Discovering God’s Son

Discovering God’s Son

Luke 2:41-49, NLT

Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Passover festival. 42When Jesus was twelve years old, they attended the festival as usual. 43After the celebration was over, they started home to Nazareth, but Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents didn’t miss him at first, 44because they assumed he was among the other travelers. But when he didn’t show up that evening, they started looking for him among their relatives and friends. 45When they couldn’t find him, they went back to Jerusalem to search for him there. 46Three days later they finally discovered him in the Temple, sitting among the religious teachers, listening to them and asking questions. 47All who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. 48His parents didn’t know what to think. “Son,” his mother said to him, “why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been frantic, searching for you everywhere.” 49“But why did you need to search?” he asked. “Didn’t you know that I must be in my Father’s house?”

Setting the Scene

According to God’s law, every male was required to go to Jerusalem three times a year for the great festivals. In the spring, the Passover was celebrated, followed immediately by the weeklong Festival of Unleavened Bread. Every year, Joseph, Mary, and Jesus celebrated Passover in Jerusalem.

At twelve years of age, Jesus would have been considered an adult, so Mary and Joseph weren’t alarmed at first when he wasn’t with them in the large caravan of people traveling home. When he didn’t show up when they made camp in the evening, they returned to Jerusalem to look for him. After three long days of searching and worrying, they found him in the Temple, discussing theology with the religious teachers. During Passover, the greatest rabbis in Israel would assemble to teach and to discuss great truths. Certainly the coming Messiah would have been a discussion topic. Jesus would have been eager to listen and to ask probing questions. The depth of Jesus’ wisdom at his young age amazed these teachers.

Mary and Joseph had looked for Jesus for three days, so her question is understandable: “Why have you done this to us?” Jesus simply replied, “Didn’t you know that I must be in my Father’s house?” Mary and Joseph didn’t realize that Jesus was making a distinction between his earthly father and his heavenly Father. They knew Jesus was God’s Son, but they didn’t understand what his mission would involve. Joseph and Mary had to learn and observe the complex outworking of Jesus’ special identity and calling, even as he lived in their family.

Getting Personal

When Jesus was a baby, what do you suppose Mary and Joseph imagined life would be like, having the Son of God in their home?

As you have grown, in what ways has your understanding of Jesus changed?

Mary did not completely understand her son, but she remembered these events and sought to find their meaning (Luke 2:51). Eventually Mary’s son would become her Savior and she would understand.

Talking to God

Express your joy in understanding who Jesus really is. Ask him to give you a mind that seeks after his truth with eagerness and pleasure.