Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers. When 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.”

“Why were you searching for me?” he asked.“Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” But they did not understand what he was saying to them.

Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.

Luke 2:47-52

Unfortunately there is very little info in the four gospel in the Bible about Jesus outside of the three years of his ministry. I think there is more in the gnostic gospels but I have yet to really study them in that regard. This is one of the few stories about Jesus the child. He was reported to be eight years old on this account where he was preaching at a synagogue.

I’m sure if I were one of the witness from which this account was drawn I too would have been amazed at his understanding and his answers. I’m sure he was very different from any other eight year old of those or even these times.  The last sentence in this quote has invoked quite a bit of discussion within the church. If Jesus was God how could he grow in wisdom. Isn’t God all-wise? When he said he had to be in his father’s house did he make that statement figuratively as many did during those times or literally?

These questions are still being asked today. Some say Jesus was God from the very beginning. Some say he was not God until his baptism by John. Of course beyond pure speculation we will never really know the answer to that question. But I kind of like the answer that Jesus had pretty much a normal childhood and grew in his wisdom and his divinity as the years progressed. I really don’t know how to take the statement above about him growing in favor with God.  Does that imply that he was at least at some level out of favor with God? Isn’t he supposed to be God? How can he grow into favor with himself? Of course my opinion matters little except in my own mind but that doesn’t keep me from asking questions.