64. Comp. Jer. Ber. iv. p. 7 d, and other passages.
But if there was nothing so unprecedented as to render His Presence and questioning
marvellous, yet all who heard Him 'were amazed' at His 'combinative insight' 65 and
'discerning answers.'66 We scarcely venture to inquire towards what His questioning had
been directed. Judging by what we know of s uch discussion, we infer that they may have
been connected with the Paschal solemnities. Grave Paschal questions did arise. Indeed,
the great Hillel obtained his rank as chief when he proved to the assembled Doctors that
the Passover might be offered even on the Sabbath. 67 Many other questions might arise
on the subject of the Passover. Or did the Child Jesus - as afterwards, in connection with
the Messianic teaching68 - lead up by His questions to the deeper meaning of the Paschal
solemnities, as it was to be unfolded, when Himself was offered up, 'the Lamb of God,
Which taketh away the sin of the world?'
65. The expression συνεσις means originally concursus, and (as Schleusner rightly puts
it) intelligentia in the sense of perspicacia qua res probe cognitae subtiliter ac diligenter a
se invicem discernuntur. The LXX. render by it no less than eight different Hebrew
terms.
66. The primary meaning of the verb, from which the word is derived, is secerno,
discerno.
67. Jer. Pes. vi. 1; Pes.66 a.
68. St. Matt. xxii. 42-45.
Other questions also almost force themselves on the mind - most notably this: whether on
the occasio n of this His first visit to the Temple, the Virgin-Mother had told her Son the
history of His Infancy, and of what had happened when, for the first time, He had been
brought to the Temple. It would almost seem so, if we might judge from the contrast
between the Virgin-Mother's complaint about the search of His father and of her, and His
own emphatic appeal to the business of His Father. But most surprising, truly wonderful
it must have seemed to Joseph, and even to the Mother of Jesus, that the meek, quiet
Child should have been found in such company, and so engaged. It must have been quite
other than what, from His past, they would have expected; or they would not have taken
it for granted, when they left Jerusalem, that He was among their kinsfolk and
acquaintance, perhaps mingling with the children. Nor yet would they, in such case, after
they missed Him at the first night's halt - at Sichem,69 if the direct road north, through
Samaria,70 was taken (or, according to the Mishnah, at Akrabah71) - have so anxiously
sought Him by the way,72 and in Jerusalem; nor yet would they have been 'amazed' when
they found Him in the assembly of the Doctors. The reply of Jesus to the half-
reproachful, half-relieved expostulation of them who had sought Him 'sorrowing' thes e
three days,73 sets clearly these three things before us. He had been so entirely absorbed by
the awakening thought of His Being and Mission, however kindled, as to be not only
neglectful, but forgetful of all around. Nay, it even seemed to Him impossible to
understand how they could have sought Him, and not known where He had lingered.
Secondly : we may venture to say, that He now realised that this was emphatically His
Father's House. And, thirdly : so far as we can judge, it was then and there that, for t he
first time, He felt the strong and irresistible impulse - that Divine necessity of His Being -
to be 'about His Father's business.'74 We all, when first awakening to spiritual