Day 28 Advent Reading -- Luke 2: 41-52

Luke continues to make the point that Jesus is growing up in a family that observes the traditions of the Jewish faith, including going on pilgrimage to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover (2: 41-42).  This journey to Jerusalem will come full circle when Jesus returns to Jerusalem for the Passover in the days before his death.

The next part of the story seems a little hard for me as a parent to understand (Luke 2: 43-46).  How could Jesus' parents think that he was with someone else in their group when they headed home from Jerusalem, leaving Jesus behind?  I suppose I have left a kid in a place or two, but I've never left town without a kid.  Perhaps the way they traveled together in that time made it easier to forget your child.

I suspect the point that Luke is trying to make is more about Jesus' place being in the Temple, than his parents forgetting him.  Maybe the point of the story is to point out that if parents leaving a child for three days or so is ridiculous, imagine how ridiculous it is for Jesus to be in the Temple asking questions of the religious authorities and amazing them with his answers (Luke 2: 46-49).

Mary "treasures" these things in her hearts (Luke 2: 51), which she also did as she heard the shepherds tell her about all they had heard and seen.  I think there is a sermon on day on what Mary treasured!

Jesus is about to begin his ministry (Luke 2: 52).  Luke gives the sense that Jesus grows into who he is, which makes it interesting to think about what he might have known when about who he was and what he was going to do.