Anna Daughter of Phanuel in Luke 2
Anna, Daughter of Phanuel, in Luke 2
Luke introduces Anna, a prophetess and the daughter of Phanuel, as a witness to the presentation of Jesus at the Temple (Luke 2:36-38) [1]. The passage describes Anna as being of the tribe of Asher, a widow who had lived with her husband for seven years and was now eighty-four years old. She is characterized by her devotion to God, serving Him day and night with fasting and prayer.
The name "Anna" is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew name "Hannah," meaning "grace" or "gracious" [3]. This etymology is significant, as it reflects Anna's role as a gracious woman who has received God's grace and is now a publisher of the glad tidings of grace and redemption by Christ.
Anna's background is notable. She is identified as being from the tribe of Asher, one of the ten northern tribes of Israel [4]. Although many from these tribes were lost to captivity and dispersion, some retained their tribal identity, as seen in Anna's case. The distinction of tribes, though largely lost after the Babylonian exile, was still known up to the time of Jesus' ministry and beyond [5].
The biblical account highlights Anna's piety and dedication. After a short married life of seven years, she remained a widow until the age of eighty-four, devoting herself to a life of fasting and prayer in the Temple [1]. Her actions exemplify the biblical ideal of a widow who is "desolate" and "trusts in God" (1 Tim 5:5). Anna's presence in the Temple at the moment when Simeon utters his prophetic words about Jesus underscores her role as a faithful witness to the Messiah.
The early Christian tradition views Anna as a prophetess, akin to other women in the Old Testament like Miriam, Deborah, and Huldah, who were recognized for their prophetic roles [2, 3]. The fact that Anna is called a prophetess indicates that the gift of prophecy, though dormant for some time, was reviving with the coming of the Messiah.
In the patristic tradition, Anna is seen as a model of devotion and faithfulness. While the specific interpretations of Anna's role vary, her presence in the narrative serves to emphasize the significance of Jesus' presentation in the Temple. The early Christian writers often highlighted the importance of figures like Anna, who embodied the values of piety and dedication to God.
The inclusion of Anna in the narrative of Jesus' presentation in the Temple adds depth to the understanding of the event. It not only highlights Jesus' significance as the Messiah but also underscores the continuity between the Old and New Testaments through figures like Anna, who represent the faithful remnant of Israel.
The characterization of Anna as a prophetess and her actions in the Temple serve as a testament to the messianic expectations and the faithfulness of those awaiting the redemption of Israel. Her witness, alongside Simeon's, to the identity and mission of Jesus, reinforces the themes of hope and fulfillment that are central to Luke's narrative.
Sources
- Luke “Luke 2:36 (BSB) — There was also a prophetess named Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher, who was well along in years. She had been married for seven years,”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Anna — Grace, an aged widow, the daughter of Phanuel. She was a "prophetess," like Miriam, Deborah, and Huldah (2 Chr. 34:22). After seven years of married life her husband died, and during her long widowhood she daily attended the temple services. When she was eighty-four years old, she entered the temple at the moment when the aged Simeon uttered his memorable words of praise and thanks to God that he had fulfilled his ancient promise in sending his Son into the world (Luke 2:36, 37).”
- Luke (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Luke 2:35: And there was one Anna,.... The name is the same with Hannah: so Hannah, the mother of Samuel, is by the Septuagint called Anna, in Sa1 1:2 and it signifies "grace"; or "gracious": and as was her name, so was she, a gracious woman; One that had the grace of God herself, and was a publisher of the glad tidings of grace and redemption by Christ, to others; and she was a prophetess: for though prophecy had ceased among the Jews for some hundreds of years, it now revived upon the coming of the Messiah; and though instances of women prophets were rare, yet some there were,”
- Luke (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Luke 2:36: 2:36-38 Anna is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew name Hannah, Samuel’s mother (1 Sam 1–2). Jewish tradition identified seven Old Testament women as prophets: Sarah, Miriam, Deborah, Hannah, Abigail, Huldah, and Esther. Anna was another prophetic witness to Jesus’ identity as the Messiah. • The tribe of Asher, one of the ten northern tribes of Israel, was named after Jacob’s eighth son (Gen 30:12-13). Most of those who returned from Babylonian exile were from the tribe of Judah; other Israelites also knew their tribal ancestry in Jesus’ day. For instance, the apost”
- Luke (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Luke 2:36: Anna--or, Hannah. a prophetess--another evidence that "the last times" in which God was to "pour out His Spirit upon all flesh" were at hand. of the tribe of Aser--one of the ten tribes, of whom many were not carried captive, and not a few reunited themselves to Judah after the return from Babylon. The distinction of tribes, though practically destroyed by the captivity, was well enough known up to their final dispersion (Rom 11:1; Heb 7:14); nor is it now entirely lost. lived, &c.--she had lived seven years with her husband (Luk 2:36), and been a ”