In His Father’s House
41 Every year his parents traveled to Jerusalem for the Passover Festival.
42 When he was twelve years old, they went up according to the custom of the festival.
43 After those days were over, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it.
44 Assuming he was in the traveling party, they went a day’s journey. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends.
45 When they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem to search for him.
46 After three days, they found him in the temple sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.
47 And all those who heard him were astounded at his understanding and his answers.
48 When his parents saw him, they were astonished, and his mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.”
49 “Why were you searching for me?” he asked them. “Didn’t you know that it was necessary for me to be in my Father’s house?”
50 But they did not understand what he said to them.
In Favor with God and with People
51 Then he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was obedient to them. His mother kept all these things in her heart.
52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and with people.
Commentary
(the following is from Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary, 1706 -- www.christianity.com)
"It is for the honor of Christ that children should attend on public worship. His parents did not return till they had stayed all the seven days of the feast. It is well to stay to the end of an ordinance, as becomes those who say, It is good to be here. Those that have lost their comforts in Christ, and the evidences of their having a part in him, must bethink themselves where, and when, and how they lost them, and must turn back again. Those that would recover their lost acquaintance with Christ, must go to the place in which he has put his name; there they may hope to meet him. They found him in some part of the temple, where the doctors of the law kept their schools; he was sitting there, hearkening to their instructions, proposing questions, and answering inquiries, with such wisdom, that those who heard were delighted with him.
Young persons should seek the knowledge of Divine truth, attend the ministry of the gospel, and ask such questions of their elders and teachers as may tend to increase their knowledge. Those who seek Christ in sorrow, shall find him with the greater joy. Know ye not that I ought to be in my Father's house; at my Father's work; I must be about my Father's business. Herein is an example; for it becomes the children of God, in conformity to Christ, to attend their heavenly Father's business, and make all other concerns give way to it.
Though he was the Son of God, yet he was subject to his earthly parents; how then will the foolish and weak sons of men answer it, who are disobedient to their parents? However we may neglect men's sayings, because they are obscure, yet we must not think so of God's sayings. That which at first is dark, may afterwards become plain and easy. The greatest and wisest, those most eminent, may learn of this admirable and Divine Child, that it is the truest greatness of soul to know our own place and office; to deny ourselves amusements and pleasures not consistent with our state and calling."
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