Finding Jesus in the Temple - Luke 2:46

Luke the physician wrote how Joseph and Mary, “went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the passover. And when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast. And when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and Joseph and his mother knew not of it. But they, supposing him to have been in the company, went a day's journey; and they sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance. And when they found him not, they turned back again to Jerusalem, seeking him”, and in chapter two and verse forty-six of his book Luke wrote, “after three days they found him in the temple”” where we read:

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.

The verse reads, “And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, ...” Luke began with the words, “and it came to pass” or “and it happened, appeared in history and came upon the stage”, “that after three days” which means “when three days had passed” “they found him” or “Joseph and Mary detected and discovered Jesus” “in the temple” which means “within the sacred worship place in Jerusalem”. Luke shared how Joseph and Mary “found” Jesus in the “temple” of worship located in Jerusalem.

The verse continues, “... sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions.” Luke added the words, “sitting in the midst of” which means “seated and set down in the middle of and amongst” “the doctors” or “the teachers of the things of God and the duties of man”, “both hearing them” which means “also and indeed being given the faculty for hearing the doctors as well as perceiving what they were saying”, “and asking them questions” or “and inquiring, requesting and putting questions to the doctors”. Luke shared how Joseph and Mary discovered Jesus “seated” among the “teachers” of the law of God, and He was “hearing” what they had to say as well as “asking” them “questions” concerning their teachings.

When we consider Luke's words in this verse, we learn what Jesus was doing for “three days” while his parents were anxiously searching for Him. Jesus was in the “temple”, and because He was “hearing” and “asking questions” of the “doctors” or “teachers” of the law of God, He was exactly where He needed to be. Jesus will respond to His father and mothers' concern over Him, but suffice it for now to understand that Jesus was found “in the temple”, and those who desire to have a personal relationship with God will often discover Him there. In other words, go to church. Seek for a Bible teaching church that exalts Jesus as “Savior and Lord” and follow Jesus' example to both “hear” and “ask questions” to discover God's desire to “save” and give everlasting life to all who believe and trust in His Son Jesus.

Next time Luke shares how, “all that heard him were astonished at his understanding”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".