And at this time of his being baptized Jesus was about thirty years old, the age before which the Levites were not to be admitted to sacred functions, Num. iv. 3 and 43, 1 Chron. xxxiii. 2. And being born of a pure virgin he had truly no father on earth, but yet Joseph the son of Heli being betrothed to Mary his mother, he was his reputed father. [h] my Father's business] Ἐν τοῖς τοῦ Πατρὸς seems to refer to the place where they found him, i. e. in the temple; and so τὰ ἴδια in the neuter, his own, John xix. 27, signifies his own house; as Esther v. 10, and vi. 12, 2, house, is rendered τὰ ἴδια, his own. Thus the Syriac reads it, and thus Theophylact, ἐν τῷ ναῷ αὐτοῦ, in his temple. So Chrysostom, hom. 52, in Gen. speaking of Abimelech driving Isaac out of his country, asks, Ποῦ ἀπελαύνεις τὸν δίκαιον; Whither drivest thou the righteous man? οὐκ οἶσθα ὅτι ὅπου ἂν αὐτὸν ἀπελθεῖν συμβαίνῃ, ἐν τοῖς τοῦ δεσπότου τοῦ ἑαυτοῦ εἶναι αὐτὸν ἀνάγκη; "Dost thou not know that whithersoever he shall happen to depart, it is necessary he should be in his Father's house, i. e. within his providence?" And ʳ Dionysius Alexandr. Ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ μοῦ εὗροσάν με, λέγει διὰ προφήτου, ἐν δὲ εὐαγγελίοις, ἐν τοῖς τοῦ Πατρὸς μου δεῖ με εἶναι, "They found me in my house, saith he by the prophet, but in the gospel, I must be in those of my Father," i. e. in his house likewise. So ʒ Titus Bostrensis, Εἰς τὸν ναὸν ἂν τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἔφη, Οὐκ ἠδείτε ὅτι ἐν τοῖς τοῦ Πατρὸς μου δεῖ εἶναι με; "Being in the temple of God he said, Knew ye not that I must be in my Father's (house)?" See the learned Fuller's Miscell. p. 585. And though in that of staying in the temple (an introduction or essay preparatory unto his office, to which he was sent by God, to whom obedience is due before parents) he did somewhat without his parents' leave, (see John ii. 4,) yet in all other things he lived in perfect obedience to them: but his mother—