UBF Daily Bread

“DIDN’T YOU KNOW I HAD TO BE…?”

Passage: Luke 2:41~52

Key verse: 49

The Boy Jesus at the Temple

⁴¹Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover.^(A) ⁴²When he was twelve years old, they went up to the festival, according to the custom. ⁴³After the festival was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. ⁴⁴Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. ⁴⁵When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. ⁴⁶After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. ⁴⁷Everyone who heard him was amazed^(B) at his understanding and his answers. ⁴⁸When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother^(C) said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father^(D) and I have been anxiously searching for you.”

⁴⁹“Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?”^[a]^(E) ⁵⁰But they did not understand what he was saying to them.^(F)

⁵¹Then he went down to Nazareth with them^(G) and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart.^(H) ⁵²And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.^(I)

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Footnotes

Luke 2:49 Or be about my Father’s business

Thanks to Luke, we have one story of Jesus as a 12-year-old boy. Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem every year for the Passover, which was a 3-day journey on foot. They brought 12-year-old Jesus along. But one day into their journey back home, they realized Jesus was not with them! They lost the Son of God! They anxiously searched the playgrounds and the fruit markets. Finally, they found him at the temple. He was listening to the teachers and asking them questions, and people were amazed at his understanding. Even 12-year-old boys can have a great desire to know God.

Mary rebuked Jesus for making them worry so much. Boy Jesus replied, “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” The Greek literally translates to “my Father’s things.” So, some translate this as “about my Father’s business.” It could refer to the place—the temple—or to the activity—the teaching of God’s word. Indeed, Jesus came to fulfill, par excellence, the meaning of the temple and the teaching of God’s word. Boy Jesus went home, was obedient, and grew in wisdom, in stature, and in favor with God and man.

Prayer: Lord, may I have such a heart to seek you and the truth. May I also encourage this in young people. May we grow in wisdom and in your favor.

One Word: Grow like Jesus in wisdom and God’s favor