In
this attempt to reflect upon the infancy narrative and hidden life of Jesus, as
taken into account by St. Luke (2:1-52), I would like to limit my reflection on
the Finding of the Child Jesus in the Temple (2:41-50). I am setting this
limitation for the whole narrative is too rich with insights that this
parochial paper may not justify.
The latter scene of the infancy
account has drawn various opinions regarding its importance in the totality of
the narrative. For some theologians it is not of great significance. A.
Plummer, for one, writes that it is only a supplement to the earlier story of
Jesus’ infancy. R. E. Brown goes further
and says that such is a ‘secondary addition unbalancing the original diptych of
the infancy narrative.’ However, the details that this scene provides are
enough reason to treat it with great importance. Bultmann enumerates at least
two of these details, namely (1) the exceptional wisdom of the child Jesus and,
(2) His decision to stay in the Temple as revelation of his destiny. In his
discussion, Coleridge concludes this scene is the climax of the narrative. Thus
‘the most important of the infancy narrative’ as it gives prominence on Jesus’
gained capacity to interpret for himself.[1]
In the previous scene, we see the
child Jesus with two pervading conventions. Those are conformity to Jewish
customs (religious convention), and bond of a family (familial convention).
However, at the beginning of the present scene, the child Jesus is presented as
a twelve year old boy, at the threshold of adulthood and independence.[2]
The scene unfolds en route to the disruption of the conventions mentioned above
by the ‘adult’ and ‘independent’ Jesus speaking for Himself, about Himself,
about His destiny.[3]
Mary and Joseph’s suppositions (assuming that he was in the group of
travelers, they went a day’s journey) prompted actions(they started to look for him among their relatives and friends and they returned to Jerusalem to search for him),
which culminate to the Temple where they would find Him. The interplay of
suppositions and actions presents man’s capacity to respond to puzzling
eventualities leading to discoveries, more than man’s logical action.[4]
More than obscurity, man is led into a discovery.
In the Temple, Jesus is found
listening, questioning, and answering. These are three gradual steps in
building-up the character and authority of Jesus. By doing so, He is able to meet
the teachers on their own grounds, spoke their words in their own mind set.
These surely provide a great entertainment for them as they are all amazed considering
the source of questions and answers in their midst: a twelve year old boy. Luke
further describes the astonishment on the part of His parents. But such
astonishment is not because of what they hear, for they know Jesus real
identity. Mary and Joseph are astonished by where they found Him and what they
saw He was doing. Perhaps they never thought His identity, as the Son of God
would be like that, a display of extraordinary understanding.[5]Mary
could not reconcile why Jesus, being the Son of God, did what he had done. Mary’s
heart seeks for reason her mind could not grasp.
In the midst of amazement and
confusion around Him, the child Jesus seemed to be obliged to make necessary
explanation and answer the ‘why’ of His parents and the others. Indeed, Jesus
answers. He interprets his seeming oblique and confusing actions as actions in
accord with the Father’s will. Jesus declares the truth about Himself, his
destiny, his relation to the Father and the Father’s will.[6]
He declares the truth he discovered about Himself: That He is the Son of God. His
actions may seem to be astonishing considering His, but Jesus assures as that
such is always in accord with the Father’s will, and He is the ever obedient
Son.
The child Jesus’ actions in the
latter part of the infancy narrative posit to us the fact about God’s will and
the way we understand and accept it in our lives. In the book of the prophet
Isaiah it is written: for my thoughts are not your thoughts; my ways not your
ways—it is Yahweh who speaks (55:8). Human as we are, we often find it
difficult to understand the things that come along our sojourn here on earth.
We often question God ‘Why?’ whether for good things or bad. Like Mary and
Joseph, we find ourselves surprised, astonished, if not struck by the turn of
events in our lives. Sometimes, we are even frustrated for things take place
not according to our plan, but later surprised that such is the best way for
those things to take place. The one we thought to be the best, often is not. Our
questioning, then, leads us to a discovery, of a great plan for, greater than
the one we have for ourselves. We discover God working in our lives, doing the
best for us. After all, those are the only things that can come from Him, only
the best from the Best. Thus life becomes a discovery of the best in us, the
best for us, as willed by God. Would not life be more adventurous and exciting
with this!?!
When Mary was confronted by the
same confusion, the child Jesus assured her that everything is fine, everything
is taking place according to the Father’s will. And throughout His life, Jesus
would often comfort her mother and the people around Him with the fact that
everything is in accord with the Father’s will. ‘All is well’ Jesus would often
say, perhaps. “Why asked ‘Why’?” ‘Don’t you know that it is the Father’s will?’
“Say instead ‘Why not!?!’”
[1]
Mark Coleridge, The Birth of the Lukan
Narrative: Narrative as Christology in Luke 1-2 (Great Britain: Sheffield
Academic Press, 1993) pp. 187-189
[2]
William Barclay, The Daily Study Bible:
The Gospel of Luke revised edition (Edinburgh: The Saint Andrew Press,
1975) pp. 28-29.
[3]
Eugene LaVerdiere, SSS, Luke (Delaware:
Michael Glazier, Inc, 1980) p.38.
[4]
Coleridge, 193.
[5]
Ibid. 197.
[6]
LaVerdiere, 39.
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