Luke 2:41-52 comments: astonished at His understanding at twelve years old

    Luke 2:41 ¶  Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the passover. 42  And when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast. 43  And when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and Joseph and his mother knew not of it. 44  But they, supposing him to have been in the company, went a day’s journey; and they sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance. 45  And when they found him not, they turned back again to Jerusalem, seeking him. 46  And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions. 47  And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers. 48  And when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing. 49  And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business? 50  And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them. 51  And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart. 52  And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.

 

When Jesus is old enough to attend the Passover with his parents at Jerusalem there is a revealing of sorts. He is old enough to attend this rite and he is old enough to probably travel with the clan or village as a group and not have his parents ‘helicoptering’ over his every move. We are appalled and confused at something like this today in a world darkened by a growing perversion and violence against children. But, it is likely that Joseph and Mary felt that Jesus was safe with the group and he was not required to report in to them regularly. It is not hard to imagine in a pre-modern culture how care of children and young adults were viewed as a communal responsibility. As an example, in Polynesia there are cultures where young children are tasked to take care of even younger children, even those that are not their siblings, and child-rearing was a communal responsibility, or so I’ve read.

Rather than discuss issues of the Law given to Moses I’d like to point out that Jesus was gone from them for three days before they found Him preaching to the pious but lost Jewish religious leaders, which we can contrast with His three days in the tomb and preaching to the spirits in Hell.

Matthew 12:40  For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

1Peter 3:18 ¶  For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: 19  By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; 20  Which sometime were disobedient, when once

the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.

Jesus is discussing theology and points of the Law with learned men who are amazed at his understanding. This was most likely a fascinating sight to behold, a twelve-year-old boy discussing things way beyond His years and assumed learning with the experts. Later in His ministry the “experts” will think the same thing.

John 7:14 ¶  Now about the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and taught. 15  And the Jews marvelled, saying, How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?

Mary asks a question and makes a statement that many parents might ask and say in this circumstance. She uses the phrase thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing and Jesus corrects her, in a fashion. He is about His Father’s business who is, of course, not Joseph. They didn’t get it, what business exactly was He about? Still, Mary kept these things along with the others she had heard about Him in her heart. Jesus subjected Himself to his step-father and his mother as a good child should.

Jesus grew over these next 18 years, pleasing God and being an admirable person among men. Now, comes the time for Him to be presented to Israel.