Luke 2:41

His parents. [First Passover Visit, Luke 2:41-50. See Childhood and Youth of Jesus; a Suggestive Chronology of Christ’s Birth.] The reference here to Joseph as one of the “parents” of Jesus in no way implies a denial of the virgin birth, already so explicitly recorded by Luke (ch. 1:31-35). During childhood Jesus accepted and benefited by the fatherly care and protection of Joseph (see on Matthew 1:24), and even as a youth continued to be “subject” to him, as every youth should be to his father (see Luke 2:51).

Went to Jerusalem. The Greek tense shows that Joseph and Mary were accustomed to go to Jerusalem for the purpose of attending the annual religious festivals held there (see on Leviticus 23:2). In the case of Joseph, attendance at the three great feasts was required by law (see on Exodus 23:14-17; Deut 16:16). That Mary customarily accompanied him testifies to her devotion to spiritual things, for attendance on the part of women, though recommended, was not required.

The passover. The first of the three great annual feasts, the others being Pentecost and Tabernacles (see on Exodus 23:14-17; Leviticus 23:2). Commemorating as it did the deliverance of the Hebrews from the oppression of Egypt, the Passover festival was an impressive reminder of the series of dramatic events by which God had made of Israel an independent nation. The importance of the Passover to the Hebrew people is attested by the fact that they usually attended this festival even if they considered it impossible to be at Jerusalem for the others. It was the high point of the religious year, for without the events it commemorated they would have remained in bondage to the Egyptians. Not only so, but the Passover typified the Messiah (see 1 Cor. 5:7), the hope of whose coming bound the nation together and preserved it from generation to generation.