THE EARLY YEARS

THE SWORD OF JESUS

Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: "This child is destined to cause the 
falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the 
thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too" (Lk. 2:34-
35).

"There comes my little 'preacher boy.'"  I don't know how many times I heard that phrase.  It seemed 
that every time I visited at "pawpaw's," he would say that of me.  I remember thinking—"Song leader?  
Maybe.  Bible school teacher?  Perhaps.  But definitely not a preacher!"  Well, thirty years later, here I 
am—the PREACHER!  It is amazing how often those childhood prophecies come true.

I suspect Mary reflected on that truth after hearing the words of the old man Simeon in the Temple 
courts as she and Joseph fulfilled the Law by redeeming their firstborn son.

Simeon had approached the young couple and taken the baby Jesus up into his arms.  With almost 
inexpressible joy, the aged Jew had begun praising God—speaking about the child being God's 
salvation and a revelation to the Gentiles.  Suddenly, Simeon turns to Mary and with a changing, 
melancholy voice says, "This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, 
and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be 
revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too."

I suspect it was the last few words that caught Mary's attention the most—"a sword will pierce your 
own soul too."  What could that possibly mean?  Was it akin to my mother's old promise—"One day 
you'll pay for you raisin"?  Or was Mary destined to experience a level of pain and anguish most 
parents never experience and are glad that they don't?

For years Mary must have wondered, "Is this the sword that will pierce my soul?"  Perhaps Mary 
thought such when Jesus became ill as an infant.  Perhaps those were her thoughts when Jesus 
stayed behind in Jerusalem at the age of twelve while Mary and Joseph searched frantically for their 
young son.  Maybe those thoughts swelled up in her mind when Mary watched as her firstborn son 
left home to embark upon "his mission."

While scripture doesn't say so, is it possible that Jesus' own reference to the sword was prompted by 
his remembrance of Mary's story?  Listen to Jesus' words again in the context of Simeon's prophesy, 
"Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, 
but a sword.  For I have come to turn "`a man against his father, a daughter against her 
mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law—a man's enemies will be the members of 
his own household" (Mt. 10:34-36).

Anyone who has ever been a parent understands the soul-piercing anguish that comes with the job.  
Mary must have wondered many times—Is this what Simeon was talking about?  Her questions, 
however, ended when on a dark, spring day on a hill called Calvary the old Jew's words finally came 
true—and there was no mistaking the prophecy's fulfillment this time. 

See you next week!