Bible Stories for Adults

The Boy Jesus Visits the Temple

Luke 2:41-52

Next Week - John Baptizes Jesus (Matthew 3:13-17)

How did Luke begin the story of Jesus' life?

Luke 1:5, 7, 13, 17, 24 = Angelic announcement & miraculous conception of John
What similar, but more important, story came next?

Luke 1:26-27, 30-33 = Angelic announcement & miraculous conception of Jesus
What crisis resulted that Matthew recorded to show God's plan being fulfilled?

Matthew 1:18, 20-21, 24 = Angelic announcement to Joseph, marriage accepted
What did the pregnant fiancee do that further showed who the child would be?

Luke 1:39-43, 56 = Stayed 3 months with Elizabeth, who told of the Lord in Mary
What final preparation does Luke record to prepare for Jesus' birth?

Luke 1:57, 63-64, 66, 80 = Birth, naming & growth of John the Baptist

How does Luke show the promise fulfilled that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem?

Luke 2:1, 4, 6-7 = J & M went to Bethlehem for census, Jesus born in a stable
Who first learned of this great event in God's plan?

Luke 2:8-12, 17 = Common shepherds told by angels, spread word through streets
How did Luke record the early days of Jesus' life to show His perfect obedience?

Luke 2:21-22 = Jesus' circumcision, naming, redemption and Mary's purification
What happened in the temple that further confirmed who Jesus was?

Luke 2:34-36a, 38 = Simeon and Anna proclaimed who Jesus was

How does Matthew begin his story of Jesus' life that show Jesus came for all people?

Matthew 2:1-2, 11 = Magi saw star, gifts to God's great Prophet, Priest & King
What story did this lead to that showed Jesus as the new Israel, head of the new covenant?

Matthew 2:13-15 = Taken to Egypt to avoid Herod slaughter of Bethlehem boys
What is Matthew's last story of Jesus before His ministry began at around age 30?

Matthew 2:19, 21, 23 = Out of Egypt to Nazareth to be raised as a "Nazarene"

With a focus on Jesus' perfect obedience, what does Luke say about the Magi & Egypt?

Luke 2:39 = Nothing, sneds family back to Nazareth without any Egypt comment
Does Luke give us any more detail on Jesus' childhood?

Luke 2:40 = He grew, became strong, filled with wisdom, had God's grace

As a Jewish boy, what would have begun in Jesus' life around age 3?

Deuteronomy 6:6-7 = Parental instruction with prayers & Scripture passages
What would Jesus have learned in synagogue school beginning at age 6?

2 Timothy 3:14-17 = Lessons from God's Word, plus reading & writing...
Who was responsible for Jesus' education - His teachers? priests? school board?

Proverbs 1:8 = His parents

How likely would Joseph and Mary have brought Jesus up in the Jewish faith?

Matthew 1:19 = Joseph was considered a righteous man, faithful
Luke 1:30 = Mary found favor with God, faithful
Did Joseph and Mary remain faithful as Jesus grew in childhood?

Luke 2:41 = They were faithful Jews, went to temple every year for Passover
Are we told how regularly Jesus' family "went to synagogue"?

Luke 4:16 = His custom was to go every Sabbath

Did Jesus perform or practice miracles as a child?

John 2:11 = No, His first miracle was changing wine to water at Cana wedding
Did His neighbors notice anything special in the boy Jesus? = Mentions 4 brothers, sisters

Matthew 13:54-56 = No, they couldn't believe His powers and wisdom

Hebrew Meanings behind Numbers

3 = The spirit world (good or evil)
4 = The material world - earth, nature, creation
7 (3 + 4) = Totality, complete
6 (7 - 1) = Incomplete - 666 was ultimate evil
12 (3 x 4) = God's complete people (12 tribes, 12 apostles, etc.)

At 12 years old, a boy was considered to be completely a man

Bar Mitzvah - "Son of the Law"
Ceremony to celebrate passage into adulthood & personal responsibility to God

What was one of the commands a 12 or 13 year old would begin to obey?

Deuteronomy 16:16 = Appear at the temple for 3 major festivals every year
What were these three major festivals?

Leviticus 23:4-8 = Feast of Unleavened Bread - 7 days to celebrate Passover
Leviticus 23:10, 15-16 = Feast of Weeks (Pentecost) - 50 days, end of harvest
Leviticus 23:34, 42-43 = Feast of Booths (Tabernacles) - Live in tents 1 week
Did Jesus' parents see to it that Jesus perfectly obeyed this command?

Luke 2:42 = Yes, beginning when He was 12

What happened after Jesus' first visit to the temple as an adult?

Luke 2:43 = He stayed behind while His parents returned home
How could M&J leave their oldest son behind and how long was it before they missed Him?

Luke 2:44 = They thought He was somewhere among the traveling party; one day
People traveled long distances in caravans to protect from attacks & provide help as needed

Parties would separate into groups - fast/slow walkers, women & children/men
Groups would meet at predetermined stopping point
A lot of traffic would have been on the road the day after the festival

Mary & Joseph assumed Jesus was with the other or with friends or relatives
Didn't realize He was missing until they regrouped that evening at the stopping point

What did Mary & Joseph do when they couldn't find Jesus among the travelers?

Luke 2:45 = Went back to Jerusalem to find Him
How long did it take Mary & Joseph to find Jesus and where did they finally find Him?

Luke 2:46a = Three days (1 day travel, 2 looking); in the temple courts
What is significant about this length of time, when Jesus' parents likely feared their son's death?

Acts 10:39-40 = Jesus was later killed and rose again on the third day
What promise do we have that this searching reminds us of?

Jeremiah 29:13 = You will seek & find me when you seek me with all your heart.

What was Jesus doing in the temple? = Listening & asking questions, learning

Luke 2:46 = Talking with the great Hebrew teachers who gathered for Passover
Did the teachers see Jesus as a typical "green behind the ears" boy with a lot to learn?

Luke 2:47 = No, they were amazed at His understanding and answers

How did Jesus change roles for the rest of His life?

John 3:2 = He was the teacher after His ministry began
How did His teaching as an adult compare to His learning as a child?

Luke 4:32 = Listeners were amazed at His teaching, it had authority
How wise of a teacher was Jesus considered to be?

Luke 11:31 = Even wiser and greater than Solomon (wisest man ever)
What did Jesus understand to be the basis of His wisdom?

Proverbs 9:10 = The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom

After finally finding Jesus after 3 days, how did Jesus' frantic mother react?

Luke 2:48 = Scolded him for scaring them so much
How did Jesus respond to His mother?

Luke 2:49-50 = I had to be in My Father's house, they didn't understand
Were people later able to understand what Jesus meant by this?

John 8:19 = No, they didn't recognize Jesus or His Father

What important note does Luke add to maintain Jesus' life of perfect obedience?

Luke 2:51 = He went with His parents and obeyed them in Nazareth
Why was it important for Jesus to obey Mary and Joseph?

Exodus 20:12 = God's 4th commandment is to honor and obey parents
How obedient did Jesus remain?

Philippians 2:8 = Obedient even to death on a cross

What are we told about Jesus' life after the temple story?

Luke 2:52 = He grew in wisdom & stature (physically) & in favor with God & men
When is the last time we hear about Joseph?

Luke 2:48 = During the temple story
What might we understand from this about Jesus' life in adolescence and/or early adulthood?

Mark 6:3 = Joseph died, Jesus as oldest son took over carpentry business
At what point in Jesus' life do the gospel writers pick back up?

Luke 3:23a = When He was about thirty years old
How did Jesus "begin His ministry"? = To be discussed in detail next week

Luke 3:21-22 = He was baptized by John, HS descended, God proclaimed Him