“Now Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem every year for the Feast of the Passover. When he was twelve years old, they went up according to custom. But when the feast was over, as they were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it, but (because they assumed that he was in their group of travelers) they went a day’s journey. Then they began to look for him among their relatives and acquaintances. When they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem to look for him. After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard Jesus were astonished at his understanding and his answers. When his parents saw him, they were overwhelmed. His mother said to him, “Child, why have you treated us like this? Look, your father and I have been looking for you anxiously.” But he replied, “Why were you looking for me? Didn’t you know that I must be in my Father’s house?” Yet his parents did not understand the remark he made to them. Then he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them. But his mother kept all these things in her heart.
And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature, and in favor with God and with people.”
(Luke 2.41-52, NET)
The first recorded words of Jesus in Luke are in 2.41-52. His earthly parents went to Jerusalem…for the Feast of Passover and twelve year old Jesus goes along. By twelve years old, Jesus clearly understands who He is and what He is here to do. After assuming their son was in their travelling group but discovering He was not, Mary and Joseph return to Jerusalem to find Jesus in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard Jesus were astonished at his understanding and his answers. Mary asks why He had put them through this ordeal of feeling like they’d lost their son and Jesus replies,
“Why were you looking for me? Didn’t you know that I must be in my Father’s house?”
(v.49)
So; liar, lunatic, or Lord?
Jesus said He was in [His] Father’s house. He is saying that earthly parents, Mary and Joseph, should have known that He would be in the temple, in the Father’s house. He is saying that, simply, you should have known I would be here, this is the reason why I am here at all, to be about my Father’s business in my Father’s house. Jesus knew who He was and why He was here.
To claim such special and intimate relationship with God might have raised some eyebrows. Is this guy for real?
Jesus repeatedly claimed such a special and intimate relationship with God the Father (John 14.5-14 for example). Was this perceived special and intimate relationship reciprocated?
During a time when Jesus went above and beyond to publicly identify with humanity an audible voice from heaven is heard saying,
“This is my one dear Son; in him I take great delight”.
(Matthew 3.17b)
So, Jesus claimed a special Father-Son relationship with God the Father. It seems that God the Father also viewed things this way. Not a liar, not a lunatic.
For you, because He is Lord and because He has this special and intimate relationship with the Father, and because He went above and beyond to identify with you in your broken humanity, by putting your faith in Him you too can enjoy a special and intimate relationship with God the Father (Hebrews 4.14-16).
James Travis 