The Boy Jesus in the Temple

Luke 2:40 (ESV) And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him.

Very little is told about Jesus' childhood, between His birth and the beginning of His public ministry.

The few stories which are recorded are here in the Gospel of Luke.

One is the encounter between an infant Jesus, Mary, Joseph, and the devout Simeon in the temple (Luke 2:25–32).

Another, on the same day, involves the prophetess Anna (Luke 2:36–38).

Another is an incident, when Jesus is twelve, where his family loses track of Him only to find Him in the temple (Luke 2:46–49).

Luke 2:41 (KJV 1900) Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the passover.

Joseph and Mary attended the Feast of the Passover every year.

The Passover was a one-day feast and was followed immediately by the week-long Feast of Unleavened Bread.

The entire time was often referred to either as “Passover” (Lk 22:1), or as the Feast of Unleavened Bread.

Luke 22:1 (NLT) 1 The Festival of Unleavened Bread, which is also called Passover, was approaching

Why did the Israelites celebrate the Passover every year?

Exodus 12:12–14 NLT

12 On that night I will pass through the land of Egypt and strike down every firstborn son and firstborn male animal in the land of Egypt. I will execute judgment against all the gods of Egypt, for I am the Lord! 13 But the blood on your doorposts will serve as a sign, marking the houses where you are staying. When I see the blood, I will pass over you. This plague of death will not touch you when I strike the land of Egypt. 14 “This is a day to remember. Each year, from generation to generation, you must celebrate it as a special festival to the Lord. This is a law for all time.

Luke 2:42 (NLT) When Jesus was twelve years old, they attended the festival as usual.

Luke chapter 2, we find the scene where Jesus, as a young boy of twelve, is in Jerusalem with his parents, Mary and Joseph, for the Passover festival.

The family is heading to Jerusalem as part of a required festival (Deuteronomy 16:14-16).

Jesus' youth was the same as any other child, other than a lack of sin (Hebrews 4:15; 1 Peter 2:22).

Luke 2:43 (NLT) After the celebration was over, they started home to Nazareth, but Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents didn’t miss him at first,

Luke 2:44 (NLT) because 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.

As they traveled, Mary and Joseph assumed that Jesus was among their group of relatives and acquaintances.

However, after a day’s journey, they realized that Jesus was not with them.

Should Joseph and Mary be accused of child neglect?

Luke 2:45 (NLT) When they couldn’t find him, they went back to Jerusalem to search for him there.

Frantic with worry, they hurried back to Jerusalem to search for him.

Reflecting on this story, we are encouraged to seek Jesus in our daily lives, knowing that He is always present and available to us.

Luke 2:46 (ESV) After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.

Luke 2:46 NLT

46 Three days later they finally discovered him in the Temple, sitting among the religious teachers, listening to them and asking questions.

After three days of searching, they found Jesus in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.

The teachers were amazed at his understanding and his answers.

John 21:25 (NLT) Jesus also did many other things. If they were all written down, I suppose the whole world could not contain the books that would be written.