This morning we come across a pericope that is unique to the Gospel of Luke. Only this Gospel contains this narrative but it also the only narrative that mentions anything about the maturation of Jesus Christ. Mark begins with John the Baptist already preaching and then baptizing Jesus. Matthew tells us some the of the infancy narrative but jumps to full adulthood after His return to Galilee. The Gospel of John starts with Christ’s eternal existence and incarnation followed by John the Baptist’s preaching.
Many commentators claim that Luke makes a large emphasis on Christ’s humanity more than the other synoptic Gospels. This narrative of His maturation would seem to help demonstrate that point. However, I hope to show as we move through the text that this passage is a perfect synthesis of Christ’s two natures—both His humanness and His Deity.
Before jumping into the passage too far we should remember that Luke has set the beginning of this Gospel with comparison and contrast between the events surrounding John the Baptist and Jesus Christ. The last we saw of the John the Baptist was at his birth narrative which concluded with, “And the child continued to grow and to become strong in spirit, and he lived in the deserts until the day of his public appearance to Israel” (Luke 1:80 NASB). We should not be surprised when we come across a similar statement in Luke 2:40, “The Child continued to grow and become strong, increasing in wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him” (NASB). Then finally the narrative ends with another similar statement, “The Child continued to grow and become strong, increasing in wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him” (Luke 2:52 NASB). Therefore, Luke is still making parallel accounts between John and Jesus. Luke only summarized John’s growth but Luke has decided to demonstrate Jesus’ growth. Also, we see the superiority of Jesus over John in these above mentioned verses as well. John only grew strong in the Spirit; Jesus grew strong in wisdom and grace.
Setting (2:41–45)
Verses 41–45 are a setting up of the scene. They help us to understand why the event happens at the temple rather than back in Jesus’ hometown of Nazareth. The core of the story comes from Jesus own words, which are first recorded words in this Gospel.
2:41. Mary and Joseph’s zeal to follow the law of Moses is seen again. They committed to go to Jerusalem every year for the Passover Feast. The attendance of the males was required by the Law but not for the females, thus showing Mary’s devotion. The trip would be costly and span a distance of eighty miles if they went around Samaria (as was the custom). According to Exod. 23:14–17 all of the males were required to appear before the Lord three times a year (i.e. Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles). While no record is given about the attendance for the other two feasts, there is no reason to think they were not attended as well. Luke demonstrated their devotion to the law with Christ’s dedication. There is no reason to think that they would have failed with attending the other feasts. Luke is only giving the necessary information.
2:42. This particular year for the Passover, Jesus was twelve years old. “[This] was before the normal age (i.e., thirteen) for Jewish boys to be responsible before God (m. Nid. 5.6; m. Meg. 4.6). Instruction toward this goal would be intensive for twelve-year-olds (m. ʾAbot 5.21; b. Ketub. 50a).…The custom of Bar Mitzvah, common today for Jewish boys, began at a period after the time of Jesus.”46
Again, Luke is only giving necessary information. Just because there is no record of Jesus attending the Passover in the earlier years, does not mean that this is Jesus’ first Passover. The point of the verse is to explain why Jesus in Jerusalem and not in Nazareth.
2:43. It seems that the family stayed in Jerusalem for the entire seven days of the Passover Feast, as indicated by the phrase, “τελειωσάντων τὰς ἡμέρας (they had fulfilled the days).” This again shows the family’s dedication to the law. Many went home after the first two days of the feast.47
While the family had decided to leave Jerusalem and start making the return trip, Jesus remained in Jerusalem, unknown by Mary and Joseph. However, this is not because Mary and Joseph were careless parents.
2:44. Here we find the reason for the parent’s lack of concern. They trusted their child. They assumed that Jesus was with the συνοδία or the caravan48 and there was no need for concern. Therefore, Mary and Joseph went an entire day’s journey away Jerusalem without any worry. Just how far they would have traveled is somewhat uncertain.
An ordinary day’s journey varied from eighteen to thirty miles. But when a party started on a journey, the first day’s journey was invariably shorter. When everything was ready for the caravan, the travelers slowly marched on, but halted for the first night at a distance some three to eight miles from the place of their departure. Thus if anything was found to be left behind, someone could easily return and retrieve it and rejoin the caravan the next day.49
Another commentator wrote, “Usually these caravans left Jerusalem and stopped at Beereoth, about eight to ten miles from Jerusalem, for the night.”50
It was not until later that night, when everyone was starting to settle for either a meal or for camp for the night, that Mary and Joseph started to become concerned. The parents assumed that Jesus was probably with family or friends. It would be customary for an entire village to travel together in order to provide protection from thieves on the road.51
2:45. When their search for the child Jesus came up empty, Mary and Joseph decided to head back to Jerusalem. If He is not with the caravan, then He must still be in town.
Jesus in the Temple (2:46–50)
The “three days” probably started when the caravan left Jerusalem. The caravan went one day’s journey away from town, which meant that day one was when the caravan left, day two was when Mary and Joseph travelled back to find Jesus, and day three would have been when they found Jesus in the Temple.
When Mary and Joseph found Jesus, He was in the Temple. Not only that, He was sitting the midst of διδασκάλων or teachers52 (“doctors” [KJV] is poor translation and gives the wrong impression; they are not physicians).
He remained behind in the temple and was sitting in one of the courts where a number of Jewish [teachers] had gathered together for disputations among themselves as they were accustomed to do after a festival. He listened to the disputations and then asked questions on certain matters, and sometimes questions were put to Him in turn. According to the custom of that time, pupils had to receive instruction in this manner—by asking and answering questions.53
We must not assume to much and take this to mean that Jesus was teaching the teachers. Jesus, as a young boy, was genuinely interested in matters concerning the Law and the Prophets. He was eager to learn more about God. Jesus enjoyed learning from the Bible and Theology. The text gives the impression that Jesus was there for three days listening and questioning alongside the teachers. It is doubtful such eagerness for God’s word could be found among today’s youth.
2:47. Everyone that was present, listening to the conversation, was astonished. Astonished is ἐξίστημι which Luke frequently uses to describe wonder with a sense of fear from an action that is associated with God’s presence.54 The reason for their amazement/astonishment is due to Jesus’ comprehension to the matters being discussed. The word “understanding” is σύνεσις which can also be translated as intelligence or insight.55 These teachers of the Law have spent their entire educating themselves on high and lofty matters of the Law and yet here is a twelve-year-old boy keeping up with the conversation.
2:48. Luke nows records the parents’ reaction to the scene. The Greek for “astonished” is ἐκπλήσσομαι and is different than the Greek ἐξίστημι from the previous verse. ἐκπλήσσομαι means, “to cause to be filled with amazement to the point of being overwhelmed, amaze, astound, or overwhelm.”56 Therefore, due to the difference in the Greek text and from the context of the verse, Mary is more likely reacting to having finally found her child rather than reacting to Jesus’ understanding, like the teachers.
Mary immediately begins to question as to why this happened. The Greek, “Τέκνον, τί ἐποίησας ἡμιν οὕτως;” literally reads, “Child, Why did you do this to us?” The question shows deep concern rather than a harsh rebuke. Mary’s following statement explains the reason for the question: “Behold, your father and I were painfully57 looking for you.” This shows that Mary had a great amount of fear for the welfare of her child and was caused a great of turmoil. There is no cause for disciplining the child but there was a great of pain for the parent. Many modern parents would continue with, “Don’t you ever do that to me again!”
2:49. Jesus’ answer to His mother is unexpected for a normal child. Most would say, “I lost track of you,” or “I got distracted by the toys.” However, Jesus first recorded words are astounding. Jesus answers with a couple of questions that show He intended to be there. Jesus starts by asking why they were looking. The understanding should be that Mary and Joseph should have expected to find Jesus in the Temple. The search would have been easy if they knew were to look. The next question supplies the reason, “Do you not know that it is necessary for me to be in the things of my Father?” The word “business” (KJV, NKJV) is supplied by the translator. Other translators have “in my Father’s house?” (NASB, ESV, NIV, HCSB). House may make more sense with the context but the most literal translation is to use the article τοῖς as an indefinite object (i.e. things).
The keyword to grasp in this second question of Jesus is δεῖ meaning “it is necessary.” Jesus was already understanding that He had a personal mission. He understood that He had a task set before Him. He also understood who He was. This is indicated by the fact that He called it the “things of my Father.” “Jesus has a strong sense of identity with the Father and is committed to the mission God sent him to do.…Like the Gospel of John’s portrayal, Jesus recognizes himself as sent by the Father to reveal His will.”58 The record in John’s Gospel is clear, “For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me” (John 6:38).
2:50. Mary and Joseph understood that their child, Jesus, is the Messiah, but they did not understand everything incorporated with that office. They knew and believed but they did not comprehend all things concerning Jesus. Their understanding of Jesus’ work and Personhood was still playing catch-up with Jesus’ comprehension. If they were on the same level of comprehension, Mary would known that Jesus was still at the Temple, she would have understood what was happening.
Summary (2:51–52)
Luke keeps up with His portrayal of Jesus as the obedient man. He continues to fulfill the Law. This time Jesus honors His father and His mother.
Mary continues to keep all these words and events in her heart. Keep is διατηρέω meaning “to keep something mentally with implication of duration.”59 These were unusual events for a mother to have to go through. Every mother remembers the time that she lost track of her child. For Mary, it was more significant. The episode started with losing track of her child putting her through turmoil only to receive a lesson on her son’s divine mission, purpose and personhood.
Most conservatives think that due to the word “kept” or “treasured” occurring so many times in chapter 2 in reference to Mary keeping these events in heart, that she may well have been the witness that informed Luke of the birth narratives.60
2:52. Luke quickly summarizes the rest of Jesus’ maturation by stating that He grew in wisdom, and stature/age and favor with God and men. This verse shows, that while Jesus is God, He is still in flesh. He was human being like the rest of us but He lived a perfect life. Jesus Christ was the only person that ever kept all of the law showing that man was created to be holy and therefore with the Law, but it was ruined by the Fall.
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46. Darrell L. Bock, Luke 1:1–9:50, BECNT (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1994), 264.
47. Matthew Henry, Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible: Complete and Unabridged in One Volume (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1994), 1831.
48. BDAG, 973.
49. James M. Freeman and Harold J. Chadwick, Manners & Customs of the Bible (North Brunswick, NJ: Bridge-Logos Publishers, 1998), 502.
50. Robert James Utley, The Gospel according to Luke, SGCS, vol. 3a (Marshall, TX: Bible Lessons International, 2004), Lk 2:44.
51. Bock, Luke 1:1–9:50, 264, 266.
52. BDAG, 241.
53. Norval Geldenhuys, Commentary on the Gospel of Luke, NICNT (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 1958), 127.
54. Bock, Luke 1:1–9:50, 267; BDAG, 350.2.b.
55. BDAG, 970.1
56. BDAG, 308; cf. “the parents of Jesus were dumbfounded.”
57. ὀδυνάω, “to experience mental and spiritual pain, be pained/distressed” (BDAG, 692.2).
58. Bock, Luke 1:1–9:50, 271.
59. BDAG, 238.1.
60. See Bock, Luke 1:1–9:50, 273–4; and Geldenhuys, Commentary on the Gospel of Luke, 129.
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