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Flashback: His Father's Business
by Mary KassianJesus ran his fingers along the leg of the table. Satisfied, he flipped it over and began to smooth the top. His hands were deft. He had learned the craft well. Jesus had been mentored since the time he was knee-high by his father, Joseph – the man who had raised him as his own. Carpentry was his father’s business. Jesus smiled as he thought back to the incident at Passover. He was twelve years old that year. It wasn’t time yet. But already he felt the pull. He was his Father’s Son – destined to be about his Father’s business. Joseph trained him, but it was his birth-Father whose occupation he was destined to follow. Joseph and Mary didn’t know. But Jesus did. He knew there would be a day when he would lay aside the carpenter’s nail and hammer for a nail and hammer of a different sort. The planks that were his livelihood would be exchanged for ones that intersected and marked his death. He knew his father’s business. He knew it well. It seemed fitting that it was on beams of wood that his best work would be accomplished.
39When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth. 40And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him.
The Boy Jesus at the Temple
41Every year his parents went to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Passover. 42When he was twelve years old, they went up to the Feast, according to the custom. 43After the Feast was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. 44Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. 45When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. 46After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers. 48When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, "Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you."
49"Why were you searching for me?" he asked. "Didn't you know I had to be in my Father's house?" 50But they did not understand what he was saying to them.
51Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. 52And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.
Related Reading: Did Jesus really walk the earth?