SECTION VIII. (Book 8)
S. LUKE, CHAP. II. (Book 8)
Christ sheweth his wisdom at twelve years old.
Ver. 40. AND a 1.1 the Child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him. 41. Now his Parents went to Ierusalem b 1.2 every year at the Feast of the Passover. 42. And when he was twelve years old, they went up to Ierusalem after the custom of the Feast. 43. And when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the Child Iesus tarried behind in Ierusalem, and Ioseph and his mother knew not of it. 44. But they supposing him to have been in the company, went a days journey, and they sought him among their kinsfolks and acquaintance. 45. And when they found him not, they turned back again to Ierusalem seeking him. 46. And it came to pass that after three days they found him in the Temple, sitting in the middest of the Doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions. 47. And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers. 48. And when they saw him they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, Son why hast thou thus dealt with us? Behold, thy father, and I have sought thee sorrowing. 49. And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? Wist ye not that I must * 1.3 be about my Fathers business? 50. And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them. 51. And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart. 52. And Iesus increased in wisdom, and stature, and in favour with God and men.
Reason of the Order.
THE Order of this Section dependeth so clearly upon the proper Order of that pre∣ceding, that that being made good, to lie where it doth, as in the proper place, the subsequence of this to it can nothing at all be doubted of. For whereas all the Evan∣gelists have unanimously passed over in silence, all those years of Christs minority which intervened or passed, between his return out of Egypt, and this passage of his at twelve years old, there is nothing possible to be found in the Gospels, that can come between, to interpose this order and connexion. The carriage and demeanour of our Saviour in the time between, is only briefly comprised in the first verse of this portion, And the child grew and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom and the grace of God was upon him.
Harmony and Explanation.
Ver. 40. And the child grew, &c.
TWO years Old he was when he went into Egypt: and there he aboad in his Exile, a very small time, it may be some two or three months: about such a space as Mo∣ses had been hid in Egypt in his Fathers house from the fury of Pharaoh. When he re∣turned to Nazareth his Mothers City, being now about two years and a quarter old, he was not weaned [if in this he followed the use and custom of the Jewish children, as it