The Meaning of Luke 2:52 Explained

Luke 2:52

KJV: And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.

YLT: and Jesus was advancing in wisdom, and in stature, and in favour with God and men.

Darby: And Jesus advanced in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and men.

ASV: And Jesus advanced in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  Jesus  increased  in wisdom  and  stature,  and  in favour  with  God  and  man. 

What does Luke 2:52 Mean?

Context Summary

Luke 2:40-52 - The Boy Jesus In The Temple
"Solitary floweret," says Stier, referring to this incident, "gathered from the wonderful enclosed garden of the thirty years and plucked precisely when the swollen bud, at the age of twelve years, was about to burst into flower."
The incident is specially valuable as indicating so perfect an understanding between our Lord and His mother. He wondered that, knowing Him as she did, she could have lost Him, or should have failed to seek Him in His Father's house. The stress is on Wist ye not? Here, however, He seemed to pass into a new attitude toward His life-work. May we not say that He caught sight of its absorbing character, to which all else must be subordinated?
Let us never suppose that we are in the company of Jesus, when, in fact, we may have lost Him. Never rest till you and He have found each other! [source]

Chapter Summary: Luke 2

1  Augustus taxes all the Roman empire
6  The nativity of Jesus
8  An angel relates it to the shepherds, and many sing praises to God for it
15  The shepherds glorify God
21  Jesus is circumcised
22  Mary purified
25  Simeon and Anna prophesy of Jesus,
39  who increases in wisdom,
41  questions in the temple with the teachers,
51  and is obedient to his parents

Greek Commentary for Luke 2:52

Advanced in wisdom and stature [προεκοπτεν τηι σοπιαι και ηλικιαι]
Imperfect active, he kept cutting his way forward as through a forest or jungle as pioneers did. He kept growing in stature His physical, intellectual, moral, spiritual development was perfect. “At each stage he was perfect for that stage” (Plummer). [source]
In favour [χαριτι]
Or grace. This is ideal manhood to have the favour of God and men. [source]
Stature [ἡλικία]
Which Rev. rightly retains. The word may be rendered age, which would be superfluous here. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Luke 2:52

Luke 1:5 There was [εγενετο]
Not the usual εν — en for “was,” but there arose or came into notice. With this verse the literary Koiné of Luke 1:1 to Luke 1:4 disappears. To the end of chapter 2 we have the most Hebraistic (Aramaic) passage in Luke‘s writings, due evidently to the use of documents or notes of oral tradition. Plummer notes a series of such documents ending with Luke 1:80, Luke 2:40, Luke 2:52. If the mother of Jesus was still alive, Luke could have seen her. She may have written in Aramaic an account of these great events. Natural reserve would keep her from telling too much and from too early publicity. Luke, as a physician, would take special interest in her birth report. The supernatural aspects disturb only those who do not admit the real Incarnation of Jesus Christ and who are unable to believe that God is superior to nature and that the coming of the Son of God to earth justifies such miraculous manifestations of divine power. Luke tells his story from the standpoint of Mary as Matthew gives his from the standpoint of Joseph. The two supplement each other. We have here the earliest documentary evidence of the origins of Christianity that has come down to us (Plummer). [source]
Luke 19:3 Jesus who he was [Ιησουν τις εστιν]
Prolepsis, to see who Jesus was. He had heard so much about him. He wanted to see which one of the crowd was Jesus.For the crowd (απο του οχλου — apo tou ochlou). He was short and the crowd was thick and close.Stature No doubt of that meaning here and possibly so in Luke 2:52. Elsewhere “age” except Luke 12:25; Matthew 6:27 where it is probably “stature” also. [source]
Luke 19:3 Stature [τηι ηλικιαι]
No doubt of that meaning here and possibly so in Luke 2:52. Elsewhere “age” except Luke 12:25; Matthew 6:27 where it is probably “stature” also. [source]
Luke 4:22 At the words of grace [επι τοις λογοις της χαριτος]
See note on Luke 1:30; and the note on Luke 2:52 for this wonderful word charis so full of meaning and so often in the N.T. The genitive case (case of genus or kind) here means that the words that came out of the mouth of Jesus in a steady stream (present tense, ekporeuomenois) were marked by fascination and charm. They were “winning words” as the context makes plain, though they were also “gracious” in the Pauline sense of “grace.” There is no necessary antithesis in the ideas of graceful and gracious in these words of Jesus. [source]
Luke 4:22 And wondered [και εταυμαζον]
Imperfect active also, perhaps inchoative also. They began to marvel as he proceeded with his address. This verb is an old one and common in the Gospels for the attitude of the people towards Jesus.At the words of grace (επι τοις λογοις της χαριτος — epi tois logois tēs charitos). See note on Luke 1:30; and the note on Luke 2:52 for this wonderful word charis so full of meaning and so often in the N.T. The genitive case (case of genus or kind) here means that the words that came out of the mouth of Jesus in a steady stream (present tense, ekporeuomenois) were marked by fascination and charm. They were “winning words” as the context makes plain, though they were also “gracious” in the Pauline sense of “grace.” There is no necessary antithesis in the ideas of graceful and gracious in these words of Jesus.Is not this Joseph‘s son? Witness and wonder gave way to bewilderment as they began to explain to themselves the situation. The use of εκπορευομενοις — ouchi intensive form of Ουχι υιος εστιν Ιωσηπ ουτοσ — ouk in a question expects the answer “yes.” Jesus passed in Nazareth as the son of Joseph as Luke presents him in Luke 3:23. He does not stop here to correct this misconception because the truth has been already amply presented in Luke 1:28-38; Luke 2:49. This popular conception of Jesus as the son of Joseph appears also in John 1:45. The puzzle of the people was due to their previous knowledge of Jesus as the carpenter (Mark 6:3; the carpenter‘s son, Matthew 13:55). For him now to appear as the Messiah in Nazareth where he had lived and laboured as the carpenter was a phenomenon impossible to credit on sober reflection. So the mood of wonder and praise quickly turned with whispers and nods and even scowls to doubt and hostility, a rapid and radical transformation of emotion in the audience. [source]
Acts 2:47 Having favor [εχοντες χαριν]
Cf. Luke 2:52 of the Boy Jesus. [source]
Romans 13:12 Is far spent [προέκοψεν]
The A.V. gives a variety of renderings to this verb. Luke 2:52, increased; Galatians 1:14, profited; 2 Timothy 3:9, proceed; 2 Timothy 3:13, wax. The word originally means to beat forward or lengthen out by hammering. Hence to promote, and intransitively to go forward or proceed. [source]
Romans 13:12 Is far spent [προεκοπσεν]
First aorist active indicative of προκοπτω — prokoptō to cut forward, to advance, old word for making progress. See note on Luke 2:52; note on Galatians 1:14; note on 2 Timothy 2:16; and note on 2 Timothy 3:9. [source]
Ephesians 4:13 Unto the unity of the faith [εις την ενοτητα της πιστεως]
“Unto oneness of faith” (of trust) in Christ (Ephesians 4:3) which the Gnostics were disturbing. And of the knowledge of the Son of God (και της επιγνωσεως του υιου του τεου — kai tēs epignōseōs tou huiou tou theou). Three genitives in a chain dependent also on την ενοτητα — tēn henotēta “the oneness of full (επι — epi̇) knowledge of the Son of God,” in opposition to the Gnostic vagaries. Unto a full-grown man Same figure as in Ephesians 2:15 and τελειος — teleios in sense of adult as opposed to νηπιοι — nēpioi (infants) in Ephesians 4:14. Unto the measure of the stature (εις μετρον ηλικιας — eis metron hēlikias). So apparently ηλικια — hēlikia here as in Luke 2:52, not age (John 9:21). Boys rejoice in gaining the height of a man. But Paul adds to this idea “the fulness of Christ” (του πληρωματος του Χριστου — tou plērōmatos tou Christou), like “the fulness of God” in Ephesians 3:19. And yet some actually profess to be “perfect” with a standard like this to measure by! No pastor has finished his work when the sheep fall so far short of the goal. [source]
Ephesians 4:13 Unto a full-grown man [εις ανδρα τελειον]
Same figure as in Ephesians 2:15 and τελειος — teleios in sense of adult as opposed to νηπιοι — nēpioi (infants) in Ephesians 4:14. Unto the measure of the stature (εις μετρον ηλικιας — eis metron hēlikias). So apparently ηλικια — hēlikia here as in Luke 2:52, not age (John 9:21). Boys rejoice in gaining the height of a man. But Paul adds to this idea “the fulness of Christ” (του πληρωματος του Χριστου — tou plērōmatos tou Christou), like “the fulness of God” in Ephesians 3:19. And yet some actually profess to be “perfect” with a standard like this to measure by! No pastor has finished his work when the sheep fall so far short of the goal. [source]
Ephesians 4:13 Unto the measure of the stature [εις μετρον ηλικιας]
So apparently ηλικια — hēlikia here as in Luke 2:52, not age (John 9:21). Boys rejoice in gaining the height of a man. But Paul adds to this idea “the fulness of Christ” (του πληρωματος του Χριστου — tou plērōmatos tou Christou), like “the fulness of God” in Ephesians 3:19. And yet some actually profess to be “perfect” with a standard like this to measure by! No pastor has finished his work when the sheep fall so far short of the goal. [source]
Hebrews 5:8 Learned he obedience [ἔμαθεν τὴν ὑπακοήν]
Omit he, since the subject of ἔμαθεν learnedis ὃς who Hebrews 5:7. Jesus did not have to learn to obey, see John 8:29; but he required the special discipline of a severe human experience as a training for his office as a high priest who could be touched with the feeling of human infirmities. He did not need to be disciplined out of any inclination to disobedience; but, as Alford puts it, “the special course of submission by which he became perfected as our high priest was gone through in time, and was a matter of acquirement and practice.” This is no more strange than his growth in wisdom, Luke 2:52. Growth in experience was an essential part of his humanity. [source]
Hebrews 5:8 Though he was a Son [καιπερ ων υιος]
Concessive participle with καιπερ — kaiper regular Greek idiom as in Hebrews 7:5; Hebrews 12:17. Yet learned obedience Second aorist active indicative of μαντανω — manthanō Succinct and crisp statement of the humanity of Jesus in full harmony with Luke 2:40, Luke 2:52 and with Hebrews 2:10. By the things which he suffered There is a play on the two verbs (εματενεπατεν — emathen -πασχω — epathen), paronomasia. Second aorist active indicative of paschō He always did his Father‘s will (John 8:29), but he grew in experience as in wisdom and stature and in the power of sympathy with us. [source]

What do the individual words in Luke 2:52 mean?

And Jesus continued to advance in - wisdom stature in favor with God men
Καὶ Ἰησοῦς προέκοπτεν ἐν τῇ σοφίᾳ ἡλικίᾳ χάριτι παρὰ Θεῷ ἀνθρώποις

Ἰησοῦς  Jesus 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: Ἰησοῦς  
Sense: Joshua was the famous captain of the Israelites, Moses’ successor.
προέκοπτεν  continued  to  advance 
Parse: Verb, Imperfect Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: προκόπτω  
Sense: to beat forward.
τῇ  - 
Parse: Article, Dative Feminine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
σοφίᾳ  wisdom 
Parse: Noun, Dative Feminine Singular
Root: σοφία  
Sense: wisdom, broad and full of intelligence; used of the knowledge of very diverse matters.
ἡλικίᾳ  stature 
Parse: Noun, Dative Feminine Singular
Root: ἡλικία  
Sense: age, time of life.
χάριτι  in  favor 
Parse: Noun, Dative Feminine Singular
Root: χάρις  
Sense: grace.
Θεῷ  God 
Parse: Noun, Dative Masculine Singular
Root: θεός  
Sense: a god or goddess, a general name of deities or divinities.
ἀνθρώποις  men 
Parse: Noun, Dative Masculine Plural
Root: ἄνθρωπος  
Sense: a human being, whether male or female.