My Father's Business

At the ripe young age of 12, Jesus went with His family to Jerusalem where He ended up left behind ... in the temple (Luke 2:41-52). When they found Him, they asked why He did that to them. His answer was, "Why were you looking for Me? Did you not know that I must be in My Father's house?" (Luke 2:49). Sort of. The King James says "I must be about My Father's business." The Literal Translation of the Holy Bible (LITV) says, "I must be busy in the affairs of My Father." The Young's Literal Translation (YLT) says (in Old English), "Did ye not know that in the things of My Father it behoveth Me to be?" (Yeah ... wade through that one a moment.) What was Jesus saying?

As it turns out, there is no noun in the original text for "house" or "business" or ... anything in that sentence. It is most literally "The things of my Father." So ... what is He trying to convey? Well, first of all, Jesus is declaring a unique relationship with YHWH. He calls God "My Father." He doesn't call Him "our Father" (not here). He is claiming a direct divine identity. Second, He is saying this divine identity compels Him to act a certain way. "I must." What does that "must" entail? He must preach the kingdom (Luke 4:43). He came to give Himself as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45). His Father's will was His food (John 4:34). He wasn't declaring Himself really smart; He was saying He was being an obedient Son. And the thing He must be about was ... whatever was His Father's to be about. He had to be about His Father's "things" ... teaching, listening, preaching ... dying. His life would be dedicated to His Father's ... business, kingdom, everything that was His Father's to be about.

Jesus sounds a bit ... arrogant ... to our ears. "Show a little respect, boy. This is your parents you're speaking to." He wasn't. He was asking, "Didn't you know that I must be occupied with the things of My Father?" He was expressing a unique relationship with YHWH and a unique obedience to YHWH and with all that YHWH wanted. It wasn't just a path. It was His purpose, His identity, His necessity. He knows who He is. He knows whose He is. He knows what He must do. He knows where He belongs. It is the root of His entire life and ministry ... and results in our salvation. Perhaps, in a world vying for our attention at every turn, a singular dedication to the things of our Father who is in heaven would be a good focus for us, too.