The panel depicts Christ as a boy in the temple surrounded by Jewish rabbis. It must be significant that the main thing Luke goes out of his way to tell us about Christ as a boy is that he was a wise and uniquely authoritative teacher. It must be significant that the only picture the gospels paint for us in Christ’s boyhood is that of Christ the Teacher. The ridiculousness of the story of Christ teaching in the temple should not escape us: Christ is twelve, yet his wisdom seems to surpass old, distinguished rabbis. We should not see the brilliance of Christ’s truth as a blinding light but as a beacon to journey toward.