Bible
Passage: Luke 2:21-24
The prologue (1:1-4) of the
passage which we read today certainly implies that Luke wrote this gospel after
careful historical research. The Gospel opens with a series of birth narratives
alternating between Jesus and John the Baptist. They contrast between Jesus
with John the Baptist. From the beginning itself we testify Christ as God’s son
(1: 26-33). The atmosphere of chapters 1-2 reveals an Old Testament context.
They try to present Jesus in a messianic frame (cf 1:32b, 33. 68-75). It is
this messianic revelation that Simeon and Hanna testifies in this passage. They
proclaim the Salvific act of Christ and describe Christ as the fulfilment of
years of hope and await.
Here the emphasis is on the
universal Messiah. Coming of the saviour is the light to the gentiles and glory
to Israel (Luke 2: 25-38).
This passage is the continuation
of the Old Testament order. Here we see the fulfilment of the traditions. The
spirit of the traditions and heritage is affirmed. According to the Jewish law,
all male children have to be circumcised on the 8th day. Through this
we name the child and affirm his identity in relationship with God
Ø It is the formative
submission and separation for the glory of God and for the realization of the
Kingdom of God. It is the reaffirmation of the covenant with God.
Ø As per the
ritual of cleansing, if a baby boy is born, then this ritual was conducted
after 8 days. In case of a girl child, cleansing took after 66 days (Levi 12:
6-8). Till then as per the ritual, they were considered as unclean. But the
sacrament of cleansing is the reversal of it. It is the affirmation of the
value of the person in the society. It is the reconstruction of the society
through the worship, religion and actions. You make yourself available for
worship and social involvement.
Ø The
separation of the first born is an example of it. Exodus 13:2, 12 reveals this
divine mandate from God which is from a liberative perspective. The New Testament
church remembers this through the sacrament of baptism. So here the naming of
the child is a significant and important element.
Some of the important features of Christian
names are:
1. Christian name is the identity within the
covenantal relationship between God and the human beings:
Name differentiates one from
another. For e.g. in Jn 10:3, “He calls his sheep by their names” shows the
significance of our name. As per Biblical understanding, a name is not a mere
label of identification. Rather it is an indication of the person’s character. We
see in Gen 2: 20 that Adam identified the function of all that came before him
and gave names to it. It also speaks of the reputation of the personality (Gen
12: 2, Abraham) Thus names remain closer to ones personality.
A possible derivation of the
Hebrew word shm used for name in the
Bible is from wshm meaning ‘to brand
or mark’. It is inextricably bound to its relational existence (Gen 2:18-23).
This identity is a divine call for the existence of relationity. In the New
Testament, the sacrament of baptism and naming the child is mentioned for 5
times (Mt. 28: 19; Acts 2: 38; 8:16; 10:48; 19:5) This identity is provided to
us in the name of the trinity. That is why, choosing the name of a child is of
great importance. In Luke 1:13 we have the naming of John the Baptist; Luke
1:31, the naming of Jesus. Etc. Thus the name we receive through the holy
trinity is a symbol of relationship between God and his Kingdom. Every baptism
is a reminder of it. Every time we hear our name, it should remind us of the
name we received through the holy sacrament of Baptism.
2.
Christian name is a revelation of God’s will:
Christian name is a reminder of
the responsibility entrusted in to be a connecting link in the salvation
history. That is why we retain the continuity in names and try to keep the names
of the faithful forefathers or mothers in baptism and consecration. So naming
is not an end in itself. It is a call to respond to God’s teachings and
commissioning (Mt. 28: 19-20). It is a response to the divine call to become
salt and light of the world (Mt. 5: 13-14). It is the expression of the
commitment to prioritize God’s kingdom and its righteousness in our lives (Mt
6:33). It is the commitment to bear the cross.
3.
Christian name is the expression of the vision and hope of generations:
In this passage Simeon and Hanna
certifies this message. The words they spoke in the temple points out this
great truth. Those words were the expressions of their satisfaction on the
fulfilment of their long awaited arrival of the messiah and the hope to restore
Israel. It is not only their hope but the hope nurtured by generations. When
they recognised that the identity or the inner meaning of the name, the will of
God explicit in the name materialize as a reality in Jesus, they were overjoyed.
Generations are happy and satiated in living according to the true worth of
one’s name. It is also the realization of incarnation. Jesus’ life reveals it
to us. Through baptism every Christian is born again in Christ and has a
responsibility to accomplish. We have a hope in this truth. It is the continuation
of incarnation and through us this continuity is realized. It is here, the
theological affirmation of church being the continuity of incarnation becomes a
reality.
Name is the revelation of a
culture. It has the spirit of the faith traditions. It is a symbol of God’s
covenant with man. Our Christian name is a dynamic formative force in the Kingdom
values. In the name of triune God lies our identity. Our identity is expressed
and affirmed in that relational covenant. It is a call to seek and participate
in the will of god. Hence it is a call to participate in the ministry of God in
utmost faithfulness.
May the Almighty Lord strengthen
us to lead a faithful Christian life.