Luke 2:41-52

The Gospel writer Luke records for us the only childhood story between the events surrounding the miraculous birth of Christ and our Lord’s baptism at the outset of his public ministry as an adult. The story recounts the time when Jesus was left behind in Jerusalem, in his Father’s House, at only twelve years of age. This unique account offers a profound glimpse into the Lord Jesus’ self-understanding of his person and work and demands us come to the same crisis moment as our Lord’s earthly parents: Have we lost Jesus and do we know how to find him? Do we see him as we ought to, do we understand who he is and what he has come to do? Do we gaze upon his beauty and are we being transformed as a result? May we enter the New Year with a renewed sense of commitment to laying hold of the true Christ in all his glory and splendour.

Luke starts off his gospel by telling us that he is writing so that we can have certainty about what we believe. Luke 2:41–52 gives us a powerful foundation for that certainty. We see Jesus as fully human, fully divine, and fully committed to the Father’s will—making the gospel good news for all people.

Luke 2:41-52

The closing verses of Luke 2 offer a unique glimpse of Jesus' humanity: a twelve-year-old learning to balance human life and devotion to God. Though His formal ministry wouldn’t begin for nearly two decades, Jesus took it upon Himself to be prepared for the call on His life. A practice and priority that every Christian should imitate.