Luke 2c: HG Bishop Youssef

The Boy Jesus Amazes the Scholars

⁴¹ 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 according to the custom of the feast. ⁴³ When they had finished the days, as they returned, the Boy Jesus lingered behind in Jerusalem. And Joseph and His mother did not know it; ⁴⁴ but supposing Him to have been in the company, they went a day’s journey, and sought Him among their relatives and acquaintances. ⁴⁵ So when they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking Him. ⁴⁶ Now so it was that after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions. ⁴⁷ And all who heard Him were astonished at His understanding and answers. ⁴⁸ So when they saw Him, they were amazed; and His mother said to Him, “Son, why have You done this to us? Look, Your father and I have sought You anxiously.”

⁴⁹ And He said to them, “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?” ⁵⁰ But they did not understand the statement which He spoke to them.

• Going to Jerusalem
  • The Law of Moses required the attendance of all males at three major feasts (Exodus 23:17, Deuteronomy 16:16):
    • Passover
    • Pentecost
    • Feast of Tabernacles
  • By the First Century, this is also applicable to females
  • The scattering of the Jews relaxed the obligation for those who lived in Diaspora
  • Jewish Boys' Spiritual Growth
    • 3 Years Old - Receives his tassle garment
    • 5 Years Old - Starts to learn some of the Law (Ten Commandments, etc.)
    • 12 Years Old - Becomes a Student of the Law
    • Modern Day Childhood Development teaches that kids go through three stages of childhood
      • Infancy-6 Years Old: What
        • There is something called prayer, fasting, confession, etc.
      • 6-12: How
        • They should start to do these things
      • 12-18: Why
        • They should learn why they are doing those things
      • This seems to approximately match what the Jews were doing
  • This may be the first time that they took Jesus with them to Jerusalem for the Feast now that He is 12 years old to show that He is now responsible for fulfilling all the Law
• Feast of Passover
  • Seven Days for the Feast of Unleavened Bread ("when they had finished the days")
• They are traveling in large groups with their relatives and friends, so they thought that he was with the other children
  • It was not intentional that Christ lingered behind - but maybe He missed the departure journey, or maybe He was used to going to the Temple every day that week and He went another week to learn from the scholars
  • Many of us continue in our life journey thinking that Christ is in my company, but He is not
• Christ in the Temple was listening and asking questions - when we come to the Church, let us keep this attitude
  • He wants to increase in wisdom. Although He is God, the Source of All Wisdom, He emptied Himself (Philippians 2:7). So He grew in wisdom as any young boy would.
  • Take the example of Christ, who spent His time sitting among elders and scholars trying to grow in wisdom and learn... instead of spending hours and hours on social media polluting your mind with lies, come and search for the truth in the Church of God among Godly teachers and Godly scholars.
• Christ is missing for three days in Jerusalem as He was missed for three days between the Crucifixion and the Resurrection. Finding Him on the third day prefigures the Resurrection.
• St Mary, has a mother, gently reproaches Him but St Joseph stood away
  • St Augustine comments on "Your father and I" - "though she obtained all this honor having God's Word in her womb, yet she behaved in spiritual modesty toward St Joseph by presenting him first then herself to follow"
  • Even though she knows for sure that Jesus is her Son only, born without seed of man, and Joseph is not His biological father... her humble spirit and modesty made her to say "Your father and I"
• Christ's Response
  • The first words of Christ recorded to us in the Scripture
  • Christ is reminding them here that He came down from heaven and had a Higher Father (Higher than the earthly parents) and even in the earthly life, He should be engaged in the work that His Heavenly Father gave Him to do. Christ repeats these words many times throughout His ministry.
  • Luke included this episode in order to highlight this verse - that even from the age of 12 (the legal age to be responsible for the Law) - He said that He is here to fulfill the work that God the Father appointed for Him
  • How did they not understand? They know all of the visions they got and all that happened at His birth...
    • Maybe they were dulled after 12 years of a regular childhood
    • "My Father's Business" cannot be understood completely at their time before the Ministry and Crucifixion and Resurrection of Christ

Jesus Advances in Wisdom and Favor

⁵¹ Then He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them, but His mother kept all these things in her heart. ⁵² And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.

• Subject to them
  • Obedient to the commandment of honoring His earthly parents
  • Although He is the Creator and He created them, in His Incarnation, He was submissive to them
  • Many times we forget to honor our parents, or try to talk to them as equals, or even in a condescending way. But the Creator of the whole world... God, Himself, was submissive to His parents.
• St Mary's Contemplation
  • She is reflecting on these events, keeping in mind what Archangel Gabriel told her, keeping in mind what the Prophets taught, etc.
• Jesus Increased and Matured:
  • Mentally (Wisdom)
  • Physically (Stature)
  • Spiritually (Favor with God)
  • Socially (Favor with men)
• Maturity is a very important issue in our life
  • Many ask "when is the best age for someone to start serving in the Church?"
    • Mature Mentally - intellectually
    • Mature Physically - at least 16 or so
    • Mature Socially - he needs to know how to communicate
    • Mature Spiritually - Of course
  • Or "when should I get married?"
    • Mature Mentally
    • Mature Physically
    • Mature Socially
    • Mature Spiritually
• Eutychus said Jesus was not a perfect human, and His humanity was fake... this is a heresy and Eutychus was excommunicated. So if you get asked "How did the eternal wisdom of the Father and God increase in wisdom?" The answer is that He emptied Himself
• St Luke knew the stories of Chapter 1 and Chapter 2 from St Mary directly since he had a relationship with her when he painted her portrait. This conclusion of the Church Fathers is obligatory because no one else could have given St Luke these details.