Sunday 29 December 2024
And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. (v. 47)
Background
Luke’s Gospel chapters 2-4 has three wonderful stories of Jesus preparing for ministry: as a 12-year-old in the Temple; his baptism; and his temptations.
Today’s reading is the only account of the adolescent Jesus and, as any parent knows, children growing into teenagers often have their moments – times when they don’t do what is expected of them. Sometimes we adults can remember a time when we too 'disappointed' our parents!
The scene for this misunderstanding between Jesus, Mary and Joseph is the Jerusalem Temple at Passover, one of three occasions in the year when all male adult Jews were expected to attend religious festivals. These obligations would also extend to boys around the age of 13, and some a little younger, who would attend with parents as preparation for their bar mitzvah, marking their transition to adulthood.
Jerusalem would have been packed out, great crowds travelling from villages and towns, people mixing with different groups, with families getting split up in the throng of pilgrims. Many of us will have been in large crowds and know just how easy it is to get separated from friends or family. For Mary and Joseph there was no immediate concern as their part of the crowd set off home towards Nazareth; it was only hours later, as the crowd thinned out, they realised Jesus was not with them.
Back in Jerusalem, when they eventually found Jesus in the Temple, Luke records Mary saying, “Child, why have you treated us like this…” (v. 48); which seem remarkably restrained! The reply of the 12-year-old Jesus made an immediate impact on Mary, as well as on Christians down the ages: “Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” (v. 49)
How did Joseph feel? And what did Mary recall in this moment about what the angel or Simeon had said about Jesus: that he would be a saviour, messiah, and a light for revelation to the Gentiles. "And a sword will pierce your own soul too.” (Luke 2:35) What a mixture of emotions for Mary and Joseph!
The preparation time for Jesus' ministry has started. We read: “And Jesus increased in wisdom and in years, and in divine and human favour.” (v. 52) As we explore the lordship of Christ this week, just what kind of lord and saviour will be revealed in the adult Jesus?
To Ponder:
- Is a sound faith built on certainties, or on perceptive questioning? Francis Bacon is quoted as saying that “A prudent question is one half of wisdom.” Do you agree?
- Today’s text mentions that Jesus listened to the answers of his teachers. Are you able to listen well to others today?
Prayer
As we hear about personal arguments as well as national and international conflicts, we pray that we may be willing to listen to others' viewpoints as well as voicing our own opinions. May our questions be used to further both truth and wisdom. Amen.
Bible notes author: Michael King
Michael is a Methodist local preacher in Salisbury and was Vice-President of the Conference in 2012/2013.