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Here we have recorded the only event in the life of Jesus from the time they returned from Egypt until He goes into His ministry. Returning from Egypt at the age of 7 we find Him now at the age of 12 going with His parents to Jerusalem. They were going to Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of the Passover. Jewish Law required those dedicated to God in infancy by circumcision to be by age 12, attending the assembling of themselves for feasts and other celebrations. At age 13 they would leave the status of "Son of the Covenant" to go to the position of "Son of the Commandment", then being responsible to the Law. So Jesus, at age 12, goes with His parents to Jerusalem, some 65 miles to the south of Nazareth, to observe the Feast of the Passover.
Notice the family stays the whole 7 days. Only the first 2 days were mandatory. On their return home we see something that might seem a little strange to us, they had gone 2 days before being concerned about the where-a-bouts of Jesus assuming He was with relatives or friends. Not finding Him, they return to Jerusalem. There they find Him in the Temple, setting in the midst of the doctors and teachers of the Law. This was extremely unusual. Children were not allowed to speak authoritatively in the Temple and children of the "Cate'chumen" (scholars of the Law sometimes called catechism) were not allowed to set but rather had to stand and speak only when they were asked.
Notice He was setting in the midst of them astonishing them not only with His knowledge but also with His desire to learn and His ability to understand. John Calvin says of this incident, "He gave them a taste of His divine wisdom and knowledge."
Notice that Mary and Joseph were amazed to find Him there. They obviously did not understand, at this point, all that had transpired. Mary takes Him aside and reprimands Him, like any other mother, for having frightened them by not being in their company and how they, with great haste, had returned to Jerusalem and had been looking for Him for 3 days. Notice Jesus' answer. "Why did you seek me?" "Did you not know that I ought to be in my Father's House, doing my Father's business, and therefore could not go home as soon as you?" Then Mary and Joseph found themselves in an age old position of parents, "they understood Him not."
Finally, they return to Nazareth. Here we are told:
Thus ends all that we have recorded about the Birth, Infancy and Childhood of Jesus.
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