Skip to main content

Glossary

Christ disputing with the Doctors

This is one of the few events from Christ's childhood which is described in the Bible (Luke 2: 41-51).

When he was twelve, he went with his mother and father to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover, but on their return to Nazareth they discovered that he had not returned with them. After asking the friends who had travelled with them and failing to find him, they returned to Jerusalem, where they found him in the Temple, disputing with the learned men, who were astonished at his knowledge.

When rebuked by his mother, he replied that they should have known he would be in his Father's house. Thereafter he went back to Nazareth with them and obeyed them.