What Do Ethics Have To Do With the Childhood of Jesus?

The word ethos occurs only four times in the New Testament. Luke is the only New Testament writer to use it. He uses it in the early chapters of his gospel in connection with events surrounding the early life of Jesus. The NIV translates ethos two ways, three times as the word “custom,” and once as “as usual.”

The first time Luke uses ethos, is in 1:9, “he [Zacharias] was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and offer incense." This usage refers to the custom of choosing priests for Temple duty by division and lot. It was during his time of service the angel of the Lord revealed to Zacharias that he would have a son, John, who would be the forerunner of the Messiah.

The second use of the word ethos, is found in 2:27, "Guided by the Spirit, Simeon came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him what was customary under the law." The custom for which they were going to the Temple, was to declare Mary to be ritually clean. Again, it was at God’s prompting that Simeon finds himself in the Temple and sets up Simeon’s prophecy about who Jesus is.

The third time it is used is in 2:42, “And when he was twelve years old, they went up as usual for the festival.” It is not said explicitly, but it is possible that this trip to the Temple was to commemorate Jesus’ bar mitspha. One indication of this is that when pressed as to why He missed His parent’s departure He expressed that He was to be doing His Father’s (not Joseph’s) business.

The word ethos is also used a fourth and final time, 4:16, “When he came up to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, as was his custom."

We can discern a pattern in these verses. In all four an ethos is being honored. God is revealing Himself and His plan: 1) to Zechariah, 2) to Jesus' parents, 3) to Jesus Himself, and finally 4) to the citizens of Nazareth.

By extension, God revealed Himself to the world and ultimately to us through the rituals and customs of the Law in the midst of a corrupt society. We never know when God will reveal Himself to us in an extraordinary way.

We learn that when we remain faithful to the ethic of regular attendance in the place of public worship, He will reveal Himself to us and His plan for us. Not every time, but in His timing. And it will always have ramifications beyond us. Even if it seems our society is corrupt, and the Church fraudulent, God will honor our faithfulness as we honor the customs and rituals of our faith.

Is there a place for such consistency today?

Can we require such dependability of ourselves today?

What about the ethics (ethos) of meeting with Him daily in a time set aside for communication with Him?