Jesus at Twelve

                                                                                                                                 

Aloha Dearest Family,

               Jesus Christ is the greatest man that has ever lived. In fact he is the subject of the entire Bible. There are four books of the Bible specifically written about his life, death and resurrection. Yet there is very little written about his life as a boy. Today we will start by looking at a record of when Jesus was twelve years of age. We will start in the book of Luke chapter 2,

“Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the passover. And when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast” 

It was required that every male in Israel must attend each of the three major feasts in Jerusalem. In our record we learn that the family attended the Passover feast, which also includes the seven day feast of unleavened bread.

 “And when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned (were returning), the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and Joseph and his mother knew not of it.  But they, supposing him to have been in the company, went a day's journey; and they sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance. And when they found him not, they turned back again to Jerusalem, seeking him.” 

How could his parents not know that Jesus was not with them? In the ancient East, when people traveled from place to place, they almost always traveled in caravans for safety reasons. This record takes place right after a major feast so there were probably many families leaving Jerusalem at this same time. Also the young people in the caravan hung around together until about sunset, when they would return to their families for the night. This was when Joseph and Mary noticed that Jesus was missing. By this time they had already traveled a whole day. They would now spend the next day traveling back to Jerusalem.

How would you have felt if you had been his parents? They had just lost the son of God. The one that God had entrusted them to raise. You can imagine had frantic they must have been. They finally found him in the temple. 

“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.”

These were not medical doctors but doctors of the law, Rabbis. These were experts in the law of Moses.

“And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers.” 

Keep in mind that Jesus was just twelve years of age yet his understanding of the law was extraordinary. These were some of the most leaned men in Israel and it says that they were astonished at Jesus’ understanding and answers. About this time his parents arrived, 

“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.”(I bet they were) 

They could not understand why he would do this. 

“And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? Knew ye not that I must be about my Father's business?” 

These are Jesus’ first recorded words. By this time, Jesus knew exactly who he was and exactly who his true Father was. Even as young as twelve years of age, Jesus was seeking his Father’s will above his own. He was already determined to start the mission that God had planned for his life. Jesus was ready!

Of course, his parents didn’t understand what this meant. 

“And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them. 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.” 

Mary kept all these sayings in her heart. She didn’t understand them now but she would in the future, when she remembered and put it all together (hindsight is 20/20). 

“And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.” 

Jesus increased in stature and wisdom. This is remarkable. Jesus was already wise at twelve yet it says he increased in wisdom. He will need it to fulfill the mission God has for him to complete. His Father’s business. A business that will eventually conclude on a hill outside of Jerusalem, nailed to a tree, dying for your sins and for mine.

Now, it’s our turn to do the Father’s business. God needs us to stand up and do the work that He has for us to do. Now, it is our turn to say, “I must be about my Father’s business.”

                                                                                                                                                                                                  Love Always, Ray