Luke 2:36

And there was Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel of the tribe of Asher (she was of great age, having lived with a husband seven years from her virginity, and she had been a widow even unto fourscore and four years), who departed not from the temple, worshipping with fastings and supplications night and day.

ANNA SPEAKS OF THE CHILD

The Greek New Testament describes Anna's age thus: "And she was a widow until years eighty-four."[30] It is not clear if the eighty-four years should be applied to her widowhood, or to her whole life; but the fullness of this reference to her age inclines to the view that they should be applied to her widowhood, making her age to be over a century.

Departed not from the temple ... can hardly mean that she resided in it, but that she had never forsaken temple duties, despite her phenomenal age. Matthew Henry said:

It is pleasant to see aged Christians not weary of well-doing; but taking more and more pleasure in it, and seeing more and more need of it, till they come to heaven. Those who are diligent and faithful in improving their light and means, shall have further discoveries.[31]

[30] Nestle Greek Text, (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1959).

[31] Matthew Henry, Commentary (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1960), Matthew-Luke p. 225.