I Must Be About My Father’s Business
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39 So when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own city, Nazareth.
40 And the Child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him.
41 His parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover.
42 And when He was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast.
43 When they had finished the days, as they returned, the Boy Jesus lingered behind in Jerusalem. And Joseph and His mother did not know it;
44 but supposing Him to have been in the company, they went a day’s journey, and sought Him among their relatives and acquaintances.
45 So when they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking Him.
46 Now so it was that after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions.
47 And all who heard Him were astonished at His understanding and answers.
48 So when they saw Him, they were amazed; and His mother said to Him, “Son, why have You done this to us? Look, Your father and I have sought You anxiously.”
49 And He said to them, “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?”
50 But they did not understand the statement which He spoke to them.
51 Then He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them, but His mother kept all these things in her heart.
52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.
In this second chapter of Luke gospel we have found three stories about the life of Jesus from birth to childhood.
It would seem that what Luke what to convey to us is the three messages or utterances about Jesus that each of these three accounts seems to focus on.
The first of these was from the angel of God.
10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people:
11 to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord.
12 This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.”
13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying,
14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!”
The second was from Simeon
29 “Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, According to Your word;
30 For my eyes have seen Your salvation
31 Which You have prepared before the face of all peoples,
32 A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, And the glory of Your people Israel.”
33 And Joseph and His mother marveled at those things which were spoken of Him.
34 Then Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against
35 (yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”
Now the third oracle pertaining to Christ is from Jesus Himself.
But before we get to this statement Luke first sets the seen
39 So when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own city, Nazareth.
40 And the Child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him.
So after leaving Jerusalem they returned to Nazareth. But lLuke wants to emphasis that Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord. This is important because Jesus was in all things temped just like you and I only He was without sin. Now it could be argued that had Joseph and Mary not fulfilled the Law concerning circumcision that that would not have been a sin for Jesus but for His parents. Perhaps thats true but never the less it was God’s intention that Jesus be above reproach concerning the Law and so Joseph and Mary being good Jewish parents made sure to follow the Jewish customs. And it seemed important enough that Luke not only recorded these things but emphasis that they had preformed all things according to the Law.
It then says that the Child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom, and that the grace of God was upon Him. This statement is repeated at the end of this account as well so we will look at that later.
41 His parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover.
42 And when He was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast.
43 When they had finished the days, as they returned, the Boy Jesus lingered behind in Jerusalem. And Joseph and His mother did not know it;
44 but supposing Him to have been in the company, they went a day’s journey, and sought Him among their relatives and acquaintances.
45 So when they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking Him.
Where did they find Jesus?
46 Now so it was that after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions.
So they found…
Jesus Teaching in the Temple
Jesus Teaching in the Temple
The fact the Jesus was 12 years old at this time, At the age of 13 a Jewish boy has his Bar-Mitzvah “Bar” meaning Son and “Mitzvah”
meaning covenant so “son of the covenant” and he becomes a man, but prior to that he must study Torah and learn the covenant and Laws. So it is not usual that Jesus would be in the temple listening and asking questions. However, the next verse says.
47 And all who heard Him were astonished at His understanding and answers.
Even as a boy Jesus understanding of the scriptures astonished the teachers of the Law. Why would Luke say this? He is clearly pointing us to see that even as a boy Jesus is God in the flesh. He has God’s wisdom and understanding and was able to give answers about the scriptures that they had never before noticed or thought of.
48 So when they saw Him, they were amazed; and His mother said to Him, “Son, why have You done this to us? Look, Your father and I have sought You anxiously.”
Jesus Response to His Parents
Jesus Response to His Parents
Luke has shared this whole narrative about this trip to Jerusalem in order to show us this profound answer that Jesus gives to His mother.
49 And He said to them, “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?”
These are the first words of Jesus that Luke records and another powerful declaration about who Jesus is and what He came to do.
Why did you seek me?
In other words, you should have known immediately where to find me. Where else would I be? If they understood all the revelations they had already receieved -
such as what the angel had told Mary when he said “that Holy One who is born will be called the Son of God”
or what the shepherds had told them “born to you this day in the city of David a Savior who is Christ the Lord”
This is Messiah, the Son of God who is the Lord. Of course he will be in the house of the Lord.
Then He says
Did you not know that I must be about my Father’s business?
Here we find, from Jesus own mouth, the particular truth about Jesus that Luke wants his readers to see.
The unique relationship between Jesus and God. He is the Son of God. But not in the way that all mankind are God’s children Jesus is the only begotten Son of God.
We find this phase used in
16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
But “only begotten” is the english translation and should not be confused to mean that Jesus was created. The word used here in the greek means something morn like the only unique Son of God.
So when Jesus says “I must be about my Father’s business” He is revealing His unique relationship to the Father. That they are of the same essence.
God was only called Father a few times in the Old Testament and it was certainly not common practice for the Jews to call God “Father” as that would have been far too familiar. But Jesus continually referred to God as Father and he invited us to do the same.
When Jesus taught us how to pray He said in this manner, therefore, pray:
Our Father in heaven
Of course Jesus is still the unique Son of God who is equal with God but
12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:
4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love,
5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,
We have become children by adoption but Jesus is the eternal Son of God. So when He say I must be about my Father’s business it is a statement about his deity.
But He says I must be about my Father’s business.
This is a statement about His purpose.
The purpose of Jesus was to do the will of His Father. When he answers His parents with this statement He reminds them that His purpose will alway take priority. There will come a point in the ministry of Christ where he breaks away from His family
19 Then His mother and brothers came to Him, and could not approach Him because of the crowd.
20 And it was told Him by some, who said, “Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see You.”
21 But He answered and said to them, “My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it.”
Our families are a blessing and our first ministry but there may come a time when our heavenly Father business that He has for us conflicts with our family’s purposes. If that is the case then we must be about our Father’s business.
I believe that the life of Jesus teaches us that we should value and respect our families, that we should meet our obligations to our families. But sometimes our families may try to pressure us to meet their requirements above God’s calling. Pray that we may have decrement.
I believe that Luke implies here that Jesus already understood His purpose even at the age of 12. Jesus must be about His Father’s business. His Father has determined that through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross He might save us from sin.
It says
50 But they did not understand the statement which He spoke to them.
But Mary kept all these things in her heart
this is the second time in this Ch that Luke has told us this. Perhaps it is an indication of His source.
51 Then He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them, but His mother kept all these things in her heart.
Jesus was subject to them. In case anyone might get the wrong idea about how Jesus answers His parents in the temple Luke wants to assure us that Jesus was not disobedient, He was not disrespectful. He honoured His father and mother and submitted Himself to them. Which brings us to the final point this morning.
Jesus Grows in Stature, Wisdom, And Favour
Jesus Grows in Stature, Wisdom, And Favour
40 And the Child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him.
52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.
His wisdom and teaching in the temple and His answer to His parents remind us the Jesus is God of very God but His submission to His parents and His growth remind us that He was also human.
Although it difficult to comprehend how God who is and was and is to come could grow in wisdom and stature, in spirit, and in favour with God and men it is none the less critical for the salvation of mankind.
14 Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.
15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.
16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
5 Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,
6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited,
7 but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form,
8 he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death— even death on a cross.
9 Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name,
10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Jesus although, He is God, one with God and equal with God He did not exploit His deity. He did not demand that He be worshiped, He did not come to us in His glory where everyone would have known who He was. No he humbled Himself, He came as one of us born in a humble family. When the crucified Him He could have called down the angel army to deliver Him from the Chief Priest and from Pilot. But he humbled Himself He became obedient to death on the cross.
Let this mind be in us. When we demand to be treated with the respect we are due. When we think of ourselves better than others. How little status we have to exploit but Jesus being God humbled Himself. let us let this mind be in us.
One day every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord. One day we will see Him in His glory. There will be no doubt on that day.
When He returns every eye will see Him and they will mourn bitterly because they killed him. You say but i didn’t kill him. But your sins are why He died. The Bible says they will mourn like a one who lost their only child. If we bow our knee now and confess that He is Lord then we will rejoice on that day.