“A light to lighten the Gentiles”
In this week’s Bible Lesson, “Christian Science,” the responsive reading includes Luke 2:32 — part of what is known as the “Song of Simeon” — referring to Christ Jesus:
“A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.”
The full text of the “Song of Simeon” can be found in Luke 2:29-32:
“Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.”
Remarking on Luke 2:32, Anna A Vinson writes in the December 21, 1968 Sentinel article “The daystar will appear”:
“The story of the nativity of Jesus, as recorded by Matthew, relates the search of a group of Wisemen who followed a star to find the one who they thought would become King of the Jews. They recognized in this event what the devout Simeon cognized when he saw the child Jesus in the temple and declared of him, ‘A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.’”
Writing in the December 22, 1917 Sentinel article “Mother and Child,” William P. McKenzie relates the following:
“Mary of Nazareth, when the days of purification required by the Mosaic law were accomplished, brought her child to the temple ‘to present him to the Lord,’ and thither at the right time came Simeon led by Spirit; for it was ‘revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ.’ He prophesied of the child in words at which the mother marveled as he blessed God, saying, ‘Mine eyes have seen thy salvation ... a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.’”
Clifford P. Smith, writing in his article “The Nativity” in the December 20, 1930 Sentinel, notes:
“Writing on the birth of Jesus furnishes an occasion for a mention of Simeon. It was he, and he alone of all who are named in the New Testament, who appears to have appreciated from the first that the Nativity not only began a new era for the Jews and Judaism, but also involved salvation for all people. (See Luke 2:26—35.) Joseph expected that Jesus would save ‘his people’ (Matthew 1:18—21). Even Jesus himself once said, ‘I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel’ (Matthew 15:24). But Simeon comprehended and declared from the first that the child Jesus would be both 'a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.' Thus, Simeon anticipated the Master's final command, ‘Teach all nations, ... teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you’ (Matthew 28:19, 20; Mark 16:15; Luke 24:45—47).”
O morning stars, together
Proclaim the holy birth,
And praises sing to God the King,
And peace to men on earth;
Where charity stands watching
And faith holds wide the door,
The dark night wakes, the glory breaks,
And Christmas comes once more.
(Christian Science Hymnal, No. 222:2)
Kenneth Foster, CS
