which You have preparedThis phrase highlights God's sovereign plan and preparation for salvation. The preparation refers to the coming of Jesus Christ, which was foretold by the prophets in the Old Testament.
Isaiah 40:3-5 speaks of preparing the way for the Lord, and
Malachi 3:1 mentions the messenger who will prepare the way. This preparation underscores God's intentional and deliberate plan for redemption, fulfilled in the birth and life of Jesus.
in the sight of all people,
The phrase emphasizes the universal scope of God's salvation plan. The birth of Jesus was not just for Israel but for all nations, fulfilling the promise to Abraham that through his offspring all nations would be blessed (Genesis 22:18). This inclusivity is further echoed in the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20), where Jesus commands His disciples to make disciples of all nations. The public nature of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection, witnessed by many, underscores the accessibility and availability of salvation to all humanity.
Persons / Places / Events
1.
SimeonA devout and righteous man in Jerusalem who was promised by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's Christ. He is the speaker of this verse.
2.
JesusThe infant Jesus is being presented at the temple by Mary and Joseph, fulfilling the Jewish law of purification and dedication of the firstborn.
3.
Temple in JerusalemThe setting of this event, where Jewish customs and laws were observed, and where Simeon encounters Jesus.
4.
Mary and JosephThe earthly parents of Jesus, obedient to the Law of Moses, bringing Jesus to the temple.
5.
The Holy SpiritThe Spirit who revealed to Simeon that he would see the Messiah and who guided him to the temple at the right time.
Teaching Points
Universal SalvationJesus is the fulfillment of God's promise of salvation, prepared for all people, not just Israel. This emphasizes the inclusivity of the Gospel.
God's FaithfulnessSimeon's encounter with Jesus is a testament to God's faithfulness in fulfilling His promises. Believers can trust in God's timing and promises.
Role of the Holy SpiritThe Holy Spirit plays a crucial role in guiding and revealing God's plans. Christians should seek the Spirit's guidance in their lives.
Obedience to God's LawMary and Joseph's adherence to the Law of Moses highlights the importance of obedience to God's commands as an act of faith.
Bible Study Questions and Answers
1.What is the meaning of Luke 2:31?
2.How does Luke 2:31 reveal God's plan for salvation to all people?
3.What Old Testament prophecies connect with the salvation mentioned in Luke 2:31?
4.How can we share the message of salvation in our daily lives?
5.In what ways does Luke 2:31 encourage trust in God's promises?
6.How does understanding Luke 2:31 impact your personal relationship with Jesus Christ?
7.How does Luke 2:31 fulfill Old Testament prophecy about salvation for all people?
8.What historical evidence supports the events described in Luke 2?
9.How does Luke 2:31 relate to the theme of universal salvation?
10.What are the top 10 Lessons from Luke 2?
11.What is the Nunc Dimittis?
12.What is loving your neighbor as yourself?
13.2 Peter 3:8-9: Does the flexible view of time here undermine the urgency of the message?
14.Revelation 19:14 describes an army in white linen on heavenly horses--what evidence supports a real historical or spiritual event like this?What Does Luke 2:31 Mean
WhichLuke 2:30 names the object: “Your salvation.” By saying “which,” Simeon connects everything God promised with the baby he now holds.
•Genesis 3:15 first hinted at this salvation; each covenant afterward—Abrahamic (Genesis 12:3), Davidic (2 Samuel 7:12-13)—points to the same “which.”
• The prophets kept the hope alive (Isaiah 9:6-7;Micah 5:2).
• Now, in Jesus, the “which” is tangible (John 1:14), fulfilling every earlier promise without remainder.
You have preparedSalvation is not humanity’s achievement; God Himself “prepared” it.
•Ephesians 1:4-5 affirms God chose us “before the foundation of the world.”
•Acts 2:23 says Jesus was “delivered up by God’s set plan and foreknowledge,” underscoring deliberate preparation.
•Galatians 4:4-5 highlights the perfect timing: “When the fullness of time had come, God sent His Son.”
• Because God prepared it, believers can rest: what He starts, He finishes (Philippians 1:6).
In the sightThe preparation isn’t hidden or reserved for an elite few.
• Jesus was born in a crowded town, announced by angels to shepherds (Luke 2:10-12)—public, open, verifiable.
• His ministry was conducted “openly” (John 18:20) and His resurrection had “many convincing proofs” (Acts 1:3).
• Paul told Agrippa, “These things were not done in a corner” (Acts 26:26).
• God’s transparency invites confidence; the gospel withstands honest scrutiny (1 John 1:1-3).
Of all peopleSalvation’s scope is universal:
• The angel’s birth announcement was “good news of great joy that will be for all the people” (Luke 2:10).
•Isaiah 49:6 foretold a “light for the Gentiles.” Simeon echoes this in the next verse (Luke 2:32).
•John 3:16 states God’s love embraces “the world,” whileRomans 1:16 calls the gospel “the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew, then to the Greek.”
•Revelation 7:9 pictures the fulfilled promise: a multitude “from every nation, tribe, people, and language” standing before the Lamb.
summaryLuke 2:31 celebrates God’s long-planned, publicly unveiled, universally offered salvation in Jesus. What once was promise is now a Person; what was prepared by God is openly displayed; what was hoped for Israel is graciously extended to every people. Our task is simple: behold, believe, and share the salvation God has set before all.
(31)
Before the face of all people.--Literally,
of all peoples. The word expresses the universality of the salvation which the next verse contemplates in its application to the two great divisions of the human family.
Verses 31, 32. -
Before the face of all people; a Light to lighten the Gentiles; more accurately rendered, all peoples. Men like Isaiah, who lived several centuries before the nativity, with their glorious farreaching prophecies, such as
Isaiah 52:10, were far in advance of the narrow, selfish Jewish schools of the age of Jesus Christ. It was, perhaps, the hardest lesson the apostles and first teachers of the faith had to master - this full, free admission of the vast Gentile world into the kingdom of their God. Simeon, in his song, however, distinctly repeats the broad, generous sayings of the older prophets.
Parallel Commentaries ...
Greek
whichὃ(ho)Personal / Relative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3739:Who, which, what, that.You have preparedἡτοίμασας(hētoimasas)Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 2090:To make ready, prepare. From hetoimos; to prepare.inκατὰ(kata)Preposition
Strong's 2596:A primary particle; down, in varied relations (genitive, dative or accusative) with which it is joined).the sightπρόσωπον(prosōpon)Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 4383:From pros and ops; the front, i.e. The countenance, aspect, appearance, surface; by implication, presence, person.of allπάντων(pantōn)Adjective - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 3956:All, the whole, every kind of. Including all the forms of declension; apparently a primary word; all, any, every, the whole.people,λαῶν(laōn)Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 2992:Apparently a primary word; a people.
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NT Gospels: Luke 2:31 Which you have prepared before the face (Luke Lu Lk) 
