Luke 2:44

Luk_2:44-45

And they sought Him among their kinsfolk

Out of company with Jesus

It seems scarcely credible that that fond mother--that model of what a mother ought to be--could have gone a whole days journey without Jesus; but she did.

And one can understand too how she fell into this error. She had a great many things to think about. She had been meeting a good many friends at the feast. Those were stirring times. People had been coming up from all parts of Judaea and Galilee with tidings of an upheaving in the minds of the people and a general expectation was pervading the whale population; a hope of approaching liberty; a desire to break the tyrant thrall of Rome. So, doubtless, there was a good deal to talk about, and no doubt the Virgin Mary was deeply interested in what she heard. Joseph, too, would have a good deal to communicate to those with whom he came in contact. So they wore very busy, and very interested; and in their business and in their thronging interest they forgot the absence of the Lord Jesus Christ, and they went for a whole days journey concluding that He was with them when He was net. Let us ask ourselves, How is it that Christians lose the sense of the fellowship of Jesus? What are the dangers we have most to guard against in this respect?

I. The danger arising from INTERCOURSE WITH OUR FELLOW-MEN.

II. The danger arising from GOSSIPING CONVERSATION. I do not for a moment mean to charge this against the blessed mother of our Lord. At the same time, the circumstances of the case suggest such a possibility, and the possibility suggests a lesson to ourselves.

III. The danger of losing the consciousness of the presence of Christ IN RELIGIOUS INTERCOURSE, is a danger, I believe, that specially belongs to this day.

IV. The danger OF LOSING CHRIST IN HIS SERVICE. Work for Christ has its own peculiar dangers. (W. H. M. H. Aitken, M. A.)

Religious supposition

Supposing Him to have been of the company--what a pity they did not make sure! Have we got beyond a slowuncertain, I hope, I suppose Jesus is with me? If you must suppose, suppose He is not with you. Suppose there is no home and no welcome for you at the journeys end? Of whatever else you may be uncertain, be sure about this. Where did they lose Him? Not in Nazareth, but in the city. It is sadly easy to lose Christ in a great city with all its pleasures and blandishments. This city is the sepulchre of many a young mans piety, the end of many a parents hopes. Jesus is lost since you came to the city, and you are likely to be lost too, unless you find Him again. They lost Him at a feast. Where the company of Jesus is put in peril stop from the feast. They lost Him in a crowd. How many miss Jesus in the noise and bustle! Be resolute to have your quiet hours. Seek first the kingdom of heaven. But they turned back and sought Him. Jesus is lost and Jesus must be found. Have you sought Him? Like Joseph and Mary, your way lies in another direction. Break away from everything. Go after Jesus until you find Him. (J. JacksonWray.)

Supposing Him to have been in the company

I. THIS WAS A MOST NATURAL SUPPOSITION.

1. Christs parents did not expect to find Him wandering alone. He loved society. Jesus was not one whose company would be shunned because of His ill-manners; rather would it be courted because of the sweetness of His disposition. He would not make Himself disagreeable, and then crown that disagreeableness by stealing away from those whom He had vexed. They knew the sweetness of their dear childs character and the sociableness of His disposition, and, therefore, they supposed Him to have been in the company.

2. They never suspected that He would be found in any wrong place. We never look for Jesus where a question of morals might be raised, for He is undefiled. Let His example be followed by all in this.

II. THIS SUPPOSITION BROUGHT THEM GREAT SORROW. From this I gather that, with regard to the Lord Jesus, we ought to leave nothing as a matter of supposition. Do not suppose anything about Jesus at all. Do not suppose anything about His character, His doctrine, or His work; go in for certainty on such points.

1. Do not suppose Him to be in your hearts. Outward ceremonies convey no grace to graceless persons.

2. Do not ever suppose that Christ is in our assemblies because we meet in this house. Christ is not present where He is not honoured. All your architecture, music, learning, eloquence, are of small account; Jesus may be absent when all these things are present in profusion, and then your public worship will only be the magnificent funeral of religion, but the life of God will be far away. Our question every Sunday morning ought to be, What think ye; will He come to the feast? for if He does not come to the feast it will be the mockery of a festival, but no bread will be on the table for hungry souls.

3. Let us not take it for granted that the Lord Jesus is necessarily with us in our Christian labours. Do we not too often go out to do good without special prayer, imagining that Jesus must surely be with us as a matter of course? Perhaps we thus conclude because He has been with us so long, or because we feel ourselves fully equipped for the occasion, or because we do not even think whether He is with us or not. This is perilous. If Jesus is not with us, we toil all the night and take nothing; but if Jesus is with us,

He teaches us how to cast the net, and a great multitude of fishes are taken.

III. THE SUPPOSITION made by these two good people MAY INSTRUCT US. This is for the children. Jesus is here an example to them, for He was at this time a child. Suppose He had been in the company returning to Nazareth? How would He have behaved Himself?

1. I am sure when the whole company sang a psalm, He would have been among the sweetest singers. No inattention or weariness in Him when God was to be praised.

2. I feel persuaded that Jesus would have been found in that company listening to those who talked of holy things. Especially would He have been eager to hear explanations of what He had seen in the Temple. He would have been anxious to share with the grown-up people all the solemn thoughts of the day.

3. I feel sure also that if He had been in the company going home, He would have been the most obliging, helpful, pleasing child in all the company; if anybody had needed to have a burden carried, He would have been the first to offer; if any kindly deed could be done, He would be first in doing it.

IV. SUPPOSING HIM TO BE IN OUR COMPANY IN ALL HIS GRACIOUS INFLUENCE, what then?

1. How happy will such company be!

2. How united His people will all become!

3. How holy they will all grow! How teachable; how lively I how earnest; how confident.

V. JESUS HAS BEEN IN THE COMPANY, WHETHER WE HAVE SEEN HIM OR NOT. (C. H. Spurgeon.)

The disappearance of Jesus

Every child is a treasure to the heart of an affectionate parent; but the Holy Child Jesus must have been so sacred and precious a treasure to His mother and her husband that one wonders how they could ever have lost sight of Him. Perhaps it may have happened in this way: when they were about to return, they would doubtless give Him notice that they were going home, and would expect Him to follow. But, in the hurry of packing and starting, they would necessarily take their eyes off from Him for some time, and then He would find His opportunity to withdraw to the Temple. It must be remembered that hundreds of other pilgrims would be on the move homeward at the same moment. All those who lived north of Jerusalem, forming an immense caravan, would start with Joseph and Mary, and go by the same road. This would create great confusion; and, amidst a general lading of mules and asses and a general preparation for the days journey, a single child might be easily missed. Moreover, we are told by some writers that it was the custom in these pilgrimages for all the men to travel in one company by themselves, and all the women in another, the boys travelling, as it might happen, either with their father or their mother. If this was the case, it is easy to understand how neither our Lords mother nor her husband were made uneasy by missing Him. St. Joseph would say, He is with His mother, no doubt; and the blessed Virgin would say, Doubtless Joseph is taking care of Him. (Dean Goulburn.)

A lost Christ

Some years ago an institution for the blind was erected in one of our large towns. The committee put their wise heads together, and decided that as the building was for the blind, for those who could not see--there was only waste of money and no reason in going to the expense ofwindows. Scientific ventilation and heating was provided, but no windows, because--as the committee very logically put it--it was no use in the world providing light for those who cannot see it. Accordingly, the new Blind Asylum was inaugurated and opened, and the poor sightless patients settled into the house. Things did not go well with them, however. They began to sicken, one after another; a great languor fell on them, they felt always distressed and restless, craving for something, they hardly knew what; and after one or two had died, and all were ill, the committee sat on the matter, and resolved to open windows. Then the sun poured in, and the white faces recovered colour, and the flagging vital energies revived, the depressed spirits recovered, and health and rest returned. I think this is not unlike the condition of a vast number of people. Christ Jesus is the Sun of the soul, the Light of the world. It is He who gives health and rest to the heart, and fills the soul with that peace which passes mans understanding. But there are a good number who, in their wisdom, think they can do without Him; they are the wise committee men sitting on their own case, and building up walls to shut them selves in and shut Him out. They cannot see Jesus, the light of the world; therefore, they can live without Him. Have you ever noticed what an expression of peace there is on the faces of those whose walk is with God, as contrasted with the unrest that characterizes the faces of those living without God in the world--not necessarily bad people, but living chiefly for the world, in a windowless asylum of their own construction.

I. A great number who do not realize their unrest. So engrossed in daily work, so full of hopes and schemes, they can think of nothing else. Fond of the bustle and excitement of active life. DO not know they are travelling along the road of life without Christ; do not as yet feel their loss and need of Him.

II. They become uneasy. Becoming aware that all is not quite right, they look for what they want in the wrong place. They seek distraction, when it is rest they need, and pleasure instead of peace. Then they give themselves up to tittle-tattle with kinsfolk and acquaintance, and try to find happiness in society. But it will not do. Jesus Christ is not there, and it is He they need.

III. The last stage is not taken by all; it is well for those who do take it. Christ is found in the Temple. Enthroned on His altar, made known in the breaking of the bread, He waits to enter into, refresh, strengthen, and give perfect peace to the hungry soul, weary with the unsatisfying food of the world. (S. Baring-Gould, M. A.)

Seeking the lost Christ

I. WHERE CHRIST WAS LOST.

1. In the city.

2. At a feast.

3. In a crowd.

II. How AND WHERE HE WAS SOUGHT.

1. Immediately the loss was realized.

2. Sorrowfully.

3. In the Temple.

4. With perseverance and continuity.

III. HOW THIS SEARCH WAS REWARDED.

1. Christ was found.

2. Christ spoke Divine words to His parents.

3. Christ went back with them to Nazareth, and was more precious to them than ever. (E. D. Solomon.)

Easy to lose Christ

Perhaps our Lords parents had been a little to blame in ever taking their eyes off Him. Perhaps they had been too eager and careful about their homeward journey, and not mindful enough of the Holy Child. If so, they were punished by the dreadful anxiety which they must have felt in looking for Him, and by the still more painful void which His absence would make in their family circle. When people are not careful to keep the Lord with them, He easily escapes. A little heedlessness, a little want of watchfulness, a little more eagerness and hurry about worldly things than there is any necessity for--and the Divine Presence slips away. We may have really spoken to Him in our prayers, or in church, and have been comforted by the thought that we have done so. And then we may dismiss altogether the thought of His presence, and make no effort to call it back. We may forget that His eye is upon us, and do and say things in a fit of temper and excitement which we could not do and say if we felt He was looking on. And then we shall be punished by having to search for Him with labour and dryness of spirit. We must try to live in His presence, to be always conscious of it, even when not directly thinking of Him. This is the great secret of perfection (Gen_17:1). Great peace and quietness of heart is to be found in always having our eye upon Christ. (Dean Goulburn.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

2:44 they assumed he was among the other travelers: Joseph and Mary were probably traveling with a large caravan of relatives and friends from Galilee. Jesus probably spent a lot of time with his friends and relatives, so his parents were not worried at first.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Luk 2:44. Νομίσαντες, supposing) Hence it may be gathered, that Jesus was watched by His parents, in a manner not very unlike that in which many parents are wont to watch (look after) their children, very often letting them go out of their sight.—ἡμέρας ὁδὸν) So the LXX. ὁδὸν ἡμέρας, 1Ki 19:1; 1Ki 19:4.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Luk 2:44 . ἐν τῇ συνοδίᾳ , in the company journeying together ( σύν , ὁδός , here only in N. T.), a journeying together, then those who so journey. A company would be made up of people from the same neighbourhood, well acquainted with one another. ἡμέρας ὁδὸν , a day’s journey. It is quite conceivable how they should have gone on so long without missing the boy, without much or any blame to the parents; not negligence, but human infirmity at worst. συγγενέσι , γνωστοῖς : kinsfolk and acquaintances. Had there been less acquaintance and intimacy there had been less risk of losing the child. Friends take up each other’s attention, and members of the same family do not stick so dose together, and the absence of one excites no surprise.

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintances--On these sacred journeys, whole villages and districts travelled in groups together, partly for protection, partly for company; and as the well-disposed would beguile the tediousness of the way by good discourse, to which the child Jesus would be no silent listener, they expect to find Him in such a group.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 44. Supposing him to have been in the company] Some have supposed that the men and women marched in separate companies on these occasions, which is very likely; and that sometimes the children kept company with the men, sometimes with the women. This might have led to what otherwise seems to have been inexcusable carelessness in Joseph and Mary. Joseph, not seeing Jesus in the men's company, might suppose he was with his mother in the women's company; and Mary, not seeing him with her, might imagine he was with Joseph.

Went a day's journey] Knowing what a treasure they possessed, how could they be so long without looking on it? Where were the bowels and tender solicitude of the mother? Let them answer this question who can.

And they sought him] ανεζητουν, They earnestly sought him. They are now both duly affected with a sense of their great loss and great negligence.

Kinsfolk and acquaintance.] Those of the same family and neighbourhood went up to Jerusalem together on such occasions.

I have frequently been reminded, says Mr. Ward, when reading this history, of the crowds going to some place in Bengal, to an idol feast. Men, women, and children, in large companies, may be seen travelling together, with their bedding, &c., on their heads. They cook and prepare their victuals in some shady place near a town, where they can purchase the necessaries they want, and, after remaining two or three days at the festival, return in companies as they went.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(44) Supposing him to have been in the company.—The company was probably a large one, consisting of those who had come up to keep the Passover from Nazareth and the neighbouring villages. It is not certain, but in the nature of things it is sufficiently probable, that the boys of such a company congregated together, and travelled apart from the others.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

44. went a day’s journey] Probably to Beeroth, six miles north of Jerusalem. In the numerous and rejoicing caravans of kinsmen and fellow-countrymen relations are often separated without feeling any anxiety.

sought him] The word implies anxious and careful search.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And when they found him not,.... In the company that came from Jerusalem with them, nor among any of their relations and friends, with whom they supposed he was:

they turned back again to Jerusalem, that is, the next morning, for it can hardly be thought they would set out that night, after they had travelled all day, without taking some repose:

seeking him; at Jerusalem, in the streets and broad places of it; a figure of the church and ordinances, where souls look for, and inquire after their beloved, when they have lost him, Sol 3:1.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

44 But they, supposing him to have been in the company, went a day’s journey; and they sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance.

Ver. 44. Sought him among their kinsfolk] They knew him to be of a disposition not strange and stoic, but sweet and sociable. Let not us stye up ourselves in a stern austerity, but run into the company of those now, that must be our everlasting companions in heaven.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Supposing him to have been in the company - It may seem very remarkable that parents should not have been more attentive to their only son, and that they should not have been assured of his presence with them when they left Jerusalem; but the difficulty may be explained by the following considerations:

In going to these great feasts, families and neighbors would join together, and form a large collection. It is not improbable that Jesus was “with” them when they were about to start from Jerusalem and were making preparations. Seeing him then, they might have been certain as to his presence. A part of the company might have left before the others, and Joseph and Mary may have supposed that he was with them, until they overtook them at night and ascertained their mistake.

Kinsfolk - Relatives.

Acquaintances - Neighbors who had gone up with them in the same company to Jerusalem.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

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)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

44. In the company—The caravans in which the passover companies went for the purpose of protection against beasts and robbers must have been each large, composed of many parties, clans, and kindreds. Jesus might easily therefore have been not missed until the end of the first day.

Went a day’s journey—

“The usual rate of traveling in the East is three miles an hour; and as the number of hours devoted to traveling rarely exceeds six or eight hours, the distance of an ordinary day’s journey may be considered as twenty or twenty-five miles. The first day, however, on starting on an expedition forms an exception to this rule: on that day it is not customary to go more than six or eight miles, and the tents are pitched for the first night’s encampment almost within sight of the place from which the journey commences. The only reason I heard assigned for starting thus late and stopping so early was, that it furnished an opportunity, if anything should prove to be forgotten, to return to the city and supply the deficiency. ‘We halted early,’ says Mr. Beldam, ‘according to custom, the distance being but thirteen miles from Cairo, in order to muster our forces, and ascertain that all things were provided for a longer flight.’

“The parents of Jesus are said to have traveled a day’s journey on their return, without knowing what had become of their son; they were ignorant whether he was in the company or not, and as if indifferent respecting his safety, make no inquiry in regard to him till the close of the day. Certain critics (it is one of Strauss’s objections) have represented this as so improbable [as well as careless in his parents] and unnatural as to throw discredit upon the truth of the entire narrative. But if the first day’s journey occupied two or three hours only, the difficulty disappears. They had reason to suppose that he was with some of the relatives or friends who were traveling with them; they could act naturally enough under the impression for so short a time, and would have no occasion for anxiety until his continued absence, when they came to halt, aroused their fears.” Hackett’s Bib. Ill., pp. 15-19.

Tradition of no great value fixes upon El Bireh, about three miles north of Jerusalem, as the spot where the present caravan stopped; inasmuch as this is the ordinary first station for the night with parties traveling north. But says Hackett, in his Eastern Travels, (p. 19,) “What route the parents of Jesus actually took on that occasion we cannot decide. The Galilean caravans, in order to avoid Samaria, usually crossed the ford of the Jordan near Bethshean, now Beisan, into Peraea, then passed down on the east side of Jordan, recrossed the river near Jericho, and ascended to Jerusalem through the desert which lies between the two cities. (See note on Joh_2:12.) A company returning to Galilee by the same route would be apt to stop, for the first night, near the eastern foot of the Mount of Olives; a ride at foot pace of not more than two hours. They would not be likely to go further the first day, because that would oblige them to encamp in a hostile region.”

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Supposing him to have been in the company - As the men and women usually travelled in distinct companies.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

44. In the company. The caravans, in which the passover companies went, for the purpose of protection against beasts and robbers, must have each been large, composed of many parties, clans and kindreds. Jesus might easily, therefore, have not been missed until the end of the first day.

B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.

44. ἦλθον ἡμέρας ὁδόν. Probably to Beeroth, six miles north of Jerusalem. In the numerous and rejoicing caravans of kinsmen and fellow-countrymen relations are often separated without feeling any anxiety.

ἀνεζήτουν, ‘continued looking for him.’ The word implies anxious and careful search.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

44.] συνοδ., the company forming the caravan, or band of travellers;—all who came from the same district travelling together for security and company.

ἦλθ.… ἀνεζ.] The interpretation that ‘they went a day’s journey, seeking him,’ is simply absurd: for they would have turned back sooner: a few minutes might have sufficed for the search. It was not till they laid up for the night that they missed him, as at that time (φέρεις μητέρι παῖδα) they would naturally expect his return to their own tent. Olshausen remarks, that being accustomed to his thoughtfulness and obedience, they were free from anxiety, till they discovered He really was not in the company.

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

44. τῇ συνοδίᾳ “The caravan.” The inhabitants of a village, or of several neighbouring villages, formed themselves into a caravan, and travelled together. The Nazareth caravan was so long that it took a whole day to look through it. The caravans went up singing psalms, especially the “songs of degrees” (Ps. 120-134.): but they would come back with less solemnity. It was probably when the caravan halted for the night that He was missed. At the present day the women commonly start first, and the men follow; the little children being with the mothers, and the older with either. If this was the case then, Mary might fancy that He was with Joseph, and Joseph that He was with Mary. Tristram, Eastern Customs in Bible Lands, p. 56.

ἡμέρας ὁδόν. In LXX ὁδὸν ἡμέρας (Num 11:31; 1Ki 19:4). Comp. πορείαν ἡμέρας μιᾶς (Jon 3:4).

The compound ἀνεζήτουν expresses thoroughness (Act 11:25; Job 3:4, Job 3:10:6; Job_2 Mac. 13:21).

συγγενεῦσιν. A barbarous form of dat. plur. found also Mar 6:4 and 1 Mac. 10:89. For γνωστοῖς see on 23:49.

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The company [συνοδια] . From sun, with, and oJdov, the way. The company that shared the journey.

Went a day's journey. Before they missed him.

They sought [ανεζητουν] . From ajna, from the bottom up, and zhtew, to seek. Thus implying a thorough search : they looked for him up and down.

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.