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.
English Standard Version (ESV)
What's easy to miss is the word choice describing Jesus' submission: "was subject." This wasn't a one-time act, but a continuous, habitual way of living. It highlights that even as the divine Son, Jesus willingly and consistently honored his earthly parents, setting a powerful example for all of us.
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.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Fresh from the intense experience of debating with elders in the Temple, Jesus returns with his parents to their humble home in Nazareth. For the next eighteen years, his life is characterized by quiet obedience to Joseph and Mary, a period of hidden growth and submission to ordinary family life. His mother, Mary, deeply cherishes the extraordinary events and words surrounding her son, holding them close in her heart as she watches him grow.
Imagine the Creator of the universe, living under the authority of His own creation. That's the picture Luke paints in these 'hidden years.'
The Bible doesn't shy away from the ordinary. Jesus, fully God, also lived fully human. This means He submitted to His earthly parents, Joseph and Mary.
Mary's response to Jesus' early life is a masterclass in faith. While Jesus grew in wisdom, Mary treasured the mysteries surrounding Him.
The verse concludes with a beautiful picture of Mary's inner life: 'his mother treasured up all these things in her heart.' This wasn't passive remembering; it was an active, ongoing engagement with the profound events and words surrounding her son.
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Understand the original words
hypotassomenos · Greek Participle
A Greek term implying a voluntary, active, and ordered submission to authority. In a family context, it reflects the honor and obedience due to parents, modeling the attitude of the Son toward the Father.
kardia · Greek Noun
In biblical usage, the heart is the center of the human personality, encompassing the intellect, will, emotions, and moral character. It is the seat of decision-making and where one reflects upon the works of God.
This period in Nazareth highlights Jesus' humble obedience to earthly parents, a powerful example for all believers, and underscores Mary's deep contemplation of God's mysterious ways.
c. 4 BC
Birth of Jesus
Jesus is born in Bethlehem during the reign of Herod the Great, leading his family to flee to Egypt to escape persecution.
c. 4 BC - c. AD 1
Return to Nazareth
After Herod's death, Jesus' family returns from Egypt and settles in the obscure town of Nazareth in Galilee.
c. AD 12— this verse
Jesus visits Jerusalem at age 12
Jesus attends Passover in Jerusalem with his family and is found discussing scripture with teachers in the Temple.
c. AD 12 - c. AD 30
Years of Obedience in Nazareth
Jesus returns to Nazareth with his parents and lives under their authority, likely working as a carpenter.
c. AD 30
Baptism of Jesus
Jesus, now around 30 years old, is baptized by John the Baptist, marking the beginning of his public ministry.
This passage echoes Jesus' voluntary 'emptying of Himself' and taking on the 'form of a servant,' which directly relates to His subjection to His earthly parents in Luke 2:51.
Genesis 37:11The phrase 'kept all these things in her heart' for Mary is directly paralleled with Joseph keeping a matter in his heart, showing a pattern of deep reflection on significant events, even if not fully understood.
Proverbs 3:1Jesus' submission to His parents in Luke 2:51 beautifully illustrates the principle of not forgetting God's law and keeping His commands in one's heart, which leads to a long life, a promise for all who follow this wisdom.
Colossians 3:20This verse explicitly commands children to 'obey their parents in everything,' providing a clear theological basis for Jesus' own example of subjection shown in Luke 2:51.
Isaiah 53:2This prophetic description of the suffering servant, growing up 'like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground,' captures the humble and obscure growth of Jesus in Nazareth, as highlighted by His subjection in Luke 2:51.
bensonLuke 2:51: "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 . And he went down with them to Nazareth — That he might not seem to encourage disobedience in children, by withdrawing himself in that weak age from under the government of his parents, he very willingly retired with them into the obscure city of Nazareth, where for many years he was, as it were, buried alive. Doubtless he came up to Jerusalem…
vincentLuke 2:51: "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."
Was subject (ἦν ὑποτασσόμενος)The participle and finite verb, denoting habitual, continuous subjection. "Even before, he had been subject to them; but this is mentioned now, when it might seem that he could by this time have exempted himself. Not even to the angels fell such an honor as to the parents of Jesus" (Bengel). Compare Hebrews 1:4-8.Kept (δι…
What's easy to miss is the word choice describing Jesus' submission: "was subject." This wasn't a one-time act, but a continuous, habitual way of living. It highlights that even as the divine Son, Jesus willingly and consistently honored his earthly parents, setting a powerful example for all of us.
Fresh from the intense experience of debating with elders in the Temple, Jesus returns with his parents to their humble home in Nazareth. For the next eighteen years, his life is characterized by quiet obedience to Joseph and Mary, a period of hidden growth and submission to ordinary family life. His mother, Mary, deeply cherishes the extraordinary events and words surrounding her son, holding them close in her heart as she watches him grow.
Fresh from the intense experience of debating with elders in the Temple, Jesus returns with his parents to their humble home in Nazareth. For the next eighteen years, his life is characterized by quiet obedience to Joseph and Mary, a period of hidden growth and submission to ordinary family life. His mother, Mary, deeply cherishes the extraordinary events and words surrounding her son, holding them close in her heart as she watches him grow.
"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." — What's easy to miss is the word choice describing Jesus' submission: "was subject." This wasn't a one-time act, but a continuous, habitual way of living. It highlights that even as the divine Son, Je…
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Last reviewed October 2026