And what does the Bible tell us? Very little indeed. And it tells us very little, because we were meant to know very little. Trust your Bibles always, my friends, and be sure, if you were meant to know more, the Bible would tell you more.
It tells us that Jesus grew just as a human child grows, in body, soul, and spirit.
Then it tells us of one case—only one—in which he seemed to act without his parents’ leave. And as the saying is, the exception proves the rule. It is plain that his rule was to obey, except in this case; that he was always subject to his parents, as other children are, except on this one occasion. And even in this case, he went back with them, it is expressly said, and was subject to them.
Now, I do not pretend to explain why our Lord stayed behind in the temple.
I cannot explain (who can?) the why and wherefore of what I see people do in common daily life.
How much less can one explain why our Lord did this and that, who was both man and God.
But one reason, and one which seems to me to be plain, on the very face of St. Luke’s words—he stayed behind to learn; to learn all he could from the Scribes and Pharisees, the doctors of the law.
He told the people after, when grown up, ‘The Scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. All therefore which they command you, that observe and do.’ And he was a Jew himself, and came to fulfil all righteousness; and therefore he fulfilled such righteousness as was customary among Jews according to their law and religion.
Therefore I do not like at all a great many pictures which I see in children’s Sunday books, which set the child Jesus in the midst, as on a throne, holding up his hand as if he were laying down the law, and the Scribes and Pharisees looking angry and confounded. The Bible says not that they heard him, but that he heard them; that they were astonished at his understanding, not that they were confounded and angry. No. I must believe that even those hard, proud Pharisees, looked with wonder and admiration on the glorious Child; that they perhaps felt for the moment that a prophet, another Samuel, had risen up among them. And surely that is much more like the right notion of the child Jesus, full of meekness and humility; of Jesus, who, though ‘he were a Son, learnt obedience by the things which he suffered;’ of Jesus, who, while he increased in stature, increased in favour with man, as well as with God: and surely no child can increase in favour either with God or man, if he sets down his elders, and contradicts and despises the teachers whom God has set over him. No let us believe that when he said, ‘Know ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?’ that a child’s way of doing the work of his Father in heaven is to learn all that he can understand from his teachers, spiritual pastors, and masters, whom God the Father has set over him.
Therefore—and do listen to this, children and young people—if you wish really to think what Christ has to do with you, you must remember that he was once a real human child—not different outwardly from other children, except in being a perfectly good child, in all things like as you are, but without sin.