If you lost your twelve year old son in the largest city of your country, where would you start looking for him? If it were my son, I might start looking in areas where there might be some historic architecture, or perhaps a museum. No matter where your son might be likely to gravitate to, it would be a rather frantic time, with a lot of worrying about your child’s safety. In our Scripture today from Luke’s Gospel, we read the account of when Mary and Joseph lost Jesus in Jerusalem. Let’s take a look.
As our Scripture opens, we read that Jesus and His family would travel every year from their home in Nazareth to the capital, Jerusalem for the celebration of Passover (vs. 41-42). This was something that many devout Jewish people would do each year. When it was time to return home, somehow both parents lost sight of Jesus, and He was left behind.
Whenever Jewish people traveled from the northern area of Galilee, down to Jerusalem, they would often travel in groups for safety, the larger the group the better. This was especially necessary if they traveled through Samaria, as the two groups of people held hostile feelings for each other. These traveling caravans of people would frequently split into two sections, men and older boys, and women with the children. Jesus, at age twelve, would have been at an age where He would have fit in fine with either group. Thus, Mary probably thought He was with Joseph, and Joseph thought Jesus was with Mary and the younger relatives (vs. 43-44). The journey from Jerusalem to Nazareth took several days, and when the first evening came, and the caravan stopped to set up camp, it became apparent to both Mary and Joseph that Jesus was missing. The two parents immediately turned around and headed back to Jerusalem in search of the boy.
Once arriving in the city, where would they look for Him? At this time in history, Jerusalem was not as big as it is today. However, with the Passover having just finished, there were still more people than usual in town. Where would a preteen boy typically go? Perhaps watching the Roman soldiers march and practice maneuvers. Maybe, if He had a few coins, at a convenient food cart. Maybe joining some other youth in an early version of soccer. However, Jesus was not in any of these places. Instead, He was in the Temple, discussing Scripture with the priests, and confounding them with His wisdom and knowledge (vs. 46-47).
This must have been somewhat baffling to Mary and Joseph, and they might have humbly apologized to the priests and scribes there for what they might have perceived as their Son bothering them. Very quickly, though, they became aware, as everyone else in the room did, that Jesus had knowledge and wisdom of the Scriptures that far outweighed even the priests and other religious leaders.
Jesus, at this young age, was beginning to come into a clear consciousness and understanding of His identity and mission (vs. 49). His public ministry would not start for approximately another 18 or so years. During that time Jesus would learn the carpenter trade from His foster father Joseph. However, He knew what was of primary importance, and that being the study and teaching of God’s Word. After finding Himself inadvertently left behind by both parents, the young lad sought the safety of the Temple, and spent the hours while waiting in discussing the Bible with the priests and other teachers.
In verse 49 we read the first recorded words that Jesus spoke in Scripture, that of being about His Father’s business. The last words of Jesus that He spoke before He died on the Cross were “It is finished.” (John 19:30). The Father’s business for Jesus was to give His life as a sacrifice to atone for our sins. When He died upon the Cross, Jesus finished His Father’s business.
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