Luke 2.51-52
Obediently, Jesus went with Mary and Joseph back to Nazareth. He was truly an extraordinary child. Mary continually reflected on all the unique circumstances in her son’s life. She must have thought often about the initial announcement by Gabriel that she, a virgin, would have a son. She would have turned over and over in her mind the fact that Elizabeth’s son, John, while still in the womb leapt for joy at her arrival. She would have remembered Joseph’s kindness that he attributed to an angelic message. Mary would have thought about the stable, the shepherds, Simeon and Anna in the Temple, the arrival of the magi, and now Jesus' amazing interaction with the religious scholars in the Temple. While she reflected, she cared for Jesus. Jesus, the Gospel of Luke tells us, grew mentally, physically, socially, and spiritually. We know that Jesus learned Joseph’s skills, engaging in the work of carpentry. We know that Jesus was perfectly obedient to His parents and to the Law of God. We also know that Jesus would, as an adult, enter into a new phase of life. He would begin a public ministry in which He would heal the sick, help the poor, call God’s people to repentance, and eventually die on a cross for our sins. But those days were yet ahead. For now, Jesus spent the bulk of His years simply growing up in Nazareth, growing up to fulfil the eternal plan of God
No comments:
Post a Comment