Matthew Poole and continuators on Luke 2:28

28 Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said.

Interpreters have spent much pains in fortifying their Conjectures (for they can be no more) that this Simeon was Rabban Simeon, the Son of Hillel, the Father of Gamaliel, but to what purpose I cannot tell; it can hardly be thought that a Man of that Note, should do such a thing as this so openly, and no more notice be taken of him. That which Calvin and Brentius, and other reformed Divines do think is much more probable, that he was some ordinary, plain Man of an obscure Quality, as to his Circumstances in the World. There was a general expectation of the Messias at this time, but very few had a right notion of him, but lived in a vain expectation of, I know not what secular Prince who should bring them a Temporal Deliverance. These few were scarce any of them of their Rabbies or Rab[illegible: 4 letters], b[illegible: 1 letter]t a poor despised sort of People, who[illegible: 1 letter] those great D[illegible: 3 letters]ors co[illegible: 1 letter]nted Accursed, Iohn 7.48, 49. T[illegible: 1 letter]e Revel[illegible: 1 letter]tions of Christ were to none of the Pharise[illegible: 1 letter]s, but to Ioseph a Carpenter, to Mary a despised Virgin, [illegible: 2 letters]o of the House of David, to an ordinary Priest Zacharias, to Shepherds, and why we sho[illegible: 1 letter]ld fancy this Simeon a principal D[illegible: 1 letter]ctor, I cannot tell. The Evangelist gives him his highest Title. A just Man, and devout ▪ and one that waited for the Consolation of Israel. One of the Remnant, according to the Election of Grace (mentioned by the Apostle) a holy, and Righteous Man, one, who waited for the Consolation of Israel. Which is the same in Sense with the Character given of Ioseph of Ari[illegible: 2 letters]thea, Ch. 23.50. that waited for the Kingdom of God. Simeon waited for Christ, that is meant by the Consolation of Israel. For it is very observable, that the Prophets ordinarily comforted the People of God amongst the Jews, against all their sad tidings they brought them, with the Prophecies of the coming, and Kingdom of Christ, Isaiah 66.13. Ier. 31.13. & 49.13. Zech. 1.17. Herein-Old Simeon shewed the truth of his Piety, and Devotion, that he believed, and waited for the coming of Christ, he had a true Notion of the Messiah promised, he believed that he should come, and he waited for his coming. And it was revealed unto him, that he should not see Death until he saw the Lords Christ. God by the holy Ghost gave him this special Revelation, as the reward of his Faith, and the Answer of his Prayers, that he should live to see Christ Born. The same Holy Spirit moved him to go into the Temple, at that very time, when Ioseph and Mary brought in Christ, to present him to the Lord according to the Law, and (tho it be not exprest, certainly the same Spirit did Intimate to him, that that Child, was the Lords Christ. The old Man takes him up in his Arms, blesseth God and saith.