When my wife, Penny, was pregnant with our first child, I was preparing to teach a class on the life of Christ. My life circumstances gave me a special interest in the birth narratives that are found in chapters one and two of Luke’s gospel. My heart also yearned to know about the childhood of Christ. For this reason I found myself poring over the text of Luke 2:41-52.
In this passage I observed a number of characteristics of maturity in the boy Jesus. I saw how Jesus had a desire to learn. In fact, in this time of separation from his family and relatives He manifested His wisdom in the way He used His time. He also exhibited an ability to converse with adults by being able to be an attentive listener and an active learner who asked questions. I thought about how too much of many of our childhoods are characterized by a lack of interest in learning, a poor use of time, and an inability to relate to adults.
In this snapshot of Jesus’ life at age 12, one also observes a youth who was faithful to His parents even when they were not looking. It was characterized by an obedience to His earthly parents (vs. 51). His life was also characterized by an understanding that amazed others (vs. 47).
After observing Luke 2:41-52, I was drawn back to the verse that preceded this passage. I saw in Luke 2:40 how God grew up His son. Luke 2:41-52 seemed to be an evidence of His human growth and development. It is here that I found some direction in praying for my own needed growth as well as the child whose birth I was anticipating.
The Lord’s growth is described in three ways.
Spiritual Strength
First, it says that he became strong. The word that is translated “became strong” is the same one that is used in Luke 1:80 of John the Baptist’s development. In Luke 1:80 we find the words “in spirit” after them. In fact, some manuscripts have “in spirit” after the verb in Luke 2:40. The phrase shows that physical strength is not the primary emphasis of the verb in this context. It is rather the strengthening of the human spirit.
Every person is created with a spirit. It is one of the aspects of man being made in God’s image. When a person becomes a Christian, the spirit is made alive (Rom. 8:10). This act of spiritual resurrection form a spirit that is dead to one that is alive is called regeneration. God’s desire is to not only make the spirit alive but also to strengthen it. While Christ’s human spirit was never dead, He did, however, have the capacity for growth and development in His spirit.
In Eph. 3:14-19 one can find an inscripturated prayer for praying for our loved ones and ourselves to become strong in spirit. The Greek word for “strengthened” in Eph. 3:16 is the same one that is used in Luke 2:40. It is the Holy Spirit who does the strengthening of our spirit or inner man. We see that it results in Christ’s swelling in our hearts. “Dwell” is not the same as the initial indwelling of Christ in the life of every believer at salvation. It is, rather, His controlling influence. The difference is the one between the initial indwelling of the Spirit and the filling of the Spirit (Rom. 8:9; Eph. 5:18). The result of Christ’s dwelling or control of one’s heart is the ability to comprehend and experience all the dimensions of God’s love. Christ longs to control us in order to allow us to experience His love.
Increase in Wisdom
The second aspect of the child Christ’s growth in Luke 2:40 was His increasing in wisdom. Wisdom is a very pregnant term in Scripture. It is hard to sum up in a single definition. I have found three definitions to offer some help:
One is “seeing life from God’s point of view.” This viewpoint can transform our responses to the trials and irritations that daily encounter our lives.
A second definition is “the ability to select the best goals for one’s life and the best means to achieve them.” Wisdom is God showing us where to go and how to get there.
A third definition is the “skill of living life before God.” There is not only a skill in the doing of tasks such as carpentry, but also to living life. There is a skill in handling money, using our tongues, and relating to the people of our life.
All three of these definitions are involved in the biblical concept of God’s wisdom. A life that is characterized by wisdom brings great joy to those who care about us, and the lack of it brings great grief (Prov. 17:21, 25).
In Col. 1:9 we find another inscripturated prayer that relates to the ideas of growing in wisdom. It is the prayer to be filled or controlled with the knowledge of what God desires us to be and do. This is the true spiritual wisdom that will reflect itself in the behavior of one’s life (Col. 1:10, cf. Jas. 3:13). Prayer is one way to receive God’s wisdom (Jas. 1:5).
God’s Grace
The third aspect of the Lord’s growth according to Luke 2:40 is the grace of God being upon Christ. God’s grace speaks of His favor. It also speaks more specifically of God’s enablement. We see this clearly in 1 Cor. 15:10! Paul said that it was the secret to His labor. It refers to the gracious work of the Spirit who provides the motivation and enablement we need to do God’s will (cf. Phil. 2:13). This definition explains Paul’s exhortations to Timothy in 2 Tim. 2:1.
The believer is commanded to grow in grace in 2 Pet. 3:10. We are exhorted to come boldly to the throne of grace and receive His mercy and grace to help us in our need (Heb. 4:16). Such a prayer presupposes a humility in one’s life that is willing to deal with any point of resistance in our life (Jas. 4:6). God even provides providential circumstances to aid us in experiencing more of His grace according to 2 Cor. 12:7-10.
The Epistles characteristically contain the opening greetings of grace and peace. This is not only a greeting but also a prayer that the believers in these churches continually experience God’s grace. A true believer has already experienced the grace of God that leads to initial salvation (Eph. 2:8-9). However, every believer is in need of the grace of God for daily living (1 Cor. 15:10). We can continually look to God for His provision for motivation and enablement to do what He has called us to do.
Nothing is a greater joy in my life than the privilege of knowing Jesus. Next to this is the joy of having a wife and three sons. Probably nothing makes me feel more inadequate as that of my family responsibilities. In this marvelous little verse I have found comfort and direction in praying these prayers to God. I am glad that I can introduce my boys to a God who truly is a Perfect Father. I know that He alone can strengthen their spirit, give them His wisdom and supply them in His grace. Perhaps you also can let your inadequacy draw you to God in prayer and believe Him for these three prayer requests for your life and for the lives of those you dearly love.