Christ Lutheran Church
Cleveland, Ohio
January 4, 2026
by: Rev. Dean Kavouras
Christmas 2A
Jesus Astounds All Who Hear Him
Then, after three days they found him with the priests, sitting in their midst listening to them, and answering their questions. All who heard ¬him were beside themselves with wonder by his insight and his answers. And when they saw him they were speechless, and his mother said to him, “Child! Why have you done such a thing to us? Behold! Your father and I suffered great distress looking for you.” And he said to them, “WHY were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house.” And they did not understand the thing he said to them. (Luke 2:47-50)
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In the weeks following Christmas the church undertakes to make clear exactly who the Christmas child is. In the early chapters of Matthew and Luke we learn about the stable, the manger, the Shepherds and the Magi. The violent rage of King Herod who tried to kill the Lord of Life. The Holy Family’s escape to Egypt and the unspeakable violence done to the Holy Innocents in Bethlehem.
But before the gospels move on to the Lord’s public ministry which began at age 30 we have one remaining incident from His youth in today’s gospel.
At age 12 Jesus made his first trip to Jerusalem with his parents to celebrate the Passover – which was Israel’s most sacred feast. It marked the escape of Israel from Egyptian bondage. At that time the LORD God commanded that each house slaughter a one year old male lamb, smear some of its blood on the door posts, and when the Destroyer came to kill all the firstborn of the Egyptians, he would “pass over” any house with the Lamb’s blood; they would be spared.
This feast which was established 14 centuries before Christ was, per the Lord’s instruction, to be celebrated for all time to come. And so we find Joseph and Mary, as was their annual custom, making the 80 mile trip to Jerusalem.
But there is more here than meets the eye, because Jesus himself is the Passover Lamb. “The Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world.” He would make many more trips to the Holy City before his final one: where he would likewise be slaughtered on the altar of the cross for the sins of the world. Where he would shed his blood to liberate all who believe in him from our bondage to sin, death and Satan.
But that is later. For now a 12 year old Jewish boy attends with his parents. St. Luke records nothing of what happened at the eight day long festival – just that the Holy Family arrives, and when the festivities were over they leave. As the story unfolds Joseph and Mary left with their friends and relatives and when they noticed that Jesus was not with them they assumed that he was with relatives or friends for the journey back.
But when they began to look for him they realized that no one had seen him, and so they rushed back to Jerusalem and made an agonizing search for him in the still-bustling city for three days before they found him.
And when they did find, in the temple of all places, they were as astonished as anyone could ever be. There he sat surrounded by the doctors of theology and St. Luke says, “both listening to them and asking them questions; and all who heard him were equally “astonished at his comprehension and the answers he gave.”
St. Luke does not detail the flow of the conversation but he does say first that Jesus was in the center. This indicates that HE was the teacher. That he was in his Father’s house conducting his Father’s business. And how could it be otherwise. Our Lord Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and God’s very own Word. All creation came into existence by the agency of this Word now made flesh. Remember the sequence of Genesis. “God said … and it was.” And to this day our God speaks to the world by the agency of his Christ. Remember the Lord’s words: “Whoever hears me hears the One who sent me.”
And that day in the temple the Father was speaking through the Son filling the heads of these teachers so that their heads began to swim. Jesus seems to prefer 3 days teaching sessions, as we hear at the feeding miracles. But the real significance of “3 days” is his resurrection from the dead on the third day. Already here, 21 years before the fact, the mention of 3 days resounds into the future – to the greatest lesson of all. That Christ is risen from the dead, and because he lives, we will live also. Live now, live always in perfect union with our God. And there is nothing better than that.
St. Luke says that he was asking them questions.
It’s doubtful that he who is omniscient was doing so for the purpose of gaining knowledge. It seems much more reasonable that he was asking them leading questions about the Scriptures, so that they might learn what Scripture is all about.
It isn’t the case that they did not know the Sacred Writings, they surely did. But what they did not know is that the Law, the Prophets and the Psalms testified about Jesus, his cross and death-defying resurrection. About worship, the church and the sacraments by which Passover is still celebrated among us – as we eat the Passover Lamb, and the “line” our mouths, the portals of our bodies, with his blood in the Blessed Sacrament; making us immortal.
St. Luke also says that he was answering their questions.
When Jesus opened their eyes to see the dazzling radiance of God in his own glorious face their questions were no doubt endless. But he answered them all and in a way that left them stunned, shocked, flummoxed and speechless with blessed wonder.
Now while they knew something in reality they knew virtually nothing. They could read a menu, but the menu cannot nourish. But here they had the Bread of Life sitting in their midst. And now they understood.
We, too, know a great deal because we have sat at Jesus feet for a very long time. Moreover by baptism we have entered into him, and in the Blessed Sacrament he enters into us; as we continue to celebrate the New Passover today. Take eat. Take drink.