At the tender age of twelve the Bible reports in Luke 2:42 “And when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast.” Twelve is the number of our Lord Jesus. It was important for Him to make contact with Jerusalem which in Greek is Hierosoluma (hee-er-os-ol’-oo-mah) Hierosolyma (i.e. Jerushalaim}, the capitol of Israel. It is of Hebrew origin i.e. Yruwshalaim (yer-oo-shaw-lah’-im) (rarely Yruwshalayim {yer-oo- shaw-lah’-yim}) meaning: ‘1. founded peaceful 2) Jerushalaim or Jerushalem, the capital city of Israel [a dual (in allusion to its two main hills (the true pointing, at least of the former reading, seems to be that of Yruwshalem)); probably from (the passive participle of) yarah and shalam]

Root words of Jerusalem are: A) Yruwshalem (yer-oo-shaw-lame’): ‘founded peaceful.’ B) yarah (yaw-raw’) (or (2 Chr. 26):

1. (properly) to flow as water
2. (hence) to rain
3. (transitively) to lay or throw (especially an arrow)
4. (hence) to shoot
5. (figuratively) to point out (as if by aiming the finger)
6. (hence) to teach  &(C) shalam (shaw-lam’):

1. to be safe (in mind, body or estate)
2. (figuratively) to be completed
3. (causatively) to make completed
4. (by implication) to be friendly
5. (by extension) to reciprocate (in various applications).’

Going on pilgrimage to Jerusalem

The two hills is are the testimonial dichotomy of His personality. As a natural man, He was born and grew before the eyes of the people of His neighbourhood. He experienced thirst, hunger, tiredness and did fall asleep! This same Personage is the Alpha and the Omega (Revelation 1:8, “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.”), the Lord of the Sabbath (Luke 6:5, “And he said unto them, That the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.”), the Creator (John 1:3, All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made). As the Prince of peace He must enter into the connectivity with Jerusalem. Jesus is the Author of the “peace of God, which passeth all understanding [Phi 4:7].” He is the grace of God flowing like rivers of water, which is the word of God, satisfying every thirst for the things of salvation. At the mere mention of Jesus arrows have been dispatched to scatter and discomfit the unholy gathering of the enemies.

God incarnate (the Ancient of days is the Infant of days)

Luke 2:43 “And when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and Joseph and his mother knew not of it.” The words ‘tarried behind,’ hupomeno (hoop-om-en’-o), means: ‘1. to stay under (behind), i.e. remain 2. (figuratively) to undergo, i.e. bear (trials), have fortitude, persevere.’ ‘Knew’ is the Greek word ginosko (ghin-oce’-ko): ‘to “know” (absolutely).’

Yes He was conceived and was made to go through the natural parturition, however, this One is quite different: He and the Father are one (John 10:30). He is the power of God (Luke 22:69), in whom dwells the fullness of the Godhead (Colossians 2:9)! These intricacies they had no knowledge of: they being too deep for human comprehension. It was apropos for the Holy Lad to ‘tarry behind’. Mankind had been estranged from the One who first loved us, separated us from the sticky clay in order to create a living being. He had come back in the Incarnation: to soil His most holy hands in the redemptive appearance which only the Divinity could venture into.

Luke 2:46 “And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions.” Luke 2:47 “And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers.” ‘Doctors’, in the Greek is didaskalos (did-as’-kal-os): ‘a teacher, an instructor;(figuratively, with reverence) master.’

They should have known where to find Him. I thought the Bible says of Mary, His earthly mother, in Luke 2:19, “But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart;” concerning the the wonder child she conceived and the parturition of Whom she entered the labour room. But how could they know? The world is wallowing in sin. It had been so, since the day He walked into Eden and they could not welcome Him whom they had hitherto heard daily at the evening, probably at six o’clock.

He was engaged with PhD. teachers of the law. Each of whom could pass for His grandfather, biologically. He would receive a question from them, then give answer to the question. After that it would be His turn to ask a question to be answered by them. This was the Rabbi Jews’ methodology of teaching their lessons.

Now he could hear and listen to them simply because He had come to take us back to our sinless state of the Garden of Eden righteousness. No doubt, He probably would have asked them, “What think ye of Christ? whose son is he?” and while they were battling with that, the lad Jesus dropped the bombshell: “How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool? If David then call him Lord, how is he his son?”   (…to be concluded…)

Click to read part 2

Read the concluding part here

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