CHILD JESUS

This word for child is pais, the word for a boy or a girl, but also the word for a servant, James Strong. A servant is a child in relation to his master. Matthew uses this word quoting Isaiah chapter 42 verse 1, ‘Behold my servant (child, pais), whom I have chosen’, Matt. 12.18. It is also in reference to Christ’s glory as the anointed ruler whom God has raised up, who is the servant (child, pais) of Isaiah 42; see Acts 3.13, 26; 4. 27, 30.

The Psalmist affirms that children are a gift from the Lord, Ps. 127. 3. As this child was born, He was not merely a gift to Joseph and Mary, but to all humanity. Many children do not voluntarily obey, and sometimes do not obey at all. What a tender thought, to see the voluntary obedience of our Saviour to His Father as He took a servant’s nature, Phil. 2. 7.

We only see three glimpses of our Lord as a child. At eight days old He was circumcised, Luke 2. 21, confirming that ‘He took on him the seed of Abraham’, Heb. 2. 16. At forty days old He was presented to the Lord in the temple, Luke 2.27, affirming that as the firstborn, He was holy to the Lord, Exod. 13. 2. Firstborn ones belonged to the Lord since they were spared from certain judgement through God’s gracious provision. But no other firstborn was more ‘holy to the Lord’! He belonged to the Lord because He was His eternally beloved Son.

Today’s reading views our Lord as a child left in the temple by His parents as they returned home from the Passover festival, v. 43. Here He is performing His Father’s business, v. 49.

Our Lord showed remarkable tenderness towards children during His life. True men of God always should. He healed the government official’s young son, John 4. 49, and He raised the synagogue leader’s dead daughter. But those were important leaders! He also pitied the lunatic boy’s frustrated father, and cast out the demon, Mark 9. 24. He even satisfied the apparently unnecessary wish of some for Him to touch their children (why did they need to be touched?), Luke 18. 15. He showed that He cared; for the nameless people, for everyone. What an example of humble kindness, the humility that Jesus taught His disciples to emulate using a lesson centring in a child! Matt. 18. 2.