12. The twelve-year-old Jesus boy in the temple

Luke 2:41–52

As pious Israelites, Jesus’ parents made an annual pilgrimage to Jerusalem for Passover. The Law of Moses required the men of Israel to appear before the Lord in the sanctuary on the three great feasts, Passover, Pentecost and Tabernacles (Ex 23:17; Dt 16:16). Accordingly, those who lived far away made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem at least once a year, at Passover. The women voluntarily accompanied the men. Parents took their sons with them when they had reached the age of twelve. At the age of twelve, the boys began to be taught the law and become accustomed to it. So Jesus, when he was twelve years old, went to the festival in Jerusalem with his parents. From his youth, Christ, in our place, fulfilled the law in all respects. The boy Jesus remained in Jerusalem even after the feast was over, without his parents knowing.

After the parents had become aware of this and had searched for their son in vain for three days among the traveling party and then in Jerusalem, they finally found him in the temple. There he sat among the teachers of Israel, listened to them as they explained the law, demonstrated his attentiveness in all kinds of questions and his understanding and wisdom in the answers he gave, so that all those present were amazed. This boy Jesus is a true, genuine human child. He has become like his brothers in all things, has submitted himself to the teaching and instruction of the divine word for our sake, and has set a good example for our children and students in listening and learning. And yet in this child was hidden all the fullness of the Godhead, also all the fullness of divine wisdom, which shone through his answers.

The mother Mary reproached her son for having caused his parents such heartache and for having abandoned them. Despite her belief, she was still quite foolish. There is still a lot of foolishness among believers. Jesus replied: “Why have you sought me?” “He wants to be unpunished by his mother.” (Luther) And now we hear from his mouth the great, significant word: “Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” He calls God his Father. God is his Father in the unique sense of the word. The awareness of being the Son of God first slumbered as a blessed mystery in the tender boy’s breast. As he then grew in understanding and wisdom, he also became ever more clearly aware of his heavenly origin as a human being. And as he was in his father’s house and heard God’s Word and spoke of it, this awareness broke forth with power. We can observe something similar in the development of our children, our Christian children. Our whole journey through life is sanctified by Christ’s example. A Christian child has already become a child of God through baptism. When the child then grows up in age and in reasoning, he learns to understand the grace of baptism and to recognize God his Father. And when he has entered the years of spiritual maturity, around the time of confirmation, the feeling and awareness: “I am God's child” becomes particularly active and lively. The boy Jesus testified to his parents that he must be in that which is the Father’s, that is, not only in his Father’s house, but in the Word, will and work of God. He had come to carry out God’s counsel and work on earth. And in this, people, including father and mother, were not allowed to disturb or hinder him. With this, Jesus has given Christian children and all Christians their proper place with God and with man. God should rightly be our supreme, our first and our closest. We should put aside all consideration for people, including our parents, when we are dealing with God’s things, God's Word and will. “Here in this case it is: Dear father, dear mother, I have another Father, I should look to him more than to you.” (Luther) At that time, Jesus’ parents did not yet fully understand the words he spoke to them. Believers often have a very weak understanding of the mystery of the person of Christ and must learn from it throughout their lives.

This same son of the heavenly Father then went down to Nazareth with his earthly parents and was subject to them. “He did everything in the house that he was told to do, picked up shavings, fetched food and drink, and did not let anything annoy him.” (Luther) He then helped his father with his carpentry and became a carpenter himself (Mk 6:3). “The youth should take note of this example, that the Lord, who is the God of us all, did such things in his childhood... even though they were small, insignificant works, so that they may do the same and learn to behave in such obedience and humility.” (Luther) And at the same time, this childlike obedience of Jesus, which he performed as our Savior and representative, is a great comfort to us when we remember the sins of our youth. By such a small work, Jesus continued to grow in age, wisdom, grace, and favor with God and man.