Postlude to the Adoration - Luke 2:39-40

39 So when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own city, Nazareth.

     After the adoration in the Temple, Joseph and Mary took the Christ child and “returned” (Luke 2:39) to Nazareth (via Egypt) where they had not been since leaving for the registration in Bethlehem some time earlier.
     The duties in the postlude. “When they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord” (Luke 2:39). Joseph and Mary were faithful. They did “all things according to the law of the Lord” even though that meant a great inconvenience and cost. God-assigned duties are not always easy to do. They will require much effort and sacrifice. But if they are duties God has given us, we must do them if we are to be pleasing to God.
     The dwelling in the postlude. “They returned into Galilee, to their own city Nazareth” (Luke 2:39). This return had to be preceded by the visit of the wise men and the sojourn in Egypt (Matthew 2) of Joseph, Mary, and Jesus. With Christ being six weeks old at most when Joseph and Mary came to the Temple to fulfill the law regarding her purification and His presentation, it meant that they came from Bethlehem to Jerusalem, not from Nazareth to Jerusalem. Before their return to Nazareth would be their trip back to Bethlehem and while there the visit of the wise men in Bethlehem and then the sojourn of Joseph, Mary, and Jesus in Egypt at God’s command (Matthew 2:13). Thus adoration in the Temple was followed by the animosity of the throne (Herod). Persecution often follows praise; trials often follow triumph. This keeps us humble and focused on God and not on circumstances.
     Only one incident during the childhood of Christ is reported in the Scriptures. It had to do with the absence of Christ from Joseph and Mary and His astounding of the religious teachers in the Temple during that absence. Many other stories of His childhood have been written, but they are all unscriptural.

The Development Before the Absence (Luke 2:40)

40 And the Child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him.

     The development of Christ in His childhood reflected the goodness of the home in which He was raised.
     Physical development. “The child grew” (Luke 2:40). Taking upon Himself the form of a human, Christ had to develop physically just as did other humans. So from a small babe, He began to grow into manhood.
     Spiritual development. “Waxed strong in spirit … grace of God was upon him” (Luke 2:40). Spiritual growth is the most important growth of all, yet too many folk are strong physically but a weakling spiritually. However, Christ certainly did well spiritually. This growth was the main factor in the astonishment He brought in the Temple when He was but twelve years old. Christ knew more than the religious teachers knew.
     Mental development. “Filled with wisdom” (Luke 2:40). Christ was an intelligent person. In the Temple experience, in our text, He demonstrated that He was far above His years in intelligence and spiritual growth.
     Ability development. “Filled with wisdom” (Luke 2:40). The word “wisdom” here not only involves mental excellence but also skill and ability. Therefore, if Christ worked in Joseph’s carpenter shop (and there would be no reason why He would not) “wisdom” meant He would be a skilled carpenter.