12 year old Jesus at the temple

[Todd_Easton]

1859 Haydock Commentary on Luke 2:44:

Ver. 44. It may be asked how the blessed Virgin and St. Joseph could possibly have come so far without missing him; but we must take notice, that when the people went up to the temple from remote parts of Judea, the men went in one company, and the women in a separate company, whilst the children went in either company indifferently: so that St. Joseph imagined that he was with Mary, his mother, whilst she imagined he was with St. Joseph. (Nicholas of Lyra [died 1349])

 

[RaisedCatholic]

Not only did they leave their son behind but they traveled for a whole day before even realizing he was missing. How is that even possible?

How could they forget to bring their son? And how could they possibly have gone for a whole day before even realizing he was missing?

Luke records they traveled in a caravan with their relatives. Just to give a visual idea of how large a caravan can be, remember the caravan that traveled from Honduras to the Mexico-American border, which included thousands of people. Most likely, Joseph & Mary probably assumed Jesus was with one of their relatives, like Mary’s sister mentioned in John Ch.19. Protestants who reject the PVM, believe Jesus had younger half-brothers & half-sisters who were their children after Jesus was born. This additional responsibility of looking after multiple children would have added to the length of time they didn’t realize Jesus was missing for so long (similar to the movie “Home Alone” when Kevin’s parents made it to the plane before realizing he was missing). Protestants would argue if Jesus was Mary’s only child, as opposed to her firstborn among other children, they would have had only one child to look after (and therefore, would have realized early on He was missing) rather than multiple children which took longer to realize He was missing.

 

[PennyinCanada]

It also shows that he was highly educated in classical Hebrew from an early age.

I come from an Eastern perspective and to me it says that he’s the Author of Life. He was stumping the rabbis with his questions, so who was it that taught him if his knowledge went beyond the teachers? He is the King of the Universe.

 

[Vico]

…

St. Joseph the Betrothed
(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)

 

[Genesis315]

The following explanation from St. Bede is in the Catena Aurea:

BEDE. But some one will ask, how was it that the Son of God, brought up by His parents with such care, could be left behind from forgetfulness? To which it is answered, that the custom of the children of Israel while assembling at Jerusalem on the feast days, or returning to their homes, was for the women and men to go separately, and the infants or children to go with either parent indiscriminately. And so both Mary and Joseph each thought in turn that the Child Jesus, whom they saw not with them, was returning with the other parent. Hence it follows, But they, supposing him to have been in the company, &c.

Also, someone earlier asked how this foreshadowed the crucifixion. In the same compilation, St. Ambrose is quoted as follows:

AMBROSE. After three days He is found in the temple, that it might be for a sign, that after three days of victorious suffering, He who was believed to be dead should rise again, and manifest Himself to our faith, seated in heaven with divine glory.

 

[Genesis315]

I come from an Eastern perspective and to me it says that he’s the Author of Life. He was stumping the rabbis with his questions, so who was it that taught him if his knowledge went beyond the teachers? He is the King of the Universe.

This isn’t really an especially Eastern perspective, but rather a faith-in-the-divinity-of-Christ perspective. It is common in the West as well, just not among certain folks who want to explain away the supernatural.

For example, the English St. Bede in the aforementioned Catena Aurea:

BEDE. To shew that He was a man, He humbly listened to the masters; but to prove that He was God, He divinely answered those who spake.

 

[SeekerOfTruth7]

Brant Pitre has the same view as this.
Basically: Mary would have thought Jesus was with Joseph, Jesus being a male. But since Jesus wasn’t with Joseph, Joseph very well could have thought that Jesus was with his Mother, the Blessed Mary, for Jesus was only 12, still young enough to travel with her. So like the Scripture says, they got very far before the two groups of male and female met again and realized that Jesus was back in Jerusalem.

 

[Margaret_Ann]

Mary was an only child as was Jesus. The brothers and sisters mentioned in Scripture are cousins.

 

[RaisedCatholic]

Mary was an only child as was Jesus. The brothers and sisters mentioned in Scripture are cousins.

Well, that’s a different topic. I was just sharing if they were younger half-siblings, it would further reinforce how Jesus went missing for three whole days. Having only a single child to look after, it is hard to imagine He would have went missing for that long. Having multiple children (like in Home Alone) it is more understandable.

 

[LateranBasilica]

Losing parents and children is terrifying. I so agree.
In those days extended families travelled in caravans with many other families. Journeys to and from Jerusalem were common for feasts and festivals centred within the 2nd Temple, for the worship of God.

I believe you could be missing the cultural aspect, the way life was organised in extended families and communities.
Thousands would converge on Jerusalem in large groups after journeys taking days and sometimes weeks.
A caravan was a long group of people and livestock travelling well defined roads. This was a safe way to travel compared with individual people and families going it alone.

I am not entirely in agreement that Jesus had gone through the Jewish ceremony into manhood. The typical age for that is 13 and the ceremony known today began in the 13th century.

https://muse.jhu.edu/book/30809

This work states in Rabbinic times the age for girls was 12 + one day, and for boys 13 + one day in Rabbinic times. This era started only after the destruction of the 2nd Temple.
However in Biblical times the age of majority was 20.