“And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age , and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity;”
My Notes
What Does Luke 2:36 Mean?
"There was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser." Luke introduces Anna with detailed genealogy — her father's name, her tribe, her age — giving this elderly widow the specificity that signals importance. She's from the tribe of Asher, one of the ten "lost" northern tribes. Her presence in the Temple represents the scattered tribes returning to worship.
Anna is described as having lived with a husband seven years and then as a widow until she was eighty-four — a lifetime of devoted service in the Temple. She "departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day" (verse 37). Her entire identity is prayer.
Anna is one of only a handful of women called a prophetess in Scripture (joining Miriam, Deborah, Huldah, and Isaiah's wife). Her recognition of the Messiah — she speaks about Jesus "to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem" (verse 38) — makes her one of the first evangelists of the gospel.
Reflection Questions
- 1.What has your season of faithful obscurity been preparing you for?
- 2.How does Anna's story encourage women who feel invisible in their spiritual service?
- 3.What does decades of prayer produce that years of public ministry can't?
- 4.What moment might your faithful waiting be positioning you to recognize?
Devotional
Anna. Eighty-four years old. Widow for most of her life. Never left the Temple. Fasted and prayed night and day. And when the Messiah arrived — as a baby in His mother's arms — she recognized Him instantly.
Anna's story is for every woman who has spent years in faithful obscurity. Decades of prayer. Decades of fasting. Decades of showing up at the Temple when nobody asked her to, when nobody noticed she was there, when the world went about its business and an old woman kept praying in the corner.
And then the moment came. The baby arrived. And Anna — who had been waiting longer than anyone, praying more consistently than anyone, occupying the Temple more faithfully than anyone — saw what everyone else missed. She recognized the Messiah. The decades of prayer had produced the eyes to see.
Anna is from Asher — one of the lost tribes. Her presence in Jerusalem represents something theologically remarkable: the lost tribes haven't completely disappeared. At least one woman from Asher is still worshipping in the Temple. The scattered haven't all been lost. Some kept praying.
Anna speaks about Jesus "to all them that looked for redemption." She becomes an evangelist at eighty-four. Her first public ministry happens at the end of her life, after decades of private preparation. The faithful waiting produced the faithful speaking. The years of prayer produced the moment of proclamation.
Your season of obscurity isn't wasted. It's preparation.
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years,.... Which is not the date of her whole age, as some have thought,…
Of the tribe of Aser - The tribe of Aser, or Asher, dwelt in the northern part of the land of Canaan. Why Anna was…
Anna, a prophetess - It does not appear that this person was a prophetess in the strict sense of the word, i.e. one who…
Even when he humbles himself, still Christ has honour done him to balance the offence of it. That we might not be…
Anna the Prophetess. The Return to Nazareth
36. Anna The same name as Hannah (1Sa 1:20), from the root Chânan, -he was…
Cross References
Related passages throughout Scripture