1-17-10

Text: Luke 2:41-52

● This is the only episode from the childhood of Jesus; the only view into his life from the time he was about (2), until the time he went public at age (30).

            Such a gap has often created a great deal of curiosity and speculation. There are even apocryphal stories about Jesus which include him verbally executing a boy who bumped into his shoulder while running through the village. Another is told about Jesus forming birds with clay and releasing them into flight.

Apocryphal accounts were rejected because of the lack of authenticity or inconsistencies. They were considered to be helpful, at times, but there just didn’t seem to be the same capacity for confirmation as the other gospels.

● From everything that we know historically about Jesus, he was a young man who was immersed in the Jewish story. It was this story that both informed and formed him.

            How would that story have been transferred to him? What would Jesus’ development have looked like?

● For the following thoughts, I am deeply indebted to people such as Ray Vanderlaan (followtherabbi.com) who has given themselves to the study of the Jewish faith and the processes developed for the transfer of such faith from one generation to the next.

Here’s what we know from historical sources…

● First, the question of “when” a child should begin to be taught the scriptures.

The Jews understood that if you didn’t get the text into the heart and soul of a child, you were one generation away from being extinct as a faith community.

            One source quotes: “The world subsists through the breath of school children”. The Talmud (record of Rabbinic discussions of the law, ethics, etc.) records, “…from six upwards accept him and stuff him with Torah like an ox”.

● Somewhere between the ages of 4-6, you would begin ‘bet-sefer’, which literally means, “house of the book”.

It was taught in the local synagogues where you would likely have a Torah teacher and a local Rabbi.

● To initiate the learning process, each child would be given a slate to help them learn and write the text. On the first day of school, the Rabbi would take honey and smear it on their slate and say something like, “My child, lick the honey… May you never forget that the words of God are like honey. Taste and see that God is good” (Ezekiel 3:3 and Psalm 34:8).

            Honey was rare and considered a delicacy, and, considered to be one of the most enjoyable and pleasurable things in life. So, the Rabbi was linking the words of God to the most pleasurable experience they could imagine.

● At this level, you would begin to memorizing the Torah and by about the age of (10), you would have memorized Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy.

● The next level would involved children from (10)-(14) years of age, and it’s called bet-Talmud. This level was more for the ‘advanced student’. In it, you would memorize the remainder of the Scriptures (OT: Genesis to Malachi).

            At this point, the Rabbi would teach them the art of question and answer. You didn’t just rehearse a memorized answer, you asked another question in response which furthered the conversation and deepened understanding.

● In our story, Jesus is at the Temple with the teachers, roughly somewhere in this age-range. What is he doing? “Listening to and asking questions” [think for example about Mary: Jewish girls were often around the age of (13) when they married. She finds out she’s pregnant and begins to sing what we call the “Magnificat” which is based on excerpts from the Psalms and prophets].

● So, Jesus is at the age where he is crossing the threshold from childhood to adulthood where he would become ‘bar-mitzvah’, or, ‘son of the law’.

            He would now become responsible for the Law and would begin to learn his Father’s trade.

● Signs of Jesus “Jewish-ness” surface all throughout the NT. He was circumcised as a baby, according to the Law, his family is shown attending the obligatory feasts and festivals in Jerusalem.  As an adult, Jesus was often in the synagogue, worshipping and instructing as a “Rabbi”.

“Every year…”, “As was the custom…”, phrases that indicate that Mary and Joseph tirelessly involved and exposed their children to the story.

● So, the rhythms of Jesus’ life are being framed in the unique culture of Judaism.

● The (65) mile trip from Nazareth to Jerusalem would have involved a large caravan of animals and resources. They would likely, at times, have been singing one of the Psalms of Ascent (Psalm 120-134)-- Psalms sung as people made their way to Jerusalem for worship.

● After beginning the journey home, Mary and Joseph realize that Jesus is not with the caravan and they retrace their steps. “Joseph, where’s Jesus?”--- I don’t know, I thought he was with you!? He’ll find his way, honey, he’s the Messiah, right? “Why have you treated us like this?” Maybe Mary looks at Joseph, as if for support, and says, “Do you have anything to say?”

● Now, I like to envision (2) things being said at this point: Joseph to Mary---- “He’s your son!” Mary to Jesus--- “God may be your Father, but I’m still your mother!”

● This is not a story about Jesus’ going through his defiant stage in life, but about his growing awareness and identification with the story. He is already familiar with the  story, but he is finding his unique place in it.

● Once again, Mary finds herself pondering, knowing, somehow, that this day would eventually come. So much of her young boy’s life seemed so ordinary, so “normal”, but so much of who he is still remained a mystery.

● Even the writers of the gospels never spent a great deal of time attempting to convince us that Jesus was human (“Isn’t that Mary and Joseph’s son?”)

● She knows that who he will become has something to do with saving his people, but she’s not sure what all that will entail. In the context, she has a hint that it might have something to do with Passover, but she’s not sure how.

            He may eventually become the Savior of the world, but he’s still her little boy.

● Jesus looks at her and responds to her in a way that he never has before. “Why were you looking for me? Didn’t you know that I had to be in my Father’s house?” (or, about my Father’s business)

We are reminded that our children are under no obligation to embrace our values and our way of interpreting life.               

            There is a sense that the discovery is not only communal, but intensely personal. Our attempts at sharing the story with our children are simply a means of helping them believe that trusting Jesus for life is the most natural decision they could make.

This episode, for me, always raises the questions, “Was Jesus God? And, if he was, did he know he was God?”

            What we cannot say are things like, “Well, Jesus said he was divine, so it must be true”. Or, “Since Paul encountered Jesus on his journey near Damascus, he must be divine”.

● Our images of Jesus often include him wandering around aimlessly with his little band of devotees, with this far-away look in his eyes, dreaming of the time when he was back in heaven having his feet rubbed by the angels and being hand-fed peanut M & Ms (I’m certain that this is part of the heavenly existence).

Or, he just took up residence somewhere on a ‘bean-bag’ chair where he spent most of his time entertaining people with fanciful riddles and encrypted stories about God, but never really identified with them in any significant way.

● Let me preface the following considerations with this statement: I would not presume to make a declaration about how or when Jesus became aware of his divinity, but I am convinced that Jesus believed that it was his destiny to be and do for Israel and the world that which only God could be and do.