“But supposing Him
(Jesus) to be in the group, they (Mary and Joseph) went a day’s journey, but
then they began to search for him among their relatives and acquaintances, and
when they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem, searching for him. After three days they found Him in the
temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them
questions. And all who heard Him were
amazed at His understanding and His answers.”
-Luke 2:44-47 (ESV).
When Jesus was twelve years of age, He
went with his parents to Jerusalem to the Temple to observe the Feast of
Unleavened Bread. Known, too, as The
Passover, the Jewish laws concerning this sacred observation are given in
Exodus 12:16-19 and Leviticus
23:4-8. A holy convocation (for public
worship) was ordered on the first day of the week-long religious celebration. It was held in the spring, and in our modern
observances it would be at about the time of our March/April Easter time. In the twelve years since Jesus birth and
this event, his life is summarized by Luke’s statement that “the child grew and became strong, filled
with wisdom. And the favor of God was
upon Him” (Luke 2:40).
How does a “day’s journey” fit into this
story? And about how far is a day’s
journey—when Jesus, the twelve-year old lad, was separated from his
parents? “Day’s journey” was a term given
to how far a person could travel in a day’s time. Given the terrain and other factors, the
measurement was about 20 to 30 miles.
But when traveling in a group, the distance of a day’s journey could be
perhaps only ten miles.
Jesus was not in the crowd at the end of
the day’s journey. Does this mean that
Mary and Joesph temporarily let down their guard as parents and were not
keeping watch over their twelve-year-old?
Think in terms of relatives and friends traveling from Nazareth to
Galilee together to worship and observe the Feast of the Passover. And after a week’s worship, offering
sacrifices and talking on the theme of the particular Holy Week (salvation),
Mary and Joseph assumed Jesus was “in the crowd.” Then came that “day’s journey” end—time to rest
for the night.; They could not find Jesus anywhere among the others. It was then they decided to return to
Jerusalem to find Him. I can imagine,
with both of them having been instructed of their significant role in rearing
Jesus, the Son of God, how they must have feared that danger had befallen the
lad. But when they arrived in Jerusalem,
after three days (one to go, one to return, and one to search) they found
Jesus, sitting among the learned men in the Temple, asking and answering
questions. We are told “they were astonished” (v. 48). Mary’s words to Him are like those of any
distressed mother whose child can’t be found:
“Son, why have you treated us so?”Jesus
Himself had an answer in the form of a question: “Did
you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” (v. 49). But Jesus went obediently with His
parents, back north to Nazareth in Galilee, probably several days’ journey on
foot, and already behind the crowd who liked to keep together for safety from
robbers and other dangers on the road. The
“day’s journey” of Christ’s life (until he was about 30, scholars believe) from
this incident when He was twelve until he appeared at the River Jordan to be
baptized by John the Baptist and open his public ministry is summarized by
Luke: “And He went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to
them. And His mother treasured up all
these things in her heart. “And Jesus
increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man” (Luke
2:51-52).
