Christ Sitting with the Doctors.
41 Now 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
after the custom of the feast. 43 And when they had fulfilled the days, as
they returned, the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and Joseph and
his mother knew not of it. 44 But they, supposing him to have been in the
company, went a day's journey; and they sought him among their kinsfolk and
acquaintance. 45 And when they found him not, they turned back again to
Jerusalem, seeking him. 46 And it came to pass, that after three days they
found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing
them, and asking them questions. 47 And all that heard him were astonished
at his understanding and answers. 48 And when they saw him, they were
amazed: and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us?
behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing. 49 And he said unto
them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my
Father's business? 50 And they understood not the saying which he spake unto
them. 51 And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject
unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart. 52 And Jesus
increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.
We have here the only passage of story recorded concerning our blessed
Saviour, from his infancy to the day of his showing to Israel at twenty-nine
years old, and therefore we are concerned to make much of this, for it is in
vain to wish we had more. Here is,
I. Christ's going up with his parents to Jerusalem, at the feast of the
passover, v. 41, 42. 1. It was their constant practice to attend there,
according to the law, though it was a long journey, and they were poor, and
perhaps not well able, without straitening themselves, to bear the expenses of
it. Note, Public ordinances must be frequented, and we must not forsake the
assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is. Worldly business
must give way to spiritual concerns. Joseph and Mary had a son in the house with
them, that was able to teach them better than all the rabbin at Jerusalem; yet
they went up thither, after the custom of the feast. The Lord loves the gates of
Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob, and so should we. We have reason to
suppose that Joseph went up likewise at the feasts of pentecost and tabernacles;
for all the males were to appear there thrice a year, but Mary only at the
passover, which was the greatest of the three feasts, and had most gospel in it.
2. The child Jesus, at twelve years old, went up with them. The Jewish doctors
say that at twelve years old children must begin to fast from time to time, that
they may learn to fast on the day of atonement; and that at thirteen years old a
child begins to be a son of the commandment, that is, obliged to the duties of
adult church-membership, having been from his infancy, by virtue of his
circumcision, a son of the covenant. It is not said that this was the first time
that Jesus went up to Jerusalem to worship at the feast: probably he had done it
for some years before, having spirit and wisdom above his years; and all should
attend on public worship that can hear with understanding, Neh. viii. 2. Those
children that are forward in other things should be put forward in religion. It
is for the honour of Christ that children should attend on public worship, and
he is pleased with their hosannas; and those children that were in their infancy
dedicated to God should be called upon, when they are grown up, to come to the
gospel passover, to the Lord's supper, that they make it their own act and deed
to join themselves to the Lord.
II. Christ's tarrying behind his parents at Jerusalem, unknown to them, in
which he designed to give an early specimen of what he was reserved for.
1. His parents did not return till they had fulfilled the days; they had
staid there all the seven days at the feast, though it was not absolutely
necessary that they should stay longer than the two first days, after which many
went home. Note, It is good to stay to the conclusion of an ordinance, as
becomes those who say, It is good to be here, and not to hasten away, as if we
were like Doeg, detained before the Lord.
2. The child tarried behind in Jerusalem, not because he was loth to go home,
or shy of his parents' company, but because he had business to do there, and
would let his parents know that he had a Father in heaven, whom he was to be
observant of more than of them; and respect to him must not be construed
disrespect to them. Some conjecture that he tarried behind in the temple, for it
was the custom of the pious Jews, on the morning that they were to go home, to
go first to the temple, to worship God; there he staid behind, and found
entertainment there till they found him again. Or, perhaps, he staid at the
house where they lodged, or some other friend's house (and such a child as he
was could not but be the darling of all that knew him, and every one would court
his company), and went up to the temple only at church-time; but so it was that
he staid behind. It is good to see young people willing to dwell in the house of
the Lord; they are then like Christ.
3. His parents went the first day's journey without any suspicion that he was
left behind, for they supposed him to have been in the company, v. 44. On these
occasions, the crowd was very great, especially the first day's journey, and the
roads full of people; and they concluded that he came along with some of their
neighbours, and they sought him among their kindred and acquaintance, that were
upon the road, going down. Pray did you see our Son? or, Did you see him? Like
the spouses's inquiry, Saw ye him whom my soul loveth? This was a jewel worth
seeking after. They knew that every one would be desirous of his company, and
that he would be willing to do good among his kinsfolk and acquaintance, but
among them they found him not, v. 45. There are many, too many, who are our
kinsfolk and acquaintance, that we cannot avoid conversing with, among whom we
find little or nothing of Christ. When they could not hear of him in this and
the other company upon the road, yet they hoped they should meet with him at the
place where they lodged that night; but there they could learn no tidings of
him. Compare this with Job xxiii. 8, 9.
4. When they found him not at their quarters at night, they turned back
again, next morning, to Jerusalem, seeking him. Note, Those that would find
Christ must seek till they find; for he will at length be found of those that
seek him, and will be found their bountiful rewarder. Those that have lost their
comforts in Christ, and the evidences of their interest in him, must bethink
themselves where, and when, and how, they lost them, and must turn back again to
the place where they last had them; must remember whence they are fallen, and
repent, and do their first works, and return to their first love, Rev. ii. 4, 5.
Those that would recover their lost acquaintance with Christ must go to
Jerusalem, the city of our solemnities, the place which he has chosen to put his
name there; must attend upon him in his ordinances, in the gospel-passover,
there they may hope to meet him.
5. The third day they found him in the temple, in some of the apartments
belonging to the temple, where the doctors of the law kept, not their courts,
but their conferences rather, or their schools for disputation; and there they
found him sitting in the midst of them (v. 46), not standing as a catechumen to
be examined or instructed by them, for he had discovered such measures of
knowledge and wisdom that they admitted him to sit among them as a fellow or
member of their society. This is an instance, not only that he was filled with
wisdom (v. 40), but that he had both a desire to increase it and a readiness to
communicate it; and herein he is an example to children and young people, who
should learn of Christ to delight in the company of those they may get good by,
and choose to sit in the midst of the doctors rather than in the midst of the
players. Let them begin at twelve years old, and sooner, to enquire after
knowledge, and to associate with those that are able to instruct them; it is a
hopeful and promising presage in youth to be desirous of instruction. Many a
youth at Christ's age now would have been playing with the children in the
temple, but he was sitting with the doctors in the temple. (1.) He heard them.
Those that would learn must be swift to hear. (2.) He asked them questions;
whether, as a teacher (he had authority so to ask) or as a learner (he had
humility so to ask) I know not, or whether as an associate, or joint-searcher
after truth, which must be found out by mutual amicable disquisitions. (3.) He
returned answers to them, which were very surprising and satisfactory, v. 47.
And his wisdom and understanding appeared as much in the questions he asked as
in the answers he gave, so that all who heard him were astonished: they never
heard one so young, no indeed any of their greatest doctors, talk sense at the
rate that he did; like David, he had more understanding than all his teachers,
yea, than the ancients, Ps. cxix. 99, 100. Now Christ showed forth some rays of
his glory, which were presently drawn in again. He gave them a taste (says
Calvin) of his divine wisdom and knowledge. Methinks this public appearance of
Christ in the temple, as a teacher, was like Moses's early attempt to deliver
Israel, which Stephen put this construction upon, that he supposed his brethren
would have understood, by that, how God by his hand would deliver them, Acts
vii. 24, 25. They might have taken the hint, and been delivered then, but they
understood not; so they here might have had Christ (for aught I know) to enter
upon his work now, but they were only astonished, and understood not the
indication; and therefore, like Moses, he retires into obscurity again, and they
hear no more of him for many years after.
6. His mother talked with him privately about it. When the company broke up,
she took him aside, and examined him about it with a deal of tenderness and
affection, v. 48. Joseph and Mary were both amazed to find him there, and to
find that he had so much respect showed him as to be admitted to sit among the
doctors, and to be taken notice of. His father knew he had only the name of a
father, and therefore said nothing. But, (1.) His mother told him how ill they
took it: "Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? Why didst thou put us into such
a fright?" They were ready to say, as Jacob of Joseph, "A wild beast has
devoured him; or, He is fallen into the hands of some more cruel enemy, who has
at length found out that he was the young child whose life Herod had sought some
years ago." A thousand imaginations, we may suppose, they had concerning him,
each more frightful than another. "Now, why hast thou given us occasion for
these fears? Thy father and I have sought thee, sorrowing; not only troubled
that we lost thee, but vexed at ourselves that we did not take more care of
thee, to bring thee along with us." Note, Those may have leave to complain of
their losses that think they have lost Christ. But their weeping did not hinder
sowing; they did not sorrow and sit down in despair, but sorrowed and sought.
Note, If we would find Christ, we must seek him sorrowing, sorrowing that we
have lost him, that we have provoked him to withdraw, and that we have sought
him no sooner. They that thus seek him in sorrow shall find him, at length, with
so much the greater joy. (2.) He gently reproved their inordinate solicitude
about him (v. 49): "How is it that you sought me? You might have depended upon
it, I would have followed you home when I had done the business I had to do
here. I could not be lost in Jerusalem. Wist ye not that I ought to be, en tois
tou patros mou;--in my Father's house?" so some read it; "where else should the
Son be, who abideth in the house for ever? I ought to be," [1.] "Under my
Father's care and protection; and therefore you should have cast the care of me
upon him, and not have burdened yourselves with it." Christ is a shaft hid in
his Father's quiver, Isa. xlix. 2. He takes care of his church likewise, and
therefore let us never despair of its safety. [2.] "At my Father's work" (so we
take it): "I must be about my Father's business, and therefore could not go home
as soon as you might. Wist ye not? Have you not already perceived that
concerning me, that I have devoted myself to the service of religion, and
therefore must employ myself in the affairs of it?" Herein he hath left us an
example; for it becomes the children of God, in conformity to Christ, to attend
their heavenly Father's business, and to make all other business give way to it.
This word of Christ we now think we understand very well, for he hath explained
it in what he hath done and said. It was his errand into the world, and his meat
and drink in the world, to do his Father's will, and finish his work: and yet at
that time his parents understood not this saying, v. 50. They did not understand
what business he had to do then in the temple for his Father. They believed him
to be the Messiah, that should have the throne of his father David; but they
thought that should rather bring him to the royal palace than to the temple.
They understood not his prophetical office; and he was to do much of his work in
that.
Lastly, Here is their return to Nazareth. This glimpse of his glory was to be
short. It was now over, and he did not urge his parents either to come and
settle at Jerusalem or to settle him there (though that was the place of
improvement and preferment, and where he might have the best opportunities of
showing his wisdom), but very willingly retired into his obscurity at Nazareth,
where for many years he was, as it were, buried alive. Doubtless, he came up to
Jerusalem, to worship at the feast, three times a year, but whether he ever went
again into the temple, to dispute with the doctors there, we are not told; it is
not improbable but he might. But here we are told,
1. That he was subject to his parents. Though once, to show that he was more
than a man, he withdrew himself from his parents, to attend his heavenly
Father's business, yet he did not, as yet, make that his constant practice, nor
for many years after, but was subject to them, observed their order, and went
and came as they directed, and, as it should seem, worked with his father at the
trade of a carpenter. Herein he hath given an example to children to be dutiful
and obedient to their parents in the Lord. Being made of a woman, he was made
under the law of the fifth commandment, to teach the seed of the faithful thus
to approve themselves to him a faithful seed. Though his parents were poor and
mean, though his father was only his supposed father, yet he was subject to
them; though he was strong in spirit, and filled with wisdom nay though he was
the Son of God, yet he was subject to his parents; how then will they answer it
who, though foolish and weak, yet are disobedient to their parents?
2. That his mother, though she did not perfectly understand her son's
sayings, yet kept them in her heart, expecting that hereafter they would be
explained to her, and she should fully understand them, and know how to make use
of them. However we may neglect men's sayings because they are obscure (Si non
vis intelligi debes negligi--If it be not intelligible, it is not valuable), yet
we must not think so of God's sayings. That which at first is dark, so that we
know not what to make of it, may afterwards become plain and easy; we should
therefore lay it up for hereafter. See John ii. 22. We may find use for that
another time which now we see not how to make useful to us. A scholar keeps
those grammar rules in memory which at present he understands not the use of,
because he is told that they will hereafter be of use to him; so we must do by
Christ's sayings.
3. That he improved, and came on, to admiration (v. 52): He increased in
wisdom and stature. In the perfections of his divine nature there could be no
increase; but this is meant of his human nature, his body increased in stature
and bulk, he grew in the growing age; and his soul increased in wisdom, and in
all the endowments of a human soul. Though the Eternal Word was united to the
human soul from his conception, yet the divinity that dwelt in him manifested
itself to his humanity by degrees, ad modum recipientis--in proportion to his
capacity; as the faculties of his human soul grew more and more capable, the
gifts it received from the divine nature were more and more communicated. And he
increased in favour with God and man, that is, in all those graces that rendered
him acceptable to God and man. Herein Christ accommodated himself to his estate
of humiliation, that, as he condescended to be an infant, a child, a youth, so
the image of God shone brighter in him, when he grew up to be a youth, than it
did, or could, while he was an infant and a child. Note, Young people, as they
grow in stature, should grow in wisdom, and then, as they grow in wisdom, they
will grow in favour with God and man.
