They Understood Not…

—Luke 2:50

Rev. C Vogelaar is pastor of the Netherlands Reformed Congregation of St. Catharines, Ontario.

Ignorance in the way of salvation… how clearly is that revealed in the life of the disciples, but also of Joseph and Mary. They understood not. How deeply are we fallen! We are so blind that Cod’s Word cannot be understood by us, unless the Lord Himself takes away the veil from our eyes. We will then see the beauty of the Lord and inquire in His temple.

We live in days that there are more people in the church who seem to know the Lord’s work and comprehend than those who have to say, “Shew me Thy ways, O LORD, teach me Thy paths.” For many there are no mysteries. They have a clear understanding of God’s dealings with them. They know who they are, where they are, and where the Lord leads them. There are no puzzles or riddles for them. They can believe, and have no struggle with unbelief and with their rebellious heart. They can always speak, submit, have gladness and receive many visits from Cod and are content and in peace.

But there is a remnant which will experience what we read in Isaiah 42:16, “And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not, I will lead them in paths that they have not known.”

No, we may never encourage the sinful frames of heart nor protect unbelief or doubts of what Cod has spoken. But the dead and formal professors of the truth, the temporary believers do not have trouble with their corrupt heart. They do not know the fear of God’s children, who have learned to know their deceitful hearts. They are strangers of the spiritual warfare and of the sharp arrows of Satan that wound their hearts. But Cod’s poor and weak people, that needy and afflicted church, need to be led by Cod Himself. They need divine confirmation and instruction. For them is the promise, “I will make darkness light before them and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them and not forsake them.” Oh, what a precious promise, which the Lord will surely fulfill, but, at His time and in His way!

We can see this also in the life of Joseph and Mary. They were no strangers of grace, and their blind eyes were opened. They had seen their own misery, filthiness, and hell-worthiness, but also the preciousness and suitableness of Him, who now went with them to Jerusalem.

Their child, their hope and consolation. They had gladdening and encouraging experiences of God’s truth and mercy. And now they went up with Jesus with joy and gladness unto Jerusalem, to celebrate the Passover. It was as in Psalm 122:1, “I was glad when they said unto me, let us go into the house of the Lord.” There will have been more travellers to Jerusalem, whose hearts were filled with hope and expectation. “How gladly the tribes go up unto the top of the mountain of Zion.”

Oh, what a delightful time in the life of God’s church, when their hearts are warm, and their eyes may see the goodness of the Lord; when the gospel is opened to them, when they cannot mourn because the bridegroom is with them! They expect to be saved with Jesus, and they are blind for the truth that they have to be saved by Jesus — by Him alone, as an enemy. They have to be reconciled with God not as a friend, but in a way wherein they will lose everything outside of Him. He will become a complete Savior who will do all the work for and in them. This is a way wherein they have to be placed outside and wherein God’s sovereign grace alone will be glorified.

Therefore it is necessary what the Lord testifies in Hosea 2:14, “Therefore, behold, I will allure her and bring her into the wilderness.” There comes an end to the time of speaking and singing about Jesus, when Joseph and Mary go back and Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem. They did not miss Him immediately. They enjoy the benefits they have experienced in the past — the nice time they spent in Jerusalem. In the meantime, a separation comes between Jesus and their soul, for He did not go in the way they went. Jesus did not go with them, did not follow them. But they have to learn to follow Him, in His incomprehensible and hidden way. Oh, what a blessing, that Jesus does not go in our way, that He does not follow His children, for then they would all perish on the way! No sinner would be brought back unto the Father which sent Him.

It is God’s wisdom, revealed in ways that they knew not; it is Cod’s faithfulness when Joseph and Mary are missing Him and have to seek Him. And although they seek Him at the wrong place, their pleasant, but dangerous rest is taken away. They cannot go forward without Him. At Cod’s time, after three days, they found Him, in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions. Oh, deep humiliation for the Son of Cod, He, Wisdom Himself, sitting at the feet of blind, ignorant sons of men, who need to be taught by Him. Joseph and Mary do not understand why He has done this and express their unrest: “Behold, thy father and I have sought thee, sorrowing.”

Jesus answers, “How is it that ye sought me? Wist ye not that I must be about My Father’s business? No, Mary and Joseph, you may not act as rightful claimants. I did not come to do your delight, to follow you — not to be about your business, but I must be about My Father’s business.

Jesus did not go with them, did not follow them. But they have to learn to follow Him...

“The work I have to do, the way I have to go is appointed to Me by My Father. It is not according to your good pleasure, but I came to do His will. That is My delight, that is My goal, to glorify Him, to restore unto Him, what I did not take away; to honor Him, to bring back lost sinners unto Him.”

Salvation is the Father’s business, for He asked for a Mediator. He said, “Who is this that engaged His heart to approach unto Me?” It was the Father’s good pleasure that He was sent forth in the fulness of time, made of a woman, made under the law. It was the “must” of God’s eternal purpose.

We read of that “must” also in other places, “I must work the works of Him that sent Me” (Jn. 9:4).

His way also was appointed by the Father. “And He must needs go through Samaria” (Jn. 4:4).

The price He had to pay was appointed by the Father, “He must suffer many things and be rejected of elders and chief priests and scribes and be slain and be raised the third day.” This is what the Lord Jesus tells His church, “I must be about My Father’s business.”

That is: “I must go His way, not your way. You will not go with Me unto the Father, but I will go with you to the Father. For that is My Father’s business, that His Name will be glorified in the salvation of fallen sinners, in a way of righteousness and mercy. Joseph and Mary, that is now My Father’s will and My work alone. Everything from your side is without value, is insufficient. I have to do it alone and so, being placed outside, you will be saved. In that way Cod alone will receive the honor of His own work. He will be exalted most highly and sinners will be abased most deeply, and then you will worship a Triune God, for He has done it.”

Bankrupt sinners, who lost all their money of merchandise, will be saved by His perfect work alone. This is now free grace, and the one-sided work of God alone. That gives hope for a hopeless, discovered sinner, whose works fall entirely away. This sinner learns that if one crumb of his work had to be added it would be a lost case. For such sinners salvation becomes impossible and the Lord cuts off all their hope and expectation to be saved from their side. But oh, what a wonder, when this may be revealed, that it pleased God to give His Son as a ransom, that the Judge is satisfied in His work, that the access to God’s house and heart is opened by Him, there is a Savior who receives such sinners, who redeems such sinners, who reconciles such rebels with God and that because He must be about His Father’s business!

Joseph and Mary understood not this saying. The work of redemption is a hidden mystery and they had to be taught in this way. The Lord promised unto His church, “This young boy, sitting at the feet of the doctors, is the great Teacher, who will guide the feet of the blind into the way of peace.”

Salvation is the Father’s business, for He asked for a Mediator.

Young and old, there is still place at His feet. There is room, even for the oldest or youngest, and most wicked of sinners. He sends His servants and they have to cry upon the highest places of the city, “Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither. Forsake the foolish and live.”

Here is hope for those who have forfeited everything who lost everything and can only increase their debts, for it is His Father’s business. It is God’s work to save sinners.

Oh, look unto Him and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth; for He is God and there is none else! Here is the true Passover Lamb that taketh away the sins of the world. Here is sufficiency for all your needs. And although you do not understand so many things, and there are so many puzzles, people of God, and it seems to go the wrong way, once you will understand and admire His wisdom that He did not go your path, but He led you as the blind in His ways.

Then you will dwell forever in His temple and will give Him all the honor for His work. ?

Rev. C Vogelaar is pastor of the Netherlands Reformed Congregation of St. Catharines, Ontario.

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