Jesus Grows to Maturity

Eager to learn the law of God, Jesus by the age of twelve already showed mastery of the Scriptures and was able to answer difficult questions from legal scholars with a profound depth of insight. We learn as much from Luke’s record of Jesus in the temple (Luke 2:41–51). Having told us about Jesus’ dialogue with the teachers of the law, Luke gives us one more comment on the youth of Jesus, telling us in today’s passage that “Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man” (v. 52).

This brief statement actually conveys a great deal of theological truth in only a few words. First, it closely parallels the description of the prophet Samuel’s youth that we find in 1 Samuel 2:26. Samuel is one of the key figures in the history of redemption, serving as the last judge of Israel and the one through whom God anointed the first two kings of Israel, Saul and David (1 Sam. 10:1–16; 16:1–13). Luke’s description of Christ in a manner reminiscent of Samuel helps to show that Jesus will likewise be a key figure in God’s plan of salvation, but as the Savior of the world He has a significance far beyond that of even Samuel, one of the greatest men in Israel’s history.

Second, Luke’s statement about Jesus’ growing in wisdom, stature, and favor gives us important insight into how He would achieve salvation for us. Dr. R.C. Sproul frequently reminded us that while the deity of Christ is essential for our salvation, His true humanity is no less important. Scripture is clear that because sin and death entered the world and corrupted creation through the actions of a man—Adam—only a man could defeat sin and bring about resurrection from the dead (Rom. 5:12–21; 1 Cor. 15:21). The Messiah had to be a man who lives a perfect life so as to succeed where Adam failed. Thus, Christian theologians have always stressed the necessity of the incarnation and of Jesus’ living a life like ours, though without sin. By doing this, He became our representative so that we can be redeemed through our union with Him by faith alone. John Calvin comments that “Christ, in taking upon him our flesh, did all that was necessary to effect his brotherly union with men.”

Living a life like ours means that Jesus had to experience everything that is necessary to being truly human. Because humans are not omniscient, Jesus grew in wisdom according to His human nature. He matured physically just as children grow to adulthood. This He did, even pleasing God more and more as a man (Luke 2:52).