What Did Jesus Actually Mean By My Father's "Business"?

 

What Did Jesus Mean By My Father's "Business"?

What did Jesus mean when he asked his parents: “Wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?” — Luke 2:49 (KJV)

Scripture clearly states in the 50th verse that even his parents understood not the thing he said to them. 

Just like Mary & Joseph, many today do not understand what is implied by those words.

Some interpret it to mean that what Jesus meant is ministry/religious activities, and that just like any profit making venture is called business, ministry is also business.

Now the truth is the word which the common english version translated as "business" in that 49th verse, is not in the original greek lexicon. 

It was only added in the english translation to imply that Jesus was occupied with the things of his Father(God) since he was found in the temple of God, reasoning with the doctors and teachers of the law of God.

That is why some translations render it as: “Know you not that i must be in my Father's house?”

EBR renders it as: "Perceived ye not, that in the courts of my Father, I must needs be?"

"The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up; and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me" says the Psalmist concerning Christ. - Psalm 69:9.

This zeal, occupation & obsession with the courts and house of his Father is what he expressed when he entered the temple at passover and found the money changers & those who were buying/selling, and made a scourge of chords and drove them out. - John 2:13-17.

They had brought reproach to the name of the Lord, having turned the temple of God ie. his father's house, into a den of thieves; a place of trade/business for profit, just like erroneous teachers today have turned what he said about being about his Father's house into business; a profit making venture.

Covetous religious leaders, leveraging on the wrong interpretation of that scripture, make merchandise of God's people with fictitious yet well moulded words; ministering & twisting the word of God to gain large followership and massive monetary profit. 

Scripture prophetically projects that many will follow their pernicious ways(swift yet venomous & lethal way), and that by reason of them the way of the truth will be reproached and blasphemed - 1st Peter 5:1-2 & 2nd Peter 2:1-3.

What Is The Context Of Luke 2:49?

What Was Jesus Doing In The Temple When He Said I Must Be In My Father's House?

Jesus was twelve years old, and this is the first recorded statement of His own words in Luke's Gospel.

His parents found Him in the temple: “sitting in the midst of the teachers, both hearing them, and asking them questions. And all who heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers.” 

- Luke 2:46-47.

He was thus occupied with the law/word of God, reasoning in the word, giving earnest attention to doctrine/teaching and asking questions, and all who heard him reasoning in the word with the teachers of the law, were astonished at his understanding and answers.

In the temple(his Father's house) he was not busy doing religious activities or rituals of the law, his occupation was rather with the law, commandment and words of his Father. His entire life was governed by this “occupation” with the words of his Father, giving heed/paying rapt attention to his voice...there was absolutely nothing he did that did not come/flow from hearing the voice/words of the Father...."I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me." John 5:30.

Earlier in John 4:34 he had said that his meat is to do the will of him that sent him and to finish his work. His entire life was thus a life of communion & communication with the Father, hearing from him to execute exactly what he says.

In Psalm 40:6-8 he says "Sacrifice and oblation thou didst not desire: ears hast thou prepared me. Burnt-offering and sin-offering hast thou not demanded. Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me,I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.

"Ears" translated in the text is the hebrew word "ôzen" which both speaks of ears as organs of the body and hearing as an act.

"Ears has thou prepared me"....the apostle lifting this prophecy concerning the Christ in Hebrews 10:5 says "a body has thou prepared me".

Imagine an entire body/being constituted as ears, the entirety of one's being/existence as one made/wired to hear ie. it speaks of the absolute obsession & occupation of the person of the Lord Jesus with hearing & thus doing the will of the Father. This explains why he could say of the Father in such absolute terms..."I do always those things that please him." John 8:28

Earlier in the 26th & 27th verses he said 👇🏽

I have many things to say and to judge of you: but he that sent me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I have heard of him. They understood not that he spake to them of the Father.

In conclusion, his entire life & ministry was hearing and doing the will of the Father and it was such that he did absolutely nothing of himself. 

His death on the cross, which was the ultimate reason/purpose he came, to give his life a ransom for all, was not of himself as a mission conceived/purposed by himself, though he said I lay down my life of myself as having power to lay it down, he clearly stated that: "this commandment have I received of my Father" - John 10:18.