Luke2:38

Translation

And having come up at that hour, gave thanks to GOD and spoke about Him to all those who were waiting for the deliverance

of JERUSALEM.

Paraphrase

She came to them at that moment; she gave thanks to THE CREATOR AND RULER OF ALL THINGS, and talked about the baby to everyone who she knew was anxious for the deliverance of THE PEACEFUL PLACE.

Footnotes

1: “the deliverance”

She had a reputation as a prophetess, a prayer warrior, and one who yearned for God’s deliverer to come. Others with similar yearnings would gravitate toward her. After seeing Jesus, she told all those who shared her desires that God was beginning to bring about His promise. There were many who wanted freedom from Rome, but a smaller number who yearned for God’s deliverance from other types of bondage such as sin. The text paints a picture of Anna as having spiritual depth, thus she was probably looking for more than a political solution to their problems. In fact we can assume that she and Simeon were included in this narrative precisely because they saw God’s work on a deeper level than most.

2

The name JERUSALEM: THE PEACEFUL, WHOLESOME PLACE was not peaceful or wholesome at that time, and simple human effort would not change that. The saving, reconciling acts of God were required to bring deliverance, peace, wholeness and wellbeing to what should have been a PEACEFUL AND WHOLESOME PLACE.