View source for Advent Dec 21 - Lk 2:22

{{bl| Advent Dec 21 - Lk 2:22 }}

{{bgw| Lu 2:22 }} And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present [him] to the Lord;

{{bgw| Le 12:2 }} Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a woman have conceived seed, and born a man child: then she shall be unclean seven days; according to the days of the separation for her infirmity shall she be unclean.
{{bgw| Le 12:3 }} And in the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. 
{{bgw| Le 12:4 }} And she shall then continue in the blood of her purifying three and thirty days; she shall touch no hallowed thing, nor come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purifying be fulfilled.
{{bgw| Le 12:6 ¶  And when the days of her purifying are fulfilled, for a son, or for a daughter, she shall bring a lamb of the first year for a burnt offering, and a young pigeon, or a turtledove, for a sin offering, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, unto the priest:
{{bgw| Le 12:7 }} Who shall offer it before the LORD, and make an atonement for her; and she shall be cleansed from the issue of her blood. This [is] the law for her that hath born a male or a female.

{{bgw| 1Ti 2:15 }} Notwithstanding she shall be saved in [through] childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety.

Why does menstruating and childbirth make a woman unclean?

The issue is the issue 'maqowr' מקור - from מ casting out קור. The issue is a reminder of the expulsion from the garden. Eve had made herself a god by declaring good and evil for herself by instinct. The suffering given her was the lesson that she was not a god. God's don't suffer.

Eve was given the lesson, then her sin was covered by the garment of skin 'owr' עור which is like light 'owr' אור. It is a symbol of imputed holiness. 

The expulsion was not a curse. It was the same lesson as the tree that was set apart. God is holy. The expulsion gave another lesson in separation..

What is uncleanness?

It is condition which makes one unfit to touch things that are holy. It is a reminder of the separation from God. It is not a personal thing, but it is borne by the family and community since the unclean person is removed from the normal routine.

It is not sin. It represents sin. The community is reminded how easily sin is 'transmitted'.

How are women saved through childbearing?

Paul uses gender to speak of Christ and the church. "The woman was deceived"  The church has been deceived by the flesh (same as Eve) so we learn from Christ. 

It is 'through' childbearing, not 'by' childbearing as in some translations.  Some think that it is a reference to Christ. But the context is 'teaching'.  With the callback to Genesis, the woman is being taught through suffering that she is not a God. It is a reminder to the whole community of the consequences of sin.