Our Father’s business
Sometimes I read a passage in the Bible that is at once relatable and completely foreign. Luke 2:41-52 is one such passage. It tells the story of the time that Joseph and Mary lost Jesus. I’ve been in a public place with my family, only to find that one of my children has gone missing. I know the heart racing sense of fear that Joseph and Mary undoubtedly felt.
I know the joy of discovering my child, safe and sound, only to have them respond in a way that is unexpected. “There you are!” I said to my daughter after she’d wandered away in the reptile building in a zoo, only to have her respond, “Where else would I be?” Jesus’ response to his mother, though, was more unusual, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?” (Luke 2:49) This is where the story moves from relatable to foreign. Why did Luke include this story and what does it teach us both about Jesus as well as our call to be his disciples?
Luke teaches two distinct lessons, one theological and the other practical. There were two ancient views that started to enter the church early on. They were called Docetism and Adoptionism. Docetism taught that Jesus only seemed to be human (from the Greek word, ‘dokeo’ to seem or think); he was really only divine and so everything about him that was human only appeared that way. Adoptionism taught that Jesus was human until the time of his baptism when he was adopted by the Father and then given his divine nature. This passage in Luke addresses both concerns. Jesus was and always will be fully God and fully man.
Luke’s passage provides believers with answers to many questions throughout the history of the church regarding Jesus’ person, even modern inquiries. In this passage we read of the balance between Jesus’ self-consciousness as well as his continuing to grow before God and man. Jesus knew that he was the Son of God, and this was exhibited in his actions. That brings us to the practical lesson that I mentioned. The actions of Jesus and his need to be about his Father’s business are instructive for us as we consider our own lives.
The center of this passage is a desire to do God’s will. This is why Joseph and Mary were in Jerusalem for the Feast of the Passover (Luke 2:41). In the Old Testament, there were three feasts where the men of Israel were expected to travel to Jerusalem: Passover, Pentecost and the Feast of Tabernacles. We learn of the requirement surrounding Passover in Exodus 23. Over time, with the scattering of the nation of Israel, it was custom to go less frequently. In fact, by the time of Jesus, the pious would travel once per year to Jerusalem. It was 80 miles from Nazareth. Luke points out that this is something that Joseph and Mary did each and every year.
It was during one of these visits, when Jesus was twelve, that he went missing. For three days his parents searched for him. We read in Luke 2:46-47, “After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.” Jesus is shown here to be a boy with a thirst to understand and discuss spiritual questions. Jesus is not here challenging his teachers; rather, they are amazed because he was able to engage these teachers and answer questions posed to him. The word used here for ‘amazement’ is one used to describe wonder that emerges from an action associated with God’s presence. They are amazed because of the insight shown by the boy Jesus.
The business of his Father that Jesus said he had to be about was learning his word. You see, that is what they would do at the feet of teachers in those days – ask questions, get answers and answer questions surrounding God’s word. Being about the Father’s business, then, is learning how bring your life more into conformity with His word. When we put this way it becomes incredibly simple to think about but sometimes incredibly difficult to implement. We are called to be "about our Father's business." And as we devote ourselves to God's Word, we will find ourselves increasing in wisdom and in stature both with God and man.
Pastor Everett Henes, the pastor of the Hillsdale Orthodox Presbyterian Church, can be reached at pastorhenes@gmail.com.
This article originally appeared on Hillsdale Daily News: Opinion
