Lord, they re turned into Galilee, to their own city, Nazareth. 40 And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.
The Boy Jesus in the Temple
41 Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the Passover. 42 And when he was twelve years old, they went up according to custom; 43 and when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it, 44 but supposing him to be in the company they went a day’s journey, and they sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintances; 45 and when they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking him. 46 After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions; 47 and all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. 48 And when they saw him they were astonished; and his mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been looking for you anxiously.” 49 And he said to them, “How is it that you sought me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” 50 And they did not understand the saying which he spoke to the 51 And he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them; and his mother kept all these things in her heart.
52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature, and in favor with God and man.
*Daily Lectio Divina Question:
As you read about Jesus' birth and childhood days in these familiar lines, how do you connect it to the end of His earthly life we just walked through in Lent and His glorious Resurrection on Easter? Ask the Lord to show you the connections He has designed between the times of your life in the same way.
Biblical Commentary provided by the Catholic Biblical School of Michigan, an adult faith formation apostolate. cbsmich.org/join
Revised Standard Version; Second Catholic Edition. (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2006).
Permission to use the RSV-2CE given for Bishop's Year of the Bible by Ignatius Press. Many thanks to Ignatius for this.
If you're looking for a good Catholic edition of the Bible, look no further.
1 En aquellos días se promulgó un edicto
de César Augusto, para que se empadronase
todo el mundo.
2 Este primer empadronamiento
se hizo cuando Quirino era gobernador
de Siria. 3 Todos iban a inscribirse,
cada uno a su ciudad. 4 José, como era
de la casa y familia de David, subió desde
Nazaret, ciudad de Galilea, a la ciudad
de David llamada Belén, en Judea,
5 para empadronarse con María, su esposa,
que estaba encinta. 6 Y cuando
ellos se encontraban allí, le llegó la hora
del parto, 7 y dio a luz a su hijo primogénito;
lo envolvió en pañales y lo recostó
en un pesebre, porque no había lugar
para ellos en el aposento.
8 Había unos pastores por aquellos
contornos, que dormían al raso y vigilaban
por turno su rebaño durante la noche.
9 De improviso un ángel del Señor
se les presentó, y la gloria del Señor los
rodeó de luz. Y se llenaron de un gran
temor. 10 El ángel les dijo:
–No temáis. Mirad que vengo a
anunciaros una gran alegría, que lo será
para todo el pueblo: 11 hoy os ha nacido,
en la ciudad de David, el Salvador, que
es el Cristo, el Señor; 12 y esto os servirá
de señal: encontraréis a un niño envuelto
en pañales y reclinado en un pesebre.
13 De pronto apareció junto al ángel
una muchedumbre de la milicia celestial,
que alababa a Dios diciendo:
14 «Gloria a Dios en las alturas
y paz en la tierra
a los hombres en los que Él se complace
».
15 Cuando los ángeles les dejaron,
marchándose hacia el cielo, los pastores
se decían unos a otros:
–Vayamos a Belén para ver esto que
ha ocurrido y que el Señor nos ha manifestado.
16 Y fueron presurosos y encontraron
a María y a José y al niño reclinado
en el pesebre. 17 Al verlo, reconocieron
las cosas que les habían sido anunciadas
sobre este niño. 18 Y todos los que
lo oyeron se maravillaron de cuanto los
pastores les habían dicho. 19 María guardaba
todas estas cosas ponderándolas
en su corazón.
20 Y los pastores regresaron, glorificando
y alabando a Dios por todo lo
que habían oído y visto, según les fue dicho.
21 Cuando se cumplieron los ocho días
para circuncidarle, le pusieron por
nombre Jesús, como le había llamado el
ángel antes de que fuera concebido en el
seno materno.
22 Y cumplidos los días de su purificación
según la Ley de Moisés, lo llevaron
a Jerusalén para presentarlo al Señor,
23 como está mandado en la Ley
del Señor: Todo varón primogénito será
consagrado al Señor; 24 y para presentar
como ofrenda un par de tórtolas o dos
pichones, según lo mandado en la Ley
del Señor.
25 Había por entonces en Jerusalén
un hombre llamado Simeón. Estehombre, justo y temeroso de Dios, esperaba
la consolación de Israel, y el Espíritu
Santo estaba en él. 26 Había recibido
la revelación del Espíritu Santo de
que no moriría antes de ver al Cristo
del Señor. 27 Así, vino al Templo movido
por el Espíritu. Y al entrar los padres
con el niño Jesús, para cumplir lo
que prescribía la Ley sobre él, 28 lo tomó
en sus brazos y bendijo a Dios diciendo:
29 –Ahora, Señor, puedes dejar a tu
siervo
irse en paz,
según tu palabra:
30 porque mis ojos han visto
tu salvación,
31 la que has preparado
ante la faz de todos los pueblos:
32 luz para iluminar a los gentiles
y gloria de tu pueblo Israel.
33 Su padre y su madre estaban admirados
por las cosas que se decían de él.
34 Simeón los bendijo y le dijo a María,
su madre:
–Mira, éste ha sido puesto para ruina
y resurrección de muchos en Israel,
y para signo de contradicción 35 –y a tu
misma alma la traspasará una espada–,
a fin de que se descubran los pensamientos
de muchos corazones.
36 Vivía entonces una profetisa llamada
Ana, hija de Fanuel, de la tribu de
Aser. Era de edad muy avanzada, había
vivido con su marido siete años de casada
37 y había permanecido viuda hasta
los ochenta y cuatro años, sin apartarse
del Templo, sirviendo con ayunos
y oraciones noche y día. 38 Y llegando en
aquel mismo momento, alababa a Dios
y hablaba de él a todos los que esperaban
la redención de Jerusalén.
39 Cuando cumplieron todas las cosas
mandadas en la Ley del Señor, regresaron
a Galilea, a su ciudad de Nazaret.
40 El niño iba creciendo y fortaleciéndose
lleno de sabiduría, y la gracia
de Dios estaba en él.
41 Sus padres iban todos los años a
Jerusalén para la fiesta de la Pascua. 42 Y
cuando tuvo doce años, subieron a la
fiesta, como era costumbre. 43 Pasados
aquellos días, al regresar, el niño Jesús
se quedó en Jerusalén sin que lo advirtiesen
sus padres. 44 Suponiendo que iba
en la caravana, hicieron un día de camino
buscándolo entre los parientes y
conocidos, 45 y al no encontrarlo, volvieron
a Jerusalén en su busca. 46 Y al
cabo de tres días lo encontraron en el
Templo, sentado en medio de los doctores,
escuchándoles y preguntándoles.
47 Cuantos le oían quedaban admirados
de su sabiduría y de sus respuestas. 48 Al
verlo se maravillaron, y le dijo su madre:
–Hijo, ¿por qué nos has hecho esto?
Mira que tu padre y yo, angustiados, te
buscábamos.
49 Y él les dijo:
–¿Por qué me buscabais? ¿No sabíais
que es necesario que yo esté en las
cosas de mi Padre?
50 Pero ellos no comprendieron lo
que les dijo.
51 Bajó con ellos, vino a Nazaret y les
estaba sujeto. Y su madre guardaba todas
estas cosas en su corazón. 52 Y Jesús
crecía en sabiduría, en edad y en gracia
delante de Dios y de los hombres.
Pregunta de Lectio Divina del día de hoy
Mientras lees acerca del nacimiento de Jesús y los días de su infancia en estas líneas familiares, ¿cómo lo conectas con el final de Su vida terrena por la que acabamos de pasar durante esta temporada de cuaresma y Su gloriosa Resurrección en la Pascua? Pídele al Señor que te muestre las conexiones que él ha diseñado de la misma manera en los momentos de tu vida.
La Biblia de Navarra
Permiso para usar esta versión de la primera edición de la Biblia de Navarra
para el Año de la Biblia del Obispo
dado por Ediciones Universidad de Navarra, S.A. (EUNSA).