BIBLE STUDY LESSON 06

SERIES Q --- THE SAVIOUR

THE TEMPLE

THE FATHER’S BUSINESS

From Luke 2:41 -52

Each year, Mary and Joseph went to the Passover in Jerusalem, following strictly the Jewish Law that every man must attend. They made one of these trips to Jerusalem as usual, when Yeshua was twelve. When the Passover ended, they started back toward Nazareth. An older Jewish boy sometimes travelled with friends or relatives in the same caravan, so Mary and Joseph were not concerned when Yeshua did not start home with them. But when evening came and He did not come back to be with them, Mary and Joseph searched for Him among their friends and relatives. It soon became clear to them that He had not come with the caravan at all, so they went back to Jerusalem to look for Him. For the next three days they looked everywhere for Him. At last, they went to the temple, the House of YHVH. There He was, sitting with the teachers, asking them difficult questions and giving wise answers to their questions. Needless to say, everyone who listened to Him was amazed that a twelve-year old had such great wisdom. Mary and Joseph, too, were amazed at what they saw. Then Mary said to Yeshua, [Son, why have You done this to us? We have searched frantically for You over the whole city.] [But why did you look everywhere else first?] Yeshua asked. [Didn’t you know that I would be here in My Father’s house, doing His business?] Mary and Joseph did not understand what Yeshua was saying, that He was starting to do YHVH’s work in YHVH’s house. Yeshua then went back to Nazareth with them and obeyed them. But Mary thought often of the things that Yeshua had said. As time passed, Yeshua grew taller and wiser. And the ties of love grew daily with YHVH and others.

COMMENTARY

CARAVANS IN BIBLE TIMES

Each year, when Yeshua’ family made the trip to Jerusalem for the Passover, they took a long and dangerous journey. For safety, they probably went with a caravan loaded with goods for the markets in the city. Caravans were busy, noisy groups of people and animals traveling together. They offered some protection from the roving bands of robbers waiting along the roadside for their victims. They also must have made the long and exhausting trip seem much shorter and less tiring. Yeshua’ family was poor; if they had an animal to carry some of their load, it was probably a small donkey. But many merchants who travelled in the caravans loaded their goods on long-legged camels that carried much more than a donkey, and could go for long distances without food or water. When Yeshua journeyed to Jerusalem at the age of twelve, he might have met some merchants like these on their way. They brought goods from all over the eastern world to sell in the thriving Jerusalem marketplaces. The city, always a busy place, would be crowded with people preparing for the Passover feast. The market would be overflowing with spices, oil, cloth, hides and food brought from many places near and far.