Luke loves to give us some life summaries of John the Baptist and Jesus. John’s appears in Luke 1:80: “And the child grew and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the desert until he appeared publicly to Israel.” Jesus has two summaries. The first is in Luke 2:40. “And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon Him.” The second is in Luke 2:52. “And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.” These summaries or time-passing notations provide us with some insight into human development from a Spirit point of view. There is a human point of view as well.
Luke loves to give us some life summaries of John the Baptist and Jesus. John’s appears in Luke 1:80: “And the child grew and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the desert until he appeared publicly to Israel.” Jesus has two summaries. The first is in Luke 2:40. “And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon Him.” The second is in Luke 2:52. “And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.” These summaries or time-passing notations provide us with some insight into human development from a Spirit point of view. There is a human point of view as well.
All three emphasize growth, growth in strength of spirit, in wisdom, and in grace with God and men. And, Luke adds stature, though this could mean more than height. The word “stature” is also found in Ephesians 4:13 regarding our growth into the stature of the fullness of Christ. In this context this means 1) no longer being infants, 2) no longer tossed like a wave in regard to teachings and the deceitful schemes of men; 3) instead speaking the truth in love. Is this what Luke meant about Jesus growing in stature?
So how do we look for strength of sprit in our children and grandchildren? The world often defines this kind of strength as rugged independence. I recently watched a documentary on Jack Johnson, the heavy weight champion of the world at the turn of the 20th century. He was the first black heavy weight champion. The emphasis on his strength, besides his knockout punches, focused on the fact that he would not be defined by his blackness, and that he cared little for what anyone thought of his behaviors, including his many sexual encounters, even with white women, a taboo at the time. I doubt this is what Luke meant. True strength of spirit is found in a person who is strong in the Lord and His mighty power, one who is strong in faith and commitment.
Along with strength of spirit is one’s growth in wisdom. Proverbs is our primer for how a son grows in wisdom. He is one who listens to instruction, avoids the pitfalls of temptation, responds appropriately to correction, and stores understanding within the heart. This is certainly true of John and Jesus. Jesus was not merely knowledgeable, he was wise. From his debating within the temple courts at 12 to his standing before Pilate at 33, Jesus demonstrated supernatural wisdom, a wisdom from above.
Jesus also grow in grace with God and man. The favor of God and man was on Him. This goes beyond merely being liked. God and men wanted to help Him be successful. They invested in Him. They saw His potential, and He was given aid and assistance. Jesus learned to live in integrity so that others, including God, would notice that there is something different, and want to be a part of this young man’s future. Of course, this was expected of God, His Father, who sent Him and knew Him, but it became evident to the people around Him, at least until He started preaching and meddling. For some, favor turned to opposition.
These summaries give us insight into the mind of Christ. He was truly growing and becoming, and in this, leaving an example for all who would follow in His steps.
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