Luke 2:21-52

In these verses Luke’s account of the early life of Jesus comes to an end. The infancy narrative began at the temple and now Luke takes us back to the temple with two specific events in the early life of Jesus—the way Jesus was presented in the temple as a newborn and how Jesus was left behind at the temple as a twelve year old boy. In giving us these two events Luke is once again providing us with unique content about Jesus as a child between His birth and public ministry. We need to ask, “Why this content? Why does Theophilus [ or anyone else ] need to know this specific information?” The answer is because in these two events yet another credential is revealed concerning Jesus, namely—that Jesus alone is God’s global savior who will accomplish His Father’s work of salvation.