Simeon, a righteous and devout Old Testament believer, is led by the Holy Spirit to the temple, where he meets Jesus and his parents, Joseph and Mary. Simeon breaks forth into a spirit-filled song, praising God for the fulfillment of the Abrahamic covenant and the salvation of all people, both Jew and Gentile. However, Simeon also prophesies that Jesus will bring great emotional pain to his mother, Mary, and divide Israel, as people will either receive or reject him. The song of Simeon prepares sinners to die well, declares salvation to the nations, makes neutrality with Jesus impossible, and shows how Jesus was born under the law for us.
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