Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. And when he was twelve years old, they went up according to custom. And when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it, but 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, and when they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, searching for him. After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. And 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.” And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” And they did not understand the saying that he spoke to them. And 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.
And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.
Comment: Jewish families particularly the males were to go to the temple three times a year. One of those three was for Passover. A boy, responsibility wise, became a man at age 12, at which age he went with his family to the Passover Feast. This must have been exciting and looked forward to as boys grew up in Israel! It was a time when family groups met and children played in groups (the boys who were from 12 year olds to teenagers and they, pretty obviously, thronged together playing and doing what boys do. The word went out that people were leaving to go home and obviously the now mature youngsters were expected to get ready and go with their families! Joseph and Mary were surprised when Jesus didn’t turn up for a meal or his bed or something and they got worried. After searching amongst the other travellers and not finding him they ‘hot-footed it’ back to Jerusalem. After what were, I assume, a frantic three days they found him not holed up with some of the boys whom he had met but in the temple, almost the last place you would expect a 12 year old to be of choice for what in total was 4 days! On the assumption in accord with the scriptures that His boyhood had proven to make Him ‘the perfect child’ in all the falls of infancy and in playing with His mates; in dealing with younger siblings: in obedience to His not perfect parents, why wasn’t He where they expected Him to be? You can hear the frustration and grief in Mary’s question, ““Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been searching for you in great distress.” How would a ‘Perfect Boy’ answer? We are told. “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” How would you have taken that if the child had been yours?
Mary and Joseph didn’t understand but they found Jesus as cooperative and helpful as always. We are told that “Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man“
Deuteronomy 6: 7 – You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. – I presume that was what Joseph and Mary did!
Prayer: I thank You that I am Your child because of Jesus, Loving Father God!
As I read it! 