Read:
Reflect:
What was Jesus’ life like as a child and young adult? The New Testament gives us no details except for one story when he was 12 years old – which we will explore in this reflection. There are some additional stories in later Christian writings, known as the New Testament Pseudepigrapha, but they are quite fanciful and lack credibility. So in the following six year-end devotionals we will focus our attention on Luke’s one childhood story and the beginning of Jesus’ ministry when he was already 30 years old. Luke’s story of Jesus as a 12 year old gives us some interesting insight into what his early life was like.
His parents were observant Jews who made the annual trek from Nazareth to Jerusalem (about 150 km) to celebrate Passover (v 41). Jesus made his first trip for this celebration when he was 12, the time when Jewish boys became adults (today known as their bar mitzvah – a son of the law) and accountable for their own actions. Though his parents’ concern over his failure to return with them is understandable, Jesus’ decision to remain in Jerusalem was not really a disobedient violation of parental authority. He was, after all, a responsible adult who stayed in the temple to study the law as a true “son of the law”. On the other hand, he did not reject his parents’ authority and concern for his well-being because he then returned home and was submissive to them (v 51). So Jesus was a faithful, observant Jew like his parents.
Jesus already knew the Scriptures and the ways of his “Father” well. This becomes clear in the knowledge and wisdom with which he questioned the teachers of the law and discussed the Scriptures with them (vv 46-7). It is evident that he had studied hard and learned much from the Old Testament as a child in his parental home. It would be most interesting to know what Jesus’ questions were and how the discussion developed, but Luke does not give us that information.
Jesus also had a firm sense of his destiny and priorities. He asked his parents: Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house (literally, I must be about my Father’s business) (v 49). Jesus knew who his real “Father” was (with no disrespect for his adoptive father, cf. v 48, because he remained submissive to him, cf. v 51), and that he must (literally, it is necessary) be doing the work of his “Father”. From this point on Jesus will make knowing his “Father” and his divinely ordained mission his first priority. But he did not make a premature leap into that mission. It took another 18 years before he launched his public ministry; a time when he must have reflected, learned, matured and prayed much to discern the Father’s will.
Jesus grew into his appointed mission. And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man (v 52). It is astounding to recognize that Jesus developed into his role in normal human fashion. As the author of Hebrews puts it: Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered (Hebrews 5:8). His increase in wisdom refers to his intellectual growth and the ability to apply it appropriately. His physical and emotional increase is captured by the word, stature. Favor with God points to his spiritual development as he walked in obedience to the Father’s will. Finally, favor with…man indicates that he grew socially as people recognized his character and regarded him with respect. Jesus needed to go through this kind of development to become adequately equipped to fulfill his mission.
May this one story of Jesus’ early life inspire and challenge us to growth in all areas of life; whether in diligent study of Scripture, education of our children, arranging our priorities, and fulfilling our mission as disciples of Jesus.
Respond:
We never outgrow the need for more development in our knowledge of God. So let is accept the challenge from the apostle Peter.
But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 3:18)