Read Luke 2:40-52
Luke 2:49 How is it that ye sought me? Wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?
Does anybody else feel that Jesus’ response here might be disrespectful to His parents? In other versions of the bible the question reads something like this: “Why were you looking for me?”
Why wouldn’t they be looking for Him??? They were frantic in that he had been gone a day when they discovered he was missing! (They had no picture of him to show people; his description was Twelve Year old boy, brown eyes, dark hair, same as every boy in Jerusalem at the time.) Then three more days of searching! And he asked, “Why were you looking for me?” ???
If your child of twelve years was missing for 3-4 days, and he said to me, “why were you looking for me?” You might not be as kind as Mary and Joseph. But they saw where he was, they were amazed (astounded, astonished). It was obviously the last place they looked. He was in the temple sitting in the midst of the teachers. (from verse 46)
Mary asked him why? Why did you not look for us to tell us where you would be? Why did you not consult us ahead of time? Why did you wait here so long? It has been four days! We were mildly upset (nope). They were searching for him with sorrow, verse 48 says (meaning grieving and tormented).
It says His parents did not understand what Jesus was saying to them. How could they? They had been stricken with grief over what might have happened to Jesus, their son. They forgot all that God had done up until this point. All the things that Mary treasured up in her heart about Jesus. All the dreams and signs shown to Joseph over Jesus’ birth and escape into Egypt.
Can you relate to Mary and Joseph? How many times do you find yourself in a situation where you panic because of what you think might have happened? Especially if all the evidence you have appears to be very real.
Mary and Joseph were also laden with guilt. They did not notice Jesus was not with them for a whole day of travel! It must have been torturous for them. Maybe they were blaming one another? Blaming themselves?
Let’s get to Jesus’ question to them: How is it that ye sought me?
He must have realized that four days have passed by. He was fed by someone and allowed to sleep somewhere for four days!
These things were not on His mind. He was finally able to go to Jerusalem for the feast! That was on His mind!
He had heard about this feast all His life. He had waited the appropriate amount of time to go, twelve years. He was not going to lose this opportunity! He had to see, hear, touch and smell all that this festival held. He wanted to be part of the big celebration of the Passover. THE PASSOVER! He had to hear the people rejoicing over His Father’s great works! He had heard so much that he wanted to be a part of this. These people were glorifying His Dad and all His mighty works that saved this people! What?! Why were you looking for me? Didn’t you know I had to be about My Father’s business??? (We know that Jesus was part of the miracles and plagues and saving the Israelites out of Egypt. Why wouldn’t He be super excited to talk about it with men who have studied it?)
Jesus was asking and answering questions of the men who spent their lives studying the stories about God. They had questions and he had answers, but you can almost bet that He asked them more questions to get them to think about how great their God is. Jesus was into it and so was His audience. You would have to be, to talk about something for four days!
Let’s look back at the questions.
How is it the ye sought me? Wist ye not that I must be about My Father’s business?
Where do you look for Jesus? How hard do you seek Him? Four days’ worth?
Don’t you know you will find Him in places that are about the Father’s business? Where are these places?
First start in the gospels! There you will see Jesus doing the works of His Father.
Second, you will find Him in the places He puts you. Ask, seek and knock, and the door will be opened to you.
If you have any thoughts about this passage, please share. If you disagree, then let’s discuss it further. Leave me a comment.
If these questions are pricking your heart, then let me know what God is doing in your life.
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Thanks for sharing.