Jerusalem. The implication here is that YHWH has an appointment to perform something with Israel on those
dates.
Another Hebrew word used in connection with the festivals is ―mikrah‖, which is translated as convocation in
most Bibles. It literally means ―rehearsal‖ or ―recital‖. The implication of this is that the festivals are times that
Israel rehearses various aspects of the plan of YHWH. This is good preparation for the time that YHWH
fulfils the appointments He has set with Israel. As the pilgrims travelled year by year to Jerusalem for these
festivals, the Rabbis taught and speculated on the Messianic aspects of these appointments and rehearsals.
Although the other feasts; i.e., Shavuot (Pentecost) and Succoth (Tabernacles) are not mentioned here in
this verse, it was Law that they would every year attend them in Jerusalem. (Positive Law 52, Exod 23:14 -
On the three annual Festival pilgrimages to the Temple; as well as Positive Law 53, Exod 34:23 - On
appearing before YHVH during the Festivals Deut 16:16.)
―And when he was twelve years old, they went up according to custom‖. (Luke 2:42)
Y‘shua is taken at Pesach (Passover) time to Jerusalem when He is twelve years old, according to tradition.
He is taken there in preparation for His Bar Mitzvah at thirteen years of age. It is also at age twelve that a
son is officially apprenticed to his father. This is the probable meaning of Y‘shua‘s words, ―I must go about
My Father‘s business‖. At the age of thirteen the boy goes through a special ceremony. From that time on,
he is under the Law and is responsible for his own sins. Up until this time, in Judaism, the parents are
responsible for the sins of the child.
However, the Rabbis said, ―The first Passover after the twelfth year, and then the preparation for Bar Mitzvah
which will happen on the thirteenth year, the son is taken to Jerusalem‖. And so in keeping with that Jewish
tradition, the parents take Y‘shua at the age of twelve to Jerusalem for the first Passover in that city, and in
preparation for His Bar Mitzvah that will come at the age of thirteen.
―...and when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His
parents did not know it, but supposing him to be in the company they went a day's journey, and they
sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintances‖. (Luke 2:43-44)
The events in this short segment cover a period of seven days. His parents took Him to Jerusalem, but
because they were not travelling alone, but travelling with a group, when the group left Jerusalem the
assumption they made was that He was with someone else in the group. Only after travelling a full day‘s
journey and staying the first night of encampment, they discovered that He was not there.
―and when they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking him. After three days they found him
in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions; and all who
heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers‖. (Luke 2:45-47)
After they returned to Jerusalem, it took three days to find Him. The place where they found him was the
Temple compound, where we are told that He was ―sitting in the midst of the teachers‖. These were the
experts and interpreters of the Mosaic Law. Y‘shua was sitting among them, both ―listening to them‖,
meaning He understood their in-depth teaching; but also He was answering their questions, the kind of
questions that go beyond a normal twelve-year old boy. It is also evident that Y‘shua was very well-schooled
in the Scriptures.
All that heard Him were amazed at His understanding and His answers. And they were all the more amazed
in the light of the fact that He was from Galilee, and even more significant that He was from the city of
Nazareth.
―And when they (Yoseph and Miriam) saw him they were astonished; and his mother said to him, ―Son,
why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been looking for you anxiously. And he said to
them, ―How is it that you sought me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house? And they
did not understand the saying which he spoke to them‖. (Luke 2:48-50)
Another thing that we notice at age twelve, and the result of His training from Isaiah 11, is that He recognised
His Sonship with YHWH the Father. He reminds His mother of who He is; and that rather than spending
three days looking all over Jerusalem, they should have known where He was because of who He is. The
place where He would be found is in His Father‘s house. And so, at the age of twelve, not only does He have
an exorbitant amount of knowledge for His age, but also He recognises His Sonship with the Father. At this
point in time, He also knows that He is the Messiah of Israel.