12.1-8

"Behold, children are an inheritance of Yahweh, The fruit of the womb is a reward." (Ps 127:3). Despite the atonement for the woman after the birth of a child, called for and prescribed in chapter 12 , there is no mistake that the occasion is one of celebration. The mother of a boy was ceremonially unclean for a week, at the end of which the child was circumcised (Ge 17:12; Ro 4:11–13); the mother of a girl for two weeks (v5). The mother would remain in the period of her cleansing for an additional 33 days if she bore a son (v4) or an additional 66 days if she bore a daughter (v5). The circumcision of the male child may be seen to bear his own share of the atonement and entry into the covenant, which is lacking for the female child and, therefore, borne in the additional time of the mother's cleansing. Verse six details each of the allowed offerings for atonement (lamb, pigeon, or turtledove). Though the occasion was festive, the sacrifices appointed were not a peace offering but a burnt offering and sin offering. These would impress upon the mind of the parent the origin and sin nature the child (all mankind) inherited - a fallen and sinful nature. Consider this in light of what we read from Luke's Gospel: "And when the days for their cleansing according to the Law of Moses were fulfilled, they brought Him up to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “EVERY firstborn MALE THAT OPENS THE WOMB SHALL BE CALLED HOLY TO THE LORD”), and to offer a sacrifice according to what was said in the Law of the Lord, “A PAIR OF TURTLEDOVES OR TWO YOUNG PIGEONS.” (Lk 2:22–24). The fact that two turtles were the offerings made by Mary, the mother of Jesus, attests to the justified condition of the poor and humble who render obedient responses to God.