The Life of Jesus in Harmony |
Index
days of her purification
The purification of the parents and
redemption of the first-born son took place according to the law 41 days after the birth:
Lev 12:4-8
4 'She shall then continue in the blood of her purification thirty-three days.
She shall not touch any
hallowed thing, nor come into the sanctuary until the days of her purification are
fulfilled.
5 'But if she bears a female child, then she shall be unclean two weeks, as in
her customary impurity, and she shall continue in the blood of her purification
sixty-six days.
6 'When the days of her purification are fulfilled, whether for a son or a
daughter, she shall bring to the priest a lamb of the first year as a burnt
offering, and a young pigeon or a turtledove as a sin offering, to the door of the
tabernacle of meeting.
7 'Then he shall offer it before the LORD, and make atonement for her. And she
shall be clean from the flow of her blood. This is the law for her who has borne
a male or a female.
8 'And if she is not able to bring a lamb, then she may bring two turtledoves or
two young pigeons-- one as a burnt offering and the other as a sin offering.
So the priest shall make atonement for her, and she will be clean.'"
Mary had to be Levitically clean before she could be participate in the ceremony
of Pidyon Ha Ben. The ceremony consisted of:
- The presenting of the child to the priest (recognizing God's ownership)
- The payment of the 5 shekels
- The priest immediately pronounced 2 blessings (one of thanksgiving for the
law of redemption and another for the gift of the first-born son)