What is the meaning of Luke 2:50-52?

BURKITT : | Lu 2:1-7 | Lu 2:8-12 | Lu 2:13-14 | Lu 2:15-20 | Lu 2:21 | Lu 2:22-24 | Lu 2:25-28 | Lu 2:29-33 | | Lu 2:34-35 | Lu 2:36-38 | Lu 2:39-40 | Lu 2:41-42 | Lu 2:43-45 | Lu 2:46-47 | Lu 2:48 | Lu 2:49 | Lu 2:50-52 | KJV

Reference

50 And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them. 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. 52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man. (Luke 2:50-52 KJV)

William Burkitt’s Commentary

The most material passage of our Saviour’s life for the first twelve years is here recorded; namely, his disputing with the doctors in the temple: how he spent the next eighteen years, namely, till he was thirty, the Scriptures doth not mention. It is here said, that he lived with, and was subject to, his parents, obeying their commands, and, as it is believed, following their employment, working upon the trade of a carpenter, as was observed, Mr 6:3 Doubtless he did not live an idle life; and why should he that did not abhor the Virgin’s womb, a stable, and a manger, be supposed to abhor the works of an honest vocation?

Observe farther, what a singular pattern is here for children to imitate and follow, in their subjection to their parents. If the greatest and highest of mortals think themselves above their parents’ commands, our Saviour did not so; he paid homage to the womb that bore him, and to his supposed father that provided for him. Let a person be never so high above others, he is still below and inferior to his parents. Jesus dwelt with his parents and was subject unto them.

Observe, lastly, a further evidence of our Saviour’s humanity, with respect to his human nature, which consisted of body and soul: he did grow and improve, his body in stature, his soul in wisdom; and he became every day a more eminent and illustrious person in the eyes of all, being highly in favour both with God and man.

Vain then is the conclusion of the Socinians from this text, that Christ could not be God; because God cannot wax strong in spirit, or increase in wisdom, as Christ is here said to do; for God’s perfections are infinite, and will admit of no increase. Whereas it it plain, that this increase here attributed to Christ in age and stature, respects his humanity: the wisdom and endowments of his human mind were capable of increase, though his divine perfections were absolutely perfect. So glad are these men of the least shadow of a text, that may cloud the divinity of the son of God.