Luke 2:51 kjv
And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart.
Luke 2:51 nkjv
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 2:51 niv
Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart.
Luke 2:51 esv
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.
Luke 2:51 nlt
Then he returned to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. And his mother stored all these things in her heart.
Luke 2 51 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Lk 2:40 | And the Child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom... | Jesus' growth in wisdom. |
| Lk 2:52 | And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man. | Further development of Jesus. |
| Lk 2:19 | But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart. | Mary's habit of pondering earlier events. |
| Phil 2:8 | And being found in human form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient... | Jesus' ultimate obedience, even to death. |
| Heb 5:8 | Although He was a Son, He learned obedience through what He suffered. | Christ's active learning through human experience. |
| Rom 5:19 | For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one Man's obedience the many will be made righteous. | Christ's obedience bringing righteousness. |
| John 4:34 | Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me..." | Jesus' primary purpose is obedience to the Father. |
| John 6:38 | For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will but the will of Him who sent Me. | Jesus' complete alignment with the Father's will. |
| Eph 6:1 | Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. | Command for children to obey parents. |
| Col 3:20 | Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. | Emphasizes the pleasing nature of child obedience. |
| Exod 20:12 | Honor your father and your mother... | Fifth Commandment: honor parents. |
| Deut 5:16 | Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God commanded you... | Reiteration of the command to honor parents. |
| Gen 37:11 | His brothers envied him, but his father kept the saying in mind. | Parallels Mary's pondering of special events. |
| Ps 119:11 | I have stored up Your Word in my heart, that I might not sin against You. | Keeping God's Word in the heart. |
| Prov 4:23 | Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life. | Importance of guarding the heart. |
| Jer 31:33 | I will put My law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. | God's law inscribed on the heart. |
| Matt 1:23 | “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son..." | Fulfillment of prophecy about Christ's birth. |
| Gal 4:4 | But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of woman, born under the law. | Christ born under the law, signifying obedience. |
| 1 Pet 2:21 | For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example... | Christ as an example for believers to follow. |
| Phil 4:8 | Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable... dwell on these things. | Exhortation to meditate on godly things. |
| Heb 4:15 | For we do not have a High Priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. | Jesus' full humanity and sinlessness. |
| 2 Tim 3:15 | and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation. | Importance of early biblical training. |
Luke 2 verses
Luke 2 51 Meaning
Luke 2:51 describes Jesus' immediate actions after the incident in the Temple, revealing key aspects of His person and the journey of faith. It shows Jesus' humble and perfect obedience to His earthly parents, Joseph and Mary, despite His divine nature and growing understanding of His heavenly mission. Simultaneously, it highlights Mary's consistent practice of pondering and preserving the profound events and words concerning her Son in her heart, reflecting her spiritual receptivity and discipleship.
Luke 2 51 Context
Luke 2:51 immediately follows the account of Jesus, at age twelve, being found in the Temple engaging with the teachers. This pivotal event, marking His emergence from childhood, reveals His unique understanding of His divine Sonship ("Why did you seek me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?"). Despite this revelation, Jesus voluntarily returns with Joseph and Mary to Nazareth. This verse acts as a bridge, describing the transition from a moment of divine manifestation to seventeen "silent years" where Jesus lives a normal life under the authority of His earthly parents, until His public ministry begins. The passage underscores Jesus' growth and maturity in private, prior to His public debut, preparing Him for His ultimate mission.
Luke 2 51 Word analysis
- Then He went down: The Greek verb for "went down" is katēbē (κατέβη). This literally signifies movement from a higher elevation (Jerusalem) to a lower one (Nazareth). Spiritually, it underscores Jesus' humble condescension; though having just displayed profound divine wisdom, He willingly returns to an ordinary life, demonstrating true humility and submission to the path set for Him, both by His heavenly Father and by His earthly parents in that immediate context.
- with them: Refers to Joseph and Mary. It highlights the continued family unit and Jesus' position within it.
- and came to Nazareth: Nazareth was Jesus' humble hometown. This emphasizes the ordinary, unremarkable setting where He would live for years, contrasting with the extraordinary event in the Temple. It grounds the divine in the mundane, showing His true humanity.
- and was submissive to them;: The Greek word is hypotassomenos (ὑποτασσόμενος), meaning "being in subjection to," "submitting," or "being obedient to." This is a continuous participle, indicating an ongoing state of willing obedience and humility, not merely a single act. For Jesus, who just affirmed His unique relationship with God as His Father, to submit to human parents reveals profound lessons:
- Perfect Humanity: He fully lived out the role of a child within a family structure, without bypassing the human developmental stages or responsibilities.
- Divine Example: He sets the supreme example for all believers in obedience to authority, even when that authority might not fully grasp the depth of His nature or purpose. His obedience reflects the very nature of God the Son submitting to God the Father's will.
- Preparation for Ministry: This period of humble submission was crucial for His development and understanding of perfect obedience, a cornerstone of His future ministry and sacrificial work (Phil 2:8).
- but His mother kept: The Greek verb is diētērei (διετήρει), an imperfect tense verb, indicating a continuous and ongoing action of keeping, guarding, or preserving. Mary wasn't just remembering, but actively storing, pondering, and treasuring these events.
- all these things: This refers broadly to everything that had transpired, particularly the Temple incident: Jesus' wisdom, His answers, His identity claims, and possibly the implications of His growth (Lk 2:40).
- in her heart: The heart in ancient thought (Hebrew lev, Greek kardia) was not just the seat of emotion, but of intellect, will, memory, and understanding. Mary's "keeping in her heart" indicates deep spiritual meditation, assimilation, and pondering of divine revelation. She treasured these insights as spiritual wisdom, forming her understanding of who Jesus was and what His destiny would be. This implies active reflection, like Jacob "keeping in mind" Joseph's dreams (Gen 37:11), comparing events, and seeking understanding over time.
Luke 2 51 Bonus section
The "silent years" of Jesus' life between this incident and His public ministry (beginning around age 30) are not detailed in Scripture, making Luke 2:51 a crucial verse. It assures believers that Jesus' development was holistic, encompassing physical growth (Lk 2:52), wisdom, and moral excellence through perfect obedience. This period of subjection underlines His true humanity and serves as a pattern for discipleship, demonstrating that faithfulness often involves seasons of hidden growth and humble submission to authority before being called to greater public service. Mary's consistent internal pondering points to the importance of active meditation on God's word and deeds as essential for spiritual maturity, allowing past revelations to illuminate present understanding. It suggests that deep truth is often processed gradually, not instantly.
Luke 2 51 Commentary
Luke 2:51 is a succinct yet profoundly significant verse bridging Jesus' unique childhood revelation and His silent growth years. It showcases Jesus, the divine Son, actively choosing humility and submission to earthly parental authority, embodying perfect obedience even at an age of developing independence. This wasn't passive conformity but a conscious act of subjection, modeling the divine principle of submitting to established order and honoring parents, foreshadowing His ultimate submission to the Father's will on the cross. Simultaneously, Mary's action of "keeping all these things in her heart" depicts her role as the consummate disciple—one who observes, internalizes, and deeply meditates on God's revelation, storing it for future understanding and faith. This continuous spiritual reflection contrasts with the external awe of the Temple teachers and highlights the internal process necessary for spiritual growth. The verse emphasizes that profound divine truth is often revealed not through spectacular events, but in humble obedience and thoughtful contemplation, preparing individuals for their ultimate callings. It sets an example for every believer to grow in grace through submission and reflection upon God's truth.