Simeon's oracle and the Nunc Dimittis

“And it had been revealed to him that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ” (Luke 2:26). So the revelation meant passing from life to life, journeying from light to light, leaping from day to day—not growing old, but being renewed, and receiving renewal at the time of the consummation. “He came in the Spirit into the temple” (Luke 2:27); the spring led the thirsty man to the spring. “And when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to what was customary, he himself received him into his arms” (Luke 2:27). In his hands he carried the One who holds the inhabited world and the uninhabited in his hand, “who measured the water in his hand and the heaven with a span and all the earth with his fist” (Isaiah 40:12). And how did Simeon offer a sacrifice that did not belong to him? For he was not a priest—that is not said—nor a Levite, nor a temple-keeper, since the liturgical office has been allotted to the tribe of Levi alone. He was not a priest, but he was “righteous,” and righteousness possesses the priesthood under its feet. He was not a Levite, but he was “devout,” and the devout man has the anointing from himself.

And carrying the infant he said: “Now you release your servant, Master, according to your word, in peace” (Luke 2:29). “Now you release”—for the time of forgiveness had come, the ransom of the captives had arrived, the pardon of debts had come. A king was born who frees those in prisons, releases those in bonds, calls those in death back to life, and lightens the burden of the earth. “Now you release your servant, Master.” How do you know? I see the Master, he says, wearing the form of a servant. The Master would not have worn the form of a servant unless he had resolved to clothe the servant in the Master’s form. He would not have exchanged the order, nor would he who is high have been humbled, unless he had willed to lead the humble up to the height. But how do you “release him according to your word, in peace”? Simeon says: For if by a word you brought creation into being, by a word you certainly set free the ruler of creation. “In peace”—what peace? That of the cross. For that sword cut off the tyrant’s head and gave peace to those who fight alongside Christ. “Because my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared” (Luke 2:30-31). I have seen what many longed to see and did not see: God in flesh, a sun shining in a cloud. “My eyes have seen your salvation,” that is, I have seen your incarnation, through which you arranged the salvation of humanity. For I did not see the bare Godhead, since no human being will see God as he is in essence. “Because my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared before the face of all the peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and glory for your people Israel” (Luke 2:31-32). The good things are common to Jews and Gentiles and undivided. So let the Jew not envy, let the Pharisee not be distressed, let the scribe not test, let Herod not fear for his kingdom, let Annas and Caiaphas not be afraid for their priesthood. The One who has come gives to all and takes from no one; he bestows generously, he grants without measure.

But Joseph and his mother, hearing what Simeon had said, marveled that Christ should consent to become a son of man. Mary marveled that a woman’s womb had contained God, that the servant had given birth to the One who sets creation free.