At the end of Chapter 2 in the Gospel of Luke, we read about Jesus being found in the temple “listening and asking questions.”
“After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions; and all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.”
This passage is the only glimpse we get of Jesus in the Gospels during his hidden years between infancy and his public ministry in adulthood. It does not say anything about him teaching, yet “all who heard him were astounded at his understanding and his answers.”
Listening to Understand
What impressed everybody? Like I mentioned, the passage does not mention Jesus to be specifically teaching. It was his ability to listen, to continue asking questions in order to understand. And it is possible that even his “answers” were more questions. At least that is what we see later in His life when he teaches in parables with open questions that induce more reflection. In fact, Jesus shows us this right away when Mary and Joseph finally find him after three days.
“and his mother said to him, ‘Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been looking for you anxiously.’ And he said to them, ‘How is it that you sought me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?'”
Luke 2:48-49
This sounds like Jesus mastered the Socratic Method of learning and answering with more questions. Jesus, at a young age was displaying a depth of understanding and knowledge through his ability to listen and respond to the teachers in the temple.
How Did Jesus Learn?
Similar to His baptism in the Jordan by John the Baptist, Jesus did not “need” to learn this way. However, Jesus shows us an example of the Way to God. We must be baptized as He was baptized. So too, we must learn as He learned.
By becoming an infant and quietly growing up with Mary and Joseph, Jesus is the most humble teacher. He listened to Mary’s heart in her womb. Jesus obeyed Joseph in his work. Listening in the temple, he humbly allows others to be involved and cooperate in his learning and pursuit of knowledge.
Wisdom and Age and Favor
“And he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them; and his mother kept all these things in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom and in age and in favor with God and man.”
Luke 2:51-52
Whenever Mary experienced something extraordinary, profound, or even confusing in Jesus’ life, she would ponder or “keep” these things in her heart. I think this is her way of listening and reflecting as well.
Then, obedience is not what people would first expect from God who became man, but Jesus obeys.
All of this to say, we should be listening if we want wisdom and favor.
How can we be Listening?
Listening is important. I am not always the best at it. As a parent, I wish I could teach my kids to do it better too. As most parenting analogies go, I should probably be listening to our Heavenly Father more too.
There are many ways to hear God more clearly: Liturgy, nature, even other people. For me, I am really enjoying this more intentional Gospel reading, and hope to keep this up.
If you missed Day 1 for Luke 1, here it is.
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