Every
year Jesus' parents went to Jerusalem for the Passover festival. When Jesus was
twelve years old, they attended the festival as usual. After the celebration
was over, they started home to Nazareth, but Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem.
His parents didn't miss him at first, because they assumed he was among the
other travelers. But when he didn't show up that evening, they started looking
for him among their relatives and friends. When they couldn't find him, they
went back to Jerusalem to search for him there. Three days later they finally
discovered him in the Temple, sitting among the religious teachers, listening
to them and asking questions. All who heard him were amazed at his
understanding and his answers. His parents didn't know what to think.
"Son," his mother said to him, "why have you done this to us?
Your father and I have been frantic, searching for you everywhere."
"But why did you need to search?" he asked. "Didn't you know
that I must be in my Father's house?" But they didn't understand what he
meant. Then he returned to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. And his
mother stored all these things in her heart. Jesus grew in wisdom and in
stature and in favor with God and all the people. Luke 2:41-52
Model of Temple in Jerusalem.
Place where Jesus spent three days as a boy.
Would you have left without your son?
Meditate.
Consider Temple visits on festivals.
From
the time His family returned to Nazareth from Egypt, they had made the journey
to Jerusalem to the Temple to keep God’s directive. That was done three times a
year: for Passover, for Shavuot or Feast of Weeks (seven weeks after harvest
begins), and for Sukkot or Feast of Booths in the fall.
Each year every man in Israel must
celebrate these three festivals: the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the Festival
of Harvest, and the Festival of Shelters. On each of these occasions, all men
must appear before the LORD your God at the place he chooses, but they must not
appear before the LORD without a gift for him. Deuteronomy 16:16
Like all
young teens, Jesus was expected to go when He was 13, but here we see that He
was only twelve years old. The story gets complicated when Jesus evidently is
not with His family on the way back home. He was content to stay at the Temple.
What did He do…where did go in the evenings? What about meals? Did He know that
His earthly parents, Mary and Joseph, would return for Him? There are so many
questions that are not addressed in scripture.
The
point of this recorded event in Jesus’ life is to demonstrate Jesus’ devotion
and obedience to God and His word. It shows how eager He was to study
scripture. Obviously, He amazed the Temple teachers with His knowledge. Since God was likely involved in writing the Old Testament, He had a deeper
understanding, yet He was still offering questions to the religious teachers.
The passage ends with Jesus’ obedience to His parents and His spiritual growth
in wisdom and favor with God. What a great example to us all. Do we have the
same devotion to God’s word and study?
Prayer
– Lord Jesus- help me to be obedient to Your word—studying it every day and
applying it to my life.
Verse
of Salvation ~ Look upon my suffering
and rescue me, for I have not forgotten your instructions. Argue my case; take
my side! Protect my life as you promised. The wicked are far from rescue (salvation), for they do not
bother with your decrees. LORD, how great is your mercy; let me be revived by
following your regulations. Psalm 119:153-156
© 2026 Text, photos, and illustrations by Mickey M. Hunacek. All
rights reserved.
All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless
otherwise noted.
New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale
House Foundation.
Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream,
Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Biblical search from Blue Letter Bible - http://v3.blueletterbible.org/search.cfm.
Books by Mickey M.
Hunacek
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