SEV Biblia, Chapter 2:46
Y aconteci, que despus de tres días le hallaron en el Templo, sentado en medio de los doctores, oyndoles y preguntndoles.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Luke 2:46
Verse 46. Sitting in the midst of the doctors] The rabbins, who were explaining the law and the ceremonies of the Jewish religion to their disciples. Asking them questions.] Not as a scholar asks his teacher, to be informed; but as a teacher, who proposes questions to his scholars in order to take an occasion to instruct them.
In the time of Josephus, the Jewish teachers were either very ignorant or very humble: for he tells us that, "when he was about fourteen years of age, the chief priests, and the principal men of the city, were constantly coming to him to be more accurately instructed in matters relative to the law." See his Life, sect. ii. If this were true, it is no wonder to find them now listening, with the deepest attention, to such teaching as they never before heard.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 46. And it came to pass, that after three days , etc.] From their first setting out from Jerusalem, when Jesus tarried behind; or on the third day, which may be reckoned thus; the first day was spent in journeying, and the second in coming back the same journey, and the third day they sought all Jerusalem for him, when they found him in the temple ; his Father's house, the house of God, a figure of a Gospel church, where the word and ordinances are duly administered, and where Christ is to be found. What part of the temple Christ was in, is not easy to say; it was not in the holy of holies, for none but the high priest went into that, and that only on the day of atonement; nor in the court of the priests, for he was not among them, but the doctors; nor in the court of the Israelites, where the common people worshipped: it may be best judged of, by observing where their several consistories, or courts of judicature were f145 ; the grand sanhedrim sat in the sanctuary, in the room Gazith; the lesser sanhedrim, which consisted of twenty three persons, and the bench of three; the one sat in the gate of the court (of the Israelites); and the other in the gate of the mountain of the house (or court of the Gentiles); it seems most likely, that he was in the room Gazith, where the grand sanhedrim sat; for here was the largest number of doctors; and it was the more amazing to his parents, to find him here; unless it should be rather thought, that he was in the synagogue in the temple, for such an one there was there; where, after service was over, he might be admitted to a conversation with the learned doctors that belonged to it: it follows, sitting in the midst of the doctors : the principal doctors in being at this time, were Hillell and Shammai, the one the president, and the other vice president of the council; and Rabban Simeon, the son of Hillell, who succeeded him in his office; and R. Judah, and R. Joshua, the sons of Bethira; Jonathan ben Uzziel, the author of the Chaldee paraphrase; and R.
Jochanan ben Zaccai. The sanhedrim sat in a semicircular form, like the half of a round corn floor; so that they could see one another, and the prince, and the father of the court, could see them all; and before them sat three rows of the disciples of the wise men, or scholars; and in each row there were three and twenty men: the first row was next to the sanhedrim, and the second row below that, and the third row below that; and in every row they sat according to their superiority in wisdom f147 : on a seat, in one of these rows, I think, Christ sat among the scholars; and this may be called sitting among the doctors, because these seats were just before them, and were in a semicircular form; at least he might be here at first; when upon the questions he put, and the answers he made, he was taken particular notice of by the doctors, who might call him up, and place him between them; for this, in some cases, was done to scholars. Thus, it is said f148 , if one of the disciples, or scholars, say, I have something to say in favour of him, (one that is on his trial,) they bring him up, and cause him to sit in the midst of them; and he does not go down from thence all the whole day. Both hearing them : their debates and decisions about points in the law of Moses: and asking them questions ; upon those points. Had this been a Midrash, or school, there would be no difficulty of producing instances of putting questions to the doctors there; but there was no such place in the temple, or synagogue, where teachers were interrogated by their hearers; for which reason I think the passages, produced by Dr. Lightfoot, are not so pertinent, since they refer to such a place: it is very likely, since there were such a number of scholars admitted to sit before the sanhedrim to hear their controversies, and determinations, and were allowed, in some cases, to speak; so they might be suffered to put questions, in order to gain knowledge.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 41-52 - It is for the honour of Christ that children should attend on publi worship. His parents did not return till they had stayed all the seve days of the feast. It is well to stay to the end of an ordinance, a becomes those who say, It is good to be here. Those that have los their comforts in Christ, and the evidences of their having a part in him, must bethink themselves where, and when, and how they lost them and must turn back again. Those that would recover their los acquaintance with Christ, must go to the place in which he has put his name; there they may hope to meet him. They found him in some part of the temple, where the doctors of the law kept their schools; he wa sitting there, hearkening to their instructions, proposing questions and answering inquiries, with such wisdom, that those who heard wer delighted with him. Young persons should seek the knowledge of Divin truth, attend the ministry of the gospel, and ask such questions of their elders and teachers as may tend to increase their knowledge Those who seek Christ in sorrow, shall find him with the greater joy Know ye not that I ought to be in my Father's house; at my Father' work; I must be about my Father's business. Herein is an example; for it becomes the children of God, in conformity to Christ, to atten their heavenly Father's business, and make all other concerns give wa to it. Though he was the Son of God, yet he was subject to his earthl parents; how then will the foolish and weak sons of men answer it, wh are disobedient to their parents? However we may neglect men's sayings because they are obscure, yet we must not think so of God's sayings That which at first is dark, may afterwards become plain and easy. The greatest and wisest, those most eminent, may learn of this admirabl and Divine Child, that it is the truest greatness of soul to know ou own place and office; to deny ourselves amusements and pleasures no consistent with our state and calling __________________________________________________________________
Greek Textus Receptus
και 2532 CONJ εγενετο 1096 5633 V-2ADI-3S μεθ 3326 PREP ημερας 2250 N-APF τρεις 5140 A-APF ευρον 2147 5627 V-2AAI-3P αυτον 846 P-ASM εν 1722 PREP τω 3588 T-DSN ιερω 2411 N-DSN καθεζομενον 2516 5740 V-PNP-ASM εν 1722 PREP μεσω 3319 A-DSN των 3588 T-GPM διδασκαλων 1320 N-GPM και 2532 CONJ ακουοντα 191 5723 V-PAP-ASM αυτων 846 P-GPM και 2532 CONJ επερωτωντα 1905 5723 V-PAP-ASM αυτους 846 P-APM
Vincent's NT Word Studies
46. After three days. From the time of separation.In the temple. "We read in the Talmud that the members of the Temple-Sanhedrin, who, on ordinary days, sat as a court of appeal from the close of the morning to the time of the evening sacrifice, were wont, upon Sabbaths and feast days, to come out upon the terrace of the temple, and there to teach. In such popular instruction the utmost latitude of questioning would be given. It is in this audience, which sat upon the ground, surrounding and mingling with the doctors, and hence during, not after, the feast, that we must seek the child Jesus" (Edersheim, "Life and Times," etc., i. 247). From this, Edersheim argues that the parents set out for home before the close of the feast.
Sitting. Not occupying a teacher's place, but sitting in the circle among the doctors and their hearers. See above. Compare Acts xxii. 3.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
2:46 {After three days} (meta hemeras treis). One day out, one day back, and on the third day finding him. {In the temple} (en twi hierwi). Probably on the terrace where members of the Sanhedrin gave public instruction on sabbaths and feast-days, so probably while the feast was still going on. The rabbis probably sat on benches in a circle. The listeners on the ground, among whom was Jesus the boy in a rapture of interest. {Both hearing them and asking them questions} (kai akouonta autwn kai eperwtwnta autous). Paul sat at the feet of Gamaliel (#Ac 22:3). Picture this eager boy alive with interest. It was his one opportunity in a theological school outside of the synagogue to hear the great rabbis expound the problems of life. this was the most unusual of all children, to be sure, in intellectual grasp and power. But it is a mistake to think that children of twelve do not think profoundly concerning the issues of life. What father or mother has ever been able to answer a child's questions?
