Legal Exegesis and Historical Narrative in Luke 2:22–4

Abstract

This article wrestles with critical questions often cited in relation to Luke 2:22–4, the gospel writer’s description of two legal rituals (the sacrifice to complete purification after birth, and the consecration of a firstborn son) performed by Mary and Joseph at the Temple. In contrast with previous interpretations of this text, which have tended to conclude either that Luke has been misinformed about Jewish law, or that he simply is not interested in legal precision (thus creating a purely fictive narrative motivated by theological or literary concerns), this essay argues for a more nuanced reading of Luke’s account along a broader spectrum of Second Temple and early rabbinic legal interpretation, and in light of Luke’s claims about the genre and methodology of his gospel. By positioning Luke 2:22–4 among other examples of legal exegesis in ancient Judaism, particularly those that deal with the laws Luke cites, I conclude not only that the childbirth laws in the Torah leave multiple gaps that invite later interpretive differences, but that Luke’s own halakhic reading can be contextualized by comparable readings within the diversity of Second Temple interpretation.