The Unexpected Messiah’s unexceptional life

Jesus was born and lived a very human life. The gospels are very specific about that. Jesus, although he was God, fully God, never stopped being God, was, at the same time, absolutely human.

The conception of Jesus was miraculous, extraordinary, unusual.

Luke 1:35 And the angel answered her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God.

The Holy Spirit overcame her and she conceived the Son of God.

We see that his birth was NOT miraculous.

Luke 2:6-7 And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

Joseph and Mary had to go to Bethlehem, and while she was there, as the verse says, the time came for her to give birth, and she gave birth.  The surprising thing about that sentence is how unremarkable it is. I mean, this is the Messiah, the Savior, the SON OF GOD. You would expect his birth to be a little more remarkable. We would like a few more details. If one of us women were to visit with Mary, we would ask her how long she was in labor, did she have an epidural or natural birth, was Joseph attentive…Those are questions we would ask about just any birth. The birth of a King should be much more special. We want to know more.

But we have no details, except that they were in a stable because there was nowhere else for them to 

stay. Remarkable that God became flesh but had to be born in a stable. 

Luke 2:21-24 And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb. And when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord.  (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, "Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord")   and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, "a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons."

Jesus was circumcised. God became a human baby boy and submitted himself to be circumcised. Because that is what the law required for male babies. He and his parents did the normal things for Jewish babies. His parents brought him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord. Really. But, he was the Lord. Mary and Joseph presented him to the Lord because the Law of Moses said to do that. They offered the appropriate sacrifice for the son of a poor family, just as the Law required. They just did the normal things that Jewish parents would do. 

The Bible does not say much about his childhood.  Maybe because he had a normal childhood.

Luke 2:40 And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him.

Jesus grew. He grew physically and intellectually and relationally.

The only story from his childhood recorded is when he was 12 years old and he went with his family to Jerusalem. His parents lost him, and found him in the temple.

Luke 2:46-47 After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.

He was in the temple listening and asking questions, and answering questions. Maybe unusual, but a very normal thing for a young Jewish boy who loved God to be doing.

Luke 2:48-50 And when his parents saw him, they were astonished. And his mother said to him, "Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been searching for you in great distress."   And he said to them, "Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?"  And they did not understand the saying that he spoke to them.

Jesus answer to his parents is remarkable. He had to be in his Father’s house. This is an unusual response. What is surprising to us, I think, is that his parents WERE so surprised. Even when Jesus said that he had to be in his Father’s house, they did not understand what he was talking about. Mary and Joseph knew who he was. The fact that they did not understand seems to indicate that Jesus just seemed like a normal boy to them. I don’t mean to imply I think he pulled shenanigans of any kind, that he was ugly to his parents or disobedient. But, he lived a normal boy life with his parents.

Luke 2:51 52 And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them. And his mother treasured up all these things in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.

He went home and lived a normal life. He was a boy who submitted to his parents and did the things that 12 year old Jewish boys were supposed to do. And he grew. He continued to grow physically, mentally, and relationally.

What is so unexpected about this normal human life that Jesus lived?  Who would think that a King would live just like everyone else? The Jews were looking for something else, a King who looked like a king and lived like a king.