Luke 2:41-52 for Sunday, May 13, 2007

Translation:
And his parents went every year into Jerusalem for the festival of Passover. (42) And when he was 12 years old, they went up according to the custom of the festival. (43) And on the last day they were returning home, [but] the boy Jesus tarried in Jerusalem and his parents did not realize. (44) But assuming he was in the group of travelers they went a day's journey and they began to look for him among the relatives and friends, (45) and not finding him, they returned to Jerusalem looking for him. (46) And it was after three days they found him in the Temple sitting in the midst of the teachers and listening to them and questioning them. (47) And all those listening to him were amazed at his intelligence and his answers. (48)And seeing him [his parents] were amazed and his mother said to him, "Child, why have you treated us like this? See! Your father and I were deeply distressed, we were looking for you." (49) And he said to them, "Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I had to be in my father's [house]? (50)And they did not understand the words he spoke to them. (51) And he went down with them and came into Nazareth and was subject to them and his mother always treasured the words in her heart. (52)And Jesus began to grow in wisdom and maturity and grace before God and humans.

The story starts out with Jesus and his parents traveling together for the festival of the Passover. The verb "to go" (v. 41) indicates a customary action. In fact, according to Jewish Law, Jewish men were to attend at least three celebrations a year. Jesus was 12 years old at the time. It was the job of the father to introduce a son to Jewish Law and by the time they were 13, Jewish boys were required to fulfill the Law. Jesus' parents were probably seeking to teach him about the Law by attending the festival. In any case, this was a ritual action that Jesus and his family would have known well. At age 12, Jesus was old enough to understand the ritual.

In a "stranger danger" age it is probably hard for many of us to imagine leaving our 12 year old behind and not realizing it. Jesus' family had a different situation though. It was not unusual to travel in large, organized groups for a festival day. Since Jesus and his family customarily went every year to the festival, his parents may have assumed that Jesus knew how things would happen, when they would leave and even which route they would take. They didn't notice that Jesus was missing until a whole day's journey had passed (20-25 miles). When they realized he was missing, they looked for him. The verb suggests that they searched thoroughly and looked in many places.

When they finally find Jesus, he is in the Temple with the Rabbis. He is asking them questions. Question and answer was the preferred mode of rabbinical teaching, so this was not so unusual. What was unusual was Jesus' questions and answers. In fact, the word for "to be amazed" (v. 47) indicates a continual past action--He astonished them over and over again! Even Jesus' parents are amazed, though his mother seems to scold him for his behavior. She says "your father and I were deeply distressed," which indicates deep mental and spiritual anxiety, even pain or suffering. The imperfect form of the verb "to search" means that they were searching continually--day and night.

Jesus replies with a rhetorical question. It does not convey well in English, but the way the Greek question is phrased, Jesus expects a positive answer. In Greek, the words "I must be in my father's [house]" have an air of necessity; it is where Jesus needed to be.

Finally, as if a reversal of how the whole story started, Jesus and his parents go back to Nazareth where he "was subject to them." This means Jesus continually obeyed his parents after that. It is the same type of word you might use to speak of a loyal slave.

Jesus was old enough to know better than to stay in the Temple even after the festival was over, though he clearly felt that it was necessary for him to be there. At 12 years of age, Jesus was nearly an adult in the ancient world and would have certainly understood the customs. It is interesting that Jesus' mother has all of the speaking roles. His father says nothing, but his mother confronts him. Indeed, Mary is often portrayed as an obedient servant of God and contemplative figure in Luke's Gospel. All the same, how do we understand Jesus' behavior as a child? Jesus was at an age were he could begin to understand his own identity. His rhetorical answer seems to indicate that he is coming into his own. Parents today have their own defiant preteen children who assert their identity with rhetorical questions and sarcastic remarks. Jesus' parents did not understand him. How many of us really understand preteen kids? However, Mary did not disregard Jesus' statements and did not ignore them. She treasured them in her heart. Even as a youth, Jesus was taken seriously. How can we value and take seriously our youth?