Jesus remains in Jerusalem, unknown to his anxious parents

St Luke Chapter II : Verses 41-45

Contents

• Luke ii. 41-45.  Douay-Rheims (Challoner) text & Latin text (Vulgate).
• Annotations
• Douay-Rheims : 1582 text & notes

Luke ii. 41-45.

They sought him among their kinsfolks and acquaintance.
J-J Tissot. Brooklyn Museum.

41 And his parents went every year to Jerusalem, at the solemn day of the pasch,

Et ibant parentes ejus per omnes annos in Jerusalem, in die solemni Paschæ.

42 And when he was twelve years old, they going up into Jerusalem, according to the custom of the feast,

Et cum factus esset annorum duodecim, ascendentibus illis Jerosolymam secundum consuetudinem diei festi,

43 And having fulfilled the days, when they returned, the child Jesus remained in Jerusalem; and his parents knew it not.

consummatisque diebus, cum redirent, remansit puer Jesus in Jerusalem, et non cognoverunt parentes ejus.

44 And thinking that he was in the company, they came a day's journey, and sought him among their kinsfolks and acquaintance.

Existimantes autem illum esse in comitatu, venerunt iter diei, et requirebant eum inter cognatos et notos.

45 And not finding him, they returned into Jerusalem, seeking him.

Et non invenientes, regressi sunt in Jerusalem, requirentes eum.

Annotations

    41. And his parents went every year to Jerusalem, at the solemn day of the pasch, God had commanded that every man should go to the Tabernacle or Temple three times a year, there to adore God publicly and offer Him sacrifices, Exod.xxiii. 14 and Deut. xvi.16. The Blessed Virgin, although not bound by the law, still, out of devotion, after her return from Egypt, joined her husband, and brought her son with her to the Temple, that she might teach mothers to bring their children, from their tender years, to the Temple, and to worship God. So say Bede, Maldonatus, Jansenius, Francis Lucas, and others. Nor did she fear Archeläus the son of the Infanticide Herod, both because she thought with good reason that, in so large a concourse of Jews, they would be able to escape observation for a few days, and also because she knew that God, for whose honour she underwent this risk, had her in His mind and in His keeping. So says S. Augustine (de Consens. Evang., lib. ii. cap. x.), and S. Luke implies as much in the next two verses. Some, however, think, with some probability, that Jesus only went up to Jerusalem in the twelfth year of His age, for in that year Archeläus was exiled by Augustus.

    42. And when he was twelve years old, they going up into Jerusalem, according to the custom of the feast, The Syriac has “as they had been accustomed on the feast”—namely, of the Passover.

    43. And having fulfilled the days, when they returned, the child Jesus remained in Jerusalem; In the Greek, after they had finished, or gone through, the days—namely, of the Passover; for this feast was kept for seven days, and S. Luke here implies that Mary and Joseph kept all these days at Jerusalem, though they were not bound by the law to remain so long—remained in Jerusalem, there to shed some little ray of His wisdom and Divinity, as though longing to begin the ministry for which His Father had sent Him. For at the age of twelve childhood ends, and youth and perfect judgment begin. So says Bede.

    and his parents knew it not, because Jesus asked leave of His parents, who were lingering a little in Jerusalem from motives of devotion or business, to visit His relations, as if he were about to go on with them, and, having obtained permission, went to them, but soon withdrew quietly to the Temple—God so directing—in order that His parents, though at other times always solicitous about Him, should be unaware of this, and think that He was in the company of His kinsfolk,

    44. And thinking that he was in the company, they came a day's journey, and sought him among their kinsfolks and acquaintance. who had gone on, and with whom Mary and Joseph, who were about to follow a little later, would that evening lodge and, as they thought, there find Jesus,

    45. And not finding him, they returned into Jerusalem, seeking him. Jesus having been seen by none of His kinsfolk on the way, His parents understood that He must have remained in Jerusalem; and so they sought Him there with great anxiety. Origen gives the reason, and Theophylact and Titus follow him. “But did they seek Him so anxiously? Did they imagine that the Child had been lost, or had wandered from the way?” Far otherwise, “For this would not have been characteristic of Mary’s wisdom (she knew that Jesus was full of wisdom, yea, that He was God), and they could never have thought that the Child was lost, when they knew that He was Divine, but they sought Him lest by any means He might have gone away from them; lest perchance He had left them;” lest He should wish to remain not with them at Nazareth, but with others in Jerusalem, that He might there make haste to begin the ministry of teaching for which He had been sent by God. Origen adds, “They sought Him, lest perchance He might have gone away from them, lest He might have left them and betaken Himself elsewhere—or as seems most probable—lest He might have returned to heaven, to descend from thence when it should please Him … but she mourned because she was a mother, and the mother of a Son worthy of her immeasurable love—because He had departed without her knowledge, and quite contrary to her expectation.”

    S. Antoninus adds that the mother of Jesus feared lest He might have fallen into the hands of Archeläus, the son of Herod the Infanticide, who would slay Him. Euthymius and Francis Lucas think she feared lest Christ might have wandered from the road, since He did not thoroughly know all the way. For, though He knew its turns and windings by His Divine and infused wisdom, yet, according to the experimental knowledge which He, as a child, was following, He did not know it. Whether this be correct I leave to theologians to decide.

Douay-Rheims : 1582 text

 

41 And his parents went euery yere vnto Hieruſalem, at the ſolemne day of Paſche. 

42 And when he was twelue yeres old, they going vp into Hieruſalem according to the cuſtome of the feſtiual day, 

43 and hauing ended the daies, when they returned, the childe IESVS remained in Hieruſalem: and his parents knew it not. 

44 And thinking that he vvas in the companie, they came a daies iourney, and ſought him among their kinſfolke and acquaintance. 

45 And not finding him, they returned into Hieruſalem, ſeeking him.

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The Vladimirskaya Icon. >12th century.

SUB tuum præsidium confugimus, Sancta Dei Genitrix. Nostras deprecationes ne despicias in necessitatibus, sed a periculis cunctis libera nos semper, Virgo gloriosa et benedicta. Amen.

 

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.