JESUS AND
THE DOCTORS OF THE LAW
41Now his
parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover.
42And when he
was twelve years old, they went up according to custom. 43And when the feast
was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem.
His parents did not know it, 44but supposing him to be in the group they went a
day’s journey, but then they began to search for him among their relatives and
acquaintances, 45and when they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem,
searching for him.
46After three
days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to
them and asking them questions. 47And all who heard him were amazed at his
understanding and his answers.
48And when his
parents saw him, they were astonished. And his mother said to him, “Son, why
have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been searching for you
in great distress.”
49And he said to
them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my
Father’s house?” 50And they did not understand the saying that he spoke to
them.
51And he went
down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them. And his mother
treasured up all these things in her heart.
LUKE
2:41-52
COMMENTARY
This was possibly
the first time Lord Jesus was taken to Jerusalem in Passover for training for
his coming adulthood. He could have been in Jerusalem before, during his early
years until 11, but it was at 12 where Jewish males started to train in order
to pass their ceremony of adulthood at 13. He needed to be familiar with the
feasts, the offerings, the Torah, Prophets, Writings and Talmud.
But Jesus
decided to remain in Jerusalem, at the Temple surroundings, learning more about
the Torah than everyone else; so, Mary and Joseph went away, thinking Jesus may
have been among other relatives in the caravan that they were part of; but only
after a day passed, they noticed He was missing. They returned their steps
trying to find Him, until they finally found Him in Jerusalem, three days
after.
This is the third
manifestation of his Messianic claim from childhood. And the third time Mary
was impressed and intrigued with what was happening.
JESUS why were
you looking for me? Didn’t you know I must be in my Father’s House?
Jesus had said
this time in public and to Joseph and Mary, that GOD YHWH, under whose command
a Temple was there, He was his Father. This is the first time Jesus is recorded
to say this in the NT; and that indicated that He knew all along that He was
the Son of God, the Messiah and that He pre-existed. Not like many scholars
these days that sustain that Jesus learned who He was from John the Baptist and
then He started to realize by Himself in a very human way, that He had a mission.
That is wrong. Lord JESUS knew all along who He was. And called God ‘Father’ and
claiming his Temple as His House in the condition of being a Son.
But not only
this, He was debating with Doctors of the Law. Theologians, who were marveled
at the amount of knowledge Jesus had, not only from the Tanakh, but also in the
insight of them. Being Jesus 12 and the average Doctor over 40 years old.
Joseph and Mary
knew Jesus was a miracle, but nevertheless, Mary still ponder the length, how
far, how marvelous was that child she gave birth, Jesus of Nazareth.
As a human,
Jesus grew in knowledge.
As a trades man,
Jesus grew in strength.
In self-sacrifice,
Jesus won respect and love from neighbors.
As a holy man,
He grew in the love of his Father.
BUT as DIVINE,
He knew everything, and awaited in silence, the fulfilment of his mission. The
reason He came to Earth for. To die on the cross for our salvation.
Omar Flores.
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