Luke 2:22 casts DARK SHADOWS on Aramaic Primacy

[Paul Younan]

Shlama Akhi Mike,

A male Jewish baby is uncircumcised for the first 7 days of his life, therefore he is ceremonially impure according to the law - that included Meshikha. We dealt with this very topic a number of years ago but I can't seem to find the exact forum post. However there were references in other Jewish literature from the time period (like the Talmud) that spoke of the days of purification as it related to an uncircumcised infant boy.

I think the Greek manuscripts that have the "her purification" are attempts at reconciling what they incorrectly viewed as an inconsistency with the purity laws, however there is no real contradiction it's just that they did not understand, or did not want to think, that Meshikha was technically, according to the letter of the law, ritually impure for the first week of life and for a period of time until he was healed and presented at the Temple.