Teacher Notes
Bible Stories for Adults
The Boy Jesus Visits the Temple
Luke 2:41-52
Welcome and Announcements
Next Week - John Baptizes Jesus (Matthew 3:13-17)
Opening Prayer
The Stories of Jesus' Life - So Far (Luke 1-2, Matthew 1-2)
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"
Luke's Comments on Jesus' Early Childhood (Luke 2:39-40)
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
Jesus' Childhood (Luke 2:41)
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
The Completeness of Twelve (Luke 2:42)
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
Jesus at Twelve (Luke 2:42)
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
Jesus Is Missing (Luke 2:43-46)
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.
Teaching the Teacher (Luke 2:46-47)
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
Jesus Perfectly Obeys His Father (Luke 2:48-50)
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
Jesus Perfectly Obeys His Other Two Parents (Luke 2:51)
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
Jesus From Thirteen to Thirty (Luke 2:52)
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
Closing Prayer
Copyright © 1997 by Kurt Rosenhagen
Use of this material is provided free of charge for use in personal or group Bible Study, no permission needed.
The author reserves all rights for use in published material or in uses where fees are involved.
For permission, or to provide your comments, insights and feedback, contact the author at:
kurt@biblestoriesforadults.com