His parents
Joseph and Mary are referred to as Jesus' parents, highlighting their role in His upbringing and adherence to Jewish customs. This also emphasizes the humanity of Jesus, who was raised in a typical Jewish family setting, fulfilling the prophecy of the Messiah coming from the line of David (Isaiah 11:1; Jeremiah 23:5).

went to Jerusalem
Jerusalem was the spiritual and cultural center of Jewish life, home to the Temple, where sacrifices and major religious festivals were held. The city's significance is rooted in its history as the site of King David's capital and Solomon's Temple. This pilgrimage reflects the centrality of Jerusalem in Jewish worship and the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies concerning the Messiah's connection to the city (Zechariah 9:9).

for the Feast of the Passover
Passover commemorates the Israelites' deliverance from Egyptian bondage, as described in Exodus 12. It is one of the three major Jewish feasts requiring pilgrimage to Jerusalem. The Passover lamb is a type of Christ, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). This event foreshadows Jesus' own sacrificial death during Passover, fulfilling His role as the ultimate Passover Lamb (1 Corinthians 5:7).

Luke 2:41 opens with, “Every year His parents went to Jerusalem…”. That simple phrase spotlights consistency:

• Faithfulness woven into the calendar. Deuteronomy 16:16 commands Israelite men to appear before the LORD three times annually, and 1 Samuel 1:3 shows Elkanah doing the same. Joseph and Mary embrace that rhythm without fail.

• A home patterned after obedience. Hebrews 10:25 later urges believers not to “forsake assembling,” echoing this model of steady worship.

• God’s plan unfolding in ordinary repetition. Galatians 4:4 says the Son came “in the fullness of time”; that fullness is built, in part, on countless faithful trips like these.

The verse continues, “His parents…”—a reminder that the incarnate Son grew up under real parental authority.

• Joseph’s leadership (Matthew 1:24-25) and Mary’s devotion (Luke 1:38) create a household where the Messiah is nurtured.

• Luke 2:33 highlights both parents “marveling” at Simeon’s words; here, they’re still walking in obedient wonder.

• Parental faith shapes the next generation. Proverbs 22:6 teaches “train up a child,” and Joseph and Mary embody that with Jesus, fulfilling Exodus 12:26-27 by living the story they will later explain.

Jerusalem is more than geography; it is the heart of covenant worship.

• Psalm 122:1 captures the pilgrim’s joy: “I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the LORD.’”

• The journey underscores submission to God’s chosen place (1 Kings 8:29). Jesus’ future ministry will revolve around this city—He will teach (Luke 19:47), die, and rise here—so even His childhood is oriented toward it.

• Their travel affirms the historicity of Luke’s account; real roads, real festivals, real people.

Passover commemorates deliverance (Exodus 12:13) and foreshadows the ultimate Lamb.

• The yearly feast looks back to Israel’s rescue and ahead to Jesus, “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29).

• John 2:13 records an adult Jesus attending Passover, cleansing the temple; His parents’ example paved the way.

• Paul connects the dots plainly: “Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed” (1 Corinthians 5:7). Luke 2:41 therefore drips with prophetic meaning—Passover is not merely background; it is Jesus’ destiny.

Luke 2:41 captures steady obedience: year after year, Mary and Joseph pack up their growing Son and head to Jerusalem for Passover. Their faithfulness fulfills God’s law, models parental devotion, centers life on God’s chosen city, and positions Jesus within the very feast that prophesies His redemptive mission. What looks like an ordinary line in a narrative is actually a window into covenant loyalty and a signpost pointing straight to the Lamb who will one day lay down His life at another Passover in the very same city.