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Chapter 8—The Passover Visit
This chapter is based on
Luke 2:41-51
.
Among the Jews the twelfth year was the dividing line between
childhood and youth. In accordance with this custom, Jesus made the
Passover visit to Jerusalem with Joseph and Mary when He reached
the required age.
The journey from Galilee occupied several days, and travelers
united in large companies for companionship and protection. The
women and aged men rode on oxen or asses over the steep, rocky
roads. The stronger men and youth journeyed on foot. The whole
land was bright with flowers, and glad with the song of birds. Along
the way, fathers and mothers recounted to their children the wonders
that God had wrought for His people in ages past, and beguiled their
journey with song and music.
Observance of the Passover began with the birth of the Hebrew
nation. On the last night of their bondage in Egypt, God directed the
Hebrews to gather their families within their own dwellings. Having
sprinkled the doorposts with the blood of the slain lamb, they were
to eat the lamb, roasted, with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. “It
is the Lord’s passover.”
Exodus 12:11
. At midnight all the firstborn
of the Egyptians were slain. Then the Hebrews went out from Egypt
an independent nation. From generation to generation the story of
this wonderful deliverance was to be repeated.
The Passover was followed by the seven days’ feast of unleav-
ened bread. All the ceremonies of the feast were types of the work
of Christ. The slain lamb, the unleavened bread, the sheaf of first
[46]
fruits, represented the Saviour. But with most of the people in the
days of Christ, this feast had degenerated into formalism. But what
was its significance to the Son of God!
For the first time the child Jesus looked upon the temple. He
saw the white-robed priests performing their solemn ministry, the
bleeding victim on the altar of sacrifice. He witnessed the impressive
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