TO UNDERSTAND THE SCENE

Jesus among the Doctors; Master of the Catholic Kings; 1495-97; oil on panel; National Gallery of Art, Washington

Web Gallery of Art

The Gospel according to Luke, chapter 2.

Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the passover.
And when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast.

Jesus stayed behind in the Temple but his parents, thinking he was in the caravan, did not look for him at once, then they worried about him and returned to Jerusalem.

And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions.
And all those who heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers.
And when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said to him : "Son, why have you done this to us? Look, your father and I have sought you anxiously."

And he said to them, "Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business? "

And they did not understand the statement which he spoke to them. (Luke 2:41-50)

Comment
 

            The text shows that Jesus is a young man more intelligent than learned; the scene announces the future debates with the Pharisees. But, on the other hand, it emphasizes his vocation as a prophet and as Son of God, which is impossible to render in a painting.

Jesus among the Doctors

A composition centred on Jesus who is traditionally sitting in a high chair, the bishop’s cathedra.

The arrival of Mary and Joseph is often discreet; here the emphasis is put on the reunion of the family.

The passage from childhood to adulthood has often been ritualized by gestures and words.

At their Barmizah, young Jews read a passage from the Bible in Hebrew. Christianity has instituted ceremonies of renewal of the promises of Baptism, which still exist and take place at about the age of 12, but vary according to countries and confessions.

For Protestants and some Catholics (in Italy for instance) it is the confirmation; for the Catholics in France it is the profession of faith (formerly called the solemn communion). Some social rites used to be added in the old days: adult clothes, first cigarette… they showed the passage of the individual to a certain “majority”.

At what age is this majority?

There have always been several ones. If the kings of France came of age at 13, the majority required to be married without the parents’ consent was very late and could be as late as 25 years old. It was rather at the age when the youth entered the world of work that marked the end of childhood socially.

Nowadays the passage lasts over a rather long period; it is adolescence that begins early and ends late and if the legal majority is fixed at 18, youth sometimes still goes on for a very long time.