Luke 2:41-52
This is an interesting passage. Often we look at how bad the parenting of Mary and Joseph is that they lost their kid for three days, or how snarky tween-age Jesus was. It is one of the few Scriptural stories of Jesus we have between his birth and infancy and his adult ministry. It provides a unique view into the life of the Savior of the world.
Every year Mary and Joseph go to Jerusalem for the Passover. Every year. Every year, as a family, the holy family travels to Jerusalem to celebrate the deliverance of the people of God from slavery in Egypt to living in the land of promise. Every year, the child Jesus relived the story of deliverance, intentionally taught by his parents.
Mary and Joseph go home. They leave Jerusalem to go back to their lives, and a day later, they notice the child is missing. They search, and after three days find him in the temple. There may be something significant about Jesus reappearing in their lives 3 days after Passover. They are surprised. The scribes and the leaders are listening to this Jesus, amazed at his understanding.
This is the child. The child whose birth was announced by angels. The child who won’t be welcome in the temple on Passover. The child who will save the world. This is the child whose parents feel the need to take him to celebrate the Passover every year. Even at this age, he knows that he belongs in the temple at Passover. Even at this age, his parents know where he needs to be. Raise a child in how they should go, and then be prepared to be amazed when they go there.
