And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him.
And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon. The attempts that have been made to identify this Simeon with a famous man of the same name, but who died long before, and with the father of Gamaliel, who bore that name, are quite precarious. The name was a common one.
And the same man was just (upright in his moral character), and devout (of a religious frame of spirit), waiting for the consolation of Israel - or, for the Messiah; a beautiful and pregnant title of the promised Saviour:
And the Holy Spirit was upon him - supernaturally. Thus was the Spirit, after a dreary absence of nearly four hundred years, returning to the Church, to quicken expectation and prepare for coming events.