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His Childhood |
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Even the childhood of Jesus demonstrated that He was unique. Mary and Joseph presented Jesus
to the Father when He was 40 days old (Luke 2). Shortly thereafter, they fled to Egypt,
where He lived for a few months (Luke 2). The next narration about Jesus is when Mary
and Joseph found Him in the temple at the age of twelve. He was intelligently conversing with
the spiritual elite of His day (Luke 2:41-51). Each of these events has elements that
show the unparalleled nature of Jesus.
Lacking further divine narration concerning the childhood of Jesus, some appear to have felt compelled to invent foolish stories. From a second century contrivance, we hear that a five-year-old Jesus took the life of a playmate because the child supposedly dispersed pools of water that Jesus had gathered. Centuries later, another irresponsible writer imagined that Jesus spoke when He was a newborn. Writers have been so bold as to advocate that, as a child, Jesus turned children into goats. The reliable words of the eyewitness John assure us that these things never happened: "This beginning of his signs did Jesus in Cana of Galilee..." (John 2:11 ASV). Compare such foolishness with the sensible truth about his infancy revealed in the Bible. At the age of a day old, shepherds heeded the angelic heralds of heaven and visited Jesus in the manger (Luke 2:16-18). At the age of eight days, He was taken to the temple to be circumcised (Luke 2:21). Thirty-two days later, Mary and Joseph took Jesus back to the temple where the righteous prophet Simeon and the principled Anna saw Him and, by the Spirit, made known how special He was (Luke 2:21-39). While an infant, Herod sought to kill the Lord. Based upon the warning of the angel of God, Jesus fled into Egypt, living there for a number of months. The last time we see the Jesus as a child is at the age of twelve in the temple (Luke 2:41-51). What are most boys doing? Talking to a bunch of lawyers or, playing outside? Playing, of course! Not Jesus. He was listening and answering and asking questions of the spiritual elite, demonstrating unparalleled knowledge. Though superior to His parents, He purposely submitted to their authority (Luke 2:51). Unusual indeed! Jesus' uniqueness is demonstrated in His response to His mother. Contrast what Mary asked with the Lord's answer. Mary said, "thy father..." Jesus answered, "...I must be in my Father's house" (Luke 2:49 ASV). Jesus was not disowning Joseph as His "supposed" father (Luke 3:23). Instead, being virgin born, He was making a clear proclamation of who He was, the only begotten Son of God. Different indeed! Luke concludes with two plain and simple proclamations: "Jesus advanced in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and men." (Luke 2:52 ASV). |