Luke 2:32

 Luke 2:32

A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.

a. NASB 1995: A LIGHT OF REVELATION TO THE GENTILES, And the glory of Your people Israel.”   [NASB95 New American Standard Bible. Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation; All Rights Reserved]

b. NKJV: A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, And the glory of Your people Israel.”  [Scripture quotations marked "NKJV" are taken from the New King James Version®, Copyright© 1982, Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.]

c. Classic Amplified: A Light for [k]revelation to the Gentiles [to disclose what was before unknown] and [to bring] praise and honor and glory to Your people Israel.  [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

d. Peshitta Eastern Text: A light for a revelation to the Gentiles, and a glory to your people Israel.  [HOLY BIBLE FROM THE ANCIENT EASTERN TEXT. Copyright  Ⓒ 1933 by A.J. Holmon Co.; copyright  Ⓒ renewed 1968 by A.J. Holmon Co.; All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. HarperCollins Publishers, 195 Broadway, New York, NY 10007.]

e. ESV: A light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.”  [Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001, 2007, 2011, 2016 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved."]

f. Unless otherwise stated, all Greek and Hebrew definitions are from Blue Letter Bible

g. Comments are welcome.

1. “A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.”

a. [A] light [Strong: 5457 φῶς phōs, foce; from an obsolete φάω pháō (to shine or make manifest, especially by rays; compare G5316, G5346); luminousness (in the widest application, natural or artificial, abstract or concrete, literal or figurative):—fire, light.]

b. to [Strong: 1519 εἰς eis, ice; a primary preposition; to or into (indicating the point reached or entered), of place, time, or (figuratively) purpose (result, etc.); also in adverbial phrases:—(abundant-)ly, against, among, as, at, (back-)ward, before, by, concerning, + continual, + far more exceeding, for (intent, purpose), fore, + forth, in (among, at, unto, -so much that, -to), to the intent that, + of one mind, + never, of, (up-)on, + perish, + set at one again, (so) that, therefore(-unto), throughout, til, to (be, the end, -ward), (here-)until(-to), …ward, (where-)fore, with.]

c. lighten [Strong: 602 ἀποκάλυψις apokálypsis, ap-ok-al'-oop-sis; from G601; disclosure:—appearing, coming, lighten, manifestation, be revealed, revelation.]

d. [the] Gentiles [Strong: 1484 ἔθνος éthnos, eth'-nos; probably from G1486; a race (as of the same habit), i.e. a tribe; specially, a foreign (non-Jewish) one (usually, by implication, pagan):—Gentile, heathen, nation, people.]

e. and [Strong; 2532 καί kaí, kahee; apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:—and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.]

f. [the] glory [Strong: 1391 δόξα dóxa, dox'-ah; from the base of G1380; glory (as very apparent), in a wide application (literal or figurative, objective or subjective):—dignity, glory(-ious), honour, praise, worship.]

g. [of] thy [Strong: 4675 σοῦ soû, soo; genitive case of G4771; of thee, thy:—X home, thee, thine (own), thou, thy.]

h. people [Strong: 2992 λαός laós, lah-os'; apparently a primary word; a people (in general; thus differing from G1218, which denotes one's own populace):—people.]

i. Israel [Strong: 2474 Ἰσραήλ Israḗl, is-rah-ale'; of Hebrew origin (H3478); Israel (i.e. Jisrael), the adopted name of Jacob, including his descendants (literally or figuratively):—Israel.]

1). Simeon was prophesying a powerful nugget that not many Jews were aware of: That the Gentiles were going to be included in the great salvation of the Messiah of Israel.

a). Ephesians 3:1-7 For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles,

3:2 If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:

3:3 How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,

3:4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)

3:5 Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;

3:6 That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:. 

2). When Jesus appeared to Paul the first time on the road to Damascus He told him that He was going to send him to the Gentiles. This was Paul’s testimony before King Agrippa.

 

a). Acts 26:12-18 Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests,

26:13At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me.

26:14 And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.

26:15 And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.

26:16 But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee;

26:17 Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee,

26:18 To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.

 

2). Paul was very knowledgeable of the Old Covenant and because of revelation from Jesus he knew that the prophets foretold the time when the Gentiles would be offered to be included into covenant with God. One of my favorite passages is found in Jeremiah

 

a). Jeremiah 16:19-21 O Lord, my strength, and my fortress, and my refuge in the day of affliction, the Gentiles shall come unto thee from the ends of the earth, and shall say, Surely our fathers have inherited lies, vanity, and things wherein there is no profit.

16:20 Shall a man make gods unto himself, and they are no gods?

16:21 Therefore, behold, I will this once cause them to know, I will cause them to know mine hand and my might; and they shall know that my name is The Lord.

 

3). In his epistle to the Romans Paul cited at least four Old Testament verse that foretold the inclusion of Gentiles into being in covenant with God.

 

a). Romans 15:8-12 Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers:

15:9 And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name.

15:10 And again he saith, Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people.

15:11 And again, Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and laud him, all ye people.

15:12 And again, Esaias saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust.

 

b). Those Old Testament verses are: 2 Samuel 22:50; Deuteronomy 32:43; Psalm 117:1; Isaiah 11:10.

 

 4). Finally when Paul spent a whole day with Jewish leaders when he was on house arrest in Rome, one of his concluding statements was a warning from the prophet Isaiah and a prophetic statement that has proven true for over two thousand years.

 

a). Acts 28:25-29 And when they agreed not among themselves, they departed, after that Paul had spoken one word, Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the prophet unto our fathers,

28:26 Saying, Go unto this people, and say, Hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and not perceive:

28:27 For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.

28:28 Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it.

28:29 And when he had said these words, the Jews departed, and had great reasoning among themselves.