[Propertalk] Fw: Luke 2:41-52 - Part 2 of 3

[Joe Parrish]

Forwarded: Luke 2:41-52 - Part 2 of 3


-----Original Message-----
From: bstoffregen at roadrunner.com
To: brian.stoffregen at gmail.com
Sent: Wed, Dec 16, 2009 11:46 pm
Subject: Luke 2:41-52

WHOSE SON IS HE? 
ANSWER 1: HE IS THE SON OF MARY AND JOSEPH

One of the paradoxes presented in this lesson is: Whose son is Jesus? One answer is that he is the child of Joseph and Mary. He has been put into their care for their instruction and guidance. As I pointed out above, God made a good choice. They were very devout Jews and, as this text indicates, concerned parents.

Mary asks, "Child, why have you treated us in this way? Look, your father and I have been searching for you in great anxiety" (v. 48b). 

Note the reference to Joseph as Jesus' father.

I think that the content of "in this way" is found in the Greek word translated "in great anxiety". This word for "anxiety" (????????? - odynaomai) is used only by Luke in the NT. It is used to describe the agony and pain of the rich man in hell (16:24, 25). I'm certain that his pain was much more than just anxiety. It is used once in Acts. Paul begins a speech to the Ephesians: "I know that none of you, among whom I have gone about proclaiming the kingdom, will ever see my face again" (20:25). Then we are told:

When he had finished speaking, he knelt down with them all and prayed. There was much weeping among them all; they embraced Paul and kissed him, grieving especially because of what he had said, that they would not see him again. Then they brought him to the ship (20:36-38).

This is the pain and agony and grief when one will never see a close friend (or relative) again. It is this pain and agony and worry and grief and anxiety that the missing Jesus caused his parents that I think is behind the question: "Why have you treated us in this way?" I'm certain that Jesus did not think that he had done anything wrong. There have been times when our children have caused us such pains -- and it wasn't because they had done something wrong, but often because we didn't know where they were. 

What also compounds the feelings in Mary and Joseph is that this is the first time they had taken their son from their small, familiar town into the big city. For those familiar with small town life, often there is a fear of the big city. 

Malina and Rohrbaugh (Social-Science Commentary on the Synoptic Gospels) point out another source of their anxiety, besides the missing child.

2:44 In antiquity travel was a dangerous undertaking and was considered deviant behavior except for certain customary reasons. Group travel was safer, especially with kinfolk or trusted neighbors; see the note below on 2:48.

2:48 Mary's question implies more than concerns for a lost child. Having to return to Jerusalem, the family must break off its travel with kinfolk and neighbors. They will be five days behind their group on the trip back to Nazareth and thus in a much more dangerous position (see the note on 2:44). Joseph is also made to look bad by appearing unable to control his family. [p. 299]

Could this be an example of leaving family and friends, and the safety they provide, in order to follow Jesus?

Jesus responds to his parents' concern with two questions: "Why were you searching for me?" "Did you not know that I must be in my father's house [or "be about my Father's interests"]? These are the first words Jesus speaks in Luke.

Why were they searching for him? They are good parents. Wouldn't each of us go searching for our children if we thought they were lost? Wouldn't finding the lost child be more important than personal safety (illustrated by staying with the traveling group)?

"Didn't you know?" -- No, they didn't know. Even after he tells them this, they don't understand him. This word for "understanding" (??????? - syniemi) occurs only four times in Luke. The first three times (2:50; 8:10; 18:34) it is applied to people who don't understand Jesus. In the final occurrence (24:45), the risen Jesus opens their minds to understand the scriptures.

We might look at these parents as models of discipleship -- they are very devout, but they don't totally understand. They don't understand the word (???? - rhema) that he tells them, but Mary keeps all these words (???? - rhema) in her heart. 


Brian Stoffregen
pastor, Faith Lutheran Church, 2215 S 8th Avenue, Yuma, AZ 85364
e-mail: brian.stoffregen at gmail.com
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