The Gospel of Luke (Chapter 2): A Re ective Guide
The Coming of the Saviour of the World
Dr. Ng Kee Chuan The Gospel of Luke (Chapter 2): A Re ective Guide
The Gospel of Luke (Chapter 2):
A Re ective Guide
The Coming of the Saviour of the World
By
Dr. Ng Kee Chuan
Cover Page Page 1 The Gospel of Luke (Chapter 2): A Re ective Guide
The Gospel of Luke (Chapter 2): A Re ective Guide
The Coming of the Saviour of the World
Written by: Ng Kee Chuan
First print: December 2020
Scripture references taken from Good News Bible.
Right to copy (yes, you read that right!): Feel free to reproduce, store in a retrieval system, or transmit in any form or by any means without prior permission of the publisher.
Published by:
Ng Kee Chuan
Please send feedback to author at this email: [email protected]
Credit Page Page 2 The Gospel of Luke (Chapter 2): A Re ective Guide
Pictures taken from Unsplash, Pixabay. Pexels and Google Image. Thanks to all the wonderfully creative and generous photographers who shared their works of art freely. Your pictures that adorn the pages in this booklet have made it so much more interesting and attractive.
Layout done by using Designer.
Edited by: Chow Kwai Yok, my faithful and beautiful companion of my best years of life here on earth.
To God be the Glory!
Credit Page Page 3 The Gospel of Luke (Chapter 2): A Re ective Guide
Table Of Contents
5 Introduction
8 THE GOSPEL OF LUKE (CHAPTER 2)
1. The Birth of Christ - The Incarnation 8 (Luke 2:1-20)
2. The Early Message of Salvation and 19 Redemption (Luke 2:21-40)
3. Jesus, the Only Son of God (Luke 2:41- 28 52)
37 References
Table of Contents Page 4 The Gospel of Luke (Chapter 2): A Re ective Guide
Introduction Studying the Bible is one of the greatest joys a Christian can experience. We learn so much about God and his heart when we take time to do so.
Taking time to study the Gospel of Luke is a really good introduction to the life and works of Jesus because Luke had taken great pains to write a detailed and orderly account for us to study. You will appreciate his precision in details and description.
Even though you might be teaching or studying the Gospel of Luke as a subject for SPM, nevertheless you can take time to slow down and smell the owers, as it were. This means you are not just studying the facts but also endeavoring to relate the divine text to your life and situations. Most of all, focus on getting to know Jesus personally and grow in your relationship with God as you study this gospel written by Luke and his sequel the Book of Acts.
This short guide is a tool to help you build that bridge between the ancient text and your context today. As you take time to study the text and re ect on what this little e-booklet seeks to guide you to meditate on, I pray that the Holy Spirit will speak straight into your heart.
Here is a short description about the parts in each section that is set up to help you make this journey even more exciting:
Introduction Page 5 The Gospel of Luke (Chapter 2): A Re ective Guide
Learning Objective : This statement helps you set up your expectations as you read this passage and study it. Success Criteria : After you have inished your study, check if you have achieved what you set out to do using the criteria stated in this part. Engage : This is like a little ice-breaker to set your mind on the topics in the passage. Explore : This section helps you dig into the text of the passage telling you what it says. Explain : This section helps you to draw out the meaning of the topics raised in the passage. Elaborate : This section helps you relate what you have learnt in the previous sections to your own life and situation. Evaluate : This section helps you nail down some actions that you can implement in your life immediately. Discussion Questions : These questions are quite personal and if you have time to sit down and share with others, it will be mutually edifying and you will consolidate your fellowship one with another. Teachers can use this booklet to lead meaningful discussions as you teach the text in the Gospel of Luke. You can use this guide to help your students think more deeply and personally about what they are studying.
If you are a student, you can use this guide to help you go deeper in your study, not just memorising the facts. You can even incorporate this guide as part of your daily devotions as you anticipate God speaking to you personally and directly into your life.
Introduction Page 6 The Gospel of Luke (Chapter 2): A Re ective Guide
Most of all, let the voice of God be heard by both teachers and students as you engage in the most important book in the world - the Bible. This will be a lifelong practice that will be such a positive impact in your life and transform you into a faithful disciple of Jesus Christ.
Amen!
Your fellow pilgrim,
Dr. Ng Kee Chuan
Introduction Page 7 The Gospel of Luke (Chapter 2): A Re ective Guide
THE GOSPEL OF LUKE (CHAPTER 2)
1. The Birth of Christ - The Incarnation (Luke 2:1-20) Luke 2:1–20 (GNB)
At that time the Emperor Augustus ordered a census to be taken throughout the Roman Empire. When this rst census took place, Quirinius was the governor of Syria. Everyone, then, went to register himself, each to his own town.
Joseph went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to the town of Bethlehem in Judea, the birthplace of King David. Joseph went there because he was a descendant of David. He went to register with Mary, who was promised in marriage to him. She was pregnant, and while they were in Bethlehem, the time came for her to have her baby. She gave birth to her rst son, wrapped him in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger—there was no room for them to stay in the inn.
1. The Birth of Christ - The Incarnation (Luke 2:1-20) Page 8 The Gospel of Luke (Chapter 2): A Re ective Guide
There were some shepherds in that part of the country who were spending the night in the elds, taking care of their ocks. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone over them. They were terribly afraid, but the angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid! I am here with good news for you, which will bring great joy to all the people. This very day in David’s town your Saviour was born—Christ the Lord! And this is what will prove it to you: you will nd a baby wrapped in strips of cloth and lying in a manger.”
Suddenly a great army of heaven’s angels appeared with the angel, singing praises to God:
“Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and peace on earth to those with whom he is pleased!”
When the angels went away from them back into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us.”
So they hurried o and found Mary and Joseph and saw the baby lying in the manger. When the shepherds saw him, they told them what the angel had said about the child. All who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said. Mary remembered all these things and thought deeply about them. The shepherds went back, singing praises to God for all they had heard and seen; it had been just as the angel had told them.
Learning Objective At the end of the interaction, I should be able to:
Analyse the importance of the incarnation of Jesus Christ.
1. The Birth of Christ - The Incarnation (Luke 2:1-20) Page 9 The Gospel of Luke (Chapter 2): A Re ective Guide
Success Criteria At the end of the interaction, I am be able to:
Di erentiate the birth of Jesus from the birth of all other babies that uniquely quali ies him to be the only Saviour of the world. Tell the Good News (gospel) to others in a way that is clear and reasonable. Engage What is your favorite thing about Christmas? Why?
Explore Christmas has been grossly romanticized and commercialised. We need to recapture the true atmosphere and spirit of Christmas as we study this very famous and familiar passage that we hear every Christmas regarding the birth of baby Jesus.
Firstly, the baby was born during the time of Caesar Augustus (Octavian) whose iron grip rule was probably the rst that mooted the idea of making Caesar as a god. In contrast, the baby Mary carried was not a Caesar, a man who would be a god, but a far greater wonder and mystery that was true: the only God who became man. This is the mystery of the incarnation of the Son of God. It’s simply incomprehensible!
Secondly, the baby was born according to speci c prophecies from the Old Testament. Caesar Augustus thought that by forcing all citizens to travel to their hometowns to be registered for taxation, he was ful lling his agenda. Little did he realise that his edict was setting up the scene to ful ll prophetic Scriptures:
1. The Birth of Christ - The Incarnation (Luke 2:1-20) Page 10 The Gospel of Luke (Chapter 2): A Re ective Guide
Micah 5:2 (GNB)
The LORD says, “Bethlehem Ephrathah, you are one of the smallest towns in Judah, but out of you I will bring a ruler for Israel, whose family line goes back to ancient times.”
Scripture (The Old Testament) identi ed and predicted Bethehem, a small and obscure village, as the precise birthplace for the Savior of the world. Mary was near full-term and the couple would not have voluntarily chosen to make that rather dangerous and tiring journey of 130 km either by foot or on the back of an animal. But the edict by Caesar Augustus forced them to risk this journey even though the time of the baby’s coming was so near. The teenage Mary might have her rst baby far from home, without her mother and everyone who could help and care for her - only her inexperienced husband, Joseph, would be by her side. But all this took place because the Messiah would indeed be born in this tiny, insigni cant village called Bethlehem, just as Scriptures has prophesied. This was the agenda of God (not of Caesar) and the hand of Almighty God was moving events in secular history to t into his divine plans. It’s simply astounding!
1. The Birth of Christ - The Incarnation (Luke 2:1-20) Page 11 The Gospel of Luke (Chapter 2): A Re ective Guide
Explain Baby Jesus was born in very humble surroundings. When the couple arrived in Bethlehem, all accommodations for travellers were taken and surprisingly other travellers and innkeepers were indi erent to the plight of this young couple who suddenly discovered that Mary was about to deliver. The only place available was an old, smelly and dank manger. One cannot imagine the humiliation, the sense of utter helplessness and feeling of shame of Joseph for not being able to provide for his young wife a decent place on the night of her travail. He must have shed some tears of frustration and profound sadness of their state of poverty and loneliness. On top of this, he had to assist the brith on his own...watching as his young wife cried out in agony of childbirth and when the time came for the baby to emerge, having to hold the newborn baby awkwardly in his untrained hands, afraid that he might hurt the fragile baby if he held him wrongly.
1. The Birth of Christ - The Incarnation (Luke 2:1-20) Page 12 The Gospel of Luke (Chapter 2): A Re ective Guide
The Son of God was born into this world not as a prosperous prince but as an uncelebrated pauper. We must and should never forget this picture of the rst Christmas because the Good News is always and will always be for those who sense their poverty, need and insu ciency. Christ, himself set the example, that the Kingdom of God is only for those who are “spiritually poor.”
Matthew 5:3 (GNB)
“Happy are those who know they are spiritually poor; the Kingdom of heaven belongs to them!
It’s simply incredible!
1. The Birth of Christ - The Incarnation (Luke 2:1-20) Page 13 The Gospel of Luke (Chapter 2): A Re ective Guide
Elaborate
Though was oblivious to the arrival of the Saviour of the world and did not celebrate it, yet heaven arranged for their own celebration here on earth, probably about a week after the birth of Jesus. Once again, it was in humble surroundings out in the pastures with poor and despised shepherds. During the night, a truly immense spectacle happened before them. The night sky that was normally dominated by the stars was utterly eclipsed by the appearance of “a great army of heaven’s angels” singing audibly and gloriously the famous song:
1. The Birth of Christ - The Incarnation (Luke 2:1-20) Page 14 The Gospel of Luke (Chapter 2): A Re ective Guide
“Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and peace on earth to those with whom he is pleased!”
I would think that almost the whole company of angels turned up to be part of this heavenly choir to celebrate the coming of the Son of God to earth. The only humans invited for this celebration were some unnamed and unknown shepherds in the elds. But what were they celebrating? “Peace on earth” with the coming of Jesus!
The incarnation of Jesus is a great mystery but absolutely necessary truth. The omnipotent, omnipresent and omniscient God coming in the esh as a human:
John 1:14 (GNB)
The Word became a human being and, full of grace and truth, lived among us. We saw his glory, the glory which he received as the Father’s only Son.
John 1:18 (GNB)
No one has ever seen God. The only Son, who is the same as God and is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.
1 Timothy 3:16 (GNB)
No one can deny how great is the secret of our religion:
He appeared in human form,
was shown to be right by the Spirit, and was seen by angels.
1. The Birth of Christ - The Incarnation (Luke 2:1-20) Page 15 The Gospel of Luke (Chapter 2): A Re ective Guide
He was preached among the nations,
was believed in throughout the world, and was taken up to heaven.
The incarnation is vitally important because of Jesus’ identi cation with humanity:
Hebrews 4:15 (GNB)
Our High Priest is not one who cannot feel sympathy for our weaknesses. On the contrary, we have a High Priest who was tempted in every way that we are, but did not sin.
1 Corinthians 1:26–29 (GNB)
Now remember what you were, my brothers and sisters, when God called you. From the human point of view few of you were wise or powerful or of high social standing. God purposely chose what the world considers nonsense in order to shame the wise, and he chose what the world considers weak in order to shame the powerful. He chose what the world looks down on and despises, and thinks is nothing, in order to destroy what the world thinks is important. This means that no one can boast in God’s presence.
Evaluate This identi cation of Jesus in his incarnation has two practical and direction applications:
1. The Birth of Christ - The Incarnation (Luke 2:1-20) Page 16 The Gospel of Luke (Chapter 2): A Re ective Guide
1. By his taking of the nature of humanity, he became the perfect substitute because as a real man yet without any trace of sin (from inherited sin from Adam or personal sin in his life), Jesus was quali ied to be the only perfect sacri ice for us sinful and condemned people. Jesus became sin for us (2 Corinthians 5:21) and died an atoning death for us by bearing our sins (1 Peter 2:24). 2. Jesus understands our frailty and struggles in this world. He does not just imagine how his children feel - he feels and knows it because he had experienced it personally while in the esh. That is why Jesus is our best intercessor for all of us (Hebrews 4:15-16; Hebrews 7:24-25). This is the gospel, that is the Good News of salvation with the birth of Christ our Saviour and Lord. Knowing this great and best news ever, we can follow the example of the shepherds who heard and experienced it, who went and told others this Good News of salvation. They also glori ed and praised God for all they had heard and seen. (Luke 2:17-20).
Isaiah 52:7 (GNB)
How wonderful it is to see
a messenger coming across the mountains,
bringing good news, the news of peace!
He announces victory and says to Zion,
“Your God is king!”
1. The Birth of Christ - The Incarnation (Luke 2:1-20) Page 17 The Gospel of Luke (Chapter 2): A Re ective Guide
How are your feet? Beautiful are the feet of those of those who bring good news (Isaiah 52:7)!
Discussion Questions 1. What do you treasure the most in your heart about Jesus? Why? 2. How can you tell the Good News to others? What will you use and how will you tell it?
1. The Birth of Christ - The Incarnation (Luke 2:1-20) Page 18 The Gospel of Luke (Chapter 2): A Re ective Guide
2. The Early Message of Salvation and Redemption (Luke 2:21-40) Luke 2:21–40 (GNB)
A week later, when the time came for the baby to be circumcised, he was named Jesus, the name which the angel had given him before he had been conceived.
The time came for Joseph and Mary to perform the ceremony of puri cation, as the Law of Moses commanded. So they took the child to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, as it is written in the law of the Lord: “Every rstborn male is to be dedicated to the Lord.” They also went to o er a sacri ce of a pair of doves or two young pigeons, as required by the law of the Lord.
At that time there was a man named Simeon living in Jerusalem. He was a good, God-fearing man and was waiting for Israel to be saved. The Holy Spirit was with him and had assured him that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s promised Messiah. Led by the Spirit, Simeon went into the Temple. When the parents brought the child Jesus into the Temple to do for him what the Law required, Simeon took the child in his arms and gave thanks to God:
“Now, Lord, you have kept your promise,
and you may let your servant go in peace.
With my own eyes I have seen your salvation,
which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples:
2. The Early Message of Salvation and Redemption (Luke 2:21-40) Page 19 The Gospel of Luke (Chapter 2): A Re ective Guide
A light to reveal your will to the Gentiles
and bring glory to your people Israel.”
The child’s father and mother were amazed at the things Simeon said about him. Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother, “This child is chosen by God for the destruction and the salvation of many in Israel. He will be a sign from God which many people will speak against and so reveal their secret thoughts. And sorrow, like a sharp sword, will break your own heart.”
There was a very old prophet, a widow named Anna, daughter of Phanuel of the tribe of Asher. She had been married for only seven years and was now 84 years old. She never left the Temple; day and night she worshipped God, fasting and praying. That very same hour she arrived and gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were waiting for God to set Jerusalem free.
When Joseph and Mary had nished doing all that was required by the law of the Lord, they returned to their home town of Nazareth in Galilee. The child grew and became strong; he was full of wisdom, and God’s blessings were upon him.
Learning Objective At the end of the interaction, I should be able to:
Evaluate if I have received the redemption of Jesus and the gift of salvation.
2. The Early Message of Salvation and Redemption (Luke 2:21-40) Page 20 The Gospel of Luke (Chapter 2): A Re ective Guide
Success Criteria At the end of the interaction, I am be able to:
De ine and explain what redemption and salvation actually means according to the Bible. Check honestly and sincerely if I have received God’s redemption and salvation. Engage
Who is the oldest person that you know personally? How has older people been an encouragement and inspiration to you? Who and why?
Explore Every tradition has their own way of welcoming the birth of a newborn baby. The Chinese like to celebrate the rst month of the baby’s life. Usually a red- dyed egg is a must during the meal where people are invited to join in the celebration.
2. The Early Message of Salvation and Redemption (Luke 2:21-40) Page 21 The Gospel of Luke (Chapter 2): A Re ective Guide
Jesus was born into a Jewish family and so his parents, Joseph and Mary, went through the usual religious ritual of celebrating the rst-born to the family. Luke tells us of two rituals in particular: the circumcision of the baby on the eighth day and the puri cation of the mother who gave birth to the baby boy after thirty-three days (Leviticus 12:1-4).
The circumcision of male babies was commanded in Genesis 17 so as to be part of Abraham’s household. During his circumcision, Jesus was o cially given his name by the parents who received it directly from the angel separately (Matthew 1:21; Luke 1:31). Jesus is the Greek rendering of the Hebrew word “Yoshua”, which means “Jehovah (God) is salvation”. This was signi cant because it spelled out very clearly that Jesus was to be the promised Messiah who would come and deliver Israel and the world for their sins.
Explain A mother of a newborn was ceremonially unclean for thirty-three days after the birth of a son and sixty-six days after the birth of a daughter. The puri cation o ering was given at the end of her bleeding of childbirth. Mary and Joseph went to the temple in Jerusalem bringing a pair of doves or two young pigeons as the o ering indicating that they were rather poor and could not a ord the usual sacri ce of lamb (Leviticus 12:6-8). At the same time, we are told by Luke, Jesus as the rstborn male of the family was dedicated to God as required by the law of the Lord (Exodus 13:2;11-16; Numbers 18:15-16). As the sacri ce was o ered to God, the rstborn son was redeemed or bought back from God , who alone has the power to give life.
2. The Early Message of Salvation and Redemption (Luke 2:21-40) Page 22 The Gospel of Luke (Chapter 2): A Re ective Guide
Thus, the two key ideas in the circumcision of Jesus, the puri cation of Mary and the dedication of Jesus are salvation and redemption . These two terms are very much related and applicable to us directly.
Elaborate As Joseph and Mary entered the temple grounds, they were suddenly approached by two very old and godly people, Simeon and Anna who had been waiting all their lives to see the coming of the Saviour of the world, who is Jesus.
Simeon had received from the Lord a promise that before he died, he would personally lay eyes on the Saviour of the world, the long-awaited Messiah. On that day, he was led by the Holy Spirit at the precise time and to the exact place when Joseph and Mary would enter the temple grounds carrying baby Jesus. His heart leaped when he saw the couple and especially the baby and it clicked in his own spirit that this was the Saviour of the world!
2. The Early Message of Salvation and Redemption (Luke 2:21-40) Page 23 The Gospel of Luke (Chapter 2): A Re ective Guide
He accosted the young couple and shocked them by taking Jesus into his arms while bursting into a song of praise and thanksgiving (usually called the “Nunc Dimitis”, the rst words of its Latin translation. :
“Now, Lord, you have kept your promise,
and you may let your servant go in peace.
With my own eyes I have seen your salvation,
which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples:
A light to reveal your will to the Gentiles
and bring glory to your people Israel.”
It is very signi cant that Simeon said that he had seen with his own eyes the being who was God’s salvation for all peoples, Gentiles and Jews. That was a remarkable declaration of faith that God was interested in the whole world, not just the Jewish people.
Why do the peoples of the world need salvation? The short answer is:
Romans 3:23 (GNB) everyone has sinned and is far away from God’s saving presence.
Cover Page Page 24 The Gospel of Luke (Chapter 2): A Re ective Guide
This simply means that no matter how hard we try, we fall short of God’s glorious and righteous standard. As such, we are all helpless and hopeless, like a drowning man cast in the middle of the ocean. We can struggle with all our might but to no avail. Thus, we need a saviour who is quali ed to take our place to pay for our debt of sin which is death:
Romans 6:23 (GNB)
For sin pays its wage—death; but God’s free gift is eternal life in union with Christ Jesus our Lord.
This is the whole idea of redemption - someone else paying the debt that is owned by us. Thus, Jesus cruci ed and dying on the Cross at Calvary was planned as part of God’s way of salvation for sinful people like us to be saved from the punishment in hell.
2. The Early Message of Salvation and Redemption (Luke 2:21-40) Page 25 The Gospel of Luke (Chapter 2): A Re ective Guide
This prophetic message spoken by old Simeon was con rmed by another very elderly person, the prophet Anna. Anna was married only for seven years and lost her husband. Since then, she had dedicated her life to worship God, fast and pray as long as the temple doors were open. Such a life of dedication to God is really hard to imagine. But that is the depth of her walk with God until she was now in her twilight years and close to death. God’s grace was upon her and she arrived at the temple grounds just about the same time as Simeon. Joseph, Mary and baby Jesus.
Anna most probably heard Simeon’s prophetic song of praise and thanksgiving. As a prophet, Anna easily discerned that what Simeon declared about the baby Jesus as the Messiah and Saviour of the world for all peoples was prophetically accurate. Prophets speak for God, proclaiming his truth. Anna con rmed Simeon’s words by prophesying that to all who were waiting for God, Jesus was going to set them free, starting with those in Jerusalem.
That is the mission and game-plan that Jesus declared just before he left earth:
Acts 1:8 (GNB)
But when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, you will be lled with power, and you will be witnesses for me in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
Evaluate Redemption through Jesus that leads to salvation is the basic message of the Gospel. With regards to this and Jesus’ work of salvation, there is no neutral ground. People either joyfully accept this gift of salvation from Jesus or they totally reject it. Which are you? Share your honest answer with those in your BK class or with your teacher.
2. The Early Message of Salvation and Redemption (Luke 2:21-40) Page 26 The Gospel of Luke (Chapter 2): A Re ective Guide
Discussion Questions 1. Did your parents dedicate you to the Lord? How did they help you in your spiritual journey? 2. Do you have elderly and spiritually mature people who have spoken into your life just as Simeon and Anna did to Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus? What did they say and how does it impact your life until today?
2. The Early Message of Salvation and Redemption (Luke 2:21-40) Page 27 The Gospel of Luke (Chapter 2): A Re ective Guide
3. Jesus, the Only Son of God (Luke 2:41-52)
Luke 2:41–52 (GNB)
Every year the parents of Jesus went to Jerusalem for the Passover Festival. When Jesus was twelve years old, they went to the festival as usual. When the festival was over, they started back home, but the boy Jesus stayed in Jerusalem. His parents did not know this; they thought that he was with the group, so they travelled a whole day and then started looking for him among their relatives and friends. They did not nd him, so they went back to Jerusalem looking for him. On the third day they found him in the Temple, sitting with the Jewish teachers, listening to them and asking questions. All who heard him were amazed at his intelligent answers. His parents were astonished when they saw him, and his mother said to him, “My son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been terribly worried trying to nd you.”
He answered them, “Why did you have to look for me? Didn’t you know that I had to be in my Father’s house?” But they did not understand his answer.
So Jesus went back with them to Nazareth, where he was obedient to them. His mother treasured all these things in her heart. Jesus grew both in body and in wisdom, gaining favour with God and people.
Learning Objective At the end of the interaction, I should be able to:
Evaluate the secret identity of Jesus Christ.
3. Jesus, the Only Son of God (Luke 2:41-52) Page 28 The Gospel of Luke (Chapter 2): A Re ective Guide
Success Criteria At the end of the interaction, I am be able to:
Check my own process of learning and attitude towards education. Critique my own identity as a person in light of the identity of Jesus as the Son of God. Engage What was your best family trip that you can remember? What made it the most memorable trip for you?
3. Jesus, the Only Son of God (Luke 2:41-52) Page 29 The Gospel of Luke (Chapter 2): A Re ective Guide
Explore Losing a child while on a trip is one of the most frightening experiences for parents who ever had the misfortune to go through.
Mary and Joseph had taken Jesus on this yearly pilgrimage to Jerusalem to celebrate Passover in the holy city together with other relatives. It was one of their spiritual highlights of the year. Their multiple trips every year to Jerusalem with their rstborn son, Jesus, was always without negative events until this trip when Jesus was twelve years old.
Twelve years old is a signi cant age for every Jewish boy. In another year, as a thirteen year old, Jesus would o cially become what is known as a “son of the commandment” that then quali es him to be a full member of the synagogue. So, twelve year-old Jesus was probably prepared intentionally by Joseph to observe and learn as much as he could about the heart of Israel’s religious life during this trip so that he would be more prepared for ‘adulthood’.
3. Jesus, the Only Son of God (Luke 2:41-52) Page 30 The Gospel of Luke (Chapter 2): A Re ective Guide
Explain The week in Jerusalem, with some 200,000 pilgrims packed out the walled city, ew by for Jesus and his family. As the family caravan traveled back to their village with all the children and mothers in front and the men at the rear end, somewhere along the journey Mary and Joseph came together and discovered to their horror that neither of them had Jesus! In panic, they hurriedly went back to Jerusalem, searched for him and after three days, they nally found him sitting with the learned Jewish teachers at the outer courts or porticoes of the temple.
What was Jesus doing? He was “listening to them and asking them questions.” This is the epitome for learning and teaching - active engagement in the process of corporate and mutual learning must involve this intentional stance of cyclical “listening and asking questions.” When we listen to people, we must listen for understanding to extract or press out the meaning of the words that are used. This would certainly entail asking questions to them about their inherent meaning. We cannot assume that their meaning is the same as our perceived meaning and so the need to ask clarifying questions.
But Jesus was not just asking clarifying questions. He was also challenging their answers. That’s why the Jewish teachers were “amazed at his intelligent answers.” This meant that Jesus contributed his ideas and meanings into the dynamic conversation that was progressing from one level of depth to another. As we listen to people share their ideas, it will do us well to not just passively receive it but to actively evaluate the credibility of their answers. This means we need to ask challenging questions to test the basis of their answers and give our own take to it.
3. Jesus, the Only Son of God (Luke 2:41-52) Page 31 The Gospel of Luke (Chapter 2): A Re ective Guide
The twelve-year old Jesus, though only a teenager like you, had already at that tender age showed he was a master teacher. He confounded the sages with his dexterity and profound wisdom and intelligence. You too, as you study Bible Knowledge or any knowledge for that matter, should cultivate this process and practice of active learning. In that way, education will never ever be boring. Even the most mundane and seemingly irrelevant piece of information can be transformed into an interesting discourse that engages the minds of those involved in the process. Be a lifelong learner and you will grow in depth just as Jesus did in a wholesome manner - Jesus grew both in body (physically) and wisdom (intelligence), gaining favor with God (spiritually) and people (socially) (verse 52).
3. Jesus, the Only Son of God (Luke 2:41-52) Page 32 The Gospel of Luke (Chapter 2): A Re ective Guide
Elaborate Nevertheless, we must not miss the important lesson embedded in the exchange between the upset parents of Jesus and him. Though astonished as they saw their rstborn son Jesus exchanging knowledge with the sages in the courtyard, Mary could not hold back her pent up worries as they had searched for Jesus over the three frightening days, as horrible thoughts of losing Jesus forever, plagued their imaginations. She blurted out, “My son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been terribly worried trying to nd you.” It was an understandable mixture of worry, relief and anger.
Jesus’ response to his mother gives us an insight to the most momentous lesson as to why Luke chose to relate this only story from Jesus’ developing years. He replied gently to his mother in a sort of incredulous way, “Why did you have to look for me? Didn’t you know that I had to be in my Father’s house?”
As Jesus called the temple where they all were his “Father’s house,” he asserted that God was his Father and that he possessed this utterly unique relationship to God that no other human has ever had. There is no precedence in the Old Testament for the phrase “my Father” in speaking to God in such an intimate and personal way. Friends of God there are. Servants of God are aplenty. Warriors for God exist. But never Son of Father God! Granted that there are fourteen references in the Old Testament of God as Father, but it is always used generally and impersonally to the nation of Israel, never personally to an individual. Jesus shocked and bewildered his mother and father with his answer as they just could not grasp or understand his reply to Mary’s question.
3. Jesus, the Only Son of God (Luke 2:41-52) Page 33 The Gospel of Luke (Chapter 2): A Re ective Guide
Eighteen years later when Jesus began his public ministry, his awareness of God as his intimate and steadfast Father would become the hallmark and trademark of his distinct ministry. In all his recorded prayers, he addressed God as Father. The Gospels recorded his using the Father more than sixty times in reference to God (Kent, 1998).
Indeed, this was the watershed experience for the twelve-year-old Jesus. The awareness of his divine paternity formed the integral identity of his connection to the Father. These rst recorded words of Jesus in Scripture are profound and ground-breaking. It demonstrated that Jesus, at twelve years old, knew exactly who he was. That’s why this family trip of Jesus to Jerusalem at the age of twelve was the most memorable trip for him and was recorded for us for posterity sake.
3. Jesus, the Only Son of God (Luke 2:41-52) Page 34 The Gospel of Luke (Chapter 2): A Re ective Guide
Evaluate Do you know who you are? Do you really know?
This is without doubt one of the biggest and most important questions in life that we all must face and answer. By extension of who Jesus is and our union with him in all things, we learn from Scriptures that we are children of God.
John 1:12 (GNB)
Some, however, did receive him and believed in him; so he gave them the right to become God’s children.
Our becoming children of God however is inherently di erent from Jesus (who is uniquely the only Son of God). This is because we are children of God by the process of adoption.
Romans 8:15–17 (GNB)
For the Spirit that God has given you does not make you slaves and cause you to be afraid; instead, the Spirit makes you God’s children, and by the Spirit’s power we cry out to God, “Father! my Father!” God’s Spirit joins himself to our spirits to declare that we are God’s children. Since we are his children, we will possess the blessings he keeps for his people, and we will also possess with Christ what God has kept for him; for if we share Christ’s su ering, we will also share his glory.
Furthermore, the full adoption of us as God’s children for eternity is still not complete:
3. Jesus, the Only Son of God (Luke 2:41-52) Page 35 The Gospel of Luke (Chapter 2): A Re ective Guide
Romans 8:22–23 (GNB)
For we know that up to the present time all of creation groans with pain, like the pain of childbirth. But it is not just creation alone which groans; we who have the Spirit as the rst of God’s gifts also groan within ourselves, as we wait for God to make us his children and set our whole being free.
In our fallen state of sin, we are not quite there yet. But one day, when Jesus returns to take us home, we will be completely transformed to the eternal state and our adoption as God’s children will be complete. That is the secure hope for all people who have Jesus as Saviour and Lord in this life. This identity as children of God is the solid ground on which we can face all uncertainties and challenges in this life. Nothing else can beat this security that we can have as adopted children of God. It forms the solid basis of our life of signi cance and meaning.
Do you have this assurance that you are a child of God?
Discussion Questions 1. How do you ind the process of learning and education in general and speci ically with regards to the study of Bible Knowledge? 2. What forms the basis of your identity in this life?
3. Jesus, the Only Son of God (Luke 2:41-52) Page 36 The Gospel of Luke (Chapter 2): A Re ective Guide
References
Barton, Bruce; Comfort, Philip; Osborne, Grant; Taylor, Linda K. & Veerman, Dave (2001). Life application New Testament commentary. Wheaton, Illinois: Tyndale House Publishers.
Coleman, Lyman (1998). Serendipity Bible for groups: For personal and small group study. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House.
Hughes, Kent, R. (1998). Luke volume one: That you may the truth. Wheaton, Illinois: Crossway Books.
Richards, Lawrence O. (1998). The teacher’s commentary. Wheaton, Illinois:: Victor Books.
Strauss, Mark (2008). Luke & John: Life that lasts forever. USA: Barbour Publishing.
References Page 37 The Gospel of Luke (Chapter 2): A Re ective Guide.
The Gospel of Luke chapter two is the exciting account of the coming of the Saviour of the world. But it is surprisingly low key except for some private celestial celebration with limited invitation. Very little is known about the developing years of Jesus but the one account about his visit to Jerusalem at the age of twelve reveals a deep secret that confounded all those who heard it at that time. Your study of the gospel of Luke chapter two will cause you to deeply wonder at the profound mystery of this coming of the Saviour of the world.