WEEKLY
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
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international Sunday school lesson commentary
For
Sunday July 12, 2020
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GROWING IN WISDOM
(The boy JESUS)
(Luke 2:39-52)
After Mary and Joseph had fulfilled all
of the requirements (circumcision and dedication) of the Law of GOD following
JESUS’ birth, they traveled the 65 miles back home to Nazareth from Jerusalem,
where JESUS grew up healthy and strong. HE was filled with wisdom beyond HIS
years, and GOD placed HIS “grace” (“charis”), or, “special favor” upon HIM
(Vs.39-40).
Exodus 12 details all of the instructions
for the original “Passover Observance”, that was given by GOD to Moses and
Aaron, while the Israelites were still in bondage in Egypt. The purpose of this
observance was to remind “GOD’s chosen people” of the day of their release from
400 years of “chattel slavery” at the hands of the Egyptians. This “Passover
Day Festival” was to be followed by a seven-day “Feast of Unleavened Bread”,
every year, from that time forward.
In JESUS’ day, and even now, devout Jews
still adhere closely to this tradition. The entire eight-day celebration was
later combined, and, as a whole, is now referred to simply as “Passover”. Every
year, just as GOD had decreed, Joseph and Mary took their entire family to
Jerusalem for the Passover festivities, and here in Luke 2, taking up at verse
41, Scripture tells us of the account of Mary and Joseph’s trip to and from the
Passover celebration when JESUS was twelve years old.
In verse 43, after the celebration was
over, they began their three-day trek, back home to Nazareth. After nearly a
day of travel however, they realized that young JESUS was not with them, among
their caravan of family and friends. Franticly they hurried back north to
Jerusalem to search for JESUS, and when they arrived there, they began searching
all over town (except in the Temple) for an entire day and were unable to find
HIM.
On the third day, they finally decided to
look inside the Temple, where they found the young lad sitting among the
religious leaders discussing deep things concerning the Scriptures. All of the
religious leaders, and Mary and Joseph too, were amazed at JESUS’ understanding
of GOD’s Word, and HIS answers to the questions they proposed to them. In fact,
this account tells us that HIS parents were “struck out of their minds”
(“exeplagesan”) and did not know what to think about what they were seeing and
hearing (v.48).
Then Mary said to JESUS, “Son! Why have YOU
done this to us? Your father and I have been frantically searching for YOU
everywhere”. In JESUS’ response HE reveals to HIS parents, for the first time,
that HE knew the difference between HIS earthly parents, and HIS true FATHER in
Heaven. HIS response of “Didn’t you know I’d be in MY FATHER’s House?”, at that
time, was not fully understood by Joseph, or Mary. However, as usual, Mary
stored what JESUS had said to them, in her heart.
In verse 51, in contrast to this earlier
revelation of JESUS’ coming deity, we now get a glimpse of the “true humanity”
of JESUS. Here Luke tells us that the trio (Joseph, Mary, and JESUS) returned
home to Nazareth, and JESUS remained obedient to Mary and Joseph, despite HIS
knowledge of HIS unique kinship to GOD (as HIS only begotten SON).
JESUS continued to grow and “cut HIS way
forward” (“proekoplen”) as a 100% human being, spiritually, mentally, and
physically, and HE found favor with, both, man (HIS appointed earthly
authority, including Joseph and Mary), and GOD (HIS FATHER in Heaven) WHO had permitted
HIM to come to earth on a sacrificial mission to save all mankind.
In fact, this passage, perhaps, stands out
more, because of its emphasis on “JESUS’ humanity”. And, even though JESUS was
beginning to realize, more and more, the significance of WHOM HE was, HE still wisely
chose to live in submission to HIS earthly parents, as HIS FATHER in Heaven
would want, and HE grew up as a typical Jewish boy would in those days.
As Christians, it is just as important to
believe JESUS was a “100% human being” while living here on earth, as it is to
believe that HE is now “100% GOD” living in Heaven. In HIS humanity, HE wisely represented
to us, the greatest example of what we ought to be, as GOD’s “figurative
representatives”, here on earth. And, as our GOD, HE is our ETERNAL LORD and SAVIOR,
and our “only bridge” into the Kingdom of Heaven. HE is the one and only “HYPOSTATIC
UNION”, and also history’s one and only “Theanthropic Person”. And wisdom “requires”
that we know and comprehend both of these undeniable facts.
A
Sunday school lesson by,
Larry
D. Alexander
LARRY D. ALEXANDER- Official Website
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