It was so natural for the parents of Christ to look upon him as their own child, as parents commonly regard their children, that they were in danger of losing the precious blessing which daily attended them in the presence of Jesus, the world’s redeemer. As Christ was daily with them, his life in many respects as other children, it was difficult to keep before them his sacred mission, and the daily blessing of having committed to their charge and parental care, for a while, the Son of God, whose divinity was vailed with humanity. His tarry in Jerusalem was designed of him as a gentle reminder to them of their duty, lest they should become indifferent in a greater degree, and lose the sense of the high favor God had conferred upon them. {2SP 35.1}

Det var så naturligt for Kristi forældre at se på ham som deres eget lille barn, som forældrene i almindelighed betragter deres børn, at de var i fare for at miste den dyrebare velsignelse som daglig fulgte dem i nærheden af Jesus, verdens genløser. Da Kristus dagligt var hos dem, var hans liv i mange henseender som andre børns, det var vanskeligt at holde hans hellige mission foran sig, og den daglig velsignelse at få ham betroet i deres varetægt og forældreomsorg, for en stund, var Guds søn, hvis guddommelighed var tilsløret af menneskelighed. Han havde udtænkt sig et længere ophold i Jerusalem for at minde dem deres pligt, så de ikke blev ligegyldige i større grad, og miste en fornemmelse for den høje gunst Gud havde betroet dem.