Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Luke 2:45
And when they found him not, they turned back again to Jerusalem, seeking him.
Verse 45. Seeking him.] – or rather, seeking him diligently, . This is the reading of BCDL, six others, Vulgate, and nine copies of the Itala. If they sought earnestly when they first found him missing, there is little doubt that their solicitude and diligence must be greatly increased during his three days’ absence, therefore the word which I have adopted, on the above authority, is more likely to be the true reading than the of the common text, which simply signifies seeking; whereas the other strongly marks their solicitude and diligence.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
45, 46. After three sorrowingdays, they find Him still in Jerusalem, not gazing on itsarchitecture, or surveying its forms of busy life, but in thetemplenot the “sanctuary” (as in Lu1:9), to which only the priests had access, but in some one ofthe enclosures around it, where the rabbins, or “doctors,”taught their scholars.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And when they found him not,…. In the company that came from Jerusalem with them, nor among any of their relations and friends, with whom they supposed he was:
they turned back again to Jerusalem, that is, the next morning, for it can hardly be thought they would set out that night, after they had travelled all day, without taking some repose:
seeking him; at Jerusalem, in the streets and broad places of it; a figure of the church and ordinances, where souls look for, and inquire after their beloved, when they have lost him, So 3:1.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Seeking for him ( ). Present participle of the same verb. This was all that was worth while now, finding the lost boy.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Seeking him [] . All the way as they went. Force of ajna, as above.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “And when they found him not,” (kai me heurontes) “And when they had not found him,” surprised at His absence, that they could find no one who had seen Him all day.
2) “They turned back again to Jerusalem, seeking him,” (hupestrepasn eis lerousalem anazetountes auton) “They returned into Jerusalem searching for him,” with anxious care, concern, making a careful search, inquiring as they went, until they came to Jerusalem and found Him where they left Him, in His Father’s house, Joh 2:16.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
Luk 2:45 f. ] present participle: “ubi res aliqua nondum quidem peragitur, sed tamen aut revera aut cogitatione instituitur paraturve,” Khner, ad Xen. Anab. i. 3.16. Comp. Dissen, ad Pind. Ol. vii. 14, p. 81.
] is reckoned, in most accordance with the text, from the point at which the search meant by . began, consequently from their return to Jerusalem, the day of this return being counted as the first, and that of the finding as the third. Comp. the designation of the time of Christ’s resurrection as “after three days.” Others explain it otherwise. “Grotius: Diem unum iter fecerant, altero remensi erant iter, tertio demum quaesitum inveniunt.” So also Paulus, Bleek, and others, following Euthymius Zigabenus.
] We are to think of the synagogue , which “erat prope atrium in monte templi,” Gloss. Joma , f. 68, 2; Lightfoot in loc. ; Deyling, Obss. III. ed. 2, p. 285 f.
] The Rabbinic assertion: “a diebus Mosis ad Rabban Gamalielem non didicerunt legem nisi stantes,” Megillah , f. 21,1 (Wagenseil, ad Sotah , p. 993), according to which Jesus would thus already appear as a teacher, is rightly rejected as unfounded in the N. T., by Vitringa, Synag. p. 167, and more recent expositors.
] has its reference to the seeking of the parents; Jesus was not hidden, but He sat there in the midst among the teachers . We may conceive of Him at the feet of a teaching Rabbi, sitting in their circle (comp. on Act 22:3 ). In this there is nothing extraordinary to be discerned, [59] since Jesus was already a “ son of the law ” (see on Luk 2:42 ). But to find here a sitting on an equality with the teachers [60] (Strauss, comp. de Wette) is not in accordance with the text, since the report would not otherwise have limited the action of the child to the and .
. ] The Rabbinical instruction did not consist merely in teaching and interrogating the disciples, but these latter themselves also asked questions and received answers. See Lightfoot, p. 742 ff.; Wetstein in loc. The questioning here is that of the pure and holy desire for knowledge, not that of a guest mingling in the conversation (in opposition to de Wette).
[59] Lange, II. 1, p. 130, invents the idea that “the genius of the new humanity soared above the heroes of the old decorum.”
[60] So also older dogmatic writers. “Ceu doctor doctorum,” says Calovius, who specifies the fourfold aim: ob gloriae templi posterioris illustrationem , Hag 2:10 ; ob adventus sui manifestationem ; ob sapientiae divinae demonstrationem ; ob doctorum informationem . Into what apocryphal forms the conversation of Jesus with the doctors might be fashioned, may be seen in the Evang. infant. 50 ff. Even by Chemnitz He is said to have discoursed already “ de persona et officiis Messiae, de discrimine legis et evangelii ,” etc.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
45 And when they found him not, they turned back again to Jerusalem, seeking him.
Ver. 45. And when they found him not ] The best are sometimes at a loss, and hard put to it for three days, or so. And this, mostly, for their security, as the Church in the Canticles.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
45. ] as they went back, all the way.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Luk 2:45 . : the present participle, expressing the purpose of the journey back to Jerusalem, where (not on the road) the search took place ( cf. Act 11:25 ). The here (as in , Luk 2:44 ) implies careful, anxious search.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
seeking = searching (all the way they went). Greek. anaz as in Luk 2:44.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
45.] -as they went back, all the way.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Reciprocal: Luk 2:46 – after
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
5
The parents returned to Jerusalem where they had last seen their son.