View source for 125:6 The Fourth Day in the Temple

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125:6.1 [[Jesus]] was strangely unmindful of his [[earth]]ly [[parents]]; even at breakfast, when [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lazarus Lazarus]'s [[mother]] remarked that his [[parents]] must be about [[home]] by that time, [[Jesus]] did not seem to [[comprehend]] that they would be somewhat worried about his having lingered behind.

125:6.2 Again he [[journeyed]] to the [[temple]], but he did not pause to [[meditate]] at the brow of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Olivet Olivet]. In the [[course]] of the morning's [[discussions]] much time was [[devoted]] to [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torah the law] and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nevi%27im the prophets], and the [[teachers]] were astonished that [[Jesus]] was so familiar with the [[Scriptures]], in [[Hebrew]] as well as [[Greek]]. But they were [[amazed]] not so much by his [[knowledge]] of [[truth]] as by his [[youth]].

125:6.3 At the afternoon conference they had hardly begun to answer his question relating to the [[purpose]] of [[prayer]] when the [[leader]] invited the lad to come forward and, sitting beside him, bade him state his own [[views]] regarding [[prayer]] and [[worship]].

125:6.4 The evening before, [[Jesus]]' parents had heard about this strange [[youth]] who so deftly sparred with the expounders of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torah the law], but it had not occurred to them that this lad was their son. They had about [[decided]] to [[journey]] out to the [[home]] of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zechariah_(priest) Zacharias] as they thought [[Jesus]] might have gone thither to see [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_(Biblical_person) Elizabeth] and [[John the Baptist|John]]. Thinking [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zechariah_(priest) Zacharias] might perhaps be at the [[temple]], they stopped there on their way to the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_of_Judah City of Judah]. As they strolled through the [[courts]] of the [[temple]], imagine their [[surprise]] and [[amazement]] when they recognized the [[voice]] of the missing lad and beheld him seated among the [[temple]] [[teachers]].[https://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Gospel_of_Luke#Chapter_2]

125:6.5 [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Joseph Joseph] was speechless, but [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_(mother_of_Jesus) Mary] gave vent to her long-pent-up [[fear]] and [[anxiety]] when, rushing up to the lad, now standing to greet his astonished [[parents]], she said: " My child, why have you treated us like this? It is now more than three days that your [[father]] and I have searched for you sorrowing. Whatever possessed you to desert us? "[https://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Gospel_of_Luke#Chapter_2] It was a tense [[moment]]. All eyes were turned on [[Jesus]] to hear what he would say. His [[father]] looked reprovingly at him but said nothing.

125:6.6 It should be remembered that [[Jesus]] was supposed to be a [[young man]]. He had finished the regular schooling of a [[child]], had been recognized as a [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bar_Mitzvah son of the law], and had received [[consecration]] as a [[citizen]] of [[Israel]]. And yet his mother more than mildly upbraided him before all the people assembled, right in the midst of the most serious and [[sublime]] [[effort]] of his [[young life]], thus bringing to an inglorious termination one of the greatest [[opportunities]] ever to be granted him to [[function]] as a [[teacher]] of [[truth]], a preacher of righteousness, a revealer of the loving [[character]] of [[Universal Father|his Father]] in heaven.

125:6.7 But the lad was [[equal]] to the occasion. When you take into fair [[consideration]] all the [[factors]] which combined to make up this situation, you will be better [[prepared]] to fathom the [[wisdom]] of the boy's reply to his [[mother]]'s unintended rebuke. After a [[moment]]'s [[thought]], [[Jesus]] answered his [[mother]], saying: " Why is it that you have so long sought me? Would you not expect to find me in [[my Father]]'s house since the [[time]] has come when I should be about my Father's business? "[https://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Gospel_of_Luke#Chapter_2]

125:6.8 Everyone was astonished at the lad's [[manner]] of [[speaking]]. [[Silently]] they all withdrew and left him standing [[alone]] with his [[parents]]. Presently the [[young man]] relieved the [[embarrassment]] of all [[three]] when he quietly said: " Come, my [[parents]], none has done aught but that which he thought best. [[Our Father]] in heaven has [[ordained]] these things; let us depart for [[home]]. "

125:6.9 In [[silence]] they started out, arriving at [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jericho Jericho] for the night. Only once did they pause, and that on the brow of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_of_Olives Olivet], when the lad raised his staff aloft and, quivering from head to foot under the surging of [[intense]] [[emotion]], said: " O [[Jerusalem]], Jerusalem, and the people thereof, what [[slaves]] you are—subservient to the [[Roman]] yoke and [[victims]] of your own [[traditions]]—but I will return to cleanse yonder [[temple]] and deliver my people from this [[bondage]]! "

125:6.10 On the three days' [[journey]] to [[Nazareth]] [[Jesus]] said little; neither did his [[parents]] say much in his [[presence]]. They were truly at a loss to [[understand]] the [[conduct]] of their first-born son, but they did [[treasure]] in their [[hearts]] his sayings, even though they could not fully [[comprehend]] their [[meanings]].

125:6.11 Upon reaching [[home]], [[Jesus]] made a brief [[statement]] to his [[parents]], [[assuring]] them of his [[affection]] and implying that they need not [[fear]] he would again give any occasion for their [[suffering]] [[anxiety]] because of his [[conduct]]. He concluded this momentous [[statement]] by saying: " While I must [[Doing the will of God|do the will of my Father in [[heaven]]]], I will also be [[obedient]] to my father on earth. I will await my hour. "

125:6.12 Though [[Jesus]], in his mind, would many times refuse to [[consent]] to the well-[[intentioned]] but misguided [[efforts]] of his [[parents]] to [[Control|dictate]] the [[course]] of his [[thinking]] or to establish the [[plan]] of his [[work]] on [[earth]], still, in every [[manner]] [[consistent]] with his [[dedication]] to the [[Doing the will of God|doing of his Paradise Father's will]], he did most [[gracefully]] [[conform]] to the [[desires]] of his earthly [[father]] and to the [[Practice|usages]] of his [[family]] in the [[flesh]]. Even when he could not [[consent]], he would do everything possible to [[conform]]. He was an artist in the matter of [[adjusting]] his [[dedication]] to [[duty]] to his [[obligations]] of [[family]] [[loyalty]] and [[social]] [[service]].

125:6.13 [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Joseph Joseph] was puzzled, but [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_(mother_of_Jesus) Mary], as she [[reflected]] on these [[experiences]], gained [[comfort]], eventually viewing his utterance on [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_of_Olives Olivet] as [[prophetic]] of the [[Messianic]] [[mission]] of her son as [[Israel]]'s deliverer. She set to [[work]] with renewed [[energy]] to mold his [[thoughts]] into [[patriotic]] and [[nationalistic]] [[channels]] and enlisted the [[efforts]] of her brother, Jesus' favorite uncle; and in every other way did the [[mother]] of [[Jesus]] address herself to the task of [[preparing]] her first-born son to [[assume]] the [[leadership]] of those who would restore the throne of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David David] and forever cast off the [[gentile]] yoke of [[political]] [[bondage]].

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[[Category:Paper 125 - Jesus at Jerusalem]]
[[Category: Dialogue]]