The Source of the Story that Jesus has stayed in the Temple when he was a child

Chapter III

The Sources of the Gospels and the Way of Writing Them

Section VI

The Texts which were quoted from the Old Testament, but they have not been attributed directly to it

In this section will examine the texts which were quoted from the Old Testament, but they have not been attributed directly to it, as is the case in the previous sections, which I call it Storyline or Plot-story or screenplay of the Gospels, where we will review the most of the events and stories and sayings that mentioned in the Gospels, and comparing them with the Old Testament and with Jesus as was portrayed in the Gospels, and his attributes in the laws of the faith of the churches as well.

5 - The Source of the Story that Jesus has stayed in the Temple when he was a child

After talking about the birth of Jesus and his genealogy, Luke alone writes a story that Jesus stayed in the temple when he was a child, as in the following text:

Luke 2:41 His parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover.

Luke 2:42 And when He was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast.

Luke 2:43 When they had finished the days, as they returned, the Boy Jesus lingered behind in Jerusalem. And Joseph and His mother did not know it;

Luke 2:44 but supposing Him to have been in the company, they went a day’s journey, and sought Him among their relatives and acquaintances.

Luke 2:45 So when they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking Him.

Luke 2:46 Now so it was that after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions.

Luke 2:47 And all who heard Him were astonished at His understanding and answers.

Luke 2:48 So when they saw Him, they were amazed; and His mother said to Him, "Son, why have You done this to us? Look, Your father and I have sought You anxiously."

Luke 2:49 And He said to them, "Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?"

Luke 2:50 But they did not understand the statement which He spoke to them.

Luke 2:51 Then He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them, but His mother kept all these things in her heart.

Luke 2:52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.

This story contains several issues that raise doubts about its reality, and being a revelation and inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and below are some of them.

The first issue is on the saying of Luke "His parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover", and "His mother said to him, "Son, why have you done this to us? Look, your father and I have sought you anxiously", these passages indicate that Joseph was the biological father of Jesus, which contradicts what is written in the Gospels about the birth of Jesus without intervention of a human father, therefore the churches are facing two options, either saying that Jesus was born without intervention of a human father, and this means that what Luke has written here is wrong, or saying that Joseph was the biological father of Jesus, and this invalidates all the texts that talk about the birth of Jesus without a biological father, and this discrepancy between the texts indicates that all the texts are not revelation or inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

The second issue is on the saying of Luke that "all who heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers", and this saying is strange, because it did not write that the teachers were the ones who asking Jesus, but said that Jesus was listening to them and asking them questions!

The third issue is on the saying of Luke "And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men", this saying indicates that Jesus does not have any divine attribute, so if what was said by the churches about him is true, why he needs to increase in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and men, he who is supposed to be the source and origin of wisdom?!

Moreover, that the increasing of Jesus in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God is clear evidence that the law of faith about the three Persons and their unity in the essence and nature and ability is wrong, because if this law is true; there will be no meaning in order to increase Jesus in favor with the God, unless if we say that the three Persons who have dwelt in the body of Jesus have nothing to do with the Lord the Creator of the heavens and the earth, and they are seeking by all means to increase in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God, including learning the laws in the temple as Jesus did in this story!

So what is the source of this story, and from Where Luke quoted this story?

Let's read the following text:

Psalm 119:99 I have more understanding than all my teachers, For Your testimonies are my meditation.

Psalm 119:100 I understand more than the ancients, Because I keep Your precepts.

In this text we read that the speaker in the Psalm says that he has more understanding than all his teachers, and understand more than the ancients, because he kept the LORD precepts, and this is similar to what was written by Luke "and all who heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers", with a big difference which is that the story of Luke contains the issues that previously mentioned.

As for the source of the saying " And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men", I do believe that Luke has quoted it from the first book of Samuel which is as following:

1 Samuel 2:26 And the child Samuel grew in stature, and in favor both with the LORD and men.

No comment!

From all of the above, we notice how Luke has used the texts of Psalm and Samuel to write his story, despite it contradicts what is written in the Gospels themselves and invalidates the laws of the faith of the churches, which indicates to the method and the approach of writing the Gospels, which is based on the Old Testament texts and reformulating them in their narratives away from the revelation and inspiration of the Holy Spirit to bestow a state of holiness and credibility and reliability on what they have written, and this means that our law "do not accept the lying and false" applies to this story.