New Testament Stories

The Boy Jesus in the Temple

And He said to them, "Why is it that you were looking for me? Did you not know that I had to be in my Father's house?" Luke 2:49 

                              Mary, Joseph and Jesus walked from Nazareth to Jerusalem every year for the feast of Passover. The journey was almost a hundred miles, and took several days. Mary, Joseph and Jesus went with friends, and camped at night.

     When Jesus was twelve, he and his family went to Jerusalem as usual. Jesus stayed in the city after they left, but his family didn't know that. They thought that he was with family and friends. Nobody knew where Jesus was.

     After three days of looking, they went back to the temple in Jerusalem. There was Jesus, listening to the teachers of the Scripture and asking them questions.

     Everyone who heard him was surprised, because Jesus understood so much about God.

     When Mary and Joseph found him, they ran to him. "Son why have you done this to us?" cried his mother. "Your father and I have been searching the countryside for three days. We were sick with worry."

     Jesus said, "Why were you worried?" Didn't you know I would be doing my Father's work, in His house?"

     Mary and Joseph were not what Jesus meant. But he went with them and obeyed them all the time after that. He grew taller, and he grew wiser, and pleased both God and people. Mary thought for many years about the words he had said in the temple.