Among the Jews the twelfth year was the dividing line between childhood and youth. On completing this year a Hebrew boy was called a son of the law, and also a son of God. He was given special opportunities for religious instruction, and was expected to participate in the sacred feasts and observances. It was in accordance with this custom that Jesus in His boyhood made the Passover visit to Jerusalem.
--There were three annual feasts, the Passover, the Pentecost, and the Feast of Tabernacles, at which all the men of Israel were commanded to appear before the Lord at Jerusalem. Of these feasts the Passover was the most largely attended. The time of the Passover corresponded to the close of March or the beginning of April, and the whole land was bright with flowers, and glad with the song of birds.
--The Passover was followed by the seven days' feast of unleavened bread. On the second day of the feast, the first fruits of the year's harvest, a sheaf of barley, was presented before the Lord. All the ceremonies of the feast were types of the work of Christ. The deliverance of Israel from Egypt was an object lesson of redemption, which the Passover was intended to keep in memory. The slain lamb, the unleavened bread, the sheaf of first fruits, represented the Savior.
--For the first time the child Jesus looked upon the temple. Rapt in the contemplation of these scenes, He did not remain beside His parents. He sought to be alone.
--When the paschal services were ended, He still lingered in the temple courts; and when the worshipers departed from Jerusalem, He was left behind.
--At that day an apartment connected with the temple was devoted to a sacred school, after the manner of the schools of the prophets. Here leading rabbis with their pupils assembled, and hither the child Jesus came. Jesus presented Himself as one thirsting for a knowledge of God. His questions were suggestive of deep truths which had long been obscured, yet which were vital to the salvation of souls. The doctors turned upon Him with questions, and they were amazed at His answers. With the humility of a child He repeated the words of Scripture, giving them a depth of meaning that the wise men had not conceived of.
*The words of Jesus had moved their hearts as they had never before been moved by words from human lips. The light was shining in darkness; but "the darkness apprehended it not." John 1:5.
--Meanwhile Joseph and Mary were in great perplexity and distress.
In the departure from Jerusalem they had lost sight of Jesus. In the school of the rabbis they found Jesus. - "How is it that ye sought Me?" answered Jesus. "Wist ye not that I must be about My Father's business?" In the answer to His mother, Jesus showed for the first time that He understood His relation to God.
--And His question to them had a lesson. Jesus was engaged in the work that He had come into the world to do; but Joseph and Mary had neglected theirs. God had shown them high honor in committing to them His Son.
--Jesus did not ignore His relation to His earthly parents. From Jerusalem He returned home with them, and aided them in their life of toil.
* When we become absorbed in worldly things so that we have no thought for Him in whom our hope of eternal life is centered, we separate ourselves from Jesus and from the heavenly angels. These holy beings cannot remain where the Savior's presence is not desired, and His absence is not marked. This is why discouragement so often exists among the professed followers of Christ.
* Beholding the beauty of His character, we shall be "changed into the same image from glory to glory." 2 Corinthians 3:18.
--There were three annual feasts, the Passover, the Pentecost, and the Feast of Tabernacles, at which all the men of Israel were commanded to appear before the Lord at Jerusalem. Of these feasts the Passover was the most largely attended. The time of the Passover corresponded to the close of March or the beginning of April, and the whole land was bright with flowers, and glad with the song of birds.
--The Passover was followed by the seven days' feast of unleavened bread. On the second day of the feast, the first fruits of the year's harvest, a sheaf of barley, was presented before the Lord. All the ceremonies of the feast were types of the work of Christ. The deliverance of Israel from Egypt was an object lesson of redemption, which the Passover was intended to keep in memory. The slain lamb, the unleavened bread, the sheaf of first fruits, represented the Savior.
--For the first time the child Jesus looked upon the temple. Rapt in the contemplation of these scenes, He did not remain beside His parents. He sought to be alone.
--When the paschal services were ended, He still lingered in the temple courts; and when the worshipers departed from Jerusalem, He was left behind.
--At that day an apartment connected with the temple was devoted to a sacred school, after the manner of the schools of the prophets. Here leading rabbis with their pupils assembled, and hither the child Jesus came. Jesus presented Himself as one thirsting for a knowledge of God. His questions were suggestive of deep truths which had long been obscured, yet which were vital to the salvation of souls. The doctors turned upon Him with questions, and they were amazed at His answers. With the humility of a child He repeated the words of Scripture, giving them a depth of meaning that the wise men had not conceived of.
*The words of Jesus had moved their hearts as they had never before been moved by words from human lips. The light was shining in darkness; but "the darkness apprehended it not." John 1:5.
--Meanwhile Joseph and Mary were in great perplexity and distress.
--And His question to them had a lesson. Jesus was engaged in the work that He had come into the world to do; but Joseph and Mary had neglected theirs. God had shown them high honor in committing to them His Son.
--Jesus did not ignore His relation to His earthly parents. From Jerusalem He returned home with them, and aided them in their life of toil.
* When we become absorbed in worldly things so that we have no thought for Him in whom our hope of eternal life is centered, we separate ourselves from Jesus and from the heavenly angels. These holy beings cannot remain where the Savior's presence is not desired, and His absence is not marked. This is why discouragement so often exists among the professed followers of Christ.
* Beholding the beauty of His character, we shall be "changed into the same image from glory to glory." 2 Corinthians 3:18.
It would be well for us to spend a thoughtful hour each day in contemplation of the life of Christ.
We should take it point by point, and let the imagination grasp each scene, especially the closing ones.
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