was something so clear, so judicious, in all he said, as to excite a feeling of astonishment in all who heard. There is some difficulty in determining to whom the following words apply, "and when they saw him they were amazed." They must apply either to the multitude of teachers and hearers, or to the parents of Jesus. Our translators evidently consider them as applying to Joseph and Mary, and they are capable of this application. But then it may be asked, "Is there any reason why his parents should be amazed at finding him in the temple, and at his understanding and answers, since they could not be ignorant who and what he was?" It is, perhaps, more proper to understand the words as applied to the multitude who taught and heard: the words are thus understood and applied by some learned critics, who think the sense is, that persons hearing him, and discovering by his voice that he was young, were surprised; but when they considered him more attentively, and saw and reflected how young he was, they were overwhelmed with amazement. Considering the modesty with which Jesus proceeded, we may here reflect, "how often does honour come unsought!" True worth is ever modest and unassuming, like the deep and wide stream which pursues a calm and noiseless course. Yet it will

certainly be discovered by those who understand its nature, and whenever discovered it will meet with due honour and reward.

When they had found Jesus, Mary his mother chid him with tender and affectionate vehemence: "Son, wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing." Where this maternal expostulation took place we know not. It is possible it might be before the doctors and audience; but the probability is, that it was when they were more private. To the question Jesus answered, "How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?" The import of this language is, "How came ye to be so much concerned about me? Did ye not know that I must be about the work of my heavenly Father? Have ye not already perceived that I have devoted myself to the service of religion, and therefore must be engaged in it?" Some understand the meaning of the answer to be,

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Why did ye go about seeking me sorrowing, and not come directly to the temple? Did you not know that that is my Father's house, and that there I delight to be?" When Jesus went up to the temple with his parents, he had probably testified to them the sacred pleasure and delight he found there, and now suggests to them that

that was the place where they might have expected at once to find him. When we know the disposition and favourite pursuits of men, we can tell where to send or look for them. You may look for the philosopher in his study; for the mathematician among his problems; for the man of pleasure at the card-table, in the ball-room, or on the turf; for the infidel in the scorner's chair; and for the Christian in the closet, in the sanctuary, in the social religious circle, or in his family, "adorning the doctrine of God his Saviour in all things."

The meaning of what Jesus said, his parents did not immediately understand. They knew that he was the Messiah who was to possess the throne of his father David. For the angel Gabriel had said unto Mary, "And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end." But they knew not what business he could at that time have to do in the temple for his Father; or how his business in the temple could bring him to the throne of David. They, in fact, laboured under

the common mistake of the Jews in supposing that the Messiah was to be a temporal prince, whose kingdom should be of this world. That the words of the angel to Mary were to be understood spiritually; that Jesus was to be a prophet and priest, as well as king; and that he was to do much of his work on earth in his prophetical and priestly character, they had no clear idea. Hence, when he said, "Wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?" "they understood not the saying which he spake unto them."

Mary, however, though she understood not the words of Jesus immediately, kept them in her heart. The expression means that she treasured them up in her mind, well considered, and laboured to come to the understanding of them; expecting that what she knew not now she should know hereafter; and that their meaning would be fully explained, either by the future sayings of Jesus, or by the events of his life. We should do well to imitate the conduct of Mary here, in reference to the dealings of Christ with his people. "A scholar," says Matthew Henry, "keeps those grammar rules in memory, which at present he understands not the use of, because he is told they will hereafter be of use to him;" so Christians, though they see not the meaning and use of the words and dealings of Jesus now,

should meditate on them, and labour to keep up the remembrance of them. The advantage of so doing will one day be apparent: "Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the lovingkindness of the Lord."

Joseph and Mary having thus found Jesus, returned to Nazareth; and Jesus returned with them. Having afforded just a glimpse of his glory he retired into obscurity; like the sun which now darts forth a beam and then conceals itself behind a cloud. Jerusalem was the place where he might best have displayed his wisdom, if display had been his object; yet be did not urge his parents either to settle there themselves, or to settle him there, but willingly "went down with them and came to Nazareth." What an instance of humility have we here! Reader, art thou young? Look at the child Jesus; and "let the same mind be in you as was also in him."

It is remarked of Jesus, that when he thus returned to Nazareth with his parents, he "was subject unto them." Though he was more than man, and had at Jerusalem given a proof of this, yet he assumed no air of superiority on that account. Though at Jerusalem he had displayed great wisdom, and gained great applause, yet he went down with his parents, and came to Naza