Anna

FIRST NEW TESTAMENT PROPHETESS
LUKE 2: 36-38

IMAGINE: Being the first person given the awesome privilege to evangelize, within the temple compound, the arrival of the long, awaited Messiah.

Anna is a form of Hanna and means “grace” or “favor”. She is the first and only New Testament prophetess who is given a name. Anna is among only a handful of women in the Bible bearing the title “prophetess”. Other prophetesses are Miriam, the sister of Moses (Ex. 15:20); Deborah, the Judge (Judg. 4:4); Huldah, the wife of Shallum (2 Chron. 34:22); Isaiah’s wife (Is. 8:3); and Philip’s four unmarried daughters (Acts 21:9).

There was also a prophetess, Anna…
Luke 2:36

As a prophetess, Anna was able to receive insight into information that normally remains hidden to ordinary people. The word prophet (male), or prophetess (female), comes from the Greek word “prophetess” which means “spokesperson” or “inspired speaker.” They spoke what God told them to speak, or enlightened them to know, and then shared His word with others. They spoke God’s word whether anyone listened to the message or not. Whether anyone believed the message or not.

a daughter of Phanuel…
Luke 2:36

She is the daughter of Phanuel which means “face of God.” Phanuel is the Greek transliteration of the more common Hebrew name Penuel. Interestingly, Anna indeed does see the face of God as she encounters the infant Jesus.

of the tribe of Asher.
Luke 2:36

Asher means “happy one”. Joshua allocated the land among the twelve tribes. To Asher, he assigned western and coastal Galilee (Josh. 19:24-31). This region had lower temperatures and much rainfall, thus making it some of the most fertile land in Canaan. It consisted of rich pastures, wooded hills, and orchards making it particularly prosperous and famous for its olive oil.
Asher was a member of the Northern Kingdom Israel, until the kingdom was conquered by Assyria in 723 BC. The only other New Testament tribal listings are Paul of the tribe of Benjamin (Phil. 3:5), and Barnabas, a Levite (Acts 4:36).

She was well along in years,
Luke 2:36

Anna was old. How old no one knows for sure. Luke mentions she was married for seven years, then widowed for eighty-four years. Or, she was eighty-four years old when she encountered the baby Jesus. A common age to marry, in Anna’s day, was about fourteen years old. She could have then been widowed at twenty-one years of age and meets Mary, Joseph and Jesus eighty-four years later. This would put her at one hundred and five years of age.

having lived with her husband seven
years after her marriage,
Luke 2:36

Scripture does not give her husband’s name, ancestry, or the circumstances surrounding his death.

and was a widow for 84 years.
Luke 2:37

In Anna’s day, the husband was the spiritual and legal head of the household. His responsibilities included feeding, sheltering and protecting his family. Anna went from a bride, to an all too soon widow. From financially secure, to becoming dependent on others. From a husband’s protective arm around her, to all alone. This all would have happened at a considerably young age.
Anna had been married only seven years when she became a widow, and she remained a widow for the rest of her life. She chose to remain single after the death of her husband. She chose not to remarry and have children. She chose not to wallow in self-pity.
Anna, being widowed at such a young age, could have had dire consequences. Widowhood in that society of the day meant the probability of poverty. At best it would have been very difficult, yet Anna was a widow for many decades. It appears the sustaining hand of God fed, clothed, and sheltered Anna all her days.

She did not leave the temple complex,
Luke 2:37

The temple where Anna lived was the temple Herod had built and consisted of four elaborate, successive courts. The outer court was the “court of the Gentiles.” This was the only place on the temple grounds the Gentiles were allowed. Later, Jesus would clear this part of the temple of those buying and selling. (Matt. 21:12).
The inner court consisted of two separate areas. The “women’s court”, where Anna worshiped, and the “court of Israel.” Surrounding the actual temple building itself was the “court of priests” and was accessible only to those of the Levitical priesthood.
The “court of women”, where Anna would have spent her days, was a square courtyard, 233 feet on each side. Four massive lampstands, each one eighty-six foot tall, stood within it. This was not a place only for women but was the farthest point that women could go toward the temple.
The probability arises that living in the compound of the temple complex could have been a very disturbing circumstance for Anna. The temple “court of the Gentiles” was, at times, used as a marketplace where local merchants would sell sacrificial animals at an excessive cost. There would have been much activity from those wanting to make a profit, tourists, and/or religious seekers that would come to the temple.
There would have been a chance Anna, at times, may have been rather distraught concerning her surroundings. Many of the priests were corrupt. The Pharisees and Sadducees, Hellenists, Essenes, and Zealots were, for the most part, cults milling about the temple complex. 
Praying, fasting, and knowing the prophesies of the Old Testament, Anna could know things were not as they should be. God was not at the center of everything around her and she was at the most sacred of places. The atmosphere of the day and age would have surely seemed hostile to the true God of Israel.
It was during the four centuries between the end of the Old Testament record and the birth of Jesus Christ, prior to the Roman Empire, that the idolatrous Greek influence was at its peak in Jerusalem.
The languages of Anna’s day were Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic; leading to the probability Anna was bi-lingual. Life consisted of traditions and rituals passed down from generation to generation. Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes were the three major religious societies of Judaism.
The Essenes were a Jewish mystical sect somewhat resembling the Pharisees. They lived lives of ritual purity and separation. The Essenes hid themselves away from society in the desert. They did not recognize Jesus as the Messiah.
The Jewish religious and governing system was divided between two parties. One was the Pharisees, which were the “people’s party.” This consisted of teaching the Jewish laws, while strictly enforcing oral traditions as well. The other was the Sadducees, who were for the most part, the wealthy who rejected tradition in favor of political and religious cooperation with the Romans.
The Sadducees were the descendants of the people who came back from the Babylonian exile. They were the descendants of the actual landholders. Sadducees were the aristocrats, being wealthy and holding powerful positions. They included the chief priests and high priests. They held the majority of the seventy seats of the ruling council called the Sanhedrin. These priestly and aristocratic families dominated the temple worship rites. To keep the peace, they mostly agreed with the Roman authorities. Israel was under Roman rule during this time. They were more concerned with politics than religion.
The Sadducees considered only the written word, not oral traditions. They accepted only the first five books of the Old Testament Scrolls, called the “Books of Moses.” Their belief system contradicted, however, the first five books they claimed to follow. They denied God’s involvement in everyday life. They denied any resurrection of the dead. They denied any afterlife, thus no rewards or penalty after earthly life. They denied the existence of angels and demons.
The Pharisees were a group who came later onto the political scene, most likely right before the Romans took hold. They reinterpreted the Scriptures but, addressed all   Old Testament scrolls. They were mostly made up from middle class businessmen. The Pharisees were guilty of giving the oral traditions equal authority to the written word of God. They entertained new ideas and new beliefs along with Old Testament Scriptures.  
They were willing to adapt the law to changing circumstances. They did, however, believe God to be involved in everyday life of a person. They believed in   resurrection of the dead. They believed in an afterlife, thus punishment and rewards after leaving earth. They believed in the existence of angels and demons. The Pharisees were usually the most outspoken and influential among the people.
The Sadducees and the Pharisees were rivals on the political and religious fronts. The Sadducees did not relate well with the common man, whereas the Pharisees were popular with the masses.

serving God night and day
with fasting and prayers.
Luke 2:37

Anna had been, at one time, a very young Jewish widow who chose to live out her days worshiping, praying, and fasting for her God. She appears to have never given in to discouragement or given up on the hope of seeing her Messiah come.
Fasting and praying night and day she would have had the Old Testament scrolls on her mind and in her heart. She would have shared these things with other women within the complex daily.
Women shared daily chores with each other, such as cooking and laundry, in common areas so as a way of socializing with one another. The common person in Anna’s day would not have had luxuries to indulge in. Women’s work consisted of grinding grain, baking bread, milking animals, and gathering water for the day. There were fruits and vegetables to grow and eggs to collect. Fish and chicken were most common. Beef and lamb were prepared only for special occasions. Pork was forbidden.
Housing consisted of dirt floors and flat roofs. People slept on mats on those dirt floors or on the flat roofs when it was hot. People owned very limited personal goods. We are not told if this was a part of Anna’s life or if the women in the surrounding areas brought food to her. Either way she would have had contact with other women and would have encouraged them to look for the intended Messiah.
It appears she lived a peaceful, quiet life praying and fasting night and day. She could always be found at the temple. Anna was completely devoted to her God. She was sincerely expecting the “Consolation of Israel.” (Lk. 2:25). It is not far fetched to believe Anna’s prayers consisted of the long, awaited Messiah to come soon, within her lifetime. Similar, to a modern-day prayer consisting of “come Lord Jesus.” (Rev. 22:20).
Anna was greatly rewarded for her dedication in fasting and praying. She had lived at the temple complex for many years as she, with great anticipation, waited for Israel’s redemption to appear.

At that very moment, she came
up and began to thank God and
to speak about Him to all who
were looking forward to the
redemption of Jerusalem.
Luke 2:38

Many were looking for Israel’s redemption, their Messiah. Sadly, only a handful recognized Him when He arrived. Of course, His mother, Mary and earthly father, Joseph, as well as they could understand, knew who He was. The shepherds recognized Him because of what the heavenly host of angels told them. Simeon, a righteous and devout man, looking forward to Israel’s consolation had upon him the Holy Spirit who revealed to him the Lord’s Messiah just as his parents brought Him into the temple complex. (Lk. 2:25-27). And then there was Anna!
Anna would have been brought up on the teachings from the Torah, the central reference of religious Judaic tradition. Torah means instruction and offers a way of life for those who follow it. Her learning of religion, history, and ethics would have come from the Old Testament scrolls. From the prophesies of the Old Testament she also would have learned of the expected coming of their Messiah.
The Holy Spirit had revealed to Simeon he would not see death until he saw the awaited Lord’s Messiah. As those today speak with expectation and excitement of Jesus’ second coming, it is not out of the realm of reality that these two would have spoken on many occasions of the Messianic arrival. “As it happened” Anna came upon the scene of Simeon holding the child and declaring:

Now, Master, You can dismiss Your
slave in peace, according to Your
word. For my eyes have seen
Your salvation. You have prepared
it in the presence of all peoples –
a light for revelation to the Gentiles
and glory to Your people Israel.
Luke 2:29-32

‘At that very moment’ – the temple is a huge complex with thousands of people there at that time, and yet she ‘just happened’ to come along as Simeon was pronouncing his blessing on the child. Anna immediately recognized the situation upon seeing the baby Simeon is holding, and hears his speech concerning the future for the Gentiles and Israel because of this child. She very quickly ‘gives thanks to the Lord’.
It would not be beyond belief that Anna and Simeon knew each other. She is said to be at the temple complex night and day and Simeon, we are told, was righteous and devout and would have been at the temple on a regular basis. That being the case, it appears both were very elderly.
They seem to have arrived upon the child at different times, within the temple complex, assuredly by divine direction. In and among all the babies being brought in for them to be dedicated to the Lord, Simeon and Anna both recognized this baby as superior.

And when the days of their
purification according to the
law of Moses were finished,
they brought Him up to Jerusalem
 to present Him to the Lord…
Luke 2:22

The Law required a lamb, two pigeons, or two doves be sacrificed as a purification sacrifice after a son’s birth. After the birth of a male child, the mother was ritually unclean for seven days and had to remain at home for another thirty-three days. On the fortieth day, a purification sacrifice had to be offered. (Lev. 12:2-8). This is a scene Simeon and Anna would have seen, over and over again, yet recognized this baby was different.
Simeon and Anna meet up with Mary, Joseph, and Jesus as they arrive at the temple forty days after Jesus’ birth. They, along with Gabriel (Lk. 1:31-33), Elizabeth (Lk. 1:42-45), Zechariah (Lk. 1:76-79), and the Bethlehem shepherds, recognized the great significance this baby would have on this world and beyond.
This day, as she saw Simeon holding a baby and speaking over Him, she knew God had answered her prayer. The Consolation of Israel had arrived. She had lived long enough to see the coming of God’s Kingdom. She had shared this message of the coming Savior for decades within the temple complex. It did not matter to this elderly widow how long it took, she believed it would happen.
Anna, meaning “grace” or “favor” was indeed blessed with grace and favor. The long, awaited Messiah had come, Old Testament prophesies were being fulfilled, and Anna was blessed to be present and see it all unfold before her eyes. As she looked upon Israel’s redemption, Anna experienced the very presence of God.
Anna probably did not have full understanding as to who this baby was, nor the full impact of His coming. The Jewish people were looking for a “Messiah” or “Savior”. They were looking for a leader God had promised to send. According to their understanding, this leader would bring spiritual renewal and political freedom from centuries of foreign oppression. Currently they were under Roman rule.
Living in the temple complex, serving God night and day, Anna would have been familiar with the ones who were faithfully anticipating the redemption of Israel. Those looking forward to this specific day, the Lord in His temple. This little elderly lady took off pronto on her evangelistic tour of the temple grounds. From that moment on, Anna had but one message.
She did not let anyone dissuade her as to the Messiah’s coming. She chose to listen to God, not the false religious leaders of the day that would have surrounded her in that time and place. Anna kept her eyes on the anticipated Messiah, not her surrounding circumstances.
As mentioned earlier, translations differ as to whether Anna was eighty-four years old or a hundred and five years of age when she encountered the baby Jesus. Anna is one busy lady no matter her age. She worships night and day, fasting and praying. She never leaves the temple grounds making her available twenty-four/seven. It appears she is mentally and spiritually alert, vibrant, and full of joy. Her hearing, eyesight, and ability to walk around the temple appears not to indicate her true age. She goes to all who are looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem, which would indicate her connection to those like minded and with a kindred spirit as her own.

A fact must be established by the
testimony of two or three witnesses.
Deuteronomy 19:15

At the beginning of Jesus’ life there were two witnesses in the temple complex to verify His identity, Simeon and Anna. In this culture and at this time in history, the elderly stood in high regard for their insight and wisdom. Thus, the word of these two witnesses would have spread throughout the city quickly.
Whether the people believed their message or not the word would have spread. Ironically, two false witnesses appeared at Jesus’ mock trial before the chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin. At the end of His life these two false witnesses testified against Him.  (Matt. 26:60).
There had not been a prophet in the land for more than four hundred years, yet Anna is called a prophetess. She is the first woman to proclaim the Gospel account of Jesus Christ. And, to this day, her testimony is still told. Anna’s whole story consists of three verses out of a total of 31,102 verses contained within the Bible.
Anna’s life and story show no matter male or female, young or old, married or single, rich or poor, God will use a person if they are willing to obey his calling.

The real widow, left all alone,
has put her hope in God
and continues night and day
in her petitions and prayers;
1 Timothy 5:5

Anna teaches a lesson well worth learning and that is: great faith, hope, prayer, endurance, patience, along with great joy, no matter the circumstances, brings about great reward.

            Thought for the day:
Never deprive someone of hope –
it may be all they have.
Anonymous