Finding Jesus in the Temple

 Finding Jesus in the Temple

And when he was twelve years old, they went up according to custom; and when the feast ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem.  His parents did not know it. [Luke 2:  42-43]

After three days they found him in the Temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.     [Lk 2:  46],

And when they saw him they were astonished and his Mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been looking for you anxiously.  [Lk 2:  48]

And He said to them  “How is it that you sought me?  Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?”  And they did not understand the saying which he spoke to them.  [Lk 2:  49-50]

Well, I do not know about you, but I have some problem with this one.  What a way to treat you parents.  How inconsiderate and why put them through all that anxiety?   I expressed my dismay at this behavior to my wife.  “Well at least he wasn’t gone playing baseball or shooting marbles !”  She had a point.  Of course the game of baseball wasn’t around at the time, but certainly a facsimile of shooting marbles was.  A similar game to shooting marbles was played by Aztecs, Romans, Greeks and Jews, a pass time for children.  

So, we discussed it.  She pointed out Jesus was a rather  mature lad.  He knew He was to be in His father’s house, a reference to His purpose.  Perhaps parents shouldn’t be so controlling, but rather  bow to God’s will for their children.  It’s as if He had to remind them that He had to be of His Father’s business. Perhaps they should be grateful Jesus wasn’t wasting his time on secondary frivolous games other children might get themselves involved in.   Jesus had to be there.  The Lord tells us, “He who loves his mother or father more than me is not worthy of me.”  [Matthew 10:  37]

Women are smart.