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And the Child Grew and Became Strong,
He was Filled with Wisdom
and the Grace of God was Upon Him
Luke 2: 40

And the child grew and became strong, He was filled with wisdom and the grace of God was upon Him DIG: How was Yeshua filled with wisdom? Where did it come from? What and when was the evidence of that instruction in wisdom?

REFLECT: How can you emulate Jesus’ being filled with wisdom? Who do you need to spend time with every morning? Is there another time of day that is better for you? When is it? Besides wisdom, what else can you gain from such a quiet time?

Since Luke focuses on the humanity of Christ, he is the only one to record this. Mary probably told it to Luke later on in her life. Of the many years spent in Nazareth, Jesus passed from childhood to youth, from youth to adolescence, and from adolescence to manhood. This section reflects His Jewish upbringing by parents who were part of the Jewish believing remnant of that day. Yeshua was raised in a spiritual home where both Joseph and Mary were committed to ADONAI.

The third gospel alone notes: And the child grew and became strong; He was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on Him (Luke 2:40). Between the ages of about two and twelve, we know nothing of Jesus’ life. This one statement, however, summarizes Messiah’s development during that time period. Luke tells us more in one sentence than all the apocryphal books with their silly legends about the miraculous powers of the child Jesus.

As a child, the Lord was still human and needed to be taught. Certainly it was not possible to learn what He learned from His schooling in Nazareth. To some degree we can deduct from what we know from the New Covenant. We know that Jesus was brought up in a very spiritual Jewish home for both Yosef and Miryam were part of the believing remnant of that day. So much of what Yeshua knew about His Jewishness, the Jewish world, and the Scriptures could have easily come from His stepfather and mother. But that would not explain the uniqueness of His knowledge by the age of twelve (Luke 2:41-50).

We cannot assume His knowledge was there because of His deity, for while it is true that He was still God in His childhood, in His humanity, He had to undergo the same learning experience all humans have to go through. He had to learn by study and being taught. When He took on humanity, He set aside certain things. Part of which seemed to be His omniscience, or infinite knowledge, at least for a while. Scripture teaches that His Father taught Him.

ADONAI Elohim has given Me the ability to speak as a man well taught, so that I, with My words, know how to sustain the weary. Each morning He awakens My ear to hear like those who are taught (Isaiah 50:4 CJB). As the boy Jesus was growing up, each and every morning, ADONAI, God the Father, would awaken God the Son, take Him aside and begin to teach and train Him in the word of God. Yeshua was being discipled for His purpose in this life. That was how He was filled with wisdom, and gained knowledge that could only come from God. ADONAI Elohim has opened My ear and I neither rebelled nor turned away (Isaiah 50:5 CJB).

As He began to realize in His humanity that His purpose was to come to the earth to die a substitutionary death on the cross, He was not rebellious, but rather kept an open ear and did not turn away from His calling. When it came time for Him to fulfill His mission He did not waver, but set His face like a flint to complete it. I offered My back to those who struck Me, My cheeks to those who plucked out My beard; I did not hide My face from insult and spitting. For ADONAI Elohim will help. This is why no insult can wound Me. This is why I have set My face like flint, knowing I will not be put to shame (Isaiah 50:6-7 CJB). He offered His back to those who struck, scourged and whipped Him. He did not try to turn His cheeks away from those who wanted to pluck out His beard. He did not try to hide His face from the spitting and shame that came with it. My vindicator is close by; let whoever dares to accuse Me appear with Me in court! Let whoever has a case against Me step forward! Look, ADONAI Elohim helps Me, who will dare condemn Me? Here, they are falling apart like old, moth-eaten clothes (Isaiah 50:8-9 CJB).

What was merely summarized in Luke 2:40 is given in some detail in Isaiah 50:4-9. The Son of God, in His humanity, was specifically taught and discipled by God the Father each morning. As a result, by the age of twelve He clearly understood His mission and His relationship with ADONAI. We see the evidence of this instruction next when Jesus confounds the rabbis in the Temple a year before His bar mitzvah.