Why Did Young Jesus Stay Behind in the Temple?
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Was Jesus willful, simply distracted, or purposeful when He stayed behind in the Temple at a young age? What was going through His mind at the time? Was there something greater working within His young heart that motivated Him to linger in Jerusalem?
Let’s examine the backstory and some clues we see in Scripture.
1. Jesus Chose to Cultivate His Understanding
Why did Jesus stay behind in the Temple? He chose to remain there because He was a good Jewish boy who desired to cultivate His understanding of the Scriptures.
Every year, Jewish believers desired to celebrate the Passover. Jesus’ hometown of Nazareth was about 80 miles from the Temple. The narrative in Luke 2:41-52 likely did not describe Jesus’ first Passover trip to Jerusalem; but at age 12, He was finally old enough to take His place as a law-keeping adult male in the thriving religious community. Jesus would become a bar mitzvah, or “son of the commandment.”
At the Temple, Jesus would see the priests sacrificing innocent lambs to cover the sins of God’s people. We don’t know whether Jesus understood that these Temple sacrifices pointed to a future sacrifice as described by Isaiah. But Jesus’ parents or teachers likely taught Him about the promised “seed of a woman” that would crush the head of Satan (Genesis 3:15).
Whether or not the Synagogue and Sabbath school at Nazareth were fully constructed when Jesus was a child, He likely had ample religious training in His hometown. Raised as an ordinary Jewish boy, He would learn about the Jewish feast days and the stories, commands, and promises in the Old Testament.
Knowing their son’s unique birth and calling, Joseph and Mary probably did all they could to promote His spiritual growth; but Jesus appears to have taken the initiative to learn more on His own.
2. Jesus Committed to the Father’s Business
Why did Jesus stay behind in the Temple? He was committed to tending to the Father’s business wherever it would lead.
When His parents asked why He caused them so much pain in looking for Him, Jesus asked them, “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?” (Luke 2:49). In The Message version, this verse reads, “Why were you looking for me? Didn’t you know that I had to be here, dealing with the things of my Father?” He had to be there.
In His response, Jesus did not downplay His parents’ feelings or the time they spent searching for Him. He was not disrespectful. Rather, something profound was at work in His life. He wanted Joseph and Mary to know that He didn’t want to miss a moment. By this time, Jesus knew about His real Father: He called God “my Father” (verse 49).
Perhaps Jesus learned about God’s plan for His life from His parents. Maybe the Holy Spirit directly spoke to Him about His calling. Jesus may have understood that His Father in heaven was preparing Him for a great and wondrous task, and even as a twelve-year-old, Jesus desired to increase His understanding of God’s will. The young Messiah would grow to follow God’s calling, even if no one understood, and even if it brought Him and those He loved personal pain.
Joseph and Mary were baffled by Jesus’ response to them, yet there was no mention of their scolding Him. Mary knew her son was born of the Spirit (Luke 1:35) and God had a specific purpose in sending Him. Perhaps, like most Jews, Mary did not understand the Messiah’s two advents; but she rejoiced in God as Savior and for honoring her in choosing her to be the mother of the Messiah (Luke 1:46-55).
From Simeon’s announcement (Luke 2:35), Mary also knew God’s purpose for Jesus would deeply wound her soul. She likely did not completely understand Jesus’ mission, that He had come to die as the Lamb of God, but she knew He would someday rule over an everlasting kingdom.
3. Jesus Confounded Religious Leaders
Why did Jesus Stay Behind in the Temple? He had some questions. But He volunteered some answers to the religious leaders’ and teachers’ questions too. His responses confounded them.
Jesus was probably a good student of the Scriptures in His childhood, listening carefully to His teachers. He learned to read, recite, and memorize portions of the Tanakh. Perhaps Mary and Joseph created other ways to encourage His natural curiosity.
In the Luke 2 account, Jesus sat with the teachers in the Temple and absorbed their teachings. His questions likely were thought-provoking. And as if that were not enough, Jesus answered their probing questions. Imagine the elders scratching their heads or stroking their beards as He spoke. They were confounded and amazed, Luke says, by Jesus’ wisdom and understanding. That doesn’t mean they approved of His words.
In “The Son of God at 12 Years Old,” John Piper noted that Jesus knew and loved the law from an early age. Piper also wrote, “Maybe the teachers of the law did not care for the implication of Jesus’ answers; but then a 12 year old is no threat. They can pat him on the head and say, ‘Smart kid,’ and return to their hair splitting and their hypocrisy.” At this crucial time in His young Jewish life, Jesus demonstrated that His bar mitzvah was far from ordinary.
Fully God and fully man, Jesus still confounds our thinking. How, for example, can someone who is God “increase in wisdom” and “in favor with God” as Jesus did (Luke 2:52)? Young Jesus’ insight into the Scriptures and His relationship with Father God were unique and telling. Sadly, although the elders marveled at His wisdom at age twelve, only two decades later the religious leaders despised and crucified Him.
4. Jesus Displayed Godly Character
Why did Jesus stay behind in the Temple? In the will of God, to display not only His wisdom but also His humility and obedience.
In His childhood, Jesus observed how Joseph and Mary loved and obeyed the law of God, and His parents likely taught Jesus and His earthly siblings how to be godly, faith-filled, and obedient.
When Joseph and Mary believed that Jesus was missing after one day of their journey home, they searched for Him. We know from verse 44 that they assumed Jesus was safe with relatives or friends in their traveling group, or perhaps with some playmates. But when Jesus didn’t show up in their search they were rightly upset, worried that Jesus was lost or even hurt. They immediately returned to Jerusalem to look for Him. Imagine how they rushed to Jesus’ side in the Temple.
Jesus could have become argumentative, emphasizing that He was now an “adult.” Instead, He illustrated His submissive spirit and godly character as He obeyed Joseph and Mary in returning home with them. Perhaps the religious leaders watched this scene, observing that Jesus obeyed the commandment of Exodus 20:12 to honor His parents. The whole experience would be yet another situation for Mary to treasure and ponder.
Jesus possibly seemed mature for His age, but He still had to grow in the knowledge of the Scriptures. He would yet have many opportunities to practice the Word, will, and ways of His Father before He would be fully prepared for ministry. Unlike young Samuel, who grew up in the Temple, Jesus returned to Nazareth. In God’s plan, Jesus rubbed shoulders with the common people and observed their struggles with temptation and sin’s curse. The Bible says He was tempted in all ways like all humans, yet He was without sin (Hebrews 4:15). His character was impeccable.
Jesus developed physically after the Temple experience, but He continued to grow in other ways as well (Luke 2:52): mentally (with wisdom), socially (in favor with people), and spiritually (in favor with God). Jesus’ encounter with the Temple elders was the last time we read about Him until His storyline jumps to His baptism by his cousin John (Matt. 3:13-17).
From His temple experience, the young Jesus teaches us many things — things Christians are instructed to do in the New Testament. We are to choose (take the initiative) to learn more about God and His purposes in Scripture; to commit to obey the Father’s will in our calling from Him; to ask questions to grow in the grace and knowledge of God —even though our questions may confound or surprise our spiritual leaders; and to shine with godly character in a watching world.
Photo credit: Unsplash/Ben White
