Luke 2:37

King James Version (KJV)

And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.

Adam Clarke
Bible Commentary

Departed not from the temple - Attended constantly at the hours of prayer, which were nine in the morning and three in the afternoon. See Acts 2:15; Acts 3:1. It does not appear that women had any other functions to perform in that holy place.

With fastings - She accompanied her devotion with frequent fastings, probably not oftener than twice in the week; for this was the custom of the most rigid Pharisees: see Luke 18:12.

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Albert Barnes
Notes on the Whole Bible

And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years - That is, she was about 84 years of age. It does not mean that she had been a widow for that long time.

Fastings and prayers - Constant religious service. pending her time in prayer, and in all the ordinances of religion.

Night and day - Continually - that is, at the usual times of public worship and in private. When it is said that she departed not from the temple, it is meant that she was “constant” and “regular” in all the public services at the temple, or was never absent from those services. God blesses those who wait at his temple gates.

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Matthew Henry
Concise Bible Commentary

There was much evil then in the church, yet God left not himself without witness. Anna always dwelt in, or at least attended at, the temple. She was always in a praying spirit; gave herself to prayer, and in all things she served God. Those to whom Christ is made known, have great reason to thank the Lord. She taught others concerning him. Let the example of the venerable saints, Simeon and Anna, give courage to those whose hoary heads are, like theirs, a crown of glory, being found in the way of righteousness. The lips soon to be silent in the grave, should be showing forth the praises of the Redeemer. In all things it became Christ to be made like unto his brethren, therefore he passed through infancy and childhood as other children, yet without sin, and with manifest proofs of the Divine nature in him. By the Spirit of God all his faculties performed their offices in a manner not seen in any one else. Other children have foolishness bound in their hearts, which appears in what they say or do, but he was filled with wisdom, by the influence of the Holy Ghost; every thing he said and did, was wisely said and wisely done, above his years. Other children show the corruption of their nature; nothing but the grace of God was upon him.

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SDA Bible Commentary (limited)
Volume 1-7

37. Fourscore and four years. It is somewhat uncertain from the Greek whether the expression translated “of about fourscore and four years” is to be understood as applying to Anna’s age or to the duration of her widowhood. Commentators are about evenly divided on the question. Some translations apply the period to her age (as the RSV), and others, to her widowhood (as Moffatt). The KJV rendering, “a widow of about fourscore and four years,” reflects somewhat the ambiguous phraseology of the original. The details given and the wording used seem to indicate that the 84 years most likely refers to the period of Anna’s widowhood. If Anna had been married at the early age of 15, had been married for 7 years, and then remained a widow for 84 years, she would then be 106 years of age. This would by no means be impossible, though the age of 84 would also make her “of a great age.”

Departed not. Some have understood this to mean that Anna, as a pensioner of the Temple, had been assigned a room adjacent to the precincts of the Temple, perhaps with other widows, and that in return she devoted her time to teaching the young women who came to the Temple for religious instruction. Whether there was provision for this in the days of Christ is not known. Others think that she “departed not from the temple” in the same sense that the disciples, after the ascension, “were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God” (see Luke 24:53; Acts 2:46). It is obvious that in this latter instance Luke does not mean Temple residence, but rather regular attendance at religious services in the Temple, plus witnessing before the people who assembled there (see Acts 3:1; Acts 5:12, 20, 21, 25, 42; etc.).

Night and day. Probably a reference to the morning and evening hours of worship. Whatever the case may have been with regard to her residence (see foregoing), it is evident Anna faithfully attended the hours of morning and evening worship. Her life was absorbed in the service of God; she had no other interests to distract her attention. Such a life Paul eulogizes as most appropriate to one who is “a widow indeed” (see 1 Tim. 5:5).

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Ellen G. White
The Desire of Ages, 50-8

This chapter is based on Luke 2:21-38.

About forty days after the birth of Christ, Joseph and Mary took Him to Jerusalem, to present Him to the Lord, and to offer sacrifice. This was according to the Jewish law, and as man's substitute Christ must conform to the law in every particular. He had already been subjected to the rite of circumcision, as a pledge of His obedience to the law. DA 50.1

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Ellen G. White
The Desire of Ages, 231

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.” Mark 1:14, 15. DA 231.1

The Messiah's coming had been first announced in Judea. In the temple at Jerusalem the birth of the forerunner had been foretold to Zacharias as he ministered before the altar. On the hills of Bethlehem the angels had proclaimed the birth of Jesus. To Jerusalem the magi had come in search of Him. In the temple Simeon and Anna had testified to His divinity. “Jerusalem, and all Judea” had listened to the preaching of John the Baptist; and the deputation from the Sanhedrin, with the multitude, had heard his testimony concerning Jesus. In Judea, Christ had received His first disciples. Here much of His early ministry had been spent. The flashing forth of His divinity in the cleansing of the temple, His miracles of healing, and the lessons of divine truth that fell from His lips, all proclaimed that which after the healing at Bethesda He had declared before the Sanhedrin,—His Sonship to the Eternal. DA 231.2

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Ellen G. White
SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 5 (EGW), 1116

13, 14, 29-32. Satan Filled With Frenzy—The heavenly heralds aroused all the wrath of the synagogue of Satan. He followed the steps of those who had charge of the infant Jesus. He heard the prophecy of Simeon in the temple courts, who had long been waiting for the consolation of Israel. The Holy Ghost was upon him and he came by the Spirit into the temple. Taking the infant Saviour in his arms, he blessed God, and said, “Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: for mine eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.” Satan was filled with frenzy as he saw that the aged Simeon recognized the divinity of Christ (The Review and Herald, October 29, 1895). 5BC 1116.1

25-32. In the Atmosphere of Heaven—Simeon no sooner saw the infant in the priest's arms than he was divinely impressed ... [Luke 2:29-32 quoted]. 5BC 1116.2

Simeon realized that he held in his arms One who was the Way, the Truth, and the Life. There was at this time nothing in Christ's outward appearance to give him this assurance, but Simeon had lived in the atmosphere of heaven. The bright beams of the Sun of Righteousness gave him spiritual discernment. His one desire had been to see Christ. The purity of his life corresponded to the light he had received, and he was prepared for the revelation of the great truth that this helpless infant was the Lord's anointed, even the Messiah. Joy and exultation transfigured his face as he held in his arms God's most precious gift to men. His illumined mind received the light flowing from the Source of all light. He saw that Christ was to be the hope of the Gentiles as well as of the Jews. The walls of tradition built up by Jewish prejudice did not exist in his mind. He realized that the Messiah was to bring redemption to all (The Review and Herald, April 2, 1901). 5BC 1116.3

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Ellen G. White
The Desire of Ages, 231

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