'I Must be about My Father's Business' (Luke 2:49)

VictoryinJesus said:

Consider Luke 2:47-51 And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers. [48] And when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing. [49] And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business? [50] And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them. [51] And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart.
Lexicon says: Luke 2:51 Lexicon: And He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and He continued in subjection to them; and His mother treasured all these things in her heart.
I’m not sure which is correct because they sound very different. Like to withhold a saying as in denial of it: or to cherish or treasure all these things in the heart.

But his mother kept all these saying in her heart. —sounds like “As for me Daniel, my cogitations much troubled me, and my countenance changed in me: but I kept the matter in my heart.”


Daniel 7:25-28 And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time. [26] But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end. [27] And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him. [28] Hitherto is the end of the matter. As for me Daniel, my cogitations much troubled me, and my countenance changed in me: but I kept the matter in my heart. (but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart.)


Luke 1:46-55 And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, [47] And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. [48] For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. [49] For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name. [50] And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation. [51] He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. [52] He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree. [53] He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away. [54] He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy; [55] As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.

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Hello @VictoryinJesus,

You enjoyed considering this I feel. Yes, I love that Mary kept all of the things that happened, and that she heard, concerning her son, 'in her heart'. I would love to have seen that storehouse, and what was in it, wouldn't you? Did she share those things with the Lord's disciples? She must have done, for the account of the Lord's birth, and of His visit to the temple at Jerusalem aged 12 years, would surely have come from her testimony concerning these things. She would have known the prophecies of the Old Testament concerning the Messiah Who was to come, as is shown by the words that you have highlighted in Mary's words of praise and worship in Luke 1:46-55. (eg., 'The LORD hath made bare His holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.' Isa 52:10 & Genesis 22:18) .

You bring in the illustration concerning Daniel, In Daniel 7:28: who had received a prophetic word from the Lord which troubled him, for He also kept it 'in his heart', like Mary. This makes me think of the words of Peter in 1 Peter 1:10-12, for like Mary and Daniel, the prophets, and even the angels of heaven sought to know and understand the word of God that they were being given, because it had a future application, beyond their ability to know or understand.

'Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently,
.. who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:
.... Searching what, or what manner of time
...... the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify,
........ when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ,
.......... and the glory that should follow.
Unto whom it was revealed,
.. that not unto themselves, but unto us
.... they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you
...... by them that have preached the gospel unto you
........ with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven;
.......... which things the angels desire to look into.'

* Little did they know that there would be such a time gap between 'the sufferings of Christ', at the end of His first advent, and 'the glory that should follow', which will be at the time of His second advent. Within this gap, which has exceeded 2,000 years, we are now living in this day, and look for His appearing in glory, when the church which is His Body will appear with Him there (Colossians 3:4).

* That 'gap' brings to mind the action of the Lord Jesus when reading in the Synagogue in Nazareth (Luke 4:16-21): where He 'closed the book', having read a very small portion of the reading assigned (Isaiah 61:1-3); differentiating by doing so, between those things which applied to the ministry He had entered upon in that first advent, and that which applied to His second advent. If he had not done so, He could not have said with all honesty, in verse 21, ' ... This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.'

'The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me;
because the LORD hath anointed Me
to preach good tidings unto the meek;
He hath sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives,
and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;
To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD'
(Isaiah 61:1-2a)
'To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD,
and the day of vengeance of our God;
to comfort all that mourn;
To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion,
to give unto them beauty for ashes,
the oil of joy for mourning,
the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;
that they might be called trees of righteousness,
the planting of the LORD,
that He might be glorified.'
(Isaiah 61:2b-3)

* We, like Mary and Daniel have much to ponder in our own hearts, don't we? For there is so much that we have been told in God's Word, and so much still that we do not fully understand.

Thank you so much for this thought process, VictoryinJesus.
With love in Christ Jesus
Chris

VictoryinJesus said:

makes me think of Acts 26:15-28 Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision: [20] But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance. [21] For these causes the Jews caught me in the temple, and went about to kill me. [22] Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come: [23] That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles. [24] And as he thus spake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad. [25] But he said, I am not mad, most noble Festus; but speak forth the words of truth and soberness. [26] For the king knoweth of these things, before whom also I speak freely: for I am persuaded that none of these things are hidden from him; for this thing was not done in a corner. [27] King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest. [28] Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.

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Hello @VictoryinJesus,

May we all, like Paul, and our Lord Jesus Christ before Him, be also considered to be, 'beside' ourselves, as our faith and hope in Christ Jesus our risen Lord is manifested in our words and actions. May His life within us be a 'sweet smelling saviour' to those with whom we come into contact, that all will acknowledge that we have been in His presence, to the praise and the glory of His name.

In Christ Jesus
Chris