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. AND WHEN THEY HAD FULFILLED THE DAYS (THE SEVEN DAYS OF THE FESTIVAL); AS THEY RETURNED. Yes, they had to return. For if the duties of life must give place to worship, worship in its turn must give place to them. Jerusalem is good; but Nazareth is good too. Let him then who neglects the one, on pretext of attending to the other, ponder this scene. Work and Worship serve to relieve each other, and beautifully alternate. THE CHILD JESUS TARRIED BEHIND IN JERUSALEM; AND JOSEPH AND HIS MOTHER KNEW NOT OF IT. Accustomed to the discretion and obedience of the lad, as Olshausen says, they might be thrown off their guard....

41-52 It is for the honour of Christ that children should attend on public worship. His parents did not return till they had stayed all the seven days of the feast. It is well to stay to the end of an ordinance, as becomes those who say, It is good to be here. Those that have lost their comforts in Christ, and the evidences of their having a part in him, must bethink themselves where, and when, and how they lost them, and must turn back again. Those that would recover their lost acquaintance with Christ, must go to the place in which he has put his name; there they may hope to meet him. They found him in some part of the temple, where the doctors of the law kept their schools; he was sitting there, hearkening to their instructions, proposing questions, and answering inquiries, with such wisdom, that those who heard were delighted with him. Young persons should seek the knowledge of Divi...

Verse 43. _HAD FULFILLED THE DAYS_] _Eight_ days in the whole: _one_ was the passover, and the other _seven_, the days of unleavened bread. Matthew 26:2, Matthew 26:2....

HAD FULFILLED THE DAYS - The days of the Passover. These were eight days in all - one day for killing the paschal lamb, and seven days for the observance of the feast of unleavened bread, Exodus 12:15; Leviticus 23:5....

EXPOSITION LUKE 2:1 _The Redeemer's birth_. LUKE 2:1 THERE WENT OUT A DECREE FROM CAESAR AUGUSTUS, THAT ALL THE WORLD SHOULD BE TAXED; more accurately, _that there should be a registration_, etc.; that is, with a view to the assessment of a tax. On the historical note of St. Luke in this passage much discussion has arisen, not, however, of much real practical interest to the ordinary devout reader. We will glance very briefly at the main criticism of this and the following verse. Respecting this general registration it is alleged (1) no historian of the time mentions such a decree of Augustus. (2) Supposing Augustus had issued such an edict, Herod, in his kingdom of Judaea, would

AND WHEN THEY HAD FULFILLED THE DAYS,.... The seven days of the fear of unleavened bread, for so many days that feast was observed; and though it was not absolutely necessary, and obligatory upon them to stay all that time at Jerusalem, yet Mary and Joseph seem so to have done, as did the more religious and devout persons: AS THEY RETURNED; at the time when they were going from Jerusalem home again: THE CHILD JESUS TARRIED BEHIND IN JERUSALEM; being desirous of hearing the discourses of the doctors about the sense of the Scriptures, the meaning of the laws, and the traditions of the elders, and of conversing with them: AND JOSEPH, AND HIS MOTHER, KNEW NOT OF IT; of his intention to tarry longer, nor of his design in so doing: he did not ask leave of them, since his stay was about an affair of his heavenly Father's; and therefore this action of Christ is not to be drawn into an example...

LUKE 2:43 oi` gonei/j As in verses Luke 2:33 and Luke 2:41, in order to safeguard the doctrine of the virgin birth copyists replaced oi` gonei/j (a B D L Q 1 13 33 157 1241 _al_) with VIwsh.f kai. h` mhth,r (A C X G D L P Y 28 543 565 892 1071 1424)....

CHAPTER 2 _ 1. The Birth of Christ at Bethlehem (Luke 2:1)_ 2. The Glad Tidings Announced to the Shepherds. (Luke 2:8) 3. The Circumcision and Presentation (Luke 2:21) 4. Simeon and His Prophecy (Luke 2:25) 5. Anna the Prophetess (Luke 2:36) 6. In Nazareth (Luke 2:39) 7. In the Temple (Luke 2:41) 8. The Increase ...

AN INCIDENT IN JESUS-' BOYHOOD. The lad grows in body and mind and is blessed by God. When He is twelve years old He accompanies His parents to the Passover at Jerusalem, and when the week's Feast is over, remains behind unknown to them. They return to seek Him, and after a long search find Him in one of the Temple porticos joining intelligently in the discussions of the scribes. He goes home and Uves obediently with them, and continues His allround development (_cf._ Luke 2:40, also Luke 1:80; 1 Samuel 2:26). LUKE 2:42. Like Samuel's parents, those of Jesus go to the central shrine once instead of three times ...

JOURNEY TO BETHLEHEM (Luke 2:1-7)...