Luke 2: 36 - 40, The visit of Anna
There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.
When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth.
And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him.
NIV Footnotes: the Greek phrase translated "widow until she was eighty-four" could also be translated "widow for eighty-four years". The second option is less likely.
Here is another who has been promised by God that she will see the Messiah. (She is a woman and is identified as a "prophetess." So far in these narratives, we have heard from three women, Elizabeth, Mary, Anna, and one man, Simeon. Anna has probably personally served in the temple for sixty years or so. Even after Joseph and Mary leave, Anna continues to tell everyone about Jesus, claiming that he is the long awaited Messiah.
Anna was of the tribe of Asher. Asher was one of the ten lost tribes of Israel, originally given land in western Galilee, along the Mediterranean coast.
Matthew records that the young family went away to Egypt for a time? Why doesn't Luke mention that?
Luke 2: 41-51, Childhood trip to Jerusalem
Every year his parents went to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Passover. When he was twelve years old, they went up to the Feast, according to the custom.
After the Feast was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him.
After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers.
When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, "Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you."
"Why were you searching for me?" he asked. "Didn't you know I had to be in my Father's house?" But they did not understand what he was saying to them.
Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart.
This is the only account we have of Jesus as a young adult. Why does Luke choose it (while skipping the story, in Matthew, of the trip to Egypt)? Barclay suggest this might have been the family's first trip, taken when their oldest child turned "adult" at age 12 (bar-mitzvah).
The trip to Jerusalem, of about 75 miles or more, must have been an inconvenience. It would have probably required 4 or 5 days travel, one way.
Barclay: notice how Jesus takes the "Your father and I...." and turns it into "my Father's house..." Jesus subtly points out that he has a different or greater "father".
Where do you think they looked for him? Why did it take three days to find him in the temple courts? (Presumably they search along the way and searched the place they had stayed or camped during the feast?)
In verse 48 we hear a natural question from a mother. Surely this incident has been relayed personally by Mary.
Luke 2: 52, Summary of childhood
And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.
What does it mean for Jesus grow in favor with God?
For further thought: Once again, we might wonder what the child Jesus was like. At age 12 he is obviously a young man thinking deeply about the Scriptures. What role did the Holy Spirit play? Did Jesus know who he was? Isn't there a hint of immaturity here, of not realizing what will happen if he stays behind in Jerusalem?! (Otherwise, why does it seem important to mention that he was "obedient" to them after that?)
We move on to Jesus's adult life in the next chapter.
I have to confess I'm not very interested in Jesus's childhood just because we have no evidence. There are some really kooky apocryphal stories about it, which is where, it seems to me, the speculation is bound to head pretty fast. But maybe not. My guess is that he had a pretty normal childhood. His brother es thought all his messiah stuff was pretty crazy according to the one or two glimpses we get of their reaction to him during his ministry. Which suggests that there wasn't much they saw in the growing up years that would lead them to believe he had that kind of future ahead of him. Until the resurrection. That seems to have riveted their attention!
ReplyDeleteYes, the ancients speculated about a miraculous childhood for Jesus, and thus some apocryphal works. But in the end of Luke 2 we do see several characteristics: Jesus is serious about Jewish scripture and teachings and thus about reformation of the culture of the day. And also (IMO) he has a typical 12-year-old's response, "What, you were looking for me? I didn't think of that." I see (implied) a final response, "OK, sorry, I'll be more careful."
ReplyDeleteAlthough "Ok, sorry" would have been in Aramaic... :-)
ReplyDeleteGood points, and they support the notion that his childhood and youth were in many ways typical. I've always wondered what the "and yet without sin" part looked like. Hard to imagine a kid never having a tantrum. If that's sin. Which it usually is.
ReplyDeleteIs it too much of an anachronism to think that Luke's point is that Jesus was a normal 12 year old in all ways but his motives were pure and righteous. He admitted his error and continued to grow. This is probably a much more contemporary view emergin from our current norms regarding child-rearing, isn't it?
ReplyDeleteYes. I think this episode emphasizes his humanity. When Jesus was 2 or 3, he had to be "potty trained". When Jesus was 12, he had to understand that mothers worried. At the same time Jesus was very alert and thoughtful about the promises to Israel, in a divine way that we humans won't really understand.
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