Every Male that Openeth the Womb (Luke 2:23)

2023-12-13

As it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord (Luke 2:23)

This is a quotation or reference from many verses in the Old Testament, one of them being, “Sanctify unto me all the firstborn, whatsoever openeth the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of beast: it is mine” (Exodus 13:2).

For every son born, he must be redeemed. “And it came to pass, when Pharaoh would hardly let us go, that the LORD slew all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man, and the firstborn of beast: therefore I sacrifice to the LORD all that openeth the matrix, being males; but all the firstborn of my children I redeem” (Exodus 13:15). The firstborn son of the Israelite was spared because of the Passover lamb, and sacrifices were also given for every firstborn son.

Jesus being the firstborn Son, He is the fulfillment of this. He is the firstborn Son of God. He was the firstborn Son of His mother Mary.

Strangely enough, unlike the firstborn sons that were redeemed, this firstborn Son was slaughtered. He was the real sacrifice that did the redeeming of the rest of humanity. Yet He was the one who was really “holy to the Lord.” He was given so that we could also be holy.

The Lord Jesus didn’t need redeeming; He was the one doing the redeeming.