My Father’s Business #4

Wednesday, January 8, 2020

“And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?” (Luke 2:49 KJV).

And, just what is the Lord Jesus’ Father’s “business?”

Luke chapter 2 provides two marvelous truths concerning young Jesus—one before and the other after His theological discussion with Israel’s elders. Verse 40 states, “And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him.” Now, verse 52: “And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.” Here is Christ’s humanity, the very theme of Luke’s Gospel Record. Almighty God, because He is God, cannot “increase in wisdom and stature.” Yet, the God-Man, because He is just as much Man as He is God, can mature spiritually and physically (like we do)! Between these two “bookend verses,” we find Him sitting in the midst of the doctors of Judaism.

As every Jewish boy of His day, Jesus was educated in the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament). His stepfather Joseph and mother Mary were influential here. Yet, read: “The Lord GOD [Father God] hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned. The Lord GOD hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back” (Isaiah 50:4,5). Messiah is speaking, 700 years before His earthly ministry (check verse 6). In contrast to other Jewish lads though, the Lord Jesus diligently studied and always obeyed His Father’s Word.

By the time of age 12, Jesus could therefore discuss Jewish religion with those elders in Jerusalem. Verses 46 and 47 of Luke chapter 2 again: “And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions. And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers.” His questions were doubtless posed to evaluate just where His nation’s leaders were in their spiritual understanding. Remember, Christ was learning, better grasping Israel’s ignorance and thereby enabling Him to see how to correct it….