On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise
him, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had
given him before he had been conceived.
When the time of their purification according to
the Law of Moses had been completed,
Mary and Joseph took him to Jerusalem to
present him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law
of the Lord, "Every firstborn male is to be
consecrated to the Lord"), and to offer a
sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law
of the Lord: a pair of doves or two young pigeons.
Luke 2:21-24
On the eighth day of life for Mary's little baby, his parents were still in Bethlehem. He was brought to the rabbi for the rite of circumcision, and was named Jesus, as the angel commanded. According to the Law regarding women who give birth of a son, Mary had to wait 40 days before going to the Temple in Jerusalem to offer a sacrifice for purification. In addition, each first born son was to be dedicated to the Lord. When the forty days were over, the little family set out on their short journey. The distance between Bethlehem and Jerusalem was only about five miles, so this trip would be fairly easy for Mary and her infant son.
Upon arrival in the city, the family made their way to the Temple, where they would purchase the animals for the sacrifice - probably opting for the cheaper option of two pigeons or doves rather than a lamb. As they moved across the courtyard to toward the place of presentation, an elderly man stopped them with a simple request: he wanted to hold the baby.
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