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JESUS’ CHILDHOOD

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LUKE 2:36-52
Lesson #08
JESUS’ CHILDHOOD

  • Memory Verse: Luk 2:52
  • There are events that Luke does not tells us because Luke was not concerned with Jesus as the Messiah King:
    • The Gospel of Luke does not tell us about the sudden flight to Egypt by Mary, Joseph, and Jesus because of King Herod that wanted to kill the new baby King.
    • The Gospel of Luke does not tell us about the visit of the wise men that brought gifts to the new King.
  • Instead, in our last lesson, Luke presented us with the fabulous supernatural testimony about Jesus Christ from Simeon.
  • In this lesson, Luke presents us with a second supernatural testimony about Jesus Christ. Why did the Holy Spirit want us to have two testimonies?
    • For the Jews, the legal court requirement to establish a truth was to have two or three witnesses.
    • Luke provides us with the minimum legal requirement.
  • Read Luk 2:36-38 Anna
    • Who was Anna?
      • She was a widow for 44 years, after having been married for 7 years. That would make her around 65 years old.
      • She served God in the temple day and night.
      • She must have had a close relationship with God because God revealed to her by the Holy Spirit who Jesus was.
      • She was a prophetess from the tribe of Asher.
        • Because she had the gift of prophecy, it tells us that she was interested in Biblical prophecy from God.
        • Anna probably knew all the prophecies through the years that predicted the details of the Messiah’s coming beginning with Gen 3:15.
        • She knew how to recognize the Messiah.
    • What was her testimony? (38)
      • She gave praise to God because He finally was fulfilling the plan of redemption through God’s perfect man, Jesus Christ.
      • This plan was established from the foundation of the world.
      • She knew that Jesus came to be the redeemer. Her testimony was to those seeking redemption. (38)
  • Read Luk 2:39-52 Jesus at Twelve Years Old
    • Mary, Joseph, and Jesus made their home in Nazareth.
    • What do we learn about Jesus’ boyhood?
      • Notice the phrasing that Luke uses to tell us that Jesus was the perfect man.
      • “…the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom:” (40)
        • He grew in his body. (Body)
        • His human spirit became strong. (Spirit)
        • His soul increased until he was filled with wisdom. (Soul)
      • Jesus’ humanness was perfectly balanced body, soul, and spirit.
      • “The grace of God was upon Him.” (40)
        • Grace is unmerited favor of God. This tells us that the favor of God, the Father, was upon Him all of his life while he grew up.
        • In other words, Jesus did not use his divine powers when He was a child.
          • There are Apocryphal writings outside of the Bible that talk about miracles He did as a child. These writings are not part of Holy Scripture.
          • In other words, Jesus grew up as all other humans grow, physically, mentally, and emotionally. The only difference was that He was without a sin nature and without personal sin. He was the Perfect Man.
      • Joseph took his family to Jerusalem every year for the celebration of the Passover.
        • This was a Jewish requirement of the Law of Moses.
        • Therefore, we know that Mary and Joseph were raising Jesus to faithfully follow the Jewish Law of Moses as was prescribed in that period of Law.
      • When Jesus was twelve years old:
        • This is the only boyhood event in the life of Jesus that the Bible gives us. Luke is the only Gospel that includes this event.
        • It was a common practice that people from the same town travelled together. This ensured safety in numbers from highway robbers.
        • After the days of the Passover celebration were finished, Mary and Joseph start on the journey home assuming that Jesus is somewhere among the travelers.
          • After a day’s journey Mary and Joseph discover that Jesus is not with them.
          • They return to Jerusalem to search for him.
          • After three days they found him in the temple.
        • What is it that is unique about the age of twelve? What do we learn about Jesus from this event?
          • In the Jewish culture a boy passed through the age of Bar Mitzvah when he became 13 years of age. That meant that he was now accountable for his actions and responsible before God for fulfilling the commandments of the Law.
          • In other words he passed from childhood to adulthood.
          • This was accomplished automatically when he became 13 whether there was a formal celebration or not.
        • When Dr. Luke tells us Jesus’ age, he is saying that Jesus was still a child under the authority of his parents. (51)
      • Jesus was sitting with the learned leaders of the day.
        • “…his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? Behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing.” (48)
          • A typical mother’s response!
          • Notice that he is not yet of accountable age so he is still under his parent’s authority.
          • Everyone was amazed at His knowledge including his parents.
        •  “And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? Wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?” (49)
          • Jesus’ answer prepares his parents for a change in the order of things that will occur when he becomes 13.
          • Jesus grew up helping Joseph with his carpentry business. But that is not why He came to this earth.
          • His life’s purpose is to fulfill the will of His heavenly Father. This event reveals to us that at the age of 12 Jesus knew his purpose and calling.
          • This event is the beginning of the cutting of the parent/child ties.

We also know by this event that Joseph was still living and exercised guidance in Jesus’ life up to his coming of age at 13.

The Bible does not tell us exactly when Joseph died as Joseph ceased to be important in the narrative of Jesus’ life and ministry after he became an adult.

    • “ 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:” (50-51)
      • Of course Mary and Joseph understood Jesus’ words but not the full significance.
      • Notice Jesus’ obedience to return to Nazareth with His parents. He is still under their authority.
    • “…but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart.” (51)
      • We learned from the angel’s announcement of the virgin birth that Mary had some understanding of what was happening. From this verse we see that she did not understand everything.
      • What she knew for sure was that Jesus was the Messiah from God.
      • All that Jesus would do and suffer was not revealed to her until the appointed time.
    •  “And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.” (52)
      • Luke presents us with the Perfect Man at the end of this chapter.
      • Jesus grew up.
      • Jesus grew in wisdom.
      • Jesus had a good relationship with God.
      • Jesus had a good relationship with other people around him.
  • Summary:
    • To many Christians it is a surprise that Jesus, the second member of the Holy Trinity, had to learn and grow in wisdom and knowledge, as well as to learn obedience through suffering. (Heb 5:8)
      • The only way we can explain this is to realize that He was fully human, came as a baby, grew as any other child by going to school to gain wisdom and knowledge.
      • According to the Gospel of Luke, Jesus was the perfect child that grew into the perfect man without sin.
    • Then how could He also be God in the flesh?
      • He temporarily put aside some of the characteristics of His deity to come in flesh. For example:
        • …the characteristic of being omnipresent (everywhere present at the same time).
        • …the characteristic of being totally omniscient (knowing everything).
          • Because He had to learn wisdom and gain knowledge, He obviously put that characteristic aside to come to earth in the flesh.
          • However, later in his ministry we see him know the thoughts and intents of man’s heart supernaturally. This was supernatural wisdom and knowledge given to Him by the Holy Spirit.
      • The mystery of Jesus as fully man and fully God all at the same time has confounded human minds since Jesus’ birth.
      • Read Col 2:8-9

Homework
Luke 3:1-14

  • Application of Luke 2:36-52
    • If Jesus needed to study the scriptures to gain wisdom and knowledge, are you following His model?
  • Preparation for Luke 3:1-14
    • Read Luk 3:1-14
      • What specifically was John the Baptist to do that prepared the way for the Messiah, Jesus?
  • Memory Verse: Luk 3:6

 

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