“Now Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem every year for the feast of the Passover. When he
was twelve years old, they went up according to custom. But when the feast was over, as
they were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not
know it, but (because they assumed that he was in their group of travelers) they went a
day’s journey. Then they began to look for him among their relatives and acquaintances.
When they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem to look for him. After three days
they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and
asking them questions. And all who heard Jesus were astonished at his understanding
and his answers. When his parents saw him, they were overwhelmed. His mother said to
him, “Child, why have you treated us like this? Look, your father and I have been
looking for you anxiously.” But he replied, “Why were you looking for me? Didn’t you
know that I must be in my Father’s house?” Yet his parents did not understand the
remark he made to them. Then he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was
obedient to them. But his mother kept all these things in her heart.
And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature, and in favor with God and with
people.” Luke 2:4152
NET
Only Luke’s Gospel records this event from Jesus’ life. I don’t know about you, but it
always made me feel a little uncomfortable. This isn’t the kind of behavior I would expect
from a sinless Jesus. It is very easy to just take this account on face value and not see the
deeper meaning. First, let’s look at young Jesus. Having raised three boys, I know that a
twelveyearold
has a different concept of time than an adult. Secondly, they wrongly assumed
a lot of things. Jesus understood who He was, even at this young age, but His parents and
others around Him did not. It is likely He was thinking, my parents know where I am and they
will come and get me. It may not have occurred to Him that they did not realize that He
needed to be in His Father’s House. He probably didn’t think much time had passed. He was
not intending to be disobedient in any way.
Now for the deeper meaning of the event: first, twelve is the Biblical number for the Nation
of Israel, so here we see represented the Nation of Israel searching for their Messiah and not
knowing that He is in the most obvious place. Secondly the time, three days, corresponds with
the Resurrection. How many times did Jesus tell His followers that He would rise in three
days? How many examples did He give? Yet, not one went to the Tomb to see the
Resurrection. Even when the women told the Disciples about it, they didn’t believe it.
“Then some of the experts in the law along with some Pharisees answered him, “Teacher,
we want to see a sign from you.” But He answered them, “An evil and adulterous
generation asks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet
Jonah. For just as Jonah was in the belly of the huge fish for three days and three nights,
so the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights.”
Matthew12:3840
NET
“As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve aside privately and said to them
on the way, “Look, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed
over to the chief priests and the experts in the law. They will condemn him to death, and
will turn him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged severely and crucified. Yet
on the third day, He will be raised.”
Matthew 20:1719
NET
“Then Jesus said to them, “This night you will all fall away because of me, for it is
written:
‘I will strike the shepherd,
and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’
But after I am raised, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.” Matthew 26:31 NET
“The next day (which is after the day of preparation) the chief priests and the Pharisees
assembled before Pilate and said, “Sir, we remember that while that deceiver was still
alive he said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ So give orders to secure the tomb until
the third day. Otherwise his disciples may come and steal his body and say to the people,
‘He has been raised from the dead,’ and the last deception will be worse than the first.”
Pilate said to them, “Take a guard of soldiers. Go and make it as secure as you can.” So
they went with the soldiers of the guard and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone.”
Matthew 27:6266
NET
“As they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, ‘Do not tell
anyone about the vision until the Son of Man is raised from the dead.’” Matthew 17:9
NET
“So then the Jewish leaders responded, ‘What sign can you show us, since you are doing
these things?’ Jesus replied, ‘Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up
again.’”
John 2:18,19 NET
Some of the prophecies are veiled, but not this one. It is hard to imagine how Jesus could
have been more clear about what was going to happen to Him. Even the Pharisees knew He
had said it. His followers should have been lined up at the Tomb to see the Resurrection, but
they were too overwhelmed with grief to realize what was happening. Sadly, we are guilty of
the same thing; very often the Truth is staring us right in the face, and we can’t see it.
“and not like Moses who used to put a veil over his face to keep the Israelites from
staring at the result of the glory that was made ineffective. But their minds were closed.
For to this very day, the same veil remains when they hear the old covenant read. It has
not been removed because only in Christ is it taken away.”
2 Corinthians 3:1314
NET
The Truth is very plain, but it can only be revealed through faith in Jesus Christ. Believers
know the Truth of Christ’s Resurrection, but even in the life of the believer, God is anxious to
reveal Himself more fully to us. The life of the believer should be full of moments of insight
as more of the deep things of God become clear to us. We don’t need to be like Mary and
Joseph, who were anxiously searching for Jesus. We know exactly where He is. He is waiting
with open arms
To The Glory Of God!