Return to Nazareth and Jesus' early childhood: Luke 2:39-52

Lesson Eleven
Return to Nazareth and Jesus’ early childhood
Luke 2:39-52

V. 39

Joseph and Mary followed the Jewish laws here. They were coming from Nazareth, which is west of the Sea of Galilee.

V. 41-44

It took a couple of days to get from Nazareth to Jerusalem. The Feast of Passover was the commemoration of the birth of the nation of Israel; it’s deliverance from Egypt. It was a foreshadow of freedom from sin. In the initial Passover, those who wanted protection from the wrath of God had to kill a lamb without blemish and place a mark of its blood on the doorposts of their home. Then the lamb was roasted and eaten with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. This is why the feast would be celebrated along with the Feast of Unleavened Bread. The event took place in Exodus 12:1-13 and the feast was taught in Exodus 12:14-22. The name “Passover” comes from the concept that the Lord will pass over the house with the blood on the doorposts and will not kill the firstborn son. Jesus instituted the Lord’s supper or communion within the context of the Passover and unleavened bread. The feast was seven days long. It is communion that is to remind us that because of the sacrifice of the lamb, we avoid God’s judgment. Our lamb is the Lamb of God, that is Jesus.

At age thirteen a Jewish boy would become ceremonially apart of the Jewish religion, the process would start at age twelve. This was probably what Jesus was going through. Note that a day’s journey probably did not get them home. It seems that they were with relatives and acquaintances on this journey. The trip was not as some may picture, just the three of them. If it was just the three of them, it is confusing as to how they could not notice him not being with them.

V. 46

Note that once they were in the city, it took them three days to find Jesus. Remember they were looking throughout the whole city. It was clear that the primary purpose of Jesus’ life was the kingdom of God, so should ours.

V. 47

Here we see that Jesus had great wisdom at the age of twelve.

V. 49

Jesus was not implying that they should not have come for him, but was implying that they shouldn’t have had so much trouble finding him. If they had understood his life’s purpose, they would have found him quickly. Remember that it took them three days to find him.

V. 51

They went back to Nazareth.

V. 52

Growing spiritually mature will give you favor with God and often with men.