Chapter 3 

From the Gospel of Luke 

The Finding of the Child Jesus in the Temple (Luke 2:41 51) 

     ...and when they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking 

him. After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the 

teachers, listening to them and asking questions; and all who heard him 

were amazed at his understanding and his answers.  (Luke 2:45 47). 

    Jesus was twelve years old at this time. Joseph, Mary, and Jesus had 

come to Jerusalem for the feast of the Passover. Jesus was lost to Joseph and 

the Virgin Mary for three days; then He was found in the Temple. This 

event was a living prophecy of the death and Resurrection of Jesus, which 

would occur years later. When Jesus died, He was in a sense lost to His 

family and disciples for three days. Then, at the Resurrection, Jesus was 

found in the Temple which is His Body. Both the finding of the Child Jesus 

in the Temple and Jesus' death and Resurrection occurred about the time of 

Passover. 

The Generations from Adam to Jesus (Luke 3:23 38) 

     Jesus, when he began his ministry, was about thirty years of age, being 

the son (as was supposed) of Joseph, the son of Heli ... the son of Enos, the 

son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.  (Luke 3:23.38). 

    The man named Heli referred to here is St. Joachim, who was originally 

called Heli, and only took the name of Joachim later in life, as Blessed Anne 

Catherine Emmerich explains in her book, The Life of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

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The ancestors of Jesus listed here follow the line of descent from David 

down to Mary's father, Heli (St. Joachim). Holy Scripture is telling us the 

origins of Jesus' humanity, by giving us the names of His mother Mary's 

ancestors, beginning with her father, Heli. 

    Saint Joseph's line of descent is also from David (Luke 2:4). Saint Joseph 

was the legal father of Jesus under Jewish religious law because he was 

betrothed to Mary before the Incarnation occurred. God's Promise, that the 

Messiah would come from David's lineage, was fulfilled both through 

Joseph and through Mary:  through Joseph, since he was of David's lineage 

and the legal father of Christ; through Mary, since she was also of David's 

lineage and was the mother and sole immediate ancestor of Christ. The