(Posted by Nick Duke)
I had a question following last night’s talk on the missing years of Jesus’ life…
I referred to a few Old Testament passages along the way, but only in passing. Here’s a potted summary of some of my sources from 4 ideas within the talk…
1. The parallel of Jesus with the Prophet Samuel
I was arguing that Luke borrows heavily from Samuel. It is as if he presents Jesus as like Samuel, but greater. He does a similar thing in comparing Jesus with Solomon, the picture of wisdom in the Old Testament (Luke 11:31).
The evidence:
I suspect that Luke 2:52 is based on a parallel reference describing Samuel:
- 1 Samuel 2:26 Now the young man Samuel continued to grow both in stature and in favor with the Lord and also with man.
- Luke 2:52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.
Combine that with the Song of Mary (Luke 1:46ff) being very similar to the Samuel’s mother, Hannah (1 Samuel 2:1ff) - both in wording and in overall theology of bringing down the proud and raising up the humble (a theme that follows in both books).
Samuel is brought up to the ‘house of the LORD’ at Shiloh (1 Samuel 1:24), Jesus is brought up to the temple and instead calls it ‘my Father’s house’ (Luke 2:49).
I haven’t seen John Woodhouse’s new commentary on 1 Samuel - but from memory of his talks on 1 Samuel, his line is close to that.
2. Hints about the Mission of Jesus in Luke 2
It’s interesting in think about the Mission of Jesus hinted at in Luke 2, the reference to attendance at the Passover festival. In Luke’s gospel the word passover appears 7 times - once here, and 6 times in the Passover account in chapter 22 referring to Jesus. So it’s probably significant in raising the topic early in the gospel. The text doesn’t speculate on the psychology of Jesus - but it does raise questions for me - how much did Jesus understand of the passover festival at this young age? I suspect Luke is raising the question - but leaving it unanswered at this point of the story. Certainly by the Passover account, Jesus is thinking in terms of the Suffering Servant of Isaiah 53 (he quotes Is 53:12 in Luke 22:37)
Also interesting is the reference to visiting Jerusalem - for in Luke, the whole account is structured around Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem to die. Chapter 9 is a turning point as Jesus sets his face towards Jerusalem and his imminent suffering and death there (9:51). Jerusalem is representative of the opposition, suffering and finally judgement that is part of his mission:
‘Nevertheless, I must go on my way today and tomorrow and the day following, for it cannot be that a prophet should perish away from Jerusalem.’ Luke 13:33
Finally, the wording in verse 49:
And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?”
The word here ‘must‘ (Greek dei) seems to often go together in Luke’s gospel with predictions of events that fulfill the Scriptures. Jesus life in Luke is seen as a constant fulfillment of the Scriptures (Luke 1:1, cf 24:44ff). It is the Scriptures that shape the person and mission of Jesus. For example:
- 4:43 [to preach the Kingdom of God]
- 9:22 [to suffer, die and be raised]
- 13:33 [to go to Jerusalem]
- 17:25 [to suffer]
- 19:5 [to remain with Zacchaeus]
- 22:37 [to be reckoned with the criminals]– possibly also 22:7
- 24:7 [to suffer, die and be raised]
- 24:26 [to suffer and come into glory]
- 24:44 [that Scripture about him be fulfilled – suffer, die , rise and repentance and forgiveness be preached]
Then his mother and his brothers came to him, but they could not reach him because of the crowd. 20 And he was told, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see you.” 21 But he answered them, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it. (Luke 8:19-21)
I came to cast fire on the earth, and would that it were already kindled! 50 I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how great is my distress until it is accomplished! 51 Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. 52 For from now on in one house there will be five divided, three against two and two against three. 53 They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law. (Luke 12:49-53)
Now great crowds accompanied him, and he turned and said to them, 26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. (Luke 14:25-26)
From the Infancy Gospel of Thomas (2nd century):
When this boy Jesus was five years old he was playing at the ford of a brook, and he gathered together into pools the water that flowed by, and made it at once clean, and commanded it by his word alone. But the son of Annas the scribe was standing there with Joseph; and he took a branch of a willow and (with it) dispersed the water which Jesus had gathered together. When Jesus saw what he had done, he was enraged and said to him: “You insolent, godless dunderhead, what harm did the pools and the water do to you? See, now you also shall wither like a tree and shall bear neither leaves nor root nor fruit.” And immediately that lad withered up completely; and Jesus departed and went into Joseph’s house. But the parents of him that was withered took him away, bewailing his youth, and brought him to Joseph and reproached him: “What a child you have who does such things.” After this again he went through the village, and a lad ran and knocked against his shoulder. Jesus was exasperated and said to him: “You shall not go further on your way,” and the child immediately fell down and died. But some, who saw what took place, said: “From where does this child spring, since every word is an accomplished deed?”
From the Arabic Infancy Gospel:
One day, when Jesus was running about and playing with some children, he passed by the workshop of a dyer called Salem. They had in the workshop many cloths which he had to dye. The Lord Jesus went into the dyer’s workshop, took all these cloths, and put them into a cauldron full of indigo. When Salem came and saw that the cloths were spoiled, he began to cry aloud and asked the Lord Jesus, saying: “What have you done to me, son of Mary? You have ruined my reputation in the eyes of all the people of the city; for everyone orders a suitable colour for himself, but you have come and spoiled everything.” And the Lord Jesus replied: “I will change for you the colour of any cloth which you wish to be changed”; and he immediately began to take the cloths out of the cauldron, each of them dyed as the dyer wished, until he had taken them all out. When the Jews saw this miracle and wonder, they praised God.